leaf spring /shackle question?

[RV Mech Tech]

Eric- the AL-KO Kober home page has several links to the lower left of the page and the bottom one is 'Equalizer Nuts & Bolts' and when you bring this link up it gives you all the specs of the Types 1, 2, and 3 equalizers and all the specs for the attaching hardware and part numbers- just match up what you have on your trailer to the parts list on their site or Dexers site for the E-Z Flex equalizer and attaching hardware-

[Eric J]

let me see if this link will work

http://dexteraxle.com/inc/sdetail/28009

[Eric J]

Ok, I think it does, although it has part numbers next to all the parts, I have not found any specs except 9/16 bolts.
I did locate the type of equalizer I think I have part number 8301 type 2.
I have a hunch the kit in the link may work but still am not totally sure?

[RV Mech Tech]

Eric- on AL-KO Kobers website on the home page to the left under 'Products' click on the 'Leaf Spring Axles" - the next page will come up and again to the lower left is the link 'Equalizer Nuts & Bolts' - click this link and a full page chart comes up with a picture guide, specs on the equalizers and part numbers- you can use this for reference and match up a replacement part(s) for your trailer-

[Eric J]

[quote="Eric J"
I did locate the type of equalizer I think I have part number 8301 type 2.
I have a hunch the kit in the link may work but still am not totally sure?[/quote]

Thanks RV Mech Tech, I did see that, and I think I know which one I have? i,m not seeing on the dexter site, the specs for their kit, when I called them, the parts man I talked with did not have any specs that he could give me, I asked if he had one that he could take a tape measure to and measure it? he simple said no. If I have time this week one day I will call again and try and talk with their engineering maybe?

Question, when it says 33 inch axel centers? does that mean the axles are 33 inches apart from the center of the nut of one axle to the center of the nut on the other axle?

[RV Mech Tech]

Eric -the 33" means from the centerline of one axle to another on a double (tandem) axle like your trailer as you are viewing it from the side of the trailer- the different sizes of axles must be matched with the correct springs, hangers, and equalizers - mismathcing parts will throw the axles of of alingment etc- all of this info is on both the Dexter and AK-KO Kober websites - the pictures of the axles with the springs attached will show you how to measure your axle - different trailers will have different parts, diff. axle spacings etc. so you have to know what you have on your trailer-

[Eric J]

welp, my 9 to 10 yr old comp went down lost everything in it decided to go get a new one, found prices have come down a good bit, don't care for the new vista soft ware nun to much but anyway i,m up and go in again anyway
I finally got a hold of of somebody at Dexter that could tell me the specs.

would y'all look this over and tell me what your thoughts are?

all these measurements are center to center of the holes....
my equalizer bar is 6 1/8 at the bottom
Dexter is 5.7 I recon that would be about 5 3/4 ?
I could not get the measurement from Dexter from the top hole to the bottom hole from Dexter?
the bars or plates that join leaf springs to the equalizer bar.....
mine are 2 1/8 center hole to center hole
Dexter is 2 1/4
both bolts are 9/16 and 3 inches long
Dexter will not give out the info on what grade bolts they are using, said that was classified
my axles appear to me to be 33 1/2 inches apart
Dexter's kit is calling for 33 inches apart if I remember correctly.
the top of both equalizers are 2 inches wide.
Dexter's equalizer will pivot to both axles independently on the top and the pieces of metal that hook from the bottom of the equalizer to the leaf springs will also pivot.......i,m kinda temped to try it? and than again I don't know if that is such a good idea?

[Eric J]

well i don't recon anybody wants to touch that post cant say I blame anybody tho? its a tough one to figure out I thinks?
anyway i,m going to find out, i,v been very busy work wise even tho this economy is in such a down ward trend. I called AL Kolber and talked with a few people their and low and behold a feller their said he new of 3 people that have done it to the axles I have with the the Dexter kit and has not heard of any problems yet? so that tipped me just enough to place the order, was about 250 dollars, so I think I will get one side apart and get one in and see what it looks like? so with that being said what measurements would you take on level ground in the same spot before and after?
maybe from the end of the leaf spring to to the ground? see if it is putting more weight on the equalizer side of each leaf spring?
may be see how much difference is in the angle of the shackles? they move all the time anyway?
dig a 6 inch hole and watch it flex as each tire drops in and comes out?
i,m just thinking out loud here any comments welcome

[Eric J]

well its been awhile back that after I measured everything that I could with what specs I could get? I decided to order this kit www.dexteraxle.com
it seemed like it would be very, very close to working?

