How to get a wet bolt to take grease

[Nuffsaid]

The shackles with bolts are oem from my 310Gk, they are grade 5
Second bolt is a non wet bolt that I removed from fixed ends of spring hanger on the 2018 Solitude 310GK, it is also Grade 5
Other bolts are random wet bolts that are also grade 5

 

[Nuffsaid]

The MORRyde wet bolts are grade 5 as were the bolts installed from the factory. We purchased 4 black wet bolts from a local shop - they were also Grade 5.
Here is our saga - RR bolt completely gone and spring floating under bent hanger, LR bolt wedged in hanger shown in this thread - break at the grease hole.
https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/sho...th-spare-wet-bolt-and-bushing?highlight=bolts


The pics of the bushings in the springs would indicate spring rotation in all the hangers and shackles in my mind - both front and rear - which matched the wear marks of all the bolts removed by the factory GD tech - deep gouges at the spring edge where some of the bushings are peened over the outer portion of the eye and where part of the broken bushings are completely missing (and this is how they came out - no pieces on the ground).

Top spring is LF, second one down is RR, third is LR, bottom is RF. Temporary bushings slid in by the GD tech (rears) to allow us to get to a nearby trailer shop and have all the springs replaced. Note that most bushings were either non-existent or actually broken with only parts remaining in the eye. You can also see the wear marks on the outside of the eyes and the inside of the shackles. The eye of the rear spring with the clean bushing is so enlarged that the bushing floated in the eye when we cleaned the grease off and easily fell out - tested at the shop.

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Top photo of your springs show my main concern with our springs. Your spring eyes are very noticeably not round and the most important part is the bottom of the eye where the steel wraps around. Instead of having the proper angle cut and proper form it makes sort of a small vee. This allows the bushing to compress into the vee and crack, brass isn't very flexible. Once there is clearance in the bushing it will continue to hammer and things will break. My brand new dexter springs don't look any better than yours. I filled the gap on the bottom with JB Weld steel epoxy and let it cure for 48 hours. It is supposed to be able to handle 5000 psi of compressive force. I sent an email to Dexter this morning asking about the concern of out of round spring eyes and I am awaiting a response.

 

[Nuffsaid]

This is a photo of a tool I made to install bushings. The outside of the tool is a slip fit with the inside of the bushing. You can drive the bushing in with a hammer, clamp or press and the bushing doesn’t get damaged

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I just use a long bolt with the threads cut off.

I wonder about the strength of a wet bolt with three hash marks. It's has to be weaker than a grade five bolt without the holes drilled in it. No?

 

[Nuffsaid]

I am sure the grade 5 bolt is not as strong with a hole drilled through it, if I had an issue with the grade 5, I would step up to a grade 8 and make it myself. 3 hash marks represents grade 5 for anyone that doesn't know. You never want a bolt with no markings on the head because that is a grade 2 and they aren't very strong.For anyone that doesn't know 6 hash marks around the head is a grade 8.

I was just thinking a little more about wet bolts and I have 8- 9/16 and 8 -7/16 wet bolts on my Jeep TJ with custom links. I have never broken a wet bolt, but 9 times out of 10 the zerk won't take grease to lube the Currie Johnny Joints that are a stainless steel ball inside of a urethane mount. Usually the grease gets slightly dry at the edge of the hole in the center of the bolt and won't flow. I am able to grease the joint through an exterior zerk on the outside of the joint too. I make it a habbit to grease these anytime I think about it especially after driving through mud or snow. I think I have a total of 30+ zerks on my Jeep.

 

[Bruce M]

Is the wet bolt invention nothing more than a solution looking for a problem? I'm no mechanic but it seems to me we did fine for all these years, all of a sudden we have wet bolts when the tow vehicle pulling it is using decades old(maybe century old?)leaf spring attachment technology, IDK.

 

[Nuffsaid]

I just went out to the shop and modified a wet bolt very quickly. The bolt wasn't what I would call straight, but you can get the idea. I took the bolt and cleaned out the metal shavings from the hole and tested it in a new bushing, seems to work very well. The groove I cut is rounded so that I can try not to put any stress risers in the bolt. It is only .005 to .010 deep, but I didn't measure it.

 

[Nuffsaid]

I just went out to the shop and modified a wet bolt very quickly. The bolt wasn't what I would call straight, but you can get the idea. I took the bolt and cleaned out the metal shavings from the hole and tested it in a new bushing, seems to work very well. The groove I cut is rounded so that I can try not to put any stress risers in the bolt. It is only .005 to .010 deep, but I didn't measure it.

 

[Nuffsaid]

Is the wet bolt invention nothing more than a solution looking for a problem? I'm no mechanic but it seems to me we did fine for all these years, all of a sudden we have wet bolts when the tow vehicle pulling it is using decades old(maybe century old?)leaf spring attachment technology, IDK.

