Replacing springs, U-bolts and shackles

[RoadEyePie]

Lipper has authorized the replacement of all 4 springs, u-bolts and shackles and will be shipping them to me. I'm in a remote rural area and not sure I can find mobile service who will come out to replace all this. One option is to replace them myself. They did not recommend moving the RV due to damaged shackles. Has anyone got a set of instructions on how to proceed if I have to do this myself?

[Tdave]

Originally Posted by RoadEyePie

Lipper has authorized the replacement of all 4 springs, u-bolts and shackles and will be shipping them to me. I'm in a remote rural area and not sure I can find mobile service who will come out to replace all this. One option is to replace them myself. They did not recommend moving the RV due to damaged shackles. Has anyone got a set of instructions on how to proceed if I have to do this myself?

From your photos in the other thread and your comments on how the outer zerk fitting are missing due to interference, you may indeed have grossly misaligned axles, causing the tires to change toe underway. Your leaf-spring fanning may suggest that also.

I’d recommend a mobile tech if you’re not comfortable hauling the rig to a repair center.

[RoadrunnerII]

Hi
BIL and I both installed wet bolt kits. His was TT mine was 5th wheel. 12.5k
We did one side at a time.
#1 item be safe!
No cinder blocks allowed or soft woods
You need to be on a cement surface
Block wheels on opposite side with good wheel chocks
If you have electric levelers they make a reasonable safety mechanism but don't bet your life on them
You will need the following:
Depending on trailer gross weight
2 x 6 ton axle stands or larger
Large hard wood blocking and some cribbing
Torque wrench
Appropriate sockets and wrenches
Impact gun makes this easier
Mini sled or large ball phien hammer
Hardwood piece to drive shackle bolts out of knearling in shackle and spring hangers
Two jacks minimum
We used a pump jack and two 6 ton hydraulic jacks
Lift trailer by frame near front of trailer and behind rear wheels on one side
We used cut pieces of railway ties with plywood on top to support the jack and axle stands
Break loose the lug nuts slightly
Using the hydraulic jack to do the lifting
Once the tandems are off ground set axle stands and lower onto them. Bring your front auto level and rear on that side down to the floor to offer your safety net.
Now remove the two rims and tires.
Using the trolly pump jack lift each axle enough to remove axle weight off the springs and shackles
Remove the nuts from shackle bolts
Drive shackle and hanger bolts out of knearling.
Knearling prevents bolts from rotating
If they didn't supply wet bolts spend the money buy the kit.
Once spring is free remove from axle
Reverse to install
Torque all bolts to spec's
Shackle and hanger bolts will need to be driven in or pressed in because of the knearling.

Hope this helps
YMMV
RoadrunnerII


Repeat for opposite side of trailer

[grindstone01]

I installed a wet kit/bushings in a GA campground. I used a bottle jack, blocks of firewood, hammer/punch, along with 2 wrenches and a grease gun. It took me about 3 hours per side just taking my time.
Note - When you install the wet bolts, make sure the grease exit holes are position to have the grease exit front/rear. If they exit up/down, the grease will have a hard time being pumped in and may require jacking up the tire to remove the load each time you grease the zerks. BTDT

[Garyp4951]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

I installed a wet kit/bushings in a GA campground. I used a bottle jack, blocks of firewood, hammer/punch, along with 2 wrenches and a grease gun. It took me about 3 hours per side just taking my time.
Note - When you install the wet bolts, make sure the grease exit holes are position to have the grease exit front/rear. If they exit up/down, the grease will have a hard time being pumped in and may require jacking up the tire to remove the load each time you grease the zerks. BTDT

This is a good tip, and learned this myself recently.
RoadEyePie, I'm not saying you can't do this, but with no experience I would recommend you get a RV tech, or have a truck shop do this.
I would also upgrade the equalizer while doing this.

