3500 pound versus 5200 pound axles on a LE2

[rich.dev]

15 minutes ago, John Dorrer said:

They have #1290, late 2022 or more likely a 2023 trailer. Our #1045 is a 2022. He needs to look at the label more closely, as it should say 052 capacity, rated 3500 (Due to 4-leaf springs).

Yup, I  just saw a previous post by @John and Debbie stating he saw the 3500lbs on the label and assumed that was for the axle. 

[jd1923]

If label is missing or hard to read, look at the backside of the wheels. If the drum brakes backing plate shows it is bolted on in a 4-bolt square pattern, you have 3500# axles and 10” brakes. If you see 5 bolts in a pentagon pattern, you have 5200# axles with 12” brakes. Good to check, just to be sure, in case of mis-labeling! 

Edited March 8 by jd1923

[John and Debbie]

8 hours ago, Trailblazers said:

i'm curious, approximately how much does the 5200 swap-out run?

Lew wrote back that it's 916.83 for each axle.

John

[Trailblazers]

15 minutes ago, John and Debbie said:

Lew wrote back that it's 916.83 for each axle.

John

Great, thank you! 

[jd1923]

57 minutes ago, John and Debbie said:

Lew wrote back that it's 916.83 for each axle.

John

If that’s left to right, new 12” brakes, bearings everything… that’s decent.

If that includes their installation labor that’s a very good price! 😂

[jdmmtx]

On 3/8/2025 at 7:59 PM, jd1923 said:

If that’s left to right, new 12” brakes, bearings everything… that’s decent.

If that includes their installation labor that’s a very good price! 😂

We are having them upgrade our axles to the 5200s when we are there for springs. Just for the record, the price has increased to $946.83 each and that does not include labor.

[routlaw]

This is the first I have heard of being able to use never lube bearings. I do have the 5200 lb axles just by luck as Oliver was out of the 3500 lb axles when building mine but did have some 5200 lb units. Is it possible to simply replace bearings on my setup with the never lubes or are their more complicated mods one has to do? Also while on this subject what is the advantage of adding more springs for a trailer that will never be carrying the max load? Seems to me this would make for a much stiffer ride for the trailer vs the 4 leaf springs. But what do I know:)

Thanks

[rideandfly]

2 hours ago, routlaw said:

This is the first I have heard of being able to use never lube bearings. I do have the 5200 lb axles just by luck as Oliver was out of the 3500 lb axles when building mine but did have some 5200 lb units. Is it possible to simply replace bearings on my setup with the never lubes or are their more complicated mods one has to do? Also while on this subject what is the advantage of adding more springs for a trailer that will never be carrying the max load? Seems to me this would make for a much stiffer ride for the trailer vs the 4 leaf springs. But what do I know:)

Thanks

We have 5200lb axles with 5 leaf spring packs on our LE-2 #75,  probably like your Ollie. Some folks here have had one leaf of the Dexter 4 leaf spring pack (3500lb) to break, covered in another thread. Not aware of any of the Dexter 5 leaf spring packs having issues, yet.

Here's the 12" brake drum on our 5200 pound axle with "Me-Pack" 🙃 axle bearings, I will continue packing my bearings so I can inspect brakes, drums and bearings during service. A few here have upgraded to disc brakes, very nice modification!

Here's the original 5 leaf Dexter spring pack on our #75 Ollie 5200lb axle and spare Dexter 5 leaf pack before installing bronze bushings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7 by rideandfly

[jd1923]

6 hours ago, jdmmtx said:

We are having them upgrade our axles to the 5200s when we are there for springs. Just for the record, the price has increased to $946.83 each and that does not include labor.

Thanks for this info, now up $30 in just two months. I did not think labor was included, but it read that way and no reply was offered. Is that everything left-to-right? (axle, brake assemblies with drums) Must be 12" brakes with Nev-R-Lube bearings?

You should be very happy with your upgrade. Just going from 10" to 12" brakes alone is a great improvement along with everything else. Best wishes and let us know re your experience afterwards.

[Geronimo John]

On 3/8/2025 at 7:59 PM, jd1923 said:

Lew wrote back that it's 916.83 for each axle.

John

What springs are they using on the axle upgrades?  I hope it is not the Dexter 1750 rated ones.

GJ

PS:  Had a great time at the Rally!  Good to meet many of our forum users and a few new owners.  

[topgun2]

32 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

PS:  Had a great time at the Rally!  Good to meet many of our forum users and a few new owners.  

I'm so sorry to have missed this year's Rally and missed meeting you.  Hopefully we'll have a chance out there on the road someday and/or at a future Rally.

Bill

[Patriot]

54 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

What springs are they using on the axle upgrades?  I hope it is not the Dexter 1750 rated ones.

GJ

PS:  Had a great time at the Rally!  Good to meet many of our forum users and a few new owners.  

GJ, great meeting you at the rally. I wish we could have spent more time talking Oliver TT! Glad you made the rally. 
 

Patriot 🇺🇸

[Geronimo John]

On 5/6/2025 at 5:11 PM, jd1923 said:

You should be very happy with your upgrade. Just going from 10" to 12" brakes alone is a great improvement along with everything else. Best wishes and let us know re your experience afterwards.

JD:

Looks like more than a few of us are also on the same page that an important advantage the 3500 to 5200 upgrade is braking performance.  I'm running 8.5 or 9 on my F-150 factory controller and would like to be able to back that back a bunch.  Hopefully that would leave some reserve capability to be had in an "emergency situation" towards the end of a long steep down grade run.  I have on rare occasion wished for "More power to the reverse thrusters Scotty" or a Super Duty with engine braking diesel.!   

