Dexter 4000 lb leaf springs review

[Hoopy Frood]

I'm having the same problem as everyone else and looking to replace my leaf springs due to them flattening out. If you don't mind me asking what capacity axles do you have on your 349M?

I've been debating on going back with a made in the USA 6 leaf 3500lb spring on my 7000 lb axles vs upgrading to the 4000 lb spring which has been challenging to locate as many have noted.

A quick Google search for 4,000 lb. springs turned up bunch of hits. Personally I feel going with the heavier rated springs is a good idea. There doesn't seem to be much leeway in the OEM spring ratings vs actual load weight.

 

[Nuffsaid]

I'm having the same problem as everyone else and looking to replace my leaf springs due to them flattening out. If you don't mind me asking what capacity axles do you have on your 349M?

I've been debating on going back with a made in the USA 6 leaf 3500lb spring on my 7000 lb axles vs upgrading to the 4000 lb spring which has been challenging to locate as many have noted.

My trailer is a Solitude 310gk, one reason I wanted the 4000 lb springs is because the second leaf fully supports the first leaf and should help to keep it from breaking as well as helping to keep the arch. The 4000 lb springs are slightly shorter than my 3500 lb springs. My 3500 lb springs were 25 1/4 center to center unloaded and the 4000 lb springs are 24 7/8 center to center. They look like they will be fine.

 

[Riverbug]

My trailer is a Solitude 310gk, one reason I wanted the 4000 lb springs is because the second leaf fully supports the first leaf and should help to keep it from breaking as well as helping to keep the arch. The 4000 lb springs are slightly shorter than my 3500 lb springs. My 3500 lb springs were 25 1/4 center to center unloaded and the 4000 lb springs are 24 7/8 center to center. They look like they will be fine.

I ordered 5000# springs (that's per axle) from eTrailer and installed them a couple weeks ago. This was to replace the 3500# springs that came on the trailer. The lengths of both were 25 1/4, but to my surprise all other dimensions were also identical to the originals. The individual leaf thicknesses were identical, the overall height is identical. The only thing different was the higher quality "binding clip" and the look of the finish. I double checked the part numbers and confirmed that according to eTrailer, these are 5000# springs. My hope is that the quality of the metal is going to make them more robust than the originals, otherwise, I'm not sure how they can be rated higher. Perhaps GD actually already had 5000# springs on the 3500# axles, but I find that hard to believe. Guess I'll find out over time how these hold up. I run at GVWR or slightly over depending on full water. The original springs after one year and 10,000 miles had a slight straighter bend right where the stack of springs ends and the longer single one extends to the eyes.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

My trailer is a Solitude 310gk, one reason I wanted the 4000 lb springs is because the second leaf fully supports the first leaf and should help to keep it from breaking as well as helping to keep the arch. The 4000 lb springs are slightly shorter than my 3500 lb springs. My 3500 lb springs were 25 1/4 center to center unloaded and the 4000 lb springs are 24 7/8 center to center. They look like they will be fine.

The longer length unloaded of the old springs is likely due to the fact they've collapsed some resulting in what looks like a longer spring, but they most likely were also 24 7/8" when new.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I ordered 5000# springs (that's per axle) from eTrailer and installed them a couple weeks ago. This was to replace the 3500# springs that came on the trailer. The lengths of both were 25 1/4, but to my surprise all other dimensions were also identical to the originals. The individual leaf thicknesses were identical, the overall height is identical. The only thing different was the higher quality "binding clip" and the look of the finish. I double checked the part numbers and confirmed that according to eTrailer, these are 5000# springs. My hope is that the quality of the metal is going to make them more robust than the originals, otherwise, I'm not sure how they can be rated higher. Perhaps GD actually already had 5000# springs on the 3500# axles, but I find that hard to believe. Guess I'll find out over time how these hold up. I run at GVWR or slightly over depending on full water. The original springs after one year and 10,000 miles had a slight straighter bend right where the stack of springs ends and the longer single one extends to the eyes.

JMO of course, but I wonder if you haven't received the same rated springs as what you had. You said "5000# springs (that's per axle)", and, to me, that means 2,500 lb. to 3,000 lb. rated springs, to add up to 5,000 lb. rated axle. Not 5,000 lb. rated spring. The reason I say that is I've never seen a 5,000 lb. rated spring at Etrailer, and darned hard to find through Google. A 4,000 lb. rated spring is usually 7 leaves, so a 5,000 lb. rated spring should be the same, or more. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding your post. It would be the first time I've made an error.

 

[Riverbug]

JMO of course, but I wonder if you haven't received the same rated springs as what you had. You said "5000# springs (that's per axle)", and, to me, that means 2,500 lb. to 3,000 lb. rated springs, to add up to 5,000 lb. rated axle. Not 5,000 lb. rated spring. The reason I say that is I've never seen a 5,000 lb. rated spring at Etrailer, and darned hard to find through Google. A 4,000 lb. rated spring is usually 7 leaves, so a 5,000 lb. rated spring should be the same, or more. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding your post. It would be the first time I've made an error.

Hi Howard. They are actually per axle not per spring. If you look at the springs on eTrailer (link below) they refer to them as 5000# springs at the top, but down in the specs it says spring capacity 2500# and axle capacity 5000#. In my post I stated 5000# (per axle). My axles are 3500# so these should be an upgrade assuming the OEM springs matched the axle rating but there is no way to tell by looking at them and they don't have any labels or anything on them.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer_Leaf_Springs/etrailer/e44SR.html

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Gotcha, thank you for the explanation. I figured I must have been mistaken somewhere.

 

[Riverbug]

Gotcha, thank you for the explanation. I figured I must have been mistaken somewhere.

Happens to the best of us. LOL!

 

[Nuffsaid]

The longer length unloaded of the old springs is likely due to the fact they've collapsed some resulting in what looks like a longer spring, but they most likely were also 24 7/8" when new.

The factory 3500 lb springs were spec'd at 25 1/4 eye to eye unloaded. That is what I removed fairly new, and then replaced with the same. The 3500 lb springs I just removed still measured 25 1/4. The only real difference having the 24 7/8 spring installed is that the equalizer shackles run at more of an angle than the 25 1/4 springs did, but I am not opposed to that because running at an angle is better than being straight up and down because it helps the shackles flex more.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Sometimes it's tough to tell what the exact length eye-to-eye should be since you get different measurements from different people. Some places will show different lengths for the same spring, simply due to the way they want to measure them. But any way you look at it, 3/4" shouldn't make much of a difference.

 

[Nuffsaid]

Just a quick update. Finally got the 310 out on the road and made a 600 mile trip. Trailer felt like it rode much better with the new springs especially when poor roads were encountered. With my 1 inch lift blocks and the 4000 lb springs, my trailer is perfectly level with my truck now.

 

[440scout]

[MENTION=6569]Nuffsaid[/MENTION] I would really like to see the mods you've done to your 310GK. Any chance you're going to be at the Escapees annual escapade in Rock Springs next month?