2 broken leaf springs / shocks

[Cort]

On 6/20/2025 at 8:09 AM, John Dorrer said:

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.

I don't know if this referred to me or someone else. In my case the Oliver I ended up buying did not have rust issues and the roads I was driving on were not washboard with deep chuck holes - just very rocky. I guess you can break these springs in many different ways. 

[Cort]

On 6/20/2025 at 1:08 PM, Geronimo John said:

Likely you are a bit younger and more agile than this ROF    (Retired Ole Fart) and could get a both sides done a LOT faster.

While boondocking, do suggest a sheet of sturdy plywood for the jacks.  WIll make your life a lot easier than moving the floor jack around the sand/dirt without it.

GJ

Actually not! I FINALLY got both sides done but the U bolts on one side took hours and then there were the hours of making mistakes...Thanks for the plywood idea I carry several traction mats which have helped out a lot with jacking at times - and in fact came in handy with this job. 

[John Dorrer]

6 minutes ago, Cort said:

I don't know if this referred to me or someone else. In my case the Oliver I ended up buying did not have rust issues and the roads I was driving on were not washboard with deep chuck holes - just very rocky. I guess you can break these springs in many different ways. 

I was replying to richdev🙃

[Cort]

On 6/20/2025 at 3:11 PM, raye said:

Cort:  Nancy and I in Boulder City, Nevada will be leaving here and passing through Flagstaff around noon or so.  Heading east.  If you have not resolved your Leaf Spring problem, as you know I travel with a lot of tools in the event... like yours.  Nancy is checking to see if she can find your cell number, but you may have it.  Will be towing the 2019 Oliver Elite... so easy to see Off the Grid, as well.  Nancy did not have your cell number and have no way to contact you, otherwise.  You met our Cattle Dogs and we can figure out if you need help, or not.  Once we leave here, we are pretty much Off the Grid.  Ray

Thanks so much, Ray and Nancy, for dropping by. Ray and I spent several hours trying in vain to get the shackle bolts I think they are calle off (the two in the front). What we didn't realize is that we were working on the wrong bolts.

I was using the "Trailer Smith's YouTube channel directions but he must have been referring to a different type of spring. ((I don't know how that's possible actually (lol)) The trailer Smith has people locking down the back nuts and then twisting the front ones loose with a breaker bar. Those front ones, though, have splines that keep them dug in. (I was able to get the rearmost bolts off that attack the other end to the trailer off using his procedure - so maybe I just had very stuck bolts..

I have a nice breaker bar, but no matter which position Ray and I tried we couldn't budge them. I was thinking of getting a compact wrench, but then Steve called and he said to work on the back nuts, and those came free easily! 

Thank you, Steve!

 

 

[Geronimo John]

14 minutes ago, Cort said:

FINALLY got both sides done but the U bolts on one side took hours and then there were the hours of making mistakes...

As previously posted, for most of us there certainly is a rather large learning curve involved in spring and/or axle upgrades.

But the knowledge gained by DIY is priceless.

GJ

PS:  A can of Blaster is an essential tool for rusted anything.  Sorry none of us mentioned that in any of our posts about springs.  Amazing.  

 

Edited yesterday at 04:26 PM by Geronimo John
PS added.

[Cort]

On 6/20/2025 at 6:17 PM, Geronimo John said:

That leaves you with two more springs begging to fail.  Suggest if the cost of the ALCON's are a concern, then get four of the Dexter PR4's.  It is 2400 # rated.  

Steve mentioned that as well + a less well-balanced trailer. 

I have the leaf strings off both sides - as I noted, the u-bolts were a challenge on one side. They started off very easy and got torturously more difficult as they got closer to the end. I was afraid I was going to break them or the breaker bar 🙂 but they're off. 

I'm going to try to find a way to get the 4 Alcan springs to Flagstaff. 

At some point, I expect to do the 3500-5200 upgrade. I will check with Alcan to see if the same springs can be used for both axles. 

First, though, I'm checking with the National Forest Service to make sure this area is not going to be closed down. The other side of 180 was. 

Thanks for everyone's help. 

