Hi coachcollins42,
After thinking through this last night, a few more thoughts. By the way, your pics are not showing in your post. Something with your photobucket is not working right. Try using the "direct" link instead of the IMG link in photo bucket. Paste it into the picture posting postage stamp icon on the forum and put 640 as the width. Leave the height blank. This is what I did below on your pics
Here is your old spring setup on 4 leafs of approx 5,000 to 5,200# springs
![](http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f272/coachcollins42/2017-04-17%2016.39.03_zpsbqae8vp0.jpg)
And your new setup with 6 leafs on 26" centers when at no load
![](http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f272/coachcollins42/2017-04-17%2016.37.22_zpsjryd9fnj.jpg)
Your hangers at 59" apart center to center, with 26" springs as measured in the unloaded state and 33" axle spacing, this would leave the equalizer and shackles to take up 7" of connection length.
As the springs flex, the eye to eye centers get longer from unloaded length. The shackles and the length of the equalizer centers take up the difference normally.
I still think what the problem is, the deflection rate of the new 6 leaf spring pack is very different then the older 4 leaf pack even though the new spring pack is rated for more total weight. The 6 leaf spring pack is getting longer much sooner and that is using up all the equalizer system compensation. In order to make that spring pack work right, the hangers need to be further apart then the 59 inches. These are my "thoughts" yet to be proved out that is what is happening.
You can confirm this if you want by,
Old 4 leaf springs as they stand today. Trailer loaded. Measure eye to eye on the spring installed.
Jack up camper and unload spring. Measure eye to eye on the spring installed.
Now subtract the 2 numbers and the increase in spring length is what that spring deflection rate is for the 4 leaf 5,000 to 5,200# springs with your loaded camper.
New 6 leaf springs as they stand today. Trailer loaded. Measure eye to eye on the spring installed.
Using a new spring not yet installed, confirm the 26" is what that spring is.
Now subtract the 2 numbers and the increase in spring length is what that spring deflection rate is for the 6 leaf 6,000# springs with your loaded camper.
If they are much different with the new springs being longer, the new spring rate is not going to work. While they may be softer for the initial load, you cannot deal with the length change. This is not about the overall length of the spring but the rate the spring changes under the same load of the camper. Making the same 6 leaf spring pack shorter eye to eye is not a total fix either as it too will flatten out just the equalizer may be able to take up some of the difference. But you will not know how much unless you test it.
My thoughts at this point short of you confirming the spring rate is, you still want 26" springs but you need to get the spring pack deflection rate to be the same as the original or less, but not more.
By putting 6,000# springs in with 4 leafs, odds exist the trailer will ride rougher. They are just stiffer for the loads you have. Odds are good they will not change eye centers like the 6 leaf pack does as the springs are thicker and that less flexing will fix the equalizer issue.
Do you know if your spring packs are 5,000 or 5,200# rated that you have now? If they are only 5,000# then up'ing to 5,200 gives you a little cushion but not so much to add to the rough ride concern. If they are at, 5,200#, then 10 years may be all they are good for if your actual full loads are scaled at 10,400# of axle loads. Suggest you weigh the camper axles so you know the actual weights.
My camper is setup at a 10,000# GVWR with 2, 5,200# axles and 5,000# of springs. My scaled axle weights with weight distribution engaged are 8,300# axles with 1,640# on the TT tongue for a 9,940# GVW. I have 1,700# of excess spring capacity. The camper is 13.5 years old and the springs are not yet flat. Maybe they are better quality springs or the excess capacity is helping me, do not know which.
You talked about camper height, by just going from the Alko longer rigid equalizer (6.25 centers) to the EZ flex (5.7 centers) you will loose ride height. We did not talk about shackle length as it too affects ride height. What is the old shackle centers and what is the new Dexter shackles?
I have found that just using a rubber equalizer, I loose some ride height due to the rubber compressing. It is not a lot but it is some. In my case I only had 2.5" bump height above the tires to the fenders on a rigid equalizer as setup from the factory. Dexter recommends 3" bump clearance. I lost 1/4" from the rubber equalizer after driving for 2 weeks. This put me too close for comfort on a hard bad pothole bump. Since I wanted to stay with the heavy duty shackles, I lowered the center hanger to lift the camper back what I lost plus a little. At the time, Dexter was the only one I could find making heavy duty shackles. But now, Mor-Ryde makes then that are longer so there are some options at least.
Point: Odds are high you will loose some ride height from just the rubber equalizer.
Since the new equalizer is narrower and the vertical distance of pivot pin to shackle centers is less, you will loose some ride height. Since the vertical distance is different between the Alko and the Dexter, the shackles need to be sorted out to not have the length of them not lower the camper any more. You can compensate for lost ride height by sometimes changing the the length of the shackle or by making the center hanger longer which lifts the camper. This requires some math to sort it out but it is doable to prefigure. I created a bolt on length of the center hanger. Have pics if needed. Hope this helps
John
NOTE: 4-18-17 7:49PM Edited the last Summary (Point) paragraph to better reflect the issues with the shackles and the difference in vertical distance between the Alko and the Dexter.
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.