amdriven2liv
Oregon
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Joined: 09/02/2009
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JBarca wrote:chimarios wrote:nice pic's does this suspension kit reduce sway and how much was it
thanx
Hi chimarios
In my case I noticed the most effect of the EZ flex the 1st day I towed with it. The bumps felt softer and inside the trailer things where less fussed while towing. After you tow with the EZ flex you sort of reset your memory of the feel of not having it and the "new normal" becomes the norm.
I myself have not noticed any difference in sway, more or less. In my case I'll call this mod neutral to ant sway effects.
This winter I have added TT shocks. If can then compare shocks in combination with the EZ flex. I have heard, (not yet experienced) that shocks can help create a more stable towing trailer from less left to right bounce. I'll let you know once the weather allows a weekend campout.
Shocks do different things then the EZ flex does for the suspension. Both do positive enhancements to TT towing.
Others may also give some comments on what they have felt.
John
Can't wait to hear what you think of adding the shocks. I saw some pictures of your shock install on a Ford truck forum posted by a friend of yours.
Good job, by the way. Are you thinking of manufacturing any of those parts? he he he!
Just kidding.
Sean
2004 F350 6.0L 4x4 CC LB King Ranch, Scangauge II
2010 Mountaineer 324RLQ,
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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Our outback came with the Trail Air "equa-flex" but no wet bolts. Wanted to add wet bolts, was ready to spend a weekend installing them. Talked to one of the local RV shops that does work on comercial trailers and they quoted 2hrs. labor to install a dexter HD shackle kit with wet bolts. Said they do quite a few. Figured 2hr. labor vs. at least a weekend of my work was worth the labor.
Dropped it late morning, picked it up the afternoon. Nice heavy duty 1/4" thick schackles and wet bolts. do enough of them with all the tools and it's probably pretty quick and easy. Well worth the 2 hrs labor rate. Give me another weekend to camp instead of working on the trailer.
2011 Keystone Outback 295RE
2004 14' bikehauler with full living quarters
2015.5 Denali 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison
2004.5 Silverado 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison passed on to our Son!
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JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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Joined: 12/16/2004
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amdriven2liv wrote:
Can't wait to hear what you think of adding the shocks. I saw some pictures of your shock install on a Ford truck forum posted by a friend of yours.
Good job, by the way. Are you thinking of manufacturing any of those parts? he he he!
Just kidding.
Sean
Gee I did not know I made it over there too as I'm a member there and had not seen them. You can see it here on RV.net Adding TT Shock Absorbers (Long/lots of pics)
Manufacturing parts, well for a camping bud, sure.
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we were camping!)
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JBarca
Radnor, Ohio, USA
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ktmrfs wrote:
Dropped it late morning, picked it up the afternoon. Nice heavy duty 1/4" thick schackles and wet bolts. do enough of them with all the tools and it's probably pretty quick and easy. Well worth the 2 hrs labor rate. Give me another weekend to camp instead of working on the trailer.
If they only charged you 2 hours, then you did good. One rusted up bolt and you can burn 20 to 30 minutes dealing with it. Out of curiosity what is a shop hour now a days? $75/hr?
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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Joined: 06/22/2005
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JBarca wrote:ktmrfs wrote:
Dropped it late morning, picked it up the afternoon. Nice heavy duty 1/4" thick schackles and wet bolts. do enough of them with all the tools and it's probably pretty quick and easy. Well worth the 2 hrs labor rate. Give me another weekend to camp instead of working on the trailer.
If they only charged you 2 hours, then you did good. One rusted up bolt and you can burn 20 to 30 minutes dealing with it. Out of curiosity what is a shop hour now a days? $75/hr?
$90/hr. Several shops would only quote hourly rate, no limit. This one basically did it "flat rate". Said they had done enough that a flat rate of 2hours averaged out for them.
As much as I like/want to do my own work, I certainly did not relish the though of spending the first nice weekend of the spring doing it, or working on it on a rainy portland weekend.
