Broken leafspring. Another….

[Sportzfann]

2018 303 RLS returning home from our first long road trip, (5k Mi.)
I discovered the dreaded Broken leaf spring, passenger side rear axle.
I had planned to replace the shackles, and bushings, and reinforce the hangers due to all the posts I have read on this forum about the hanger problems and broken leaf springs. I will add leaf springs to the list.
The previous owner broke a hanger off and I can see where they welded it back on. The axles have been replaced with 7K lb. Dexters, with new brakes etc, but I see the springs are the original, I believe they are 2600lb. Ea. They are mostly flat on the kitchen side of trailer, dining room side springs look ok, but I plan to upgrade to a 6 leaf 3500lb. springs both sides.
Etrailer and Dexter both offer that spring but pricing is different and not sure about spring quality China vs. US made. I’ve seen a lot of posts about this issue and I guess I’m joining the club now!
I stopped at a roadside scale on our way home and I was running 10,300lbs while connected to my truck.
GD says 10,400 is max for this trailer so I don’t think an overload condition existed when the spring broke, I’m just glad the axle hanger on the front of the axle didn’t break, probably would have been real bad!

I plan to complete this work myself, I have the tools and the time to complete this once I have parts onsite.
any advice about getting the process, parts etc. is appreciated. 😀

[Hoopy Frood]

Just a point of clarification: When you say "I was running 10,300lbs while connected to my truck.", are you referring to the actual trailer weight on the axles? And when you refer to "GD says 10,400 is max for this trailer", are you referring to the GVWR for this trailer?

I sourced China-made springs for my trailer when I replaced them. Mainly because Dexter was nearly double the price, and I had no idea if the quality was worth the increase in price. Sometimes the higher price doesn't reflect a proportionate rise in quality.

[Steven@147]

I just got done replacing the original 3500# leaf springs on our left side (heavy side) yesterday.

Front axle left = 3200# Rear axle left = 3300. Left side RV weight on springs = 6500#.
Front axle right = 2700#. Rear axle right = 2750#. Right side RV weight on springs = 5450#

Recuperating before doing right side.
We have @ 25K miles on the rig and original leaf springs. Took about 4 hours and I repacked the wheel bearings at the same time. 7K axles 3500# springs, bronze bushings, 6 leaf, 3/4" width, 24 7/8 unloaded length. Also installed new 1/2" U Bolts.
Torque specs used = 45ft# wet bolt nuts, 65ft# 1/2" Ubolts.
I ordered from e-trailer, yes china made springs. The OEM china lasted 25K before getting flat on left side so the china replacements will probably last the same. The new spring eyes looked and appeared to be very round, (not oval) when I pressed in the new bronze bushings.
You can see our left (drivers side) springs have that W look.

Your hangers look way longer than the ones on our rig.

[Hoopy Frood]

I hope that second picture is a "Before" shot.

[Steven@147]

I hope that second picture is a "Before" shot.

LOL's yup!

[Sportzfann]

Just a point of clarification: When you say "I was running 10,300lbs while connected to my truck.", are you referring to the actual trailer weight on the axles? And when you refer to "GD says 10,400 is max for this trailer", are you referring to the GVWR for this trailer?

I sourced China-made springs for my trailer when I replaced them. Mainly because Dexter was nearly double the price, and I had no idea if the quality was worth the increase in price. Sometimes the higher price doesn't reflect a proportionate rise in quality.

Yes I had the trailer on the scale and it was reading 10300 lbs. while hitched up, I couldn’t disconnect from truck or I would have.
I got a quote from Dexter axle $110.49 ea for 6 leaf 3500lbs. Springs they are about 2-1/8” thick.
My current springs are 1-1/2” thick 4 leaf. So probably need new u bolts also.
I have about 1” of threads showing.
Most of the springs are made in china so your point about quality VS price is where I am at also.
I plan to keep one of the good springs to keep with me while we travel in case I have this issue again.
I plan to get the new wet bolts, bushings, also check bearings and brakes this trailer is used and not sure what maintenance was done on it.��

[Sportzfann]

I just got done replacing the original 3500# leaf springs on our left side (heavy side) yesterday.

Front axle left = 3200# Rear axle left = 3300. Left side RV weight on springs = 6500#.
Front axle right = 2700#. Rear axle right = 2750#. Right side RV weight on springs = 5450#

Recuperating before doing right side.
We have @ 25K miles on the rig and original leaf springs. Took about 4 hours and I repacked the wheel bearings at the same time. 7K axles 3500# springs, bronze bushings, 6 leaf, 3/4" width, 24 7/8 unloaded length. Also installed new 1/2" U Bolts.
Torque specs used = 45ft# wet bolt nuts, 65ft# 1/2" Ubolts.
I ordered from e-trailer, yes china made springs. The OEM china lasted 25K before getting flat on left side so the china replacements will probably last the same. The new spring eyes looked and appeared to be very round, (not oval) when I pressed in the new bronze bushings.
You can see our left (drivers side) springs have that W look.

