Old leaf spring equalizers have me paranoid

My Class A Holiday Rambler spent most of its 20 year life in New York state. I've learned the hard way that the oxyacetylene torch is your friend when dealing with repairs underneath. If you don't have a torch set, purchase or rent one before you embark on this project. When you're replacing parts, it's so much easier just to torch the old parts off. Ask any salvage yard worker, he'll agree.
Steve

My suspension parts are 43 years old, next week. I wouldn't worry about moving your trailer to get it to a place where it can be fixed.

Right now, I'm replacing control arms in the rear suspension of a car that has 207K miles, many of those through MN salted winter highways. Many of the bolts that attach the arms are rusted solid into the bushings. I've found the fastest and easiest way is to use a 4" angle grinder and cut the heads and shanks off. The arms will then drop off. If I'm replacing the bushings, I can drive the remaining bolt and bushing out while mounted in a vise.

Good luck with your suspension job, the old gal should pull straight and true for another 30 years.

Thanks guys I will probably work up the nerve and just replace all of it.I took a look today and it is all very very rusty and even though the camper only moves maybe 40 miles a year I can't quit having images of a failure on the road pop in my head.Figures that it is the only thing on the camper I have not rebuilt yet and judging by it's condition should have been the first thing I did.Now I just have to figure out what parts fit this old tub.

Sorry, never mind, I answered my question...

Undocumented standard is to replace any leaf spring, U-Bolts and plates that our 20+ years old. Unknown to some, leaf spring leafs become brittle in time. Instead of flexing, they simply snap. Since Leaf spring packs are low cost (re: < $30 per pack), I'd simply replace all packs. And, replace old age U-bolts and shackles as well. Parts are low cost - compared to high cost of recovering from "on the road" breakage.

When replacing leaf spring packs, do install both Wet Bolt system and leaf spring equalizer system as well.

re: http://www.modmyrv.com/2009/03/27/rv-leaf-spring-equalizer

Hope this helps.

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I've replaced all the parts on both a TT and a 5er. I used old landscape timbers cut to 24" length that I had on hand and cribbed up all four corners. Then jack up the axle and removed tires. With a bottle jack under the axle you can work each one but a second jack may help with alignment.

Spray all the nuts with PB Blaster and let it work. If the bolts are really rusted you can just break them with a nut buster or a cheater pipe and brute force, use six sided sockets. Then punch the bolt out with a drift pin. It's not as hard to do as it sounds. Use jack stands under the axle just in case something slips.

Even better than that is this one which has free shipping.Finditparts.com The Dexter kit sure is really nice quality and heavy duty and it's the only one to use compared to anything else....

BarneyS wrote:
Here is an excellent price for the Dexter EZ Flex kit and is where I purchased mine.

It is not a super hard job IF you do not have rusted parts as mentioned earlier. I think if it were me I would purchase one of the suspension kits which includes equalizers, wet bolts, bronze bushings, and heavy shackles like that are linked in this thread.
I would probably have them installed by a good shop instead of doing it myself as posted on page 4 of that thread.
Barney
Edit: Some of the links in that thread no longer work. Here is an excellent price for the Dexter EZ Flex kit and is where I purchased mine.

But, yes they can be god awful stuck. If there is a grove wore in the bolt it will not come out of the hole. You may need to torch off the bolt to get it out. Or, you may just need to heat the bolt with the torch to break the rust loose. Or, they may come right out. Depends on how lucky of a person you are.

I recently replaced all springs and equalizers on my 2 axle 5th wheel. I bought the ez-flex kits, new springs and all the hardware from a local Dexter supplier. I was able to do the work by myself on a Saturday. The instructions in the kit plus some internet research provided me with a step by step to doing the work. You'll need 2-3 jack stands and 2-3 floor jacks or combination of bottle jack and floor jacks. A second person would be helpful.

I was quoted $300 for labor. It was easier for me to do it because one of the old leaf springs was broken and I would have had to chain it up to drive 30 miles to get it repaired.