Forum Discussion

jamilbk's avatar
jamilbk
Explorer
Jun 18, 2018

Check your leaf spring shackles!

Just went through a pretty rough stretch of the Alaska highway northbound between Destruction Bay and Beaver Creek, YT.

Stopped for fuel, and found this:



I'm lucky the axle didn't rip off! Apparently it's a common problem up here. I suggest to anyone with a decently heavy trailer with OEM suspension -- upgrade your spring shackles! Or for that matter, upgrade your suspension in general! All it takes is one pot hole to break something and potentially cause a fatal accident.

Trailer specs:

Total weight: 13,000 lbs
Weight on axles: 11,500 lbs
Axles: Tandem Dexter 7,000 lb
Miles on trailer: ~ 20k

Larger picture of the trailer (yes, it's a "tiny house"):



Currently getting a new set of shackles installed in Beaver Creek, YT and have a Dexter EZ-Flex kit on order. Anyone have recommendations for a suspension shop in Fairbanks?
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Jun 19, 2018
    path1 wrote:
    So if I'm a newbie...what should I look for or do? Should it be on my inspection list. Where would I get written guidance.
    Any hints helpful.

    Thank you


    The bolt should be tight and there should be NO elongation of the holes. The head end of the bolt has straight knurling to prevent turning and that is a poor fit that becomes ineffective so wear begins. The pictured shackle shows a hole that wore till it broke out the end. Those bolts ride in a plastic bushing in the spring end and they fail quickly, but you can only guess the condition till it is disassembled.
  • dodge_guy's avatar
    dodge_guy
    Explorer II
    Jun 19, 2018
    I replaced mine years ago. they were trashed just traveling around the Midwest. I went with Dexter EZ flex with the wetbolts. much stronger than the factory junk.
  • path1's avatar
    path1
    Explorer
    Jun 19, 2018
    So if I'm a newbie...what should I look for or do? Should it be on my inspection list. Where would I get written guidance.
    Any hints helpful.

    Thank you
  • MitchF150's avatar
    MitchF150
    Explorer III
    Jun 19, 2018
    What are leaf springs?



    Yes, I know this does not add to the post, but I've owned this TT for 16 years now and would not want to have anything else than the torsion suspension..

    Mitch
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Jun 18, 2018
    The failure was many miles in the making, the bolt was loose in the shackle and actually kept elongating the hole till it wore thru. Yes, rough roads will aggravate the issue, but that failure would have happened eventually even on good roads. These things with their thin shackles, cheap nuts, plastic bushings etc., are plain junk and anyone who wants to do any kind of serious traveling needs to upgrade the parts.

    The comment about PA roads should be accompanied with a comment about PA having the highest fuel tax in the nation. Talk about a double whammy!
  • beemerphile1's avatar
    beemerphile1
    Explorer
    Jun 18, 2018
    This year my 2006 got all new shackles, equalizers, and wet bolts. Prevention is less expensive than a roadside break down.
  • 2edgesword's avatar
    2edgesword
    Explorer
    Jun 18, 2018
    Glad you made it through without have a catastrophic accident.

    My maiden voyage with my new TT had us on a strip of I-78 in PA made me surmise it was really a section of road used by GM to test chassis and suspension integrity. I thought for sure something was going to come unhinged. I got home, checked the trailer thoroughly and was surprised not to find destruction in/on/under the trailer. It caused me to upgrade my initial quality rating one grade.

    These types of occurrences are one reason I resist loading trailer and truck to the maximum capacity.

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