Wet bolt greasing issue

[dryfly]

Just an update. I know there have been lots of posts since this one but wanted to confirm that I received the set of bushings and the length is 1 5/8". The springs in our tandem axle trailer are 1 3/4". In my previous trailer I swapped the OEM's for MoRyde wet bolts and heavy duty shackles and I'm pretty sure the bushings measured 1 3/4". I'm planning to order a set of heavy duty shackles and the longer bolts so I may just get the set that includes bushings in case these Never Fails don't fit right or seem too short. I don't imagine it should be an issue but just in case.

Anyway, wanted to confirm the length in case anyone was curious. They are heavier duty than the OEM nylon bushings, but they don't look all that rugged if you ask me. I hope they live up to the reputation. Also, just checked the seller's page and see there are still "more than 10" available but he must be selling them fast.

@Riverbug

Are you planning on installing the bushings in the near future? If so, please report back the results.

I received mine today and they are 1 5/8" in length. It's kinda difficult to get exact I.D and O.D. measurements as they are slightly flexible and not perfectly round. I'm sure they would adapt to the spring hole, but since I have no need to replace right now I won't know until later. These could go either way!

[Riverbug]

@Riverbug

Are you planning on installing the bushings in the near future? If so, please report back the results.

I received mine today and they are 1 5/8" in length. It's kinda difficult to get exact I.D and O.D. measurements as they are slightly flexible and not perfectly round. I'm sure they would adapt to the spring hole, but since I have no need to replace right now I won't know until later. These could go either way!

I need to wait for the snow to melt and temps to come up a bit as I'll have to do it outside. But I plan to get it done this spring before starting our travels. This is a new trailer as of January, but I know from the 2022 that we traded in, the OEM nylon bushings were completely worn through after less than 5,000 miles so I figure I may as well get this done before the trailer even hits the road. I'm not sure about these after seeing them but gotta give it a try. If they work it'll be something else!

[ajg617]

Can I ask a dumb question or two? Can one assume that these bushing failures will occur on every rig? And how do you know when they they do fail? Between this and the spring issues lately, I'll be looking hard underneath when the snow clears and I get the 310 back from the dealer. But if bushings have failed, how would you know without disassembly?

The low mileage on the bushings referenced in the threads is concerning. I know (or suspect) based on suspension noise that my wet bolts were never greased on delivery. They all took grease (one reluctantly) mid-way through last season and I've had no noise since but we put on 12K miles last year nearly all of which was interstate and hit some very nasty roads.

[Overtaxed]

Not a dumb question at all. The best way to be sure if they've failed or not is to knock out the wet bolts, drop the springs and visually inspect. However, at least on the rigs I've seen, you really don't need to do that. On mine, for example, I just grabbed the spring with my hand and tried to move it. Without the bushing, there's play, you'll feel the spring clunk around and move easily side to side. When it's "right", it's very hard/impossible to move the spring around by hand any significant amount. In my case, it was abundantly clear it had happened and I still had some of the brass bushing in there, if the entire thing was gone, it would be even more clear.

If you did 12K miles and only greased once, let me save you the trouble. Order the bushings and new wet bolts, yours are cooked. I did similar mileage to you, greased them every time dozens of times and mine were destroyed. I'm moving up my schedule with the grease gun to "it doesn't move until greased". I carry a gun with me now, when we take off, I grease. When we get there, I grease. And on a multi-day drive, I grease every morning. Greasing 1X per month was clearly not enough.

[ajg617]

On mine, for example, I just grabbed the spring with my hand and tried to move it. Without the bushing, there's play, you'll feel the spring clunk around and move easily side to side. When it's "right", it's very hard/impossible to move the spring around by hand any significant amount.

Wheels off the ground when you do this or if side to side doesn't matter?

[Overtaxed]

Wheels off the ground when you do this or if side to side doesn't matter?

Easier to feel on the jacks, but I could actually feel mine with the full weight on the axles.

[ajg617]

Easier to feel on the jacks, but I could actually feel mine with the full weight on the axles.

Well, I had planned on Morryde IS but was going to hold off until this years 8K trip. Maybe I'll have to re-think.

[Grandesigner]

Greasing so often just seems wrong...there must be something terribly wrong with this design like undersized components or something else very basic.

[dryfly]

I'm not an engineer but I feel they are a terrible design. How could the one small hole that emits the grease, considering the weight on the top of the bushing, dispense lubrication all over the bushing surface.

It seems if there were small channels spiraling the bushing, a path for the grease when pumped in, more area would be lubricated.

@Overtaxed, how can you feel play in the springs with the weight of the trailer on them? Replacing or frequently checking them wouldn't be that big of a deal but I've done it and it's not a easy job as you know.

[goducks14]

Wet bolts need to be installed so the holes are at 9:00 and 3:00 to allow grease to enter.
I'm planning on replacing my brass bushings in a month or so simply because I have about 16,000 miles on them and I've only been able to get grease to pump in a few of them.
I'm going to test pump each bolt.