My axles are made by AL-KOBER 5200 lb after I received this kit back in the spring and looked everything over I realized a answer to a question I was not able to figure out?
my axles are 33.5 inches apart and the kit is for axles 33'' apart. due to a difference in the equalizer,s my equalizer has a 6 1/8'' spacing at the low end of it and the Dexter equalizer has a 5 3/4" spacing at the low end of it so the shackles will change their angle just a lil bit and my axles will be at a 33 inch spacing when I get done. which in turn will take away a lil bit of stability in how well it will trail behind me (maybe?) maybe not? no way to tell for me until I try it? i,m a lil nervous about that somebody tell me i,ll never know the difference please
anyway I had one hole left by the trailer manufacturer that I was able to see if the bolt holes were the same and it was a perfect fit


so I started on it this eve I had saved some stumps from fire wood that I cut up this past summer to set the camper frame on.


hauled em up with me buggy and set em under the frame


I did use a jack to lift the camper up with and bought the rig jacks down later to add what ever stability they would add.
and if the bolts and collars will fit through the leaf springs i,ll have it in tomorrow. will see?

[Eric J]

I worked on it on and off to day, had ball games to take the kids to and pick them up, so was only able to get one side done. I have had a hard time understanding what would take place with a difference of the kit for 33" axles and mine of 33 1/2 inch spacing? I am incorrect in my above post, the spacing of the axles can not move, due to the shackle holders are welded to the frame



but the angle of the shackles have to change slightly.


I found that I did not need to put the blue jacks like I have them under each side of the rear axle, I could have just had one under each axle on the side I was working on, ended up getting a 3rd jack to help me out that was easy er than wrestling around the other blue jack on gravel.


after I had the nuts removed each bolt had to be driven (pounded out) they all have serrated edges on the head end of the bolts, I did try a impact on one and spun it loose but it took away to much metal out of the hole for the new bolt to grip on to (for me ) that is. I had trouble pounding on this part of the shackle and had to put a C-clamp on it to take out the bounce so I was able to drive the bolt out.


once I had the bolts out (I did one at a time) than I had find something to drive out the old plastic collars (they are sooooo chincy) I ended up using a large bolt to start to get it to start to move, than found a 1/4 drive 1/2 deep well socket fit quite well to drive it the rest of the way out with.



the new bronze bushings or collar was a very tight fit, the instructions say to find something the same size to tap them in with? I found if I took the grease fitting out of one of the new bolts with the shackle on it, using a brass hammer was a nice way to hammer them back in.

I decided to put a grease gun on each bolt and see if grease would come out every hole in each bolt? and wouldn't ya know it their was one that I had to drill down a touch bit more so grease would come out.

this bolt was the only one that I needed 2 people their to help me line it up? i was not able to pull the axle over and get the bolt in at the same time.

so I wrapped a com-along around both axles and pulled it over and then it went right in.

so after its together the instructions say when you raise one axle the other should drop and it does, the front one drops almost to the point that I looked at it thinking that's to much? but I guess it has no where to go but back up?

the other side did the same

The rear shackles would not drop all the way down like the front did, I dont know that I under stand that?

one would not think from the size difference in the shackles that the ones I took off would be made to handle a load of 10,000 lbs being that the ones I put on are rated for 12,000 pounds?

the bolt holes were exactly the same


next question i,m wondering about is could their be enough travel for a tire to hit the top of the fender well on this rig?

I put tires on it and jacked them up until it got kinda tight and still had 4 inches left before the tire would hit, so good so far, will See what happens when the load of the camper back on it and I will make a 5 inch stair step for one tire to climb up on and see what it looks like then I guess?

