2019 Reflection leaf spring replacement

[jabhoyt]

I am having leaf springs replaced as suggested by dealer upon inspection of the trailer. I am ignorant to details on choosing leaf springs. Dealer will just order same ones I assume. Do I need to upgrade, have some other place install better springs? I would appreciate any assistance on leaf spring replacement. Thank you!
2019 Reflection 297RSTS

 

[Hoopy Frood]

First thing to do is determine the actual weight on the axles of your trailer. Then crawl under the trailer and get the information for the axles from the tag on the axles. Did the dealer explain why he wants to replace the springs? I would imagine they are flat, but there are other reasons. Make sure you have all the hangers checked and possibly reinforced by Lippert's V-shaped plates. I would also look at replacing the equalizers. I prefer EZ-Flex, but there are other good ones, but I, personally, would avoid the Lippert EquaFlex.

When I replaced my axles I went from 3,500 lb. rated springs to 4,000 lb. rated springs, but I am running a little over the GVWR so it seemed like a reasonable idea.

 

[el Rojo]

I am having leaf springs replaced as suggested by dealer upon inspection of the trailer. I am ignorant to details on choosing leaf springs. Dealer will just order same ones I assume. Do I need to upgrade, have some other place install better springs? I would appreciate any assistance on leaf spring replacement. Thank you!
2019 Reflection 297RSTS

You need to answer some of Hoppys' questions either on here or to yourself so we can help you best.

Red

 

[jjbbrewer]

After buying many of the cheap OEM springs and having them break/twist/come apart,




I went with some custom made ones from Alcan.





They are noticeably better built and seem to have much better quality spring steel. At minimum, they have leaf spring clamps that actually work.

https://www.alcanspring.com/

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Is the bottom photo the Alcan Spring? Looks pretty flat. Maybe just the perspective?

 

[jjbbrewer]

Is the bottom photo the Alcan Spring? Looks pretty flat.

Here's the 1 year old stock spring for comparison .. same load. (sorry about the backlighting)

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Ah, the infamous "w".

 

[jjbbrewer]

Ah, the infamous "w".

To this day I don't know why towable RV manufacturers (primarily Lippert who I guess makes the frame) put such absolute crap suspension components on them - primarily the springs.
I know it's a cost savings thing, but I don't know any RV customer who wouldn't *gladly* pay $1K-2K more to keep from being stranded on a random road in who knows what kind of weather.
This is totally a rhetorical statement by me as I know this has been discussed to death in all sorts of forums.

 

[JeffD68]

When I bent my front axle, I upgraded to two new 6000 LBS axles. I believe the stock were 5300 LBS. I also upgraded to leaf springs designed for 7000 LBS axles because the stock springs were completely flat. There was some fear that the stiffer suspension would result in a harsh ride for the trailer contents, but after a few thousand miles, there are no negative impacts and the springs are still arched.

 

[jabhoyt]

You need to answer some of Hoppys' questions either on here or to yourself so we can help you best.

Red

I thought I put a post on for reply but I don't see it. Try again. The weight is 5300lb. The springs need to be replaced because they are flat. I am interested in knowing if there are better springs to upgrade to? How much weight requirement do I go above the factory installed ones. I am waiting for the id tag info from the dealer. In the meantime, I am getting some wild quotes on the time it takes to replace them. From 4 hours to 12-16 hours. My dealer says 6, and the cost is over $2000. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I thought I put a post on for reply but I don't see it. Try again. The weight is 5300lb. The springs need to be replaced because they are flat. I am interested in knowing if there are better springs to upgrade to? How much weight requirement do I go above the factory installed ones. I am waiting for the id tag info from the dealer. In the meantime, I am getting some wild quotes on the time it takes to replace them. From 4 hours to 12-16 hours. My dealer says 6, and the cost is over $2000. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

The actual weight on the axles is 5,300 lbs.? Is that from a Cat scale, or the like. That seems pretty light for a trailer that is supposed to have a dry weight of almost 8,000 lbs. You can get heavier springs, but hard to say until you actually know what is on there, and what the actual weight is. Builders are pretty notorious for doing just enough to get by, so you could have 3,500 lb. rated springs on an axle carrying 3,499 lbs.

Quite a few people have gone to heavier springs and been pleased with the result. Prices for springs vary by their rating, but $100-$200 per spring is pretty close, so you'd be looking at maybe $500-$800 for just the springs, then U-bolts and miscellaneous parts. If you go with wet bolts and new bushings, you'd be looking at more. Then figure labor time, so $2,000 total is probably pretty close. There's just a very large number of variables. If the old springs flattened out pretty quickly, I don't think I would replace them with the same thing.

 

[trakela]

Leaf Spring Replacement

I am having leaf springs replaced as suggested by dealer upon inspection of the trailer. I am ignorant to details on choosing leaf springs. Dealer will just order same ones I assume. Do I need to upgrade, have some other place install better springs? I would appreciate any assistance on leaf spring replacement. Thank you!
2019 Reflection 297RSTS

Hello, We just had a leaf spring hanger repair (two have failed). We were told by the repair shop that he performs around 50 leaf spring hanger repairs a year. He said the leaf springs on these 5th wheels are not sufficient for the weight carried. He said we should definitely upgrade from what was factory installed. We were traveling in Montana when our hanger broke and were very lucky to find a local welder.

 

[trakela]

I forgot to mention we have a Reflection 303 RLS.