Questions for the Pro's about the 3500 to 5200 conversion: :

• Can someone share (By PM is necessary) the Labor and Materials "Out The Door" for the two axles upgrade?
• Is it logical to provide ALCAN with Timkin bearings to install in the 5200's before swapping?
• Will the 5200 upgrade accommodate our larger rims and tires?
• Has anyone cost shopped ALCAN vs OTT Factory upgrade?

GJ

[jd1923]

22 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Questions for the Pro's about the 3500 to 5200 conversion: :

• Can someone share (By PM is necessary) the Labor and Materials "Out The Door" for the two axles upgrade?
• Is it logical to provide ALCAN with Timkin bearings to install in the 5200's before swapping?
• Will the 5200 upgrade accommodate our larger rims and tires?
• Has anyone cost shopped ALCAN vs OTT Factory upgrade?

GJ

As always, my friend GJ... You ask the hard questions! ❤️

Q1) There was an earlier post re the 5200 LB axles being just under $1K each.

Q2) I would go with OEM bearings and consider the Timken upgrade 10K miles later.

Q3) Yes, the Oliver with 6-bolt rims which from the start are spec'd to match 5200 axles, 3500 axles are usually mated to 5-bolt wheels with made in China tires.

Q4) Factory upgrade! 🤣 Are you kiddin' me?! Let's say for example, I wanted to pay $1500 for my DC-to-DC charger installation after driving 2K miles to a sleepy town in TN and have the older Victron model installed (closeout special) instead of the Orion XS 50A and afterwards have somebody off the street wire my truck, the TV side of the install? Not, you get my meaning?

Many members here have on their way to an amazing Rocky Mountain trip, stopped by Alcan to have their suspension upgraded. Our friend Ken and Mary Kay will be there next week. I will build mine at home, I'm thinking summer of 2026!

Lastly, GJ! Given your OEM Ford brake controller is numbering up at the end of the gain setting, please consider replacing it! We do not have a factory option brake controller, though I just replaced a failing aftermarket component with new, it's a light-n-day difference!

Your brake controller is failing and needs replacing. Two weeks ago I did not understand this, v\but true.

[Geronimo John]

JD:

Thanks on the axle replacement info. 

On the brake controller:

The last time I checked it, it was pumping right at 3 amps to each of the four disks.  Easy to measure at each wheel with a driver helper up front.  Or set the clamp on meter to record max amp reading and make trips forward to mash the brake.  Regardless I'll check the amps again in July when I'm back your direction.  So less likely a controller issue.

When I'm on long downhill grades I routinely check the drum temperatures with an IR gun.  They are all pretty consistent.  The brakes are working but not as hard as I would like to see.  It may just be adjustment. Or.....

I am thinking it is more of a friction issue in the drums. Getting the power but not turning it into new OEM level movement and force against the drums.  

I will be doing my annual axle bearing service in July.  I'll also be looking at the drum brake linings, I likely will fully pull apart the Dexter brakes.  Then Brake Clean the heck out of everything, and brake  lube the pivot and slide points of the actuators.  Over the past 7 seasons I think they likely have gone dry or sticky. And of course snugly adjust the brake linings to optimum.

Then the acid test is to do a parking lot skid mark test at about 15 to 20 MPH.  No black marks with the controller set on at max controller.... Time for a more serious actions... possibly even the consideration of a trip to ALCON after our camping in AZ.

GJ

Edited 17 hours ago by Geronimo John

[jd1923]

11 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

The last time I checked it, it was pumping right at 3 amps to each of the four disks.

Maybe all you need is to adjust the shoes out. Something you can do quickly on the road vs. a full brake job. Lift one side at a time using the Oliver jacks. If the wheels spin freely without hearing or feeling any brake drag, then they need adjusting.

I was able to rock the wheels backwards first and then forward, while Chris was lightly on the brake pedal (or using the actuating lever on the brake controller), and the self-adjusters would click tighter each time. If this does not work, or if you're working alone, first place a jack stand for safety, and get under on the back side of each wheel, remove the rubber plugs and adjust each by turning the gear through the opening.

The wheels should spin of course, but when the shoes are close, adjusted correctly, the wheels should slow down and stop spinning soon enough.

[Geronimo John]

Super good idea on the easy adjust method.  

I'll be doing a check of the brakes during bearing and seal service. Have wanted to lube all those slide and pivit points for several years.  Just always didn't have the time to do so.

I checked out the cost of

Brake shoes: About $80 each = $240  That's unbelievably high.   

Cost of complete Brake Plate with shoes:  About $100 each = $400

Cost of Upgrade to 5200's from SW Wheel Web Site:  $2,000

                Base Axle                    $551

                 Timkin Upgrade         $70

                U-Bolt Kit                    $34

                   Springs                             N/A    I'll continue with my Dexter 2400's

                 Parts Per Axle        $1408              ($655 X 2 X 1.075 =$1408)

                 Assume Install          $600    ($300/axle)

For a trailer in it's 8th season, I would not buy shoes at that cost.  The replacement of the entire Dexter made brake assembly makes more sense.  

When one considers that I have so far spent 8 days of my time doing bearing service (One day per season), plus the costs of lube, bearings and seals, and the benefits of the 5200's, I can now understand why so many owners are looking at that direction.  

IF or WHEN I get to the point of needing shoes, it will likely be the trigger to decision to just go with the 5200's. s

If it's not in July, then I'll do the full clean, disassembly, and lube and get another season or two out of them.

Either way, I look forward to seeing a demo of the adjustment you mentioned!

Would love to get a PM of the ALCAN costs.  

GJ

[Galway Girl]

9 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

get a PM of the ALCAN costs.  

See my pm