Dexter 4000 lb leaf springs review

[Nuffsaid]

So after much debate I decided to pull the trigger and order a set of Dexter 4000 lb leaf springs (8000 lb axle) for my 310GK. This will be the 3rd set of springs, I haven't had any broken springs, but I have had the typical sagging springs and the first set of factory springs had out of round spring eyes that caused the bronze bushings to fail before our first trip. I only found this out because right away I ordered more ryde heavy duty shackles and when I was replacing the factory shackles if found broken bushings. GD's response was they would send me new bushings, waste of time.

New springs showed up today from E Trailer and I decided to unbox and see what they looked like. Spring pack is almost 2 1/2 inches thick, I like how the second leaf is almost the same length as the main leaf. Butttttttttt, the eyes are not ROUND!!!!!! I can see daylight through almost every nylon bushing that is installed at the bottom of the spring eye. This is where all of the load is placed through the bolt to the bronze bushings that I will be installing. The bushings will fail immediately! There is between .040 and .060 of a gap in the worst possible place of the eye. I just sent a email to Etrailer to see what they want to do. It would be possible to mix up some JB weld to fill in the gap and press the bronze bushings in and let it cure. For the cost of these springs, I think I will send them back. I will wait and see what they have to say. In case anyone is wondering, these Dexter springs are MADE IN CHINA!

 

[ajg617]

After receiving our replacement Dexter 4000lb springs from GD, the eyes were round and no gaps with between the bronze bushings and springs, but I have no faith they stayed that way with our 8K suspension and now close to 5k miles on them. I'll know in the spring when I grease the wet bolts. If they take grease easily (like they did the second time), the springs, bushings, and bolts are toast. I'm surprised they came with nylon bushings?????

 

[Nuffsaid]

E trailer was very quick to respond to me. I appreciate that! At this point, I think I will bed the bushing with JB weld. Once it cures it should support the bushing so that it doesn't deform. I would say that 6 out of 8 spring eyes have a gap that I can push a .040 round rod through. The opening would be in the shape of a triangle. It is very hard to get a photo showing the gap.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

FWIW, considering the out-of-round condition of the spring eyes, you might consider reaming the bushings after they are pressed in place. I did it when I replaced the springs and bushings, and almost all of them required a reaming to fit the bolt with the proper clearance.

 

[Nuffsaid]

FWIW, considering the out-of-round condition of the spring eyes, you might consider reaming the bushings after they are pressed in place. I did it when I replaced the springs and bushings, and almost all of them required a reaming to fit the bolt with the proper clearance.

This is a good idea. I think at this point what I am trying to achieve is a round bore to support the bronze bushings. Bronze bushings tend to last a long time when fitted in a machined hole. The problem seems to be the imperfect spring eye, hence why I think I will bed the bushings with JB Weld. If the JB Weld supports the bushing, the wear should be minimized.

 

[huntindog]

This is an interesting approach...I am skeptical on it's chance of working, but am definantly going to look for your report back here.
Now if someone comes up with an idea to solve the lack of any type of grease seal for them......We may have a winner

 

[Nuffsaid]

This is an interesting approach...I am skeptical on it's chance of working, but am definantly going to look for your report back here.
Now if someone comes up with an idea to solve the lack of any type of grease seal for them......We may have a winner

I am thinking of these bushings kind of like you think about heavy equipment pins and bushings. They have to be greased often, I am ok with that, I grease my suspension every trip. The problem I have is that if the spring eye isn't true, the bronze bushing doesn't have enough of a wall thickness to suport the weight and it will deform. Once it deforms, game over. If trailer spring eyes were larger in diameter we could have a rubber encased steel bushing that would last. I am also considering purchasing some drawn over mandrel chrome moly steel tubing and machining it into a bushing. I think I will try the JB weld first with the bronze bushings. JB weld is pretty strong in compression. I use it to bed rifle scope rings in heavy recoiling rifles with good results. It won't be the first time I have tried something that nobody else has tried. If you look at the bronze bushings used in the equalizers, they last a long time mostly because they are pressed into a round hole that is fully supported. Wish me luck!

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Like [MENTION=12888]huntindog[/MENTION], I'm skeptical of JB weld being up to the task. I'm thinking the spring eye will flex open somewhat causing the JB to crack and fall out. Hope it works though. Good Luck!
I think what [MENTION=32339]ajg617[/MENTION] received, round spring eyes, is the exception and what you got was the rule. Almost all trailer spring eyes are out of round from what I hear.

