EZ Flex hanger bolts creeking - triple axle

[tsetsaf]

As the title states I have a triple axle with the upgraded EZ Flex hangers and wet bolt setup. Last few hundred miles it developed an annoying squeak. I greased everything and it was still there. Grab the torque wrench and checked bolts. The hanger bolts got almost a full turn to get back to 75 ft lbs. Still creaking but better. Any ideas on how to quiet it down? It is the hanger bolts for sure. Just spray with some lithium grease?

[tsetsaf]

JIMNLIN wrote:
I've used the wet bolts and still had lots of noises . I found the noise was coming from the spring pack.
On every trailer I buy I drive a wedge in the end of the leafs to open them just a bit and squirt oil till it drips. Super quiet suspension.

Good tip and this was the area I paid attention to first. I didn't use a wedge but I did soak them down real good with lithium spray. I also checked the torque on the axle u-bolts too. I ended up focusing on the two main equalizer bolts by laying under the trailer while the wife operated the main landing legs. With my hand I could feel the click-click-click in the equalizer.

[fj12ryder]

Good idea.

The main thing to remember when installing the bolts is to see if the splines/knurls will line up with the ones already in the hangers. If they will that is great, it will keep from enlarging the bolt hole.

Rotate the bolt a little by hand and see if it will slightly enter the bolt hole. Whether it does or not, drive the bolt fully into the hanger. It's very important to securely hold the bolt head so the bolt won't turn when you torque down the nuts. Don't depend on the splines/knurling to keep the bolt from turning.

[RTBabich]

fj12ryder wrote:
... It's possible that the bolts have turned, which will ruin shackles eventually.

Because of your comment when I install an EZ Flex kit on our TT I will mark the bolts with a horizontal line or orient them in the holes all the same way. That would make it easy to tell if the bolts have turned.

[JIMNLIN]

I've used the wet bolts and still had lots of noises . I found the noise was coming from the spring pack.
On every trailer I buy I drive a wedge in the end of the leafs to open them just a bit and squirt oil till it drips. Super quiet suspension.

[fj12ryder]

Good plan. Something just doesn't sound completely kosher. Good luck.

[tsetsaf]

fj12ryder wrote:
What bothers me is that the bolts had loosened up enough to require a full turn to get them back to proper torque. That is not a good sign. It's possible that the bolts have turned, which will ruin shackles eventually.

At first I was surprised too but with tbe torque from manuevering it seems possible. Doesn't seem like anyone else has had this problem so I will give Dexter a call.

[rtz549]

The nylon retaining feature tends to wear out after so many uses. They also make metal type locks nuts.

[fj12ryder]

Mine used Nylok nuts.

[rtz549]

What kind of lock nuts or method of retention do they use?

[fj12ryder]

What bothers me is that the bolts had loosened up enough to require a full turn to get them back to proper torque. That is not a good sign. It's possible that the bolts have turned, which will ruin shackles eventually.

[rtz549]

How about molybdenum grease then?

[tsetsaf]

fj12ryder wrote:
He said he had the wet bolt kit.

Correct and I also checked all the torque settings.

[fj12ryder]

He said he had the wet bolt kit.

[rtz549]

Looks like the bolt heads have grease zerks?

http://www.serenitysys.com/rv/technical/suspension/dexter_ez_flex_equalizer_upgrade.html

[fj12ryder]

I think I'd be checking to make sure I didn't have any bolts loose in the hangers. That would be trouble. Kind of a pain to check out, but better to find out about it now rather than later.