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  1. #1
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    Wet bolts on shackles from factory

    I was working under my 2019 Reflection 285BHTS this weekend putting on some corroseal and was surprised to discover that all spring shackles had grease nipples on the factory Dexter suspension. Maybe this is a regular occurrence but it caught me a bit off guard after reading a number of posts on suspension upgrades that spoke of plastic bushings on factory springs not surviving the ride home from the dealer after purchase. If rusty leaf springs = mandatory upgrade, I better bust out the wallet quick but I was pleased to see wet bolts on what appear to be zinc coated shackles. Time and miles will tell if I have identified the lipstick on the pig but I see a glass half full here.

  2. #2
    Paid my dues 😁 FT4NOW's Avatar
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    I'm not sure if all trailers come with wet bolts, but a lot do. Mine didnt have wet bolts on the hanger ends, but all the others were wet bolts. The biggest reason for the upgrade is to do the shackles. The HD shackles are more robust than the factory shackles and the new wet bolts accommodate the new required length. Click image for larger version. 

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  3. #3
    Big Traveler Wicked ace's Avatar
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    Have you greased them? Chances are if there are globs of grease on the zirk fittings, grease was not injected into the bolts. You may have difficulty getting grease into some because of how they are aligned.
    2018 F150 XLT 301a, Screw, 4x4, HDPP, Max tow, Andersen Ultimate w/ Curt Double Lock hitch.
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  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper
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    I have heard that GD is using Dexter axles now instead of Lippert, which our 2017 315RLTS has with no grease seals and the poor quality bushings.

    Good of GD to improve and go with a better supplier.
    Jim

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Our 2019 Solitude has Dexter axles and has the wet bolts but only on the equalizer section and shackles, the leaf spring ends on the hangers are not wet bolts. I just have to shake my head when I see things like that. I did grease ours just after we got it last February, yup there were a couple that were hard to take grease because they are clocked wrong. Before I greased them they did show signs of having had a grease gun attached but i am sure at the time of installation it was just a quick one shot, whether grease got into the bushing was beside the point.
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  6. #6
    Big Traveler
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    My 2020 351M has a whole lot of wet bolts. IIRC, I think it's 5 per side! And at least one of them requires a really exotic grease fitting (I finally found something at Northern tool that would work) to get to because of where the sewer line is routed. I finally did get grease in all of them, but it was a multi-day job. Shouldn't be that bad now that I have all the right connections/fittings to do it, but, then again, I use a LOT of grease and am pretty well equipped to do it at home. Not sure I'd recommend someone try this as their first greasing job. Make your life easier, get a lock and lube and a DeWalt 20V grease gun. My tractors have about 80 grease fittings each, so, like I said, I buy grease by the case here.

  7. #7
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    I greased them, 10 out of the 14 were easy, the other 4 took grease when I jacked up the trailer to take the tires off.

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor SGT ROC's Avatar
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    I haven't greased mine yet, but did look at them early on. There was a sign that they had been greased, but no gobs of grease. It's supposed to warm up next week and it looks like I have some work to do under the rig.
    Bob (retired) & Vicki
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  9. #9
    Site Sponsor livinthelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FT4NOW View Post
    I'm not sure if all trailers come with wet bolts, but a lot do. Mine didnt have wet bolts on the hanger ends, but all the others were wet bolts. The biggest reason for the upgrade is to do the shackles. The HD shackles are more robust than the factory shackles and the new wet bolts accommodate the new required length. Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Screenshot_20200107-201954_Chrome.jpg 
Views:	29 
Size:	80.9 KB 
ID:	24192

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    Our 2017 Reflection 26RL has Lippert axles with equa-flex and only had wet bolts on the equa-flex and shackles. Not on the spring hangers. We have 25,000 miles on the rig (8,000 of it on the notorious Alaska/Canada roads) and my husband was concerned that the nylon bushings were worn out. So when the trailer was in for the annual bearing repack we asked them to put wet bolts on the spring hangers.

    They installed wet bolts with new bushings and, surprisingly, said the nylon bushings were still good.

    2017 Reflection 26RL "Mili"
    2016 Ford F250 Extended Cab Gas Engine "Buck" (the truck)

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