 

[ajg617]

Like [MENTION=12888]huntindog[/MENTION], I'm skeptical of JB weld being up to the task. I'm thinking the spring eye will flex open somewhat causing the JB to crack and fall out. Hope it works though. Good Luck!
I think what [MENTION=32339]ajg617[/MENTION] received, round spring eyes, is the exception and what you got was the rule. Almost all trailer spring eyes are out of round from what I hear.

I agree that it was probably an exception. I looked them over carefully when the pallet arrived since the the dexter springs came with the bronze bushings already pressed in (and I still have two extras since they sent me six and I'll have another look at them closely). Everything looked true and the tech slid the bolts into the bushings to make sure everything was round before installing - no forced fits. All the parts (6 springs, 4 MORRyde shackles with bolts pre-installed, 6 hangers, 4 wet bolts, complete wheel bearing re-grease kit, brake kit) came in a wooden pallet that GD refers to as an 8K kit. The hangers were the wrong diameter and would not fit around the axles. Why 4 wet bolts and 6 springs - I don't know.

 

[powerscol]

So after much debate I decided to pull the trigger and order a set of Dexter 4000 lb leaf springs (8000 lb axle) for my 310GK. This will be the 3rd set of springs, I haven't had any broken springs, but I have had the typical sagging springs and the first set of factory springs had out of round spring eyes that caused the bronze bushings to fail before our first trip. I only found this out because right away I ordered more ryde heavy duty shackles and when I was replacing the factory shackles if found broken bushings. GD's response was they would send me new bushings, waste of time.

New springs showed up today from E Trailer and I decided to unbox and see what they looked like. Spring pack is almost 2 1/2 inches thick, I like how the second leaf is almost the same length as the main leaf. Butttttttttt, the eyes are not ROUND!!!!!! I can see daylight through almost every nylon bushing that is installed at the bottom of the spring eye. This is where all of the load is placed through the bolt to the bronze bushings that I will be installing. The bushings will fail immediately! There is between .040 and .060 of a gap in the worst possible place of the eye. I just sent a email to Etrailer to see what they want to do. It would be possible to mix up some JB weld to fill in the gap and press the bronze bushings in and let it cure. For the cost of these springs, I think I will send them back. I will wait and see what they have to say. In case anyone is wondering, these Dexter springs are MADE IN CHINA!

Are you sure they are Dexter springs? Dexter normally makes them here in the US. Lots of counter fitting going on from China. I would give Dexter customer service a call and verify where they are making them. They have a big foundry in Texas someplace. The other springs to consider are Rockwell Dexter owns them, but all Rockwell are US made I believe. When I replaced my 4400lb axles I got everything from Iron Bear Trailers out of Denver. https://ironbeartrailer.com/ (800) 865-0339
They made sure everything I was getting was USA made. So give them a call and find out and ship the other springs back. They may have better pricong too.

 

[ajg617]

Are you sure they are Dexter springs? Dexter normally makes them here in the US. Lots of counter fitting going on from China.

Etrailer corrected their listing and removed the made in USA reference - have to read it in the reviews section - latest etrailer update Aug 2023 says made in China.

 

[powerscol]

Etrailer corrected their listing and removed the made in USA reference - have to read it in the reviews section - latest etrailer update Aug 2023 says made in China.

I suspect then they are not Dexter. I would give Iron Bear a call. They stock a huge amount of Dexter stuff and see if they have USA made ones, or can get USA made ones.

 

[ajg617]

I suspect then they are not Dexter. I would give Iron Bear a call. They stock a huge amount of Dexter stuff and see if they have USA made ones, or can get USA made ones.

Nope - they are. Here's a picture of one of the extra Dexter 4K springs Grand Design sent me. Pretty evident where they are made.

 

[powerscol]

Nope - they are. Here's a picture of one of the extra Dexter 4K springs Grand Design sent me. Pretty evident where they are made.

View attachment 49436

Interesting - learned something new - Thanks

 

[Nuffsaid]

Nope - they are. Here's a picture of one of the extra Dexter 4K springs Grand Design sent me. Pretty evident where they are made.

View attachment 49436

Same as my new springs. I mixed up the JB Weld and put it into the area where the eye comes together and pressed the new brass bushings in. Most of them look pretty good now. Several of the bushings distorted a little and got a little out of round. I tested with a wet bolt and it's not bad, probably .010-.015. The gaps I started with were about .040 as measured with a torch tip cleaner that I measured with a caliper. The JB Weld will probably hold. If the spring eye flexes and cracks the JB Weld, it should still support the bushing so it doesn't colaspe into the void. I will give this a try and see what happens. If these bushings don't hold up I might try machining some bushings out of chrome moly tubing. I am curious to see what the brass bushings look like in the springs under the 5er now. They have been taking grease pretty well. I am also interested in seeing what shape the bushings in the equalizers look like. In the past, they looked great.