 

[mbarry1834]

I am having leaf springs replaced as suggested by dealer upon inspection of the trailer. I am ignorant to details on choosing leaf springs. Dealer will just order same ones I assume. Do I need to upgrade, have some other place install better springs? I would appreciate any assistance on leaf spring replacement. Thank you!
2019 Reflection 297RSTS

One option to consider. https://www.roadmasterinc.com/products/travel_trailers/comfort_ride.php
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Leaf-Spring-Suspension/Roadmaster/RM-2460-2570.html

 

[lorend]

I am having leaf springs replaced as suggested by dealer upon inspection of the trailer. I am ignorant to details on choosing leaf springs. Dealer will just order same ones I assume. Do I need to upgrade, have some other place install better springs? I would appreciate any assistance on leaf spring replacement. Thank you!
2019 Reflection 297RSTS

We just went thru this type of problem on our 2019 but we actually had a broken leaf spring. Check to see if you have the Dexter axles. If they are Dexter axles they will also have the Dexter springs with a 5 year warranty. Maybe your dealer can work with Dexter for a warranty replacement. Dexter ended up shipping out two new leaf springs and would cover 3 hours of labor. The springs need to be always be replaced in pairs on an axle. We have 5200 lb axles with 2600 pound springs. I wanted to upgrade to heavier springs but then would have needed to replace all four springs and Dexter would have only supplied four springs but no labor. The springs are cheaper than the labor so I am taking my chances with another set of the 2600 pound springs. Any problems after this and I am on my own. The shop that did the work, Les Schwab, figures one hour per spring for replacement.

 

[timkoenig]

I just had a leaf spring break, the leading end of the right front spring. Don't know why it broke, did not hit anything, normal towing maybe 40,000 miles. I bought new four springs from Dexter who had in stock at a distributor in Houston. This took me about 4 1/2 hours and I had never done it before. The wet bolts looked good but some of them are no longer splined into the hanger and can turn. I would think the reason they are splined is to avoid wear between the hanger and the bolt but they still fit fairly tight. So has anyone that has had this apart found worn out wet bolts and did they wear at the hanger?

 

[Hoopy Frood]

If your spring hanger bolts are free to rotate in the hanger mount, then you have an issue, provided the bolts were splined in the first place. If you have wet bolts, the bolts are splined to keep them from rotating in the spring hanger, which is a bad thing. If yours are free to rotate, no longer splined, they have spun at some point, for some reason. Not good. You might double check the spring hangers and make sure they are not worn, allowing the bolts to rotate. The bolts definitely should not rotate within the spring hangers. The bolts' torque settings are not terribly high, around 40 lb. ft. I believe. Provided the wet bolts are well greased, and kept well greased, the bolts shouldn't rotate in the hangers, at that toque setting.

FWIW, 40,000 miles on OEM springs is a lot, and not too surprising to have a spring fail. Knowing what your weight is, and knowing what your springs are rated for, and watching for flattening is a good way to keep from being surprised by suspension problems.

 

[timkoenig]

If your spring hanger bolts are free to rotate in the hanger mount, then you have an issue, provided the bolts were splined in the first place. If you have wet bolts, the bolts are splined to keep them from rotating in the spring hanger, which is a bad thing. If yours are free to rotate, no longer splined, they have spun at some point, for some reason. Not good. You might double check the spring hangers and make sure they are not worn, allowing the bolts to rotate. The bolts definitely should not rotate within the spring hangers. The bolts' torque settings are not terribly high, around 40 lb. ft. I believe. Provided the wet bolts are well greased, and kept well greased, the bolts shouldn't rotate in the hangers, at that toque setting.

FWIW, 40,000 miles on OEM springs is a lot, and not too surprising to have a spring fail. Knowing what your weight is, and knowing what your springs are rated for, and watching for flattening is a good way to keep from being surprised by suspension problems.

Would you agree they are splined to avoid wear between the hanger and the wet bolt? Have you seen wear between the hanger and the wet bolt?

I would disagree with you that 40,000 miles is a lot for springs, I have had many trucks with leaf springs that went several hundred thousand miles without needing to replace the springs. My normal loaded weight on the trailer axles is 7850 lbs with water in the fresh tank, the axles are rated at 4400 lbs. each. The only way I would get close to the axle limit would be all tanks full and I have never towed that way.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Would you agree they are splined to avoid wear between the hanger and the wet bolt? Have you seen wear between the hanger and the wet bolt?

I would disagree with you that 40,000 miles is a lot for springs, I have had many trucks with leaf springs that went several hundred thousand miles without needing to replace the springs. My normal loaded weight on the trailer axles is 7850 lbs with water in the fresh tank, the axles are rated at 4400 lbs. each. The only way I would get close to the axle limit would be all tanks full and I have never towed that way.

Yes, I would agree that the splines are to keep the wet bolts from spinning in the hangers. I have not seen wear on properly installed wet bolts, unless they have started to rotate within the hangers. I have seen the result of spring hangers without wet bolts, and it ain't pretty.

The leaf springs mounted on pickups, trucks, and commercial trailers are a much different animal than RV trailer springs. Designed stronger and beefier. RV trailer springs seem to be no stronger than they need to be, if that. Many are flat in only a few thousand miles, but not noticed until they fail.

 

[lorend]

I just had a leaf spring break, the leading end of the right front spring. Don't know why it broke, did not hit anything, normal towing maybe 40,000 miles. I bought new four springs from Dexter who had in stock at a distributor in Houston. This took me about 4 1/2 hours and I had never done it before. The wet bolts looked good but some of them are no longer splined into the hanger and can turn. I would think the reason they are splined is to avoid wear between the hanger and the bolt but they still fit fairly tight. So has anyone that has had this apart found worn out wet bolts and did they wear at the hanger?

Dexter did not step up to cover the cost of the broken leaf spring? With a five year warranty, they covered the cost of two springs and 3 hours of labor on my rig. Even if you bought the other two springs and replaced all four, Dexter should have helped with the costs.