Forum Discussion

GregMS's avatar
GregMS
Explorer
Oct 25, 2016

Wet Bolt Installation

Hi All,

Getting ready to install the MORryde UO12-016 wet bolts and have read with interest on the best way to orient the grease hole opening. It seems that 3 and 9 positions are the generally agreeded upon way to go but my concern is that grease will not make to where it's needed - in the contact position. I'm thinking about having the opening point toward the 6 or 12 o'clock direction - whichever has the load on it. Since I have the trailer up on stands over the winter anyway I was thinking that while the weight is off the bolts that they should take the grease easily. If I wanted to grease during the summertime, it really is pretty quick and easy to jack up anyway. Anyone see something I'm overlooking?

Thanks,
Greg
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Oct 25, 2016
    You are correct that putting the grease hole where it is needed results in problems pushing in the grease. To eliminate the problem, do point the hole towards the loaded side, but first cut a figure eight inside the bushing using something like a Dremel tool. Don't go real deep and weaken the bushing and it doesn't have to be pretty. Pointing the hole towards the unloaded side does little more than give you a good feeling.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Oct 25, 2016
    I used a small file to chamfer the bolt hole to help the grease escape.
    Should provide a wedge to allow grease to move even when the parts are under stress.
    I have not had any issue. Also verify the passageway is fully drilled and clear before you assemble.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Oct 25, 2016
    When I installed WB's I greased everything up before assembing them. Then, the next year I tried to pump grease in. Half of them were no go.
    I let it go a year and then tried again and still couldn't get half of them to take grease.
    So I took the offending wet bolts out and tried to pump grese through them. Still no go.
    I removed the zerks and found that they had only been drilled enough to get the zerks in! They had holes in the other end but they weren't drilled all the way through! By this time it had been too long to get any satisfaction from eTrailer so I ordered more and fixed it without any further problems.
    Moral of the story; grease them right away and make sure our off-shore partners and doing their usual thing!
  • jmtandem's avatar
    jmtandem
    Explorer II
    Oct 25, 2016
    I used the Dexter wet bolt kit. No issues with getting grease in them at 3 and 9 position now going on a couple years.
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2016
    jmtandem wrote:
    I used the Dexter wet bolt kit. No issues with getting grease in them at 3 and 9 position now going on a couple years.


    Of course it depends which end of the spring gets the 3 or the 9. If you are greasing the unloaded side, the grease will flow easily and do little or nothing.
  • hohenwald48's avatar
    hohenwald48
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2016
    When I put in my Moryde wet bolts I didn't pay any attention at all to the orientation of the holes. All took grease just fine. Had to really squeeze the grease gun on some of them but they took a shot or two with a little pressure. Maybe I just got lucky.
  • jmtandem's avatar
    jmtandem
    Explorer II
    Oct 26, 2016
    Of course it depends which end of the spring gets the 3 or the 9. If you are greasing the unloaded side, the grease will flow easily and do little or nothing.


    Considering the OEM bolts were dry bolts and the OEM bushings were some kind of plastic, almost anything is much better. And, by following the Dexter wet bolt and new bushings instructions I think there can be comfort in longevity and function.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2016
    Lynnmor wrote:
    jmtandem wrote:
    I used the Dexter wet bolt kit. No issues with getting grease in them at 3 and 9 position now going on a couple years.


    Of course it depends which end of the spring gets the 3 or the 9. If you are greasing the unloaded side, the grease will flow easily and do little or nothing.
    Not correct. The grease will flow to where the clearance is the greatest. So yes, initially the grease may not get everywhere. But as soon as the TT is towed, and the suspension moves, those clearances move as well. When that happens the grease continues to move to where the clearances are then the greatest.
    There is no need to over think what the manufacturers state on this. Install as they say, and grease away.

    Not much grease stays in them anyways, no matter how it is done. There are no seals on the ends, so that is where it all eventually goes. That is why they want you to grease so often. But even with that drawback, SOME lubrication is applied to a BETTER bushing. So it is a substantial upgrade. I have used them on two TTs. On my present TT, I have installed the Lippert Never fail bushings. No greasing involved with them. So far, so good. Time will tell if they are a winner.
  • Lynnmor's avatar
    Lynnmor
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2016
    You can order bushings with grooves here: bushings

    Apparently they never got the memo that grooves are not needed.
  • hohenwald48's avatar
    hohenwald48
    Explorer
    Oct 26, 2016
    Grooves might serve a purpose on a bushing with a static loading angle like an electric motor or conveyer belt roller. However, as huntindog stated, the load angles on a trailer suspension is constantly moving as the trailer is towed down the road. That movement displaces the grease from one portion of the bushing to another and eventually out the end to be cleaned up with a rag on a regular basis.

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