2 broken leaf springs / shocks

[Cort]

It started yesterday morning after a trip on a very rocky road south of Flagstaff that I swore I would never go on again. 
 

The first sign of trouble was a tire on the back left rear that was punctured and its side wall, apparently by rocks. 

I replaced the tire - but then the in late afternoon well on a dirt road in the mountains, I heard a rubbing sound then found that the left back rear tire was rubbing against the tire in front of it. 
 

I removed the tire to find a broken leaf spring and shock. then I looked on the other side to find the leaf spring and shock broken there as well. The shock was actually rubbing against the tire.

it seems like I have three options. 

(1) Try to get a tow truck in here and tow the trailer to a shop. If anyone knows of a good shop, that would be helpful if I do this.

(2) lash the axle to the frame and try to get the trailer to the paved Road maybe a mile away and get it towed from there and save some money.
 

(3) Try to fix it here myself. From looking at the Internet, it appears that these repairs are not too difficult - but I’ve never done that before. 
 

One question I have is whether other things were damaged and therefore I couldn’t do it properly.  Don’t know how to tell that. 

 

Edited yesterday at 03:48 PM by Cort

[Mike and Carol]

Wow, sorry to see this happen.  Other’s have had similar experiences so maybe they can advise.  Once you get this sorted out a trip up to Grand Junction, CO to get a set of ALCAN springs installed might be worth the trip.  Good luck, I hope this gets resolved quickly. Mike

[Cort]

Thanks for the tip. I was surprised at how thin those springs were! 

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, Cort said:

If anyone knows of a good shop, that would be helpful if I do this.

I'm not familiar with trailer shops around Flagstaff, but unless you have backup parts the first thing is you need to source the correct replacement leaf spring. I would call every trailer shop around Flag to see if they have the correct leaf spring. I bought the following parts, 2 springs and a u-bolt kit so I could fully replace springs on one axle, left and right, on the road if this were to happen to us. Drive slowly and carefully if you only replace the broken spring on one side as the other will become the weak link.

Very sorry for your predicament!

I believe the part number SW4B is all you need to order.
I ordered these from SW Wheel which you can see online for reference: 
SW4B-BR TruRyde® 4 Leaf 25 1/4" Double Eye Trailer Leaf Spring Bronze Bushings 1750 lbs
APUBR3BX Southwest Wheel® U-Bolt Kit for 5,200-7,000 lbs. 3" Trailer Axle - APUBR3BX

I have read on this forum that eTrailer will overnight these parts.
Perhaps SW Wheel would as well. Get on the phone asap!

As far as the shock, just remove it. They are unnecessary for travel.
You can install 4 new shocks when you install 4 new upgraded leaf springs.

Also, re-using U-bolts is not suggested. But I would if I was replacing just one leaf to get home or to a safe place to park the trailer.

Hope this helps! Best wishes, JD

Edited yesterday at 05:05 PM by jd1923

[jd1923]

Also, if you decide to do this yourself...

I have not done this work myself on a trailer but would get through it if I was there. Members here, like @ScubaRx and @MAX Burner and a few other have DIY this job and could help walk you through the steps.

[Cort]

Thanks! I called Oliver and while they gave me specifications 

Spring capacity 1750 lbs, axle capacity 3500 lbs; bronze bushing 9/16th inner diameter; 11/16th outer diameter; length from center of spring eye to center of spring eye (unloaded): 25-1/8"; spring width - 1 3/4"; leaf thickness: 5/16th; number of leaves - 4

They could not provide a brand or part number  - so SW4B is a great help.

Amazon has some but will not deliver. I will check out trailer shops. 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 07:31 PM by Cort

[rich.dev]

Oh my goodness, so sorry that you had to experience 2 leaf spring failures and a shock, that's just terrible! I know you're out of warranty, but Oliver should be made aware of this, way too many stock leaf spring failures on our Ollies! 

 @Mike and Carol and @jd1923 gave you some good advise, hopefully you will be back on the road soon!

3 hours ago, Cort said:

It started yesterday morning after a trip on a very rocky road south of Flagstaff that I swore I would never go on again. 

Please advise where this is so I can avoid it in my travels?

[Cort]

Ironically, the turnoff had the word 'rocky' in it (lol). It's one of the last exits before you head down the mountain.  I've camped a lot in the Flagstaff area, and while there are many good spots, the southern end of the Coconino National Forest can be quite rocky and lumpy. 

That said, the reason I went so far on this road is that it was late, and because the two dogs I have roam a lot I have to get as far away from the highway as possible - so I just gritted my teeth and get going. 

Otherwise, I would have turned around, and I think most people with an Oliver would. 

I haven't had any problems with rocky roads N of Flagstaff yet. Currently I'm camping about 30 minutes north of Flagstaff off of FR 245, and the roads up here are much better, it's much cooler, and I can get well away from a major road. It's also less buggy. I miss the oaks down south but surprisingly there are aspens in this area.

I was in Hart Prairie area across the way a spectacular area - nice dirt roads - but it was just closed off because of fire danger until they get consistent monsoon rains. I'll definitely be back there at some point.  

