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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/07/2016 in all areas

  1. Purchased a Dexter EZ Flex kit from Nick's Truck Parts, part number K71-653-00. http://www.dexteraxle.com/inc/sdetail/18100 The following is how I installed this kit as an experiment only, not intended as installation instructions. I'm confident there are safer methods used by RV/Trailer professionals. Installed one side of the kit this morning and plan to install the other side of the kit tomorrow. Connected the Ollie to the Tacoma and placed weight on the front jack: Chocked both wheels with four chocks on the opposite side and put weight on that jack also: Lifted the wheels off the ground on side for kit installation with on board Ollie jack. Also placed jack stand under Ollie frame in case of trailer jack failure: Used a Craftsman ATV jack and with two 10' long 2X4s cut in half and screwed together to support both axles at the same time. Cut notches in the 2X4 beam to hold the axles in place, decided not use to the notches (axles did not fit perfectly), flipped the beam over and used the smooth side & worked OK. Using the 5' long jack/beam with ATV jack to support both axles during project: Removed shoulder shackle bolt and plastic bushing : Replacing plastic bushing with bronze bushing in spring with bolt & nut pulling bushing into spring: Bronze Bushing Installed: Shackle bolt, bushing, and spring assembled with bolt grease outlet hole axis parallel to Ollie frame: Removed shackle bolts and center pivot bolt for EZ Flex Equalizer installation: All of the original Dexter bolts and plastic bushings were in good condition except for the center pivot plastic bushing, it was starting to wear through and fail. Our Ollie has about 9000 miles since new.
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  2. Here is a link to the story with photos: http://olivertraveltrailers.com/spares-larry-mountainborn-harmon/
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  3. Laps wrote: Same here and I completely agree. I have a 2014 Ram 3500 SRW and drive it everywhere. At 78,000 miles I've had no trouble with it. It tows my Ollie effortlessly and is heavy enough to be completely stable. Best vehicle I've ever had. One of the best features while towing is the standard engine brake the Cummins comes with. Excellent in the mountains! It will descend long grades without touching the brakes.
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  4. Had time to finish the other side of the project this morning. On this pivot bracket, the bottom left plastic bushing had failed and was completely gone with the top right bushing very loose after 9000 miles:
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  5. Quick followup, just picked up our Oliver from Toms Alignment here in the Bozone. They did check for alignment but said it was dead nuts perfect. The EZ Flex suspension system is now installed and it is quiet as a church mouse either going over bumps on the road or leveling the trailer. Its only a short drive from our house to the repair shop so I haven't put it to the test for ride quality but from what I could tell the towing did seem somewhat smoother and more compliant, a good thing. The guys working on it thought the kit was awesome. Inspecting the old parts, the following is what we observed. Some plastic bushings in fairly rough condition but not as bad as I would have imagined, but rust and lots of it everywhere, inside and outside of the bushings as well as the bolts and races the bushings fit into. If there ever was any grease in these areas, and I doubt it, that grease had long left the building. Some bushings did have cracks and splits along the length while others still inside their through holes or races had some flaking. Will try and do a test ride later today or tomorrow and report back on the ride and towing improvement if any. Hope this helps.
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