Spring shackles

[scott-pati]

quote:Originally posted by pappy65

I greased mine yesterday and had one that won't take grease. Any ideas on getting it to open up? If I have to remove, how do you raise trailer to get weight off shackle?

The grease fitting aka zerk fitting can be replaced. Use a socket wrench to remove. Once removed try attaching it to the grease gun and see if the grease flow threw the fitting. If no flow, bad fitting. Any auto store or Harbor freight sell them.

If grease flows threw fitting then the bolt has hardened grease or an obstruction, try to clear with a finishing nail or replace the wet bolt.

[Tom S.]

PatnRich, thanks for posting the pictures! I've never seen anything like that, nor can I imagine a scenario that would cause it. As mentioned, they broke right at the cross drill, but being enclosed in the bronze bushing should have spread the stress out evenly. An impact wrench could have split it, but I can't see how they would have stayed in the bushing. Glad you found it without a major catastrophe!

[WaltBennett]

Looks like those are the same kind of bolts I got from Mor/Ryde, with the grease hole drilled only from one side. I installed the kit myself and didn't use a BFH or an impact wrench. Ground the splines off an old bolt and used it to tap a few sleeves in with a dead blow hammer, but most just slid in without any problem. Hope that's the only reason they could break!

Also, if one bolt won't take grease, you can try jacking that wheel up a bit to change pressure points on the bolt, then try greasing.

[rohrmann]

We had one on ours that wouldn't take grease, no matter how much pressure I put on the grease gun. Finally, after maybe 10,000 miles, it loosened up and took grease. The only thing I could figure, was the bushing and bolt were too tight to start with, and after a little wear, it wore enough to have room for the grease to flow. I also read that when assembling, the grease hole should be horizontal, so as to not have the hole blocked due to weight of rig blocking hole.

[bigred715]

Had the wet bolts installed in 2010 after buying trailer new. Can't get one rear zert to take grease. Raised wheel up and still no gease. Blew out my grease trying to exert pressure. Tried loosening nut to relieve pressure using 24 extension and could not break loose. I WAS trying to loosen the right nut. Think maybe they used impact wrench to tightened the nut and maybe why I can't loosen. I was able to loosen several other nuts so I could put grease into them. This was installed in Elkhart at their factory and I assumed it was done write. I thought the torque on these nuts was supposed to be about 60 lbs and should have been easy to remove.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by bigred715

Had the wet bolts installed in 2010 after buying trailer new. Can't get one rear zert to take grease. Raised wheel up and still no gease. Blew out my grease trying to exert pressure. Tried loosening nut to relieve pressure using 24 extension and could not break loose. I WAS trying to loosen the right nut. Think maybe they used impact wrench to tightened the nut and maybe why I can't loosen. I was able to loosen several other nuts so I could put grease into them. This was installed in Elkhart at their factory and I assumed it was done write. I thought the torque on these nuts was supposed to be about 60 lbs and should have been easy to remove.

When I installed the wet bolts on our 06, two of them weren't drilled all the way. No way in heck would I ever have been able to get grease through them!

[Irlpguy]

quote:Originally posted by bigred715

Had the wet bolts installed in 2010 after buying trailer new. Can't get one rear zert to take grease. Raised wheel up and still no gease. Blew out my grease trying to exert pressure. Tried loosening nut to relieve pressure using 24 extension and could not break loose. I WAS trying to loosen the right nut. Think maybe they used impact wrench to tightened the nut and maybe why I can't loosen. I was able to loosen several other nuts so I could put grease into them. This was installed in Elkhart at their factory and I assumed it was done write. I thought the torque on these nuts was supposed to be about 60 lbs and should have been easy to remove.

Originally one of my wet bolts would not accept grease no matter what I did, I loosened the nut and using a brass drift I drove the bolt far enough out to be able to turn it. I rotated it back and forth put the zerk back in and then the grease went in. I reinstalled the bolt and have had no problems with that one since. I greased mine two days ago and one again would not take grease, using the level up I took the weight off the wheel and it then would take grease.

It is possible as with Tom S that you have one that was not properly drilled.

With a 24" extension you should be able to break it loose, even if an impact had been used with that kind of extension you should be able to break at least 120 lbs or more. Check and see if you have any space between the sides of the spring and the hanger, if there is none and the hanger is pulled right into the spring then it is certainly overtightened. That kind of torque could cause the bolt to break, best you get it resolved.

[bigred715]

Thanks for all the great advise. Will pull the zert out and see if it was drilled clear thru.Don't think I have put grease in them since installation in 2010. No excuse, I just forgot to lube them.

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by bigred715

Thanks for all the great advise. Will pull the zert out and see if it was drilled clear thru.Don't think I have put grease in them since installation in 2010. No excuse, I just forgot to lube them.

You need to remove the bolt at least half way to see if both holes meet.

For those trying to turn their bolts, don't forget that the bolt has stippling at head that presses into the shackle and therefore isn't meant to turn when in place. You need to back it out 1/2" before trying to turn it.

[paddler67]

I had one to break and wallow out the shackle hole. the spring was resting against the trailer frame when I discovered the bolt missing.
there was no clue that I had a spring resting against the frame. I'm thinking it must have happen close to home.

[jcurtis934]

All of mine took grease...at least after I installed several zerks that were missing. When I installed new zerks in the missing places, I also could turn the other zerks very easy. Guess someone forgot to tighten them past finger tight. At least I now have lots of spare zerks. John

[USNSS]

For what it is worth-While greasing my suspension this Spring, I found about half of the 12 grease fittings only finger tight on my 2012 3100. No, I don't think they were in any way going to fall out, but would have expected them to be a little snugger. While doing the greasing, confirmed it is a pain to grease the straight grease fittings without removing the tires (a bigger pain)so I decided to replace all the fittings with 45 degree fittings. Works much better, however when you go to start the new fittings into their holes, I recommend sending the kids/grandkids into the house (at least if your hands are the size of mine).

[WaltBennett]

That is seriously strange. There's no way these could have broke from normal wear and tear. I'll bet they were overtightened, causing the breaks.