 

[ajg617]

The JB Weld will probably hold. If the spring eye flexes and cracks the JB Weld, it should still support the bushing so it doesn't colaspe into the void. I will give this a try and see what happens. If these bushings don't hold up I might try machining some bushings out of chrome moly tubing. I am curious to see what the brass bushings look like in the springs under the 5er now. They have been taking grease pretty well.

Be interested to see how this holds up. My wet bolts taking grease "pretty well" was I think the first sign that the tolerances were larger than they should have been or bushings were mostly gone. First year, could only get grease in one zerk unless I took the weight off the wheels - then managed to get in a good amount in all. Fast forward to 6 months later and without taking any weight off, grease flowed through the bushings and came out the other side way to easily. I really want to watch the factory pull suspension apart. If there is any wear on anything, I'll be looking at options.

 

[huntindog]

I am thinking of these bushings kind of like you think about heavy equipment pins and bushings. They have to be greased often, I am ok with that, I grease my suspension every trip. The problem I have is that if the spring eye isn't true, the bronze bushing doesn't have enough of a wall thickness to suport the weight and it will deform. Once it deforms, game over. If trailer spring eyes were larger in diameter we could have a rubber encased steel bushing that would last. I am also considering purchasing some drawn over mandrel chrome moly steel tubing and machining it into a bushing. I think I will try the JB weld first with the bronze bushings. JB weld is pretty strong in compression. I use it to bed rifle scope rings in heavy recoiling rifles with good results. It won't be the first time I have tried something that nobody else has tried. If you look at the bronze bushings used in the equalizers, they last a long time mostly because they are pressed into a round hole that is fully supported. Wish me luck!

How long are your trips? I recently returned from Yellowstone. Over 5000 miles. The parks we had to stay in would have thown a fit over greasing them on site.
My normal trips are 5-600 mile trips. But even that I think is too long. There is nothing keeping the grease in the bushings. Most of it probably is gone from the bushing before I hit the highway.
I have had these on other TTs in the past, I did the installs myself. I was/am not impressed. My previous Sabre I installed the Never Fails. I put over 50K on them before I sold it. AFAIK the new owener is still running them
I think they may be hard to find now. I bought some before the "shortage". I had one bolt break, so it now has a Never fail in it. I will do the rest later. It was really nice not to have to grease them on my last coach,

 

[Nuffsaid]

How long are your trips? I recently returned from Yellowstone. Over 5000 miles. The parks we had to stay in would have thown a fit over greasing them on site.
My normal trips are 5-600 mile trips. But even that I think is too long. There is nothing keeping the grease in the bushings. Most of it probably is gone from the bushing before I hit the highway.
I have had these on other TTs in the past, I did the installs myself. I was/am not impressed. My previous Sabre I installed the Never Fails. I put over 50K on them before I sold it. AFAIK the new owener is still running them
I think they may be hard to find now. I bought some before the "shortage". I had one bolt break, so it now has a Never fail in it. I will do the rest later. It was really nice not to have to grease them on my last coach,

I think part of the problem is the overall weight being supported by the bolts and bushings. The same bushings are used on springs that support 1000 pounds each as springs that support 3500 lbs ea. I am rethinking my choice in grease too. I have been using Lucas Red And Tacky which is a good extreme pressure lubricant, but I think I will change over to a Moly fortified grease for added lubrication. Based on wear that I have witnessed, I think that greasing the suspension at intervals of 500 miles might be a plus, but again bushings that are housed in a machined round hole aren't having the same issues as the spring eye bushing. I did notice that some of the bushings I pressed in yesterday deformed to the egg shape of the spring eye even with the JB weld in place, but the JB weld was soft, so it wouldn't prohibit that. Another option would be to apply the JB weld to the inside of the spring eye and then grease a pin the same outer diameter or a few thousandths smaller and place it in the eye and let it cure. Then knock out the pin leaving a perfectly round hole and press in a new bushing. I am waiting on new U bolts to show up in the mail and then I will tear apart the suspension. I will inspect the spring hangers for cracks and probably reinforce the spring hangers and add a brace from side to side.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

IMO go by the instructions from Lippert/Dexter for reinforcing the hangers. I saw a completely welded reinforced hanger that had been torn off the frame, and took part of the frame with it. I think there needs to be someplace for the flex to go, otherwise it will make a place.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

IMO go by the instructions from Lippert/Dexter for reinforcing the hangers. I saw a completely welded reinforced hanger that had been torn off the frame, and took part of the frame with it. I think there needs to be someplace for the flex to go, otherwise it will make a place.

Yup...changing where the weak link is.