 

[Cort]

5 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

As previously posted, for most of us there certainly is a rather large learning curve involved in spring and/or axle upgrades.

But the knowledge gained by DIY is priceless.

GJ

PS:  A can of Blaster is an essential tool for rusted anything.  Sorry none of us mentioned that in any of our posts about springs.  Amazing.  

 

Once again, I have learned so much!  I hardly knew what an axle or leaf spring was prior to this (let along a compact wrench, which I didn't need). I  hit them again and again with silicone lubricant - I don't know how much good this brand did and if there's a better one I will get it.  I am going to get a wire brush to try to clean down those rusted nuts. 

[BoondockingAirstream]

Cort and I discussed several options at his remote campsite.  He is going to be an Excellent Mechanic after working on these two leaf springs.

 #1 Removing the nuts from the bolts on the center connections...   Even with two of us attempting... removing a nut was not cooperating.  The nut on the bracket on the frame, Cort had already removed, using a 24"+ breaker bar. One of us holding the head of the bolt from rotating and breaker bar... no luck at all.  

Someone may have a technique to offer, as the nut was not going to cooperate.  That got our attention immediately.

Cort is a master navigator getting into tough areas.  With the forward Axle firmly attached...  Getting OUT is opposite everything. Easy IN, can be a Difficult OUT.

#2. We discussed "Backing Out", but needed prep time to get everything ready would take some reversing the Forward 'getting into this space' to Backward 'reversing to get out without some extra eyes or in and out of the tow vehicle'.  The broken leaf spring could be tied up for clearance, shocks removed.  Sounds easy... but not a linear departure and possble shoveling to make additional space 'more attractive'.  Angles going IN are not the same as getting OUT.

(2) Replacing the Leaf Springs need these 'four stubborn nuts from the bolts', removed.  Replaced with Six new greased replacement nuts and bolts.

(3)  Have a mechanic with equipment to Remove and Replace with the Replacement Leaf Springs and nuts. Also guide the Master Boondocker Cort backing out.  Cort is very patient.  Methodical is the word and he likes to consider all options.

(4)  When getting to our campsite leaving the next day, I thought about contacting the Forest 'Service'. They have resources and people to help citizens.  This could be #1, there were hundreds of campers in this large area and certainly had USFS patrolling the area.

(5)  Cort's tow vehicle was detached and could drive into Flagstaff for supplies and leaf spring pickup.  

The City was swarming with a massive number of tourists, including lots of campers in the forested areas, as we drove out.  Narrow hard pack dirt roads and lots of wide RV's...  But,  lots of possible access for help and getting his Leaf Springs ordered and picked up.

Our third day in the Gila National Forest... the weather bureau predicted heavy showers... we broke camp.  Once out of the Gila National Forest, heading north to Highway 40... heavy rain for an hour and a FREE washing.  We arrived back home around midnight.  Exhausted but out of the back country.

Cort will have a more interesting story to tell.  I also would like to know how the nuts were removed.  They are also Metric... Learn something every day.

[Cort]

3 hours ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

Cort and I discussed several options at his remote campsite.  He is going to be an Excellent Mechanic after working on these two leaf springs.

 #1 Removing the nuts from the bolts on the center connections...   Even with two of us attempting... removing a nut was not cooperating.  The nut on the bracket on the frame, Cort had already removed, using a 24"+ breaker bar. One of us holding the head of the bolt from rotating and breaker bar... no luck at all.  

Someone may have a technique to offer, as the nut was not going to cooperate.  That got our attention immediately.

Cort is a master navigator getting into tough areas.  With the forward Axle firmly attached...  Getting OUT is opposite everything. Easy IN, can be a Difficult OUT.

#2. We discussed "Backing Out", but needed prep time to get everything ready would take some reversing the Forward 'getting into this space' to Backward 'reversing to get out without some extra eyes or in and out of the tow vehicle'.  The broken leaf spring could be tied up for clearance, shocks removed.  Sounds easy... but not a linear departure and possble shoveling to make additional space 'more attractive'.  Angles going IN are not the same as getting OUT.

(2) Replacing the Leaf Springs need these 'four stubborn nuts from the bolts', removed.  Replaced with Six new greased replacement nuts and bolts.