Edited yesterday at 07:12 PM by Cort

[Geronimo John]

If you are a die-hard off roader 15% of all the OTT owners, then the ALCAN's are your best path with their over-sprung 5 leaf. But in your situation it will be a PITA to get them to make and ship you a set with all the hardware.

On the other hand, any mechanic shop can do this job.  Make your deal with them for the labor and you can call Dexter and get the much more nationwide available PR4 springs as have been discussed on several forum pages as a very suitable alternative for about 85% of OLLIE owners.  I would personally find out where the closest stocking dealer is to your location.  Drop the trailer at a local shop, and drive to the stocking dealer and pick them up.  That would save you the most time.

For my 2018 OTT with the OEM Gear I used the parts listed below.  Add to that four shocks.  Replace all four springs, with the parts listed.  They are an exact match size wise, but are 2400 pound rated vs your 1750 ones that broke.  Cost will be SIGNIFICANTLY less than ALCAN's.  

In the mean time, dump your tanks, off load all heavy things you can and follow the steps in the attached "What If" document.  Just modify it for spring failure vs. two flats.

DIY - Two Flat Tires On An OE2.docx

Geronimo John's Replacement Springs Order Info APR 2024 (Christy Gillentine).docx

GJ

Edited 22 hours ago by Geronimo John

[Geronimo John]

Here is a DIY for changing of the springs:

DIY - OE2 SPRING REPLACEMENT PROCESS and INFO Dexter OEM PB4B (1750#) with PB4 (2400#) Springs (1 APR 2024).docx

You would be packing really heavy to have all the needed tools for a camp site swap.  But you could get them at any Super Walmart.  Key is safety being under the trailer working on a soft ground surface while boondocking.  So some extra planning is suggested.... like a sheet of 3/4" plywood for the jack stands and jack to work off of.

Working on concrete, the first side took me a very long frustrating full day.  The other side was a breeze.  Like less than half the time.

Hope the above posts are insightful.

GJ

[Cort]

2 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

If you are a die-hard off roader 15% of all the OTT owners, then the ALCAN's are your best path with their over-sprung 5 leaf. But in your situation it will be a PITA to get them to make and ship you a set with all the hardware.

On the other hand, any mechanic shop can do this job.  Make your deal with them for the labor and you can call Dexter and get the much more nationwide available PR4 springs as have been discussed on several forum pages as a very suitable alternative for about 85% of OLLIE owners.  I would personally find out where the closest stocking dealer is to your location.  Drop the trailer at a local shop, and drive to the stocking dealer and pick them up.  That would save you the most time.

For my 2018 OTT with the OEM Gear I used the parts listed below.  Add to that four shocks.  Replace all four springs, with the parts listed.  They are an exact match size wise, but are 2400 pound rated vs your 1750 ones that broke.  Cost will be SIGNIFICANTLY less than ALCAN's.  

In the mean time, dump your tanks, off load all heavy things you can and follow the steps in the attached "What If" document.  Just modify it for spring failure vs. two flats.

DIY - Two Flat Tires On An OE2.docx 24.61 kB · 1 download

Geronimo John's Replacement Springs Order Info APR 2024 (Christy Gillentine).docx 84.83 kB · 2 downloads

GJ

Thanks once again. I am offroad basically all the time...

Edited 21 hours ago by Cort

[jd1923]

3 hours ago, Cort said:

Ironically, the turnoff had the word 'rocky' in it (lol).

A rocky road is a reason to tear the sidewall of a tire. Leaf springs need to handle the weight of the trailer regardless of conditions. Hitting an uneven bridge seam or RR tracks on a 65 MPH highway is a lot more stress on springs and shocks than the bumpiest road traveling <20 MPH. No excuses for these lame Dexter leaf springs!

[Cort]

Thanks for the instructions. I actually carry all of that with me - I didn't envision a day long job though - darn! 

[Cort]

That trailer was rocking and rolling -but I was going VERY slow...

[jd1923]

9 minutes ago, Cort said:

Thanks once again. I am offroad basically all the time...

Cort, when you get your Oliver suspension straight, and we get past this heat wave, come offroad by us sometime. I'll show you some good spots to camp!

[Cort]

I love it! I used to camp in Prescott when I just had the van - not sure where to go with the Oliver 🙂

[Mountainman198]

1 hour ago, Cort said:

Thanks for the instructions. I actually carry all of that with me - I didn't envision a day long job though - darn! 

I replaced two springs on the same axle at a campground after one broke and the other was failing. Took 4 hrs using the onboard rear “stabilizers” and a bottle jack. Found a pair of springs at a local rv shop. Once I made it home I replaced all four with Alcan 5-leafs and never looked back. 10,000+ trouble-free miles on the Alcans. It can be done if you have the tools. 
 

PM me and I am happy to talk you thru the process. 

[Patriot]

Like others have said, sorry this happened and hope you get back up and running soon. 

Lew at Alcan will get you squared away with new springs and even a pair of 5200# never lube axles if you are so inclined. 

I suggest the heavy duty shackles and wet bolts that Alcan sells if you decide to go this route. 

Safe travels!

[Geronimo John]

5 hours ago, Cort said:

Thanks once again. I am offroad basically all the time...

