Dexter Axle Upgrade Options - To EZ or NevR Lube Design

[Patriot]

19 hours ago, mountainoliver said:

I’m glad that there’s disc brakes now available for the 3500 pound axles. To be honest I’ve never researched that. In the 8 years and around 75,00 miles we’ve traveled I’ve never had any issues with the drum brakes adequately stopping the trailer so have not searched for something better. 

I agree, although I think disc brakes add a “cool factor” and are likely much easier to service I have never had an issue with the drums or have no plans to spend the $$$ to replace mine. While in descent on some of the steepest declines (fully loaded to camp) out west such as Wolf Creek Pass and Teton Pass, I let the 6.7 Power Stroke diesel engine brake work its magic and rarely had to use my brakes. Very impressive to say the least.

Suffice to say, Ford nailed it with the 10 speed and the engine brake in my experience. I do recall a time when there were folks being pulled over in Rocky Mtn NP and having their brakes checked with infrared thermometers, then were told to stand by and to allow their brakes cool. We were stopped very briefly and then waived through, they never even checked our brakes. Park Rangers obviously knew a little bit about the diesel engine braking system and they waived us on. Based on these experiences I don’t see a need for disc brakes ever with our present TV. With a half ton TV, I can see the interest certainly in the name of safety.

Edited June 27 by Patriot

[GlacierGirl]

@jd1923, WOW! I am so grateful for thorough explanations like yours so I can learn about these Oliver details of which I know nothing about! Thank you! It must have been a different Mark & Barb who had brake shoe issues; regardless, I want to have some knowledge to be prepared for possible future malfunctions. Your previous comment about your brake locking up put fear in me - now I know a bit about what to do. Thanks!

[jd1923]

8 hours ago, GlacierGirl said:

Thank you! It must have been a different Mark & Barb who had brake shoe issues; regardless…

You’re welcome, glad it helped!

I wasn’t mixing up proper names, but online names @GlacierGirl and @Galway Girl!

I should have known better, since I’ve read many of Craig’s posts!

Best wishes, JD

Edited June 27 by jd1923

[jd1923]

11 hours ago, Patriot said:

I let the 6.7 Power Stroke diesel engine brake work its magic and rarely had to use my brakes.

I love my old truck and have put my heart and soul into rebuilding it.

It drives and tows great, but as we’re camped in Ouray Colorado, no way in the world we’re descending the Million Dollar highway when we leave here. The other route back home through Cortez CO, driving past Telluride will be enough for our rig! (BTW it’s amazing here, see the Where’s Ollie thread soon for our campsite pic)!

The torque, the gearing and braking of modern HD diesel trucks are amazing! Something I should have considered sooner. I will be giving this some hard thought this summer while we’re home!

Thank you for this reminder, my friend Patriot! We’ll be home for by The 4th of July. A salute to you, Mike and the other Oliver Vets during our Nations 249th! 😂

[Mike and Carol]

We drive up and down 550 towing from Ouray to Durango frequently.  It is easier with our 2500 but we also used to make the drive towing with a half ton.  We’ve done the drive around by Telluride and Cortez, it’s also a very scenic trip that you’ll enjoy!  Mike

[Geronimo John]

On 6/26/2025 at 2:58 PM, GlacierGirl said:

what is one supposed to do when a brake locks up?

Pull off the travel lanes ASAP!

[Geronimo John]

My intent of this thread, which from my above posts consistently failed to do.....  is to discuss the merits/problems of the two axle designs  (EZ or Never).  Not what shop does the best work, disk brakes vs. drum, 3500 or 5200 rated axles, or even God forbid  the topic of Alcan or Dexter springs.  No arrows on my part are being shot for most of the above posts as I too wandered off the thread I started!    

On target arrow:  One of the disadvantages of EZ is that it wastes a LOT of grease.  To get grease out of the axle you have to pump it full of grease first.  Then once full of grease one could begin purging old grease by pumping likely tubes of grease thru the axle to get all the old grease out.  I can clean and service my 4 bearing sets with a single tube of grease doing it the "Ole Fashioned Way".  Where as I suspect that after a few years service, the EZ will require at least a tube per bearing set.   This can of course be avoided as stated by CRM above with his "On Target" response.

GJ

[Geronimo John]

28 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

On 6/26/2025 at 2:58 PM, GlacierGirl said:

what is one supposed to do when a brake locks up?

Pull off the travel lanes ASAP!

Greg: My response was off target to you  and this thread topic.  Double bad...

