TECMike wrote:
Getting ready to put Trailair's wet bolt kit in my Equaflex system and I need to know from you guys who have done it, what did you do to prevent misalignment of the axles during the installation process?
Would doing one side at a time prevent misalignment problems? Or is there a better way to prevent misalignment during the reassembly process? Thanks so much!
Mike
Hi Mike
You used the words “misalignment of the axles”. Do not know what context you are using that in. By doing a wet bolt upgrade you are not changing any axle alignment changes. Do not undo the U bolts holding the axle tube to the springs as that can shift the actual alignment of the axles to each other and to the tow ball.
See this pic. The front axle is held in alignment by the front spring hanger and the rear axle is held in alignment by the rear spring hanger. The EZ flex, the Equaflex or the standard rigid equalizer does not change the axle alignment relationship to the tow ball or axel to axle. They can however change TT ride height by affecting the toggle links length and the height of that end of the spring.
You will notice in that pic I have a jack stand in front and in the rear to take the weight of the camper. There are 2 bottle jacks under the axle tube at the U bolt area to hold the weight of only the axle tube, not the camper. When you pull the spring bolts it will prevent it from dropping and by supporting the axle tubes it will help prevent shackle flop down until you get the camper and wheel back on the ground again.
I have done 2 campers with this upgrade. The one you see I had the entire camper off the ground on 4 jack stands. The other camper, I only jacked up one side and the wheels where still on the other side on the ground. Both methods I still used the bottle jacks to hold the axle tube. It is even more important if the other side in still on tires on the ground as there is more weight on the axle tube then the entire camper off the ground.
And both times, I just do the complete left side of the camper, then go and do the right or other side. I did not flip flop and do just front axle and the rear axle. Technically you can but while doing a side, I did front and rear of that side and put the wheels back on and went to the other side.
Hope this helps and good luck
John
PS If you want to not have 1 axle get away from you, or think it will, do the spring hanger wet bolt upgrade both front and rear one at a time on that side and then go do the equalizer. The spring hanger bolt will hold the axle from shifting fore and aft. But even if it shifts, just put it back in the spring hanger and you are back to where you started.
However it is easier to change the wet bolt on the spring hanger by unhooking the equalizer toggle links. Then just let the bottle jack straight down and the spring bushing can get knocked out and lift the axle straight back up. If you leave the shackles on, the axle must pivot towards the equalizer to ever clear the spring from the spring hanger. And it must lift and swing foward to ever get the spring back in the spring hanger. I have had them all unhooked on one side and not be a problem just have the jack under the axle tube.
