# Shackle Upgrade



## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

I am posting this because I am amazed at what i found. I have a 5er made by Keystone, it's an '09 with about 5000 miles on it. I wasn't sure at first what a wet bolt shackle upgrade was, so I started poking around and soon found out that the shackles from the factory are VERY questionable. I saw pics of shackles and bolts worn through and even broken. Remember this shackle setup is all that holds your axles to the trailer. The ones from the factory are "dry", they can't be greased. The only thing keeping it from metal to metal is a very thin plastic bushing. The bushings on my trailer were already worn through. The bolts were worn and the shackle plates were worn. The holes were already oblong. The new parts i installed are A LOT 
heavier grade of steel and all places were bolts past through are brass bushing. Everything can be greased!!! So please check your shackles or have them checked. Better safe then sorry.

If anybody has any question ask, please. The install really isn't that hard. Mine are Mor/Ryde. I think dexter also makes this setup.

Be safe, Kevin


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

It would be great if you could post some pictures and perhaps links to the information you found. Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention....


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

Most of the info I have is from another camping forum. Montana owners Club. There is also info on rv.net. And of coarse Google. When the weather gets better I'll take some pics.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Been there, done that.

I flipped my axles and got the dexter EZ flex system. It has the greasable shackle bolts and new equlizer. Its all able to be greased. The kit came with the brass bushings. I did not see any worn out plastic bushings and I did not see any worn eyelets on the shackles, not sure why since I had gone 11k miles. Its a much better set up.










The bolts on the outer ends are also greasable. There are 2 fittings above the equlizer for the center pivot bearings. The shaclkes have fittings on both ends. They are much thicker and with the EZ flex equilzer it rides nice and smoothes out the bumps.


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

I did this upgrade last year and have pictures of the old "junk" in my Gallery


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

This is on my list of upgrades. Right now the Dexter EZ Flex system w/equilizer and wet bolts is only $149 plus shipping.

So Kevin, How many beers would it take to get ya to make the ride over to NJ and bring your experience









Jim


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Joonbee said:


> This is on my list of upgrades. Right now the Dexter EZ Flex system w/equilizer and wet bolts is only $149 plus shipping.
> 
> So Kevin, How many beers would it take to get ya to make the ride over to NJ and bring your experience
> 
> ...


$149 from where? I don't doubt that the heavier trailers would need to have the shackles replaced eventually. Have there been problems with smaller trailers like 21RS or 25RS?


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## CautiousCamper (Jun 27, 2006)

There are lots of pictures on rv.net where people have changed out their shackles for the wet ones. I have considered this myself. I asked my dealer while doing my first brake inspection (since new in 2007)about the condition of the bushings/wear of the shackles, preparing to do the job, but the technician said there was no noticeable wear making me change them at this point in the trailer's life cycle, unless I wanted to. So I didn't. Maybe in a year or two, depending the the wear. It is yet something else to monitor though.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

As far as inspection goes, IMHO it wold be tough to see the wear. when the plastic bushing goes it inside the spring. the bolt heads would hide the holes. Just keep a close watch for rust and metal dust.

Hey Jim, You can get off really easy, I no longer drink.







now if this were 15 years ago $$$$$$$$$$$$.







. whenever your ready let me know, be glad to help.

kevin


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## Up State NY Camper (Apr 7, 2010)

Great info everyone. I'm a couple years away from this potential problem but it's in the memory banks. Thanks!


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

thefulminator said:


> This is on my list of upgrades. Right now the Dexter EZ Flex system w/equilizer and wet bolts is only $149 plus shipping.
> 
> So Kevin, How many beers would it take to get ya to make the ride over to NJ and bring your experience
> 
> ...


*$149 from where?* I don't doubt that the heavier trailers would need to have the shackles replaced eventually. Have there been problems with smaller trailers like 21RS or 25RS?
[/quote]

From Dexter Axle - click here


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

thefulminator said:


> This is on my list of upgrades. Right now the Dexter EZ Flex system w/equilizer and wet bolts is only $149 plus shipping.
> 
> So Kevin, How many beers would it take to get ya to make the ride over to NJ and bring your experience
> 
> ...


$149 from where? I don't doubt that the heavier trailers would need to have the shackles replaced eventually. Have there been problems with smaller trailers like 21RS or 25RS?
[/quote]

From the Dexter website.EZ Flex kit


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## Joonbee (Jan 18, 2008)

swanny said:


> This is on my list of upgrades. Right now the Dexter EZ Flex system w/equilizer and wet bolts is only $149 plus shipping.
> 
> So Kevin, How many beers would it take to get ya to make the ride over to NJ and bring your experience
> 
> ...


*$149 from where?* I don't doubt that the heavier trailers would need to have the shackles replaced eventually. Have there been problems with smaller trailers like 21RS or 25RS?
[/quote]

From Dexter Axle - click here
[/quote]

Thanks Rick, Guess I should have read the rest of the posts before responding. Great minds think alike maybe.