More seriously.  I would pull off and just remove the tire/rim from the bad brake location.  But be SURE to put at least two lug nuts back on the drum to keep it from going a different path.   It likely would not be necessary to tie UP the naked drum depending on the road surface.  But it would necessitate carefully traveling so as not to turn the brake drum into a skid plate.   Then cautiously travel to a safer spot to asses the issue.

 

Edited June 28 by Geronimo John

[Teaney Hull 292]

On 6/26/2025 at 5:55 AM, katanapilot said:

I'm curious as to the motivation to upgrade to the 5200 pound axles. 

1. Is it simply for the bigger brakes? 
2. Do the larger axles have the same wheel bolt pattern? 
3. Why not upgrade to electric/hydraulic disc brakes instead?  
4. Have there been reported failures of the 3500 pound axles or just the stock leaf springs?

I'm in the middle of the 4 leaf Alcan spring upgrade right now, so I was just wondering.  For those wondering, it has taken me about 1-2 hours per side, working slowly in a well-equipped shop.  Overall, pretty straightforward. 

Hull 292 here. It’s a 2017 build bought new by Duke and Chris Chadwell in 2018. My leaf springs still look OK. Thinking I might go ahead and buy the Alcon Springs to have, just in case. How much do they cost. Hope when the time comes, I can install as quickly and as Straightforward as you. 

Thanks

Gary

[Teaney Hull 292]

On 6/26/2025 at 10:58 AM, Patriot said:

Our Alcan experience was seamless, they are that good. Dropped our Oliver off at 7:30 on install day, went and grabbed a great southwest breakfast in town at Cafe Sol. Gotta a call at 0930 just as we were finishing our meal that our 5 leaf pack, HD wet bolts, and HD shackles install was finished🤩. Lew and his crew knocked it out of the park. 
Worth every penny to have Alcan do the professional install and continue on our journey. Love our new running gear! Glad they got you squared away jd!

Good to know. Would you share how much for parts and for labor? 

Thanks

Gary

Hull 292

[Patriot]

1 hour ago, Teaney Hull 292 said:

Good to know. Would you share how much for parts and for labor? 

Thanks

Gary

Hull 292

Hey Gary,

I highly recommend you give Lew at Alcan a call and let him know what you’re wanting to do. He will give you a quote right on the phone. 👍🏻🇺🇸

Here you go -https://www.alcanspring.com/

Edited June 29 by Patriot

[Teaney Hull 292]

4 hours ago, Patriot said:

Hey Gary,

I highly recommend you give Lew at Alcan a call and let him know what you’re wanting to do. He will give you a quote right on the phone. 👍🏻🇺🇸

Here you go -https://www.alcanspring.com/

Thanks. Will do. 

[katanapilot]

On 6/26/2025 at 11:42 AM, katanapilot said:

I think there are several options for disc brakes on 3500 pound axles with 5 on 4.5 hubs. Here is one I found with a very cursory search. 

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Brakes/Dexter/T2HRCM10DAC.html?feed=npn&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=203665937&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItvmapLaPjgMVE7daBR1a9BpIEAQYASABEgIsJ_D_BwE

My bad.  These are the wrong hubs.  Haven't had time to search to see if these are available with our 6 bolt pattern.  I think 10" discs are more effective than 12" drums (more brake energy capability and higher torque), but I don't know for sure. 

Still not convinced that the 3500 pound axles are limiting - other than the springs and the OEM Chinese made bearings.   I do get the appeal of larger brakes. 

[Ronbrink]

On 6/30/2025 at 7:18 AM, katanapilot said:

Haven't had time to search to see if these are available with our 6 bolt pattern. 

I went into etrailer.com, but didn’t find a 6 on 5.5 bolt pattern offered for 3500 axles. 

[jd1923]

On 6/27/2025 at 7:00 PM, jd1923 said:

I love my old truck and have put my heart and soul into rebuilding it.

It drives and tows great, but as we’re camped in Ouray Colorado, no way in the world we’re descending the Million Dollar highway when we leave here. The other route back home through Cortez CO, driving past Telluride will be enough for our rig! (BTW it’s amazing here, see the Where’s Ollie thread soon for our campsite pic)!

The torque, the gearing and braking of modern HD diesel trucks are amazing! Something I should have considered sooner. I will be giving this some hard thought this summer while we’re home!

First off, to stick to the purpose of GJ's post, it appears that Dextron dealers carry the Nev-R Lube axles. Alcan does not carry the other. OTT does not install EX-Lube either and perhaps they can be special ordered. Everybody who has upgraded to D52 axles has purchased Nev-R Lube axles, which is what I also did last week. Alcan called me first thing Monday to confirm Dextron will build my special order D52 50.00 axles (they stock the more common D52 50.50 size).