I also question with all the movement that each axle now will have (that also helps take alot of pounding off the rig it self driving down the road) how well it could trail behind the truck? this rig trailed really, really well! that's one of the few things good I can say about it. I have to wonder if it still can trail as well as it did?

I,m not a fast worker by no means but very steady at it, so far I have 2 hrs cuttin the stumps and raising the camper and 4 to 5 hrs on the one side with several interruptions. now that I have everything I need to do the other side I think I could do it, in about 1 to 1.5 hr

[Carl]

Well documented repair. Like the pictures with the captions. Shucks, with your instructions, I should be able to beat your time by 30 minutes Carl

[Eric J]

well thank ya Carl
I looked out their this morn and the rear axel had droped down like the front axel had did and then realized I had for got about the other blue jack on the other side was still up yesterday (leaked down over nite) so I guess both sides are working the same?

[Eric J]

welp I got the other side done and I went from this (with one side done and one side not).



to this with both sides done


that's past the point of the shackle knowing which way to go back up or down even further?
even tho Dexter has now a page that says if your equalizer bar is between 3 to 4 inches left to right and 5 1/4 to 6 1/4 across the bottom?

mine is 4 inches by 6 1/8 inches.................. this kit will work?

but a 33 axle spacing....... and mine is 33 1/2 to 33 3/4
I think that shackle is over extending because my axles are slightly wider apart?

RV Mech Tech was it you that mentioned putting 2 of these kits in? if so did this happen to you when moving one axle up as the other went down? did it travel down that far?

I,m kinda thinking of goin back with the original equalizer and ordering 6 more bronze bushings and it will be just like it was except it will have heavier shackles and no more plastic bushings and all but 2 bolts will be greasable.

[Eric J]

I ended up calling Dexter and talking with one of their engineers, I asked him to get a pen and write some figures down, he did not! so I rattled off what I had and what the kit called for and he cough, cough a lil bit and paused and finally said why is your axle spacing wider than 33 inches? I said because that what is measures out to and this is a AL kolber axle, he said ah...... just run it it will be alright, I said well prob be ok on normal road but what about off road being a toy hauler? he than did say they had longer shackles but did not give me a part number or tell me how much longer shackle they did have? so I E-mailed them on the 27th and they sent me a reply that they would be out of the office 26th through the 30th
so a week later I E-mailed them again with no reply to this day.

I decided to pull the Dexter equalizer out, (This kit could very well have worked? but I did not care to be the one to find out when crossing a sharp dip in a field) so ordered 6 more bronze bushings 2.32 a piece or their abouts?

used my small shop press and 3 sockets and a 12mm socket 1/4 drive to pop out the plastic bushings.



this one was worn out on one side and their is less than 2000 miles on them.



think it was a 3/4.....1/2 drive that fit the equalizer bar and the plastic bushing slid right on in it during removal



I the laid the equalizer bar on the steel plates and pressed the bronze bushings in, they went in quite easy until the last 1/2 inch or so I than had to put a handle in the jack, until then I was able to jack the jack by hand.



after I had them pressed in the bolt would not quite fit? it was close but I ended up chasing the hole with a 9 1/6 drill bit.



The bolts did have just a tiny bit of play, which was to me just about right for using a greasable bolt.




so in the end I have all but one bolt I can not grease



sadly enough its the one main bolt that could really use a greasable bolt but the factory bolt was a solid bolt and Dexter's bolt was a solid bolt with grease fittings on the equalizer so I figured I better stay the same due to the bolt being weaker with a hole drilled 1/2 way down the center of the bolt. so be it for now I guess.

I did call AL Kolber and talk with them (very friendly people for me) they had told me that.....that lil equalizer bar was rated at 17,000 pounds and a new one with plastic bushings in it cost 8 to 9 dollers. The bolts were like a 1.29, while puttin all this in I aslo checked all the wheel bearings and had found one had a blown seal (all were packed with grease well from the factory) so I ordered a set of brake pads (they were kinda hard to install by my self? could have used a 3 hand) they were 32 dollers and the seal was only 3 dollers. nothing was overly priced in any way to me. but then again here I is with grease all over one my brake pads to