Suspension wet bolt bushing

[Wicked ace]

Today I slid under my 150 series 260RD to grease the wet bolts and Dexter damper. Looking under previously I saw copious amounts of grease on the zerk fittings leading me to suspect they did an excellent job of greasing the fitting but not getting into the bolt. My suspicions were well founded as all of the bolts and the damper took quite a few pumps of my grease gun before CLEAN grease was pushed out. I was surprised, impressed actually to see wet bolts used but I'm not able to determine if they used the Dexter bronze bushing or cheaped out and kept the plastic ( kind of defeats the purpose)? I see Dexter sells the bushings and the wet bolts but separately not as a complete kit. Has anyone had one of them apart that could confirm it?
BTW there were four zerk fittings that have failed and wouldn't allow grease through. I confirmed after taking two out that they were dry inside. One I took out matched some SAE fittings I had in my tool box. The other three are a different thread and I cannot get the SAE to start in.

[Calbar]

Today I slid under my 150 series 260RD to grease the wet bolts and Dexter damper. Looking under previously I saw copious amounts of grease on the zerk fittings leading me to suspect they did an excellent job of greasing the fitting but not getting into the bolt. My suspicions were well founded as all of the bolts and the damper took quite a few pumps of my grease gun before CLEAN grease was pushed out. I was surprised, impressed actually to see wet bolts used but I'm not able to determine if they used the Dexter bronze bushing or cheaped out and kept the plastic ( kind of defeats the purpose)? I see Dexter sells the bushings and the wet bolts but separately not as a complete kit. Has anyone had one of them apart that could confirm it?
BTW there were four zerk fittings that have failed and wouldn't allow grease through. I confirmed after taking two out that they were dry inside. One I took out matched some SAE fittings I had in my tool box. The other three are a different thread and I cannot get the SAE to start in.

From what I have read these are the bronze bushings that go in with the wet bolts. I also have 1 possibly 2 that I have trouble getting grease into. 1 I got grease into it the first time but could not the second time. The one on my equalizer I can\t get grease in. Dealer had a 10,000 PSI DeWalt grease gun and said they got a couple of shots of grease in. Not so sure though. If the holes in the wet bolts are not at 9 and 3 o'clock they are either hard to get grease into or not possible. Thinking about taking a couple out that are causing me trouble and aligning them properly.

Rob

[CoChris]

Try jacking up the trailer (by the frame/jacks, not the axles) to take weight off of the suspension. You can do one side at a time. Sometimes that is enough to allow you to grease the suspension.

Chris

[Fishwater]

I just crawled under mine to grease them for the first time this week. I have two that I can’t get grease into as well, I want to try jacking the side up not sure how. Can’t jack on the axle tube & the normally I would place a jack between the axles but the equalizer is there so I’m not sure what the best approach is at this point? I’m hoping once I jack the trailer up I can grease in there because that equalizer is squeaking & I can see rust dust around the bolt indicating that there’s no grease in there. All of my bolts had tons of grease on the outside & took me a few pumps to push clean grease so I’m not sure they were actually greased at the factory as well.

[traveldawg]

This is someplace in another thread I think, but some of us got one of these lock-n-lube connections and it works really well.

[Calbar]

Try jacking up the trailer (by the frame/jacks, not the axles) to take weight off of the suspension. You can do one side at a time. Sometimes that is enough to allow you to grease the suspension.

Chris

I had to do this but still could not get grease into the curb side equalizer and then last time could not get grease into the road side far back pushing. When I do the bearings in the next few weeks will see about taking these 2 apart.

Rob

[J&G garage]

Often bushing material gets "shaved" off the dry bushing and packs into the grease hole in the wet bolt. When this happens no grease will flow. This sounds plausible in the case where the bolt would take grease and then at a later time it will not. The fix is to remove the bolt and use a small drill bit by hand to clean out the hole. Hit it with the grease gun before reinstalling to make sure the hols is clear.

[DaveMatthewsBand]

I have one bolt that won’t take grease.
Passenger side behind rear axle.
In order to rotate it to 3 or 9 o’clock, can’t I just jack up the frame to unload the spring then remove the bolt, rotate it 90 degrees then reinsert it?



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[J&G garage]

The bolt has serrations near the head that prevents it from rotating. You have to press or knock out the bolt then rotate and reinstall

[CoChris]

I have one bolt that won’t take grease.
Passenger side behind rear axle.
In order to rotate it to 3 or 9 o’clock, can’t I just jack up the frame to unload the spring then remove the bolt, rotate it 90 degrees then reinsert it?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

While you have the bolt(s) out, remove the zerk fitting and make sure the hole (both through the long axis and the side outlet) is drilled all the way through and not blocked (other than with grease). Just take a wire and run through it to check or leave the zerk in and pump a little grease through the bolt. Should take no pressure and should come right out the side hole. Takes seconds to do. I have found bolts that are not drilled all the way and/or plugged with metal shavings.