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Steveque
Central California
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Joined: 08/11/2004
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I have a small (5,000 lb TT). I added the Monroe shock kit several years ago. It seemed to help some with road bumps. The wife said she seemed to feel the difference in the ride. I then added the spring upgrade. There is a noticeable difference in ride within my Tahoe. It is smoother and has less push/pull going over the expansion joints in roads. I also swapped out the OEM hitch on the Tahoe and bought a much beefier one. That change helped remove the flex between the trailer and Tahoe. I also have the Reese Dual Cam system for sway. All the changes have provided for a nice, stable ride. I'm not sure doing just one mod made a huge difference, but coupled together they sure did.
Steve Quesenberry
Central California
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Fisherguy
Vancouver BC
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Well, half way through my install, one side is done. I used 2 floor jacks, one under each axle to raise it up, pull the wheels and supported the frame on jack stands, left the axles on the floor jacks to help line things up.
First thing I learned is an 8" c-clamp is not heavy enough, it would bend just pressing the bushings in, so I tapped them in with one of the old bolts as others have done. Seemed to me the bushings would distort or something once I got them in, the bolts were real tight, too tight I figured so I used emery cloth wrapped around a punch on the ones where the leaf attaches to the frame, took a bitta time.
Front leaf spring lined up fairly easily. I found playing with the floor jack I could get the shoulder of the nut end of the bolt to line up with the hanger, then it was easy to tap the bolt home with a socket over the grease fitting and a hammer.
The rear axle was a different story, just couldn't get things lined up, probly cuz I had a 2x10 under the tire on the other side to level the trailer in my driveway. I screwed around with it for a while, bolt in, bolt out, using a brass drift to try to line it up, that eventually I lost a few chunks of bushing on both sides of the springs. So I had to drive out the bushing using a socket (that was fun!) and put a new one in, followed by more emery clothing etc. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/frown.gif "frown")
To line up the spring 2nd time around I put a ratchet strap from the axle to the back of the trailer so I could pull it back and raise it with the floor jack at the same time, got the shoulder of the bolt to poke through then drove the head of the bolt flush again with a hammer and socket. (Now that I think of it a pipe wrench on the leaf spring near the bolt mighta enabled me to twist the spring enough to line up the bolt with the hanger hole.)
For the front leaf I put the grease hole pointing toward the front, at the rear it was pointing toward the rear, figured with the weight on the axles that would give me the most room for grease to go in, not sure if that's right or not but made sense to me. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
So I gotta find a new bushing at a local hitch or RV shop, will tackle the other side in a few days, forecast for the next little while is rain.
Couple things on the kits itself, by the time it got here a couple zerk fitting was pretty mangled, bent at an angle, I had to change them. There's a lotta weight in the box, the parts are not wrapped at all, everything's just thrown onto the box and things bang around in transit I guess, they could do something better I think.
Thanks for the tips Les.
Will
06 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins 6 spd std with a few goodies.
2007 Komfort 274TS, 480 watts solar, Trimetric 2025RV, PD9280, Honda EU2000i, Xantrex SW600
2019 Timber Ridge 24RLS, 600 watts solar, 3-100Ah Lithiums, 12volt Norcold Fridge
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sndman7
Solomons Island MD
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Well this has been a great thread with a lot of great info.
My question is does this help with axle alignment issues. I have been thinking of installing the Correct Track system because my axles are 1/2" out. I suppose I could install both.
Thanks
2006 Titanium 36E41 MPRV
2011 F350 DRW QC King Ranch
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BarneyS
S.E. Lower Michigan
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I don't believe that installing the EZ-Flex will do anything for axle alignment issues. It is designed for trailer ride smoothness and longevity. If you do install the Correct Track system, please post about it here as I am sure many will be interested in that - including me!
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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If you install the Correct Track System we,ll make a sticky out of it if you have enough photos to document the install in detail...
Les
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
Sold Trailer - not RV'ing at this point in time
HUNTER THERMOSTAT INSTALL
HOME MADE WHEEL CHOCKS
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