Definitely a candidate for the ALCAN 5 leaf spring set.  

[John and Debbie]

13 hours ago, Mountainman198 said:

I replaced two springs on the same axle at a campground after one broke and the other was failing. Took 4 hrs using the onboard rear “stabilizers” and a bottle jack. Found a pair of springs at a local rv shop. Once I made it home I replaced all four with Alcan 5-leafs and never looked back. 10,000+ trouble-free miles on the Alcans. It can be done if you have the tools. 
 

PM me and I am happy to talk you thru the process. 

Lew has a display now that shows our original leaf springs and his together on a display.  Everything about his springs are far superior.  I believe he said you were the first Oliver in his shop.  Even his wet bolts are better designed.  We got our trailer done there in May.  He said he's seen about a hundred Olivers so far.

John

[John Dorrer]

20 hours ago, rich.dev said:

Oh my goodness, so sorry that you had to experience 2 leaf spring failures and a shock, that's just terrible! I know you're out of warranty, but Oliver should be made aware of this, way too many stock leaf spring failures on our Ollies! 

 @Mike and Carol and @jd1923 gave you some good advise, hopefully you will be back on the road soon!

Please advise where this is so I can avoid it in my travels?

This has nothing really to do with Oliver. 3500 lb axels and 6 year old trailer. The main contributing cause for these 4 leaf failures, are living near the coast, driving on chemically treated roads, resulting in rusting.  

 

The OP was clear on his driving on a washboard road with deep chuck holes. This is a sure way to have 4-leaf spring failure.

 

Starting in 2022 Oliver went to the 5200 lb axels. There have been few if any failures on the trailers from 2022 to present.

[rich.dev]

28 minutes ago, John Dorrer said:

Starting in 2022 Oliver went to the 5200 lb axels. There have been few if any failures on the trailers from 2022 to present.

John yes they switched to the 5200lb axels, however they stuck with the 3500 pound 4-Leaf spring packs that have always accompanied the 3500 pound axles. 

Edit: ....and from THIS post by @Geronimo John, a tech from Dexter stated that the stock 1750lbs rated 4-leaf springs are under specification for a 6,000# RV trailer that is always loaded. On our 2023 the 4-leaf springs are already showing signs of flattening, so I agree with the Dexter tech that the stock 1750lbs 4-leaf OEM springs are under rated for our LE IIs, unless maybe for those weekend warriors that will just go to their local campground.

Edited 3 hours ago by rich.dev

[jd1923]

16 hours ago, Cort said:

I love it! I used to camp in Prescott when I just had the van - not sure where to go with the Oliver 🙂

First off, close to town, there is a loop from Copper Basin Rd to Thumb Butte Rd where in 15 min you get above the 5300 ft of downtown Prescott to close to 7K. There are about 40 designated campsites that are usually available unless the annual Mountain Bike Race is in town or the like.

Then check the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for the Prescott National Forest for literally 1000 other possible locations.

Camping around Flagstaff, I imagine you have the MVUM for the Coconino NF. I used that on our very first Oliver trip 2 years ago to Kendricks Peak Wilderness Area. It was July so we were looking for a first camp above 7K ft. 🤣

We can just barely see Kendricks Peak from our deck, so it’s been on my list for years! Along as with views of the San Francisco and Bill Williams mountains that are closer to Prescott. God’s Country!

[jd1923]

13 hours ago, Patriot said:

Like others have said, sorry this happened and hope you get back up and running soon. 

Lew at Alcan will get you squared away with new springs and even a pair of 5200# never lube axles if you are so inclined. 

I suggest the heavy duty shackles and wet bolts that Alcan sells if you decide to go this route. 

Safe travels!

Patriot, you’re doing it to me again! Earlier I’m thinking about a fridge-freezer box for the TV and now this! Hope to meet you on your next trip west! 😂

Lance @Mountainman198 we met at the Q in Feb and thank you my friend for being the pioneer in this upgrade! 😂

So we’re sitting at Mt Rushmore, did the Presidential Trail yesterday, Bison filet at the Powder House Lodge and went back for the night presentation, lighting of the monument followed by a salute to our veterans, what a majestic place! We slept well and got up to coffee, the forum and checking the map for the next leg of our trip.

So Grand Junction is on our planned route, halfway between here and home! Not sure I want to afford their full service treatment but I would not upgrades leafs without the 5200 lb axles and all the extras you mentioned.

Just had breakfast and after another cup of coffee, I’ll be calling Lew.

I have no idea if they could fit us in a week out and not sure if they have the 50” axles required for our older hull. I will at least stop by, purchase the leafs, HD shackles, wet bolts, etc. for a later installation at home, purchasing axles later…

Or perhaps, bite the bullet, beak down emotionally and let somebody else work on my Oliver! 🤣

[rich.dev]

10 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

I have no idea if they could fit us in a week out and not sure if they have the 50” axles required for our older hull. I will at least stop by, purchase the leafs, HD shackles, wet bolts, etc. for a later installation at home, purchasing axles later…

Hey John, are you going with the Alcan 2750 5-leaf or 2400lbs 4-leaf springs?