[RoadrunnerII]

Roadeyepie
I'm a retired farmer and Jack of many trades master of some. I have rebuilt small tractor engines, replaced clutches in tractors and pickups
This is not something I would suggest you take on without some previous experience in mechanics. It is dangerous if you don't keep safety in mind. Looking at the pics in your other post if you can drive it to a truck trailer service centre would be best. Just go easy you should be fine. Likely as good or better labour rate at a truck trailer repair centre. Pick a decent highway and stay under the speed limit.
I had the place and the knowledge to do it and all the tools and time. It is a bite of work.
Be safe!

RoadrunnerII

[grindstone01]

Hire a local mobile mechanic to come to your location if you don't want to tackle the job yourself. There are mobile mechanics that do equipment repairs in the field, just contact a local farm implement dealer or truck garage for contacts.

You could also attempt the job yourself and keep the mobile contact info for a backup if you get in over your head. (I'm not encouraging anything, just idea's)

MORryde makes a equalizer that might be worth looking at.
SRE4000 Suspension System - MORryde Products

[JDT]

Just another suggestion. I had the exact same issue with the Dexter axles/springs that came on my Excel. Over time the springs started fanning apart and my tires started wearing down on one side and scalloping. It took about 6 seasons of use and around 45K miles to get to this point so it was a gradual process. Finally reached the point I had to do something. I thought maybe it was an alignment issue since we had been all over the country and parts of Canada and encountered some roads that were downright awful. A local spring shop suggested the only way to properly align the axles was to completely remove them, not cheap. Whether true or not I don't know since I didn't follow up.

Instead, I decided to take it to Elkhart and have MorRyde independent suspension installed along with new Kodiak hubs and disc brakes. We already had 17.5 wheels and discs but I felt with the mileage and abuse a change would not hurt. We've now towed it about 10K miles since the change and the new Hankook TH22 tires and suspension are wearing perfectly. I'm pretty sure it rides smoother also. I know it is more money but you have a pretty high end fifth wheel with a substantial "investment".

If we change fifth wheels at some point I will probably get the cheapest suspension I can get and take it to MorRyde first thing.

[RoadEyePie]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

Hire a local mobile mechanic to come to your location if you don't want to tackle the job yourself. There are mobile mechanics that do equipment repairs in the field, just contact a local farm implement dealer or truck garage for contacts.

You could also attempt the job yourself and keep the mobile contact info for a backup if you get in over your head. (I'm not encouraging anything, just idea's)

MORryde makes a equalizer that might be worth looking at.
SRE4000 Suspension System - MORryde Products

website says that's rated up to 7K axles. Mine are 8K axles.

[RoadrunnerII]

The CRE 3000 version are rated to 8k.
They do soften the ride on the trailer. 3 inches of movement. Contact morryde directly I am sure they can fix you up.

RoadrunnerII

[RoadEyePie]

Originally Posted by RoadrunnerII

The CRE 3000 version are rated to 8k.
They do soften the ride on the trailer. 3 inches of movement. Contact morryde directly I am sure they can fix you up.

RoadrunnerII

Well I'm installing what Lippert is shipping under warranty because it's free.

[RoadEyePie]

Something struck me as very odd today while I was checking out the RV. My frame to ground distance is 24" so I was shopping for a bottle jack and jack stands that would reach that height. I decided to raise the tires off the ground with the hydraulic leveling jacks on one side just to where the tires leave the ground. I did this to measure the distance when jacked up to determine the height of jack stands needed. When I was lowering the RV via the hydraulic leveling system, I walked around to look and I saw the tires still a few inches off the ground, then the axle dropped and the tires hit the ground. It was only the axle / tires that moved. The RV was supported by the jacks so it didn't move. It's like the axle got stuck then fell. Don't know what to make of this.

[Tdave]

Corroded shackle pins? You mentioned zerks missing or damaged on the end pins, water may be infiltrating the interface from within. Is there grease evident at all pivots?

[RoadrunnerII]

You will find a couple of railway ties cut down to blocking size say 24 inch length fitted with plywood both sides makes a nice 24*24 jack platform and makes jack and jackstand hunting easier
Height wise

RoadrunnerII