(3)  Have a mechanic with equipment to Remove and Replace with the Replacement Leaf Springs and nuts. Also guide the Master Boondocker Cort backing out.  Cort is very patient.  Methodical is the word and he likes to consider all options.

(4)  When getting to our campsite leaving the next day, I thought about contacting the Forest 'Service'. They have resources and people to help citizens.  This could be #1, there were hundreds of campers in this large area and certainly had USFS patrolling the area.

(5)  Cort's tow vehicle was detached and could drive into Flagstaff for supplies and leaf spring pickup.  

The City was swarming with a massive number of tourists, including lots of campers in the forested areas, as we drove out.  Narrow hard pack dirt roads and lots of wide RV's...  But,  lots of possible access for help and getting his Leaf Springs ordered and picked up.

Our third day in the Gila National Forest... the weather bureau predicted heavy showers... we broke camp.  Once out of the Gila National Forest, heading north to Highway 40... heavy rain for an hour and a FREE washing.  We arrived back home around midnight.  Exhausted but out of the back country.

Cort will have a more interesting story to tell.  I also would like to know how the nuts were removed.  They are also Metric... Learn something every day.

🙂

It turned out to be very simple. We were working on the wrong bolt ends. I was misguided by a YouTube video which described securing the nuts on the back and working on the bolts on the front.  Steve informed me, though, that we would have been working on the nuts on the back of the shackle.. Once I did that, they came off easily (lol)

It is not going to be a linear departure.  Ray was kind in saying the trailer was in a bit of a difficult spot. After a long and exhausting day I walked ahead to check out a meadow ahead. I thought the coast was clear but later I had missed the narrowed path directly ahead of the van (Lol).  

It'll just take some maneuvering. 

[Cort]

Alcan leaf kit has been ordered. Something I didn't know. They can ship to a UPS outlet using USP or FED Ex. THey're be here in a couple of days. 

[Geronimo John]

12 hours ago, Cort said:

They started off very easy and got torturously more difficult as they got closer to the end. I was afraid I was going to break them or the breaker bar 🙂 but they're off. 

Sounds like the nuts may have been Nylocks jamming themselves to a total stop.  Happens when they are installed too tightly.  Cutting them off has generally been one path.  The other is to break the bolt/Ubolt with a hack saw.

If they were not Nylocks, then   Blaster overnight is the easy way.

 

10 hours ago, BoondockingAirstream said:

 I also would like to know how the nuts were removed.  They are also Metric... Learn something every day.

On an OE2?  Not likely.  Would be worth asking Jason that question.  Or they were an after market swap for some reason.

[DaveAndBecky_NorthernMI]

On 6/20/2025 at 5:06 PM, Geronimo John said:

Moderators:  As such, it would be a wonderful public service for OTT to put out a Service Notice about how to inspect these springs and at what point they recommend upgrading to a heavier spring.   

For those of those of us choosing to monitor the springs until they can be upgraded, inspection guidance from Oliver would be very helpful, particularly the sag seen prior to failure.

[Cort]

12 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Sounds like the nuts may have been Nylocks jamming themselves to a total stop.  Happens when they are installed too tightly.  Cutting them off has generally been one path.  The other is to break the bolt/Ubolt with a hack saw.

If they were not Nylocks, then   Blaster overnight is the easy way.

 

On an OE2?  Not likely.  Would be worth asking Jason that question.  Or they were an after market swap for some reason.

They were not Nylocks - glad to hear about the hacksaw idea - I was thinking about that.  I think in the video the guy said they just cut them off at the shop. 

[Geronimo John]

42 minutes ago, Cort said:

I think in the video the guy said they just cut them off at the shop. 

Torch, hand grinder, hack saw , or even a cold chisel.  All will do the job, just a matter high your PITA threshold is.    

Mine is pretty low, and for weight conservation I carry a Dremel Kit with reinforced cut-off wheels.  They last a LOT longer than the non-reinforced ones.  But they are also more expensive.  Worth the cost IMO.

As a result, I don't carry a torch, hand grinder, hack saw , or even a cold chisel. 

GJ