I high-jacked this thread the other day, something often tolerated in Ollie-and and wrote the statement, quoting myself above. Mike @Mike and Carol replied with this:

On 6/28/2025 at 5:55 AM, Mike and Carol said:

We drive up and down 550 towing from Ouray to Durango frequently.  It is easier with our 2500 but we also used to make the drive towing with a half ton.  We’ve done the drive around by Telluride and Cortez, it’s also a very scenic trip that you’ll enjoy!  Mike

Simply put, I'm chicken! Our TV can do it, the 1/2-ton TV can do it. I've watched the YouTubes on this dangerous road, so no thank you!

When young, I used to ski the mountains of USA and Europe, like Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe or Cervinia (the Italian side of the Matterhorn). Later in life I've become afraid of heights, don't like 2nd-story ladders, don't enjoy gondola rides anymore and we're going to Telluride today! 😞

Somehow I can still bomb up the steepest dirt road in AZ on my dirt bike (slower on the downhills), but won't ride ATVs traversing a mountain, don't like that leaning sideways feeling and same on some roads. I believe it's an inner ear thing I've acquired through the years. And towing down a steep mountain can bother me at times, like AZ I-17 +/- to Black Canyon city, which I run a dozen time a year because I have to! It's the most direct route from home to The Valley, or I can drive/tow Hwy-89 down Yarnell mountain which I do to go to Wickenburg or Quartzsite. I drive slowly down, keeping an eye on the sideview mirrors allowing the speed-demons to pass whenever possible.

Our older Dodge Cummins 2500 is fine TV and I've rebuilt it to like new. With it's 2500 rating and Cummins, it surpasses the Tundras and Eco-boosts many of you regularly use (maybe this post should be in the towing section). I was online shopping for more modern TVs the last few late nights. Those with greater than 440 torque, more than a 4-speed trans and with the exhaust brake! I could not find one used on Auto Trader and Craigs that fit my needs!

We MUST have and 8-ft bed and I prefer 2WD for its lower stance and stability. Do not want a quad-cab or worse a crew cab. I've seen what y'all back into your back seats! 🤣Love our half doors which keep the cab short, making up for the longbed and back there is only our Pickleball bag, extra shoes under and behind the driver's seat and Charley's bench seat that he loves.

In upgrading our TV, we could not find these features! 95% of trucks are 4WD quad-cab short beds. I would love a 6 or 10-speed Alison trans, or the 10-speed Ford but $7500 will get my an awesome stage-2 rebuild on the old Dodge and there is a premiere rebuilder in Phoenix. I believe the exhaust brake which @Patriot mentions often would make me feel much better on 8-10-12% downhill grades that are everywhere out here and I can add the recommended Pacbrake system for $2K which is possible since we already have a Cummins, btw no DEF required which you all know is a PITA.

On the other side, I could sell the '01 Ram for a little more than the paltry $18,200 paid and not re-coop most of the additional $10K invested to-date in its rebuild. Uninstall and reinstall our Pepwave router system. And pay $50K, or $60K for a good used truck that would be better in many ways but not have the features we like.

And they just look good together. What was I thinking, we're family!

[Mike and Carol]

1 hour ago, jd1923 said:

Later in life I've become afraid of heights, don't like 2nd-story ladders, don't enjoy gondola rides anymore and we're going to Telluride today! 😞

So, jumping out of airplanes isn’t on the agenda either?  It’s been a few years since my last jumps but I still think I could do it, even as I’m in my 70’s!  

I think Highway 550 is a scenic and exhilarating drive from Ouray down through Silverton.  Traffic generally moves slow and the drive doesn’t have to be white knuckle.  The drive around by Telluride is much tamer but also very scenic.  You can’t go wrong either way.  Stay in your comfort zone!!  Mike

[jd1923]

2 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

So, jumping out of airplanes isn’t on the agenda either?  It’s been a few years since my last jumps but I still think I could do it, even as I’m in my 70’s!

Nope, you Army guys are tougher than me. Don’t like turbulence either!

[jd1923]

On 6/30/2025 at 6:18 AM, katanapilot said:

I think 10" discs are more effective than 12" drums (more brake energy capability and higher torque), but I don't know for sure.

It comes down to the surface area of the contact patch, pad on disc or shoe on drum.

Disc brakes likely have some efficiencies but certainly not 10” discs over 12” drums. The main advantage of disc brakes is the cooling which is much greater since air cannot flow inside drums where the heat is created, and brake fade is caused by the materials over-heating.

A simple way of looking at is, I (we) replaced axles rated at 7K to 10K. The brakes must also be capable of stopping the rated weight. Simple conclusion is it provides a 43% increase in braking power (10 / 7 =1.43).