# Installing Dexter Ez Flex Ssytem



## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

I am finally getting around to installing the Dexter EZ Flex system on our trailer. I had them on my last trailer and they made a big difference. The new Outback has the TrailAire system which I thought might be acceptable. After looking at the two side by side, there is no comparison. The Dexter system literally looks twice as robust as the TrailAire stuff. Plus I will now have the wet bolts, which has been on my mod list for some time.

Got the trailer jacked up and started removing the suspension. I get it off and notice that the hardware tolerance is not as tight as one might expect. The bolt diameters and bushing diameters seem a bit loose. I take and compare the bushings provided by Dexter and they are clearly smaller than the spring eyes. So what is going on?

It them dawns on me. We had a spring break while we were in Quebec a year or so ago. We took the trailer to a suspension shop and had all four springs changed under warranty. Keystone covered everything. We had them upgrade our springs to a 5 leaf spring while were there, part of the reason I delayed putting in the wet bolt kit. But we were in Canada, so I am speculating that they installed metric springs. The springs are about a half inch shorter than the stock 25.25" spring and the bushing sizes do not line up with the English stuff I got from Dexter. The Dexter bushings would be very loose if I installed them in the existing springs. Really irritating that the shop mixed Metric and English hardware. Stuff had to be flopping around and may be the reason some of my tires are wearing a bit weird. Why would a professional shop do this to someone? Really bad!

So, now I need to replace the springs again in order to install the Dexter EZ Flex shackles and straighten this all out. Not a big deal, springs are relatively cheap. But it is a bit disappointing. I was actually going to have a shop do the change for me, but decided to just do it myself. Had I taken it to a suspension shop, I am sure they would have just slopped it all together, just like the previous shop in Quebec. I would have not known because you cannot tell once it is all put together. Yet another reason to not let anyone work on your trailer, do the work yourself.

DAN


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## Leedek (Nov 28, 2010)

In days of old the bearing surfaces of auto suspensions i.e. Pontiac kingpin front end , were brass bushings. The bushing could be pressed into your Quebec springs and then honed to the bolt size that came with your Ez-flex. I hate to give up on good stuff I bought.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Leedek said:


> In days of old the bearing surfaces of auto suspensions i.e. Pontiac kingpin front end , were brass bushings. The bushing could be pressed into your Quebec springs and then honed to the bolt size that came with your Ez-flex. I hate to give up on good stuff I bought.


No pressing required, tons of space available!



Picture below shows how much slop there was in the suspension, English bolt in a Metric hole.



DAN


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

So, the whole thing is Eff'ed Up. Below is a picture of the bushing and bolt that came off the trailer, tons of slop between the bolt and the bushing.



Here is the Dexter bushing in the spring, clearly not going to work.



Below are some random pictures of the stock gear and the Dexter EZ Flex. Clearly the Dexter stuff is much more robust.

Shackle brackets, no comparison at all.



Shackles side by side.







So I will need to take a half day of vacation tomorrow and finish this off. Luckily I have a ******* trailer store in the area and they will have the correct leaf springs in stock. To anyone considering this mod, just go for it. I think you can see just from the few pictures I posted how much of an improvement it is to the stock equipment. Not a sexy mod, but it will put your trailer on a firm foundation.

DAN


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

I had that Dexter system installed when I flipped the axle to raise the trailer. It made quite a difference when towing. The trailer seemed to response better when I made turns or changed lane. Best of all is being able to grease it. That gave me the warm fuzzy feeling.


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## K. Smith (May 25, 2009)

I did the Dexters on my 27RSDS a year or two ago (can't remember). I also replaced the leaf springs, as mine were flat. The leaf spring job kicked my behind a little. The Dexters were easy in comparison.

What I noticed was that it seemed like we didn't find the the usual cabinet doors open when we got to the camp site. Because I did the big no-no of replacing two parts of the system instead of just one, I can't prove if it was the Dexters or the leaf springs that made the difference. Likely, it was both.

Kevin


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## dhdb (Dec 14, 2009)

Just got back from our first trip since adding new leaf springs and Dexter kit. All I can say is WOW!!!! Very smooth traveling! We ran into virtually every type of road surface (concrete, expansion joints, torn up asphalt ready for paving, ...) and it is amazing how much smoother the ride was. As (KSmith) said, not sure if it was the Dexter kit or new leaf springs that make the biggest difference. But this is definitely a winning combination!


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