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## jdpm (Apr 12, 2007)

Congrats on the upgrade. John and I did the Dexter E-Z Flex with wet-bolt kit. It was worth every penny and there is a definate difference in the ride. Our fiver had laess than 6k miles on it at the time of the upgrade. The nylon bushings were shot! Happy to have the upgrade, too! phillip


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

jdpm said:


> Congrats on the upgrade. John and I did the Dexter E-Z Flex with wet-bolt kit.


Question on your install....did you purchase the "complete tandem kit" with includes the shackles or did you just get the Equalizer and reuse your old shackles? (As a matter of reference, I was using this page when the question arose)


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

H2oSprayer said:


> Congrats on the upgrade. John and I did the Dexter E-Z Flex with wet-bolt kit.


Question on your install....did you purchase the "complete tandem kit" with includes the shackles or did you just get the Equalizer and reuse your old shackles? (As a matter of reference, I was using this page when the question arose)
[/quote]

If you go to the trouble of lifting the trailer and install the equalizer you may as well replace it with the entire kit. The new shackles and links are much beefier than the original.

I just bought the kit from Dexter for $150 last week. I could not believe Dexter is selling it for much less than Etrailer.com (http://www.etrailer.com/p-K71-652-00.html). They must have a huge inventory in stock they need to clear to be willing to sell with that much discount.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

I agree with tangooutback, I think the toughest part is getting the trailer off the ground and secure. Do the whole thing. I have a Mor/ryde suspension, It's a different setup then Dexter's.
I have a big rubber center spring that the shackles attach to. Mor-ryde kit

kevin


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

swanny said:


> I agree with tangooutback, I think the toughest part is getting the trailer off the ground and secure. Do the whole thing. I have a Mor/ryde suspension, It's a different setup then Dexter's.
> I have a big rubber center spring that the shackles attach to. Mor-ryde kit
> 
> kevin


Kevin, I have no idea how to do this - I guess you would need some pretty heavy jacks? - how did you do it? - one side at a time?


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## jdpm (Apr 12, 2007)

H2oSprayer said:


> Congrats on the upgrade. John and I did the Dexter E-Z Flex with wet-bolt kit.


Question on your install....did you purchase the "complete tandem kit" with includes the shackles or did you just get the Equalizer and reuse your old shackles? (As a matter of reference, I was using this page when the question arose)
[/quote]

We got the entire kit that included the new shackles. phillip


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

*I did one side at a time.* I used two bottle jacks (12 ton each) lifted on the frame just to the side of the spring mounts. front and back. The area where the spring mounts to the frame. Once I got the trailer up (wheels off the ground) I placed two HD jack stands front and back of the jacks. I then let the trailer down onto the jack stands. I left the jacks under also.

Next the wheels come off. Once the wheels are off all the stuff is exposed. You will also need two floor jacks, OR, take one of the bottle jacks out and use it under the axle. This is to support the axles when you take the spring and shackle bolts out. I am lucky enough to have two floor and bottle jacks. Once everything is apart remove any old bushings. Clean out were the new bushings and bolts go. I pressed my bushings in with C-clamps, it worked good. Next i pre-greased all the bolts and bushings. I wanted to make sure the bolts worked as designed. When the bolts go back in make sure the holes where the grease comes out are at 3 and 9 o'clock. The front spring bolt at 3 and the rear at 9. This is so when the weight is on the springs the holes will be to the non-pressure side of the spring. This will let the grease enter easier. Now the floor jacks under the axles can be moved up/down, forward/back to align the holes. This would be a lot harder if you tried to use the bottle jacks under the axles. Also make sure the bolt splines go all the way into the holes. I pretty much drove them in with a hammer. I also removed all the straight zerks and replaced them with 45 degree angle ones for easier access.

It sounds like a lot but it's not really that hard to do. My biggest worry was nothing on one side to hold the trailer up if something failed. Almost forgot, I did jack the wheels on the other side of the trailer up off the ground. It made the lining up process easier. Pneumatic tools also helped a lot.

Hope this helps, kevin


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Up was pretty easy. I had the whole thing off the ground. Don't let the size fool you, it only weights less then 7000 lbs, my burb weighs more then that thing does. I had 4 good jack stands, jacked up on side at a time, set it on the stands and did the other side. I used the tongue jack to STABILIZE it and used a floor jack to lower each axle when I unbolted it. Its best to have 2 or 3 people. Its not rocket science and I was surprised how easy it was. Just takes time and remember to re torque ALL of the bolts often. I found 4 slightly loose u-bolts when I got to FL and it only takes 5 min to recheck them all. I believe Andy had lost a u bolt once and put him in a pickle, on a NEW unit, who would have thought???? Gilligan missed them I guess....


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