Wet bolts will work if maintained properly. I just inspected all of the bushings in the leaf springs I removed from my 310GK several weeks ago and the bushings are in pretty good condition. I grease the wet bolts often, like every trip and it pays off. The suspension on our trailers isn't a lot better than a buck board however. Cheap springs, basic hangers and a focus on cost. After all of these years, why are we still using 1.75 inch wide springs? 2.0 wide springs would do a much better job. Why aren't the spring eyes made larger and then automotive grade rubber/steel bushings could be pressed in and a larger diameter bolt and most of the spring bushing issues would be gone. Would anyone really care if we added 30 pounds of steel to the trailer? In the last few years the number of people that have gone to full timing have truly showed up some of the RV industries corner cutting.

 

[powerscol]

The one thing everyone is missing here is not the out of round on the eye, but is the spring eye 90 degrees to the spring. If the spring is not true to 90 the there is added massive stress on the wet bolt in the hangers leading to the wallowed out holes and bolt breakage. The bolt is harder that the hanger material. Do a search on this for some interesting reading.

Of course the question is how do you tell? Use an 90 angle square on the spring and check the bolt against the 90. Other than a new spring there is no real cure for this other than the slop in the fittings, which will translate to tire wear and hollowed out hangers and broken bolts not to mention obliterated bushings.

I encourage folks to try different searches as there is literally tons of information out there - however verify whatever you find. Lots of confusing and wrong information out there, even here.

Safe travels

 

[powerscol]

Keep in mind the frame and suspension are all put together by Lippert. They have full control of selecting parts and I am sure that changes daily now due to supply issues. Lippert sends the complete frame including axles and I believe tires to GD. GD has nothing to do with this other than to specify size and capacities. Same for most of the other brands.

And if you have ever been to Elkart you would learn they are probably the only game in town for a whole bunch of RV manufacturers. Its really worth a trip to tour the area and stop by the various manufacturers. Most have tours available. You can really learn a lot of how our units are put together.

 

[Nuffsaid]

The one thing everyone is missing here is not the out of round on the eye, but is the spring eye 90 degrees to the spring. If the spring is not true to 90 the there is added massive stress on the wet bolt in the hangers leading to the wallowed out holes and bolt breakage. The bolt is harder that the hanger material. Do a search on this for some interesting reading.

Of course the question is how do you tell? Use an 90 angle square on the spring and check the bolt against the 90. Other than a new spring there is no real cure for this other than the slop in the fittings, which will translate to tire wear and hollowed out hangers and broken bolts not to mention obliterated bushings.

I encourage folks to try different searches as there is literally tons of information out there - however verify whatever you find. Lots of confusing and wrong information out there, even here.

Safe travels

This is a very good point, usually I would look for a poorly constructed spring eye that is out of square based on wear on one side of a bushing or like you say broken bolts due to loading on one side of the bolt. I have an email into Dexter to question the out of round condition of my new springs. I didn't think it would have done me any good to return the springs to Etrailer for a replacement because there is more than likely a complete batch made exactly the same . I will post up what their tech support tells me. I am really surprised that Dexter provides complete axle assemblies for customers with warranty claims. This is great customer service!

 

[tdginctr]

Now I know it happened to two guys.....

Same with me. It was the axial hole that needed more drilling.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I am really surprised that Dexter provides complete axle assemblies for customers with warranty claims. This is great customer service!

Back in 2010, Glendale RV filed for bankruptcy...I had a 2006 Titanium fifth wheel. The following year Transport Canada, like your DOT, sent me a letter saying Glendale had installed undersized the axles on my trailer and they need to be replaced. Well....with Glendale dissolved I was on the hook for the work. I had heard Dexter was giving a good price to Titanium owners in my situation. I called them and because I was involved with the Glendale issue, they sold me two 6K axles complete with brakes for $687. I took the opportunity to buy an EZ-flex wet bolt kit of which I paid full boat for but I was really impressed with Dexter customer service.

 

[Nuffsaid]

I found a wet bolt today on my Solitude that wouldn't take grease, I was considering returning my new leaf springs to Etrailer, but after I found that the JB Weld was extremely secure in attaching the bronze bushing I decided to just keep the springs. The one bolt that wouldn't take grease got a shallow radius cut into it on the lathe, and when I was done I checked to see if grease would flow. Well, no grease flowed! I removed the zerk fitting from the bolt and checked the inside of the bolt for obstructions, but there wasn't any. I cleaned the inside with brake cleaner and installed a new zerk fitting and grease flowed! Pretty rare to find a zerk that doesn't flow, but it can happen. Use a 5/16 1/4 drive 6 point socket to remove the zerk and this is an easy way to clear the inside of the bolt.