Your hangers look way longer than the ones on our rig.

Yes the hangers look to be longer, I plan to add the v shaped plates to my hangers while this work is ongoing.
Where did you get the torque settings for your hardware?
I will end up with the same springs as you but my trailer is a bit lighter than yours.
I saw etrailer has a 5 leaf spring that is rated for 3000lbs. The correct length too.
so maybe I don’t need the 3500 rated spring?
The previous owner broke a hanger at some point and installed Dexter 7000lb axles with brakes but left the original leaf springs installed.
Can you describe what you supported the trailer with while you were changing out the suspension?
I have the electric leveling at 4 points on my 303, but want to add something to help support the leveling jacks. Thanks for the replies!

[jjbbrewer]

Etrailer and Dexter both offer that spring but pricing is different and not sure about spring quality China vs. US made. I’ve seen a lot of posts about this issue and I guess I’m joining the club now!

After dealing with replacement leaf springs for more times than I can count, the difference between China sourced spring steel and American spring steel is astounding.

There are heaps of posts about leaf springs on the forum that you can search.
Here's a thread where I discussed the Alcan USA made leaf springs I bought and installed last year.
https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...grade-Question

[Steven@147]

Yes the hangers look to be longer, I plan to add the v shaped plates to my hangers while this work is ongoing.
Where did you get the torque settings for your hardware?
I will end up with the same springs as you but my trailer is a bit lighter than yours.
I saw etrailer has a 5 leaf spring that is rated for 3000lbs. The correct length too.
so maybe I don’t need the 3500 rated spring?
The previous owner broke a hanger at some point and installed Dexter 7000lb axles with brakes but left the original leaf springs installed.
Can you describe what you supported the trailer with while you were changing out the suspension?
I have the electric leveling at 4 points on my 303, but want to add something to help support the leveling jacks. Thanks for the replies!

Hey Sportzfann,
The torque specs for the wet bolt nuts MORryde says 40-50 ft# and for the Ubolts there was some discussion on this forum a few years ago about Ubolts loose and not being torqued enough and GDRV said at that time 65 ft# for the Solitude which has 1/2 Ubolts.

I have no data to back up my opinion but I believe the rigs with the longer frame hangers are the ones that have them break off. Our shorter ones have never had a problem. I did notice at the recent RV shows the Influence I looked at had very, very short frame hangers and did not have the V clips which surprised me. Same on the Jayco units I looked at.

Our rig GVWR is 16800. The previous owner for your trailer must have had problems with the axles so they upped the axles to 7K ? I wonder why they didn't just go ahead and change the springs ? I think I would stay with the 3500# springs even if you don't load up the RV. It seems to me on these heavier trailers, the leaf springs are the weak point. We are not over weight but are within 200-300# limit on our left side 3500# springs . Anything one can do to help support the rigs suspension (without going to IS) is well worth it IMO. I even contemplated going up to 4000# springs on ours but at that point they want to go to slipper springs.

I ordered one set of springs from Dexter web site who subcontracted it out to Bear Springs which were china made and were more expensive. The other set of springs I ordered through eTrailer and were also china made but were cheaper.

We have the 6 way electric leveling. I use a pair of huge jack stands, I think they are 12 ton (I've had them for years). Also a pair of hydraulic jacks that are lockable. I use the Ground Control 3.0 Electric leveling system to get the side of the rig up, then place one jack stand under the drop frame. The second jack stand I place under the rear frame on stacked and screwed together 2x12s near the rear leveling jack. On our mid leveling jack (which you don't have) I insert boards and jam them in to also help support the frame. Our mid jacks we can't control independently at least on our version of GC 3.0

Then I have a pair of hydraulic jacks that are also lockable, and place them under the axles between the Ubolts. You can jack them independently to help position the axles and the equalizer to better get the eyes and hanger holes lined up.

Good Luck

[Sportzfann]

Hey Sportzfann,
The torque specs for the wet bolt nuts MORryde says 40-50 ft# and for the Ubolts there was some discussion on this forum a few years ago about Ubolts loose and not being torqued enough and GDRV said at that time 65 ft# for the Solitude which has 1/2 Ubolts.

I have no data to back up my opinion but I believe the rigs with the longer frame hangers are the ones that have them break off. Our shorter ones have never had a problem. I did notice at the recent RV shows the Influence I looked at had very, very short frame hangers and did not have the V clips which surprised me. Same on the Jayco units I looked at.

Our rig GVWR is 16800. The previous owner for your trailer must have had problems with the axles so they upped the axles to 7K ? I wonder why they didn't just go ahead and change the springs ? I think I would stay with the 3500# springs even if you don't load up the RV. It seems to me on these heavier trailers, the leaf springs are the weak point. We are not over weight but are within 200-300# limit on our left side 3500# springs . Anything one can do to help support the rigs suspension (without going to IS) is well worth it IMO. I even contemplated going up to 4000# springs on ours but at that point they want to go to slipper springs.

I ordered one set of springs from Dexter web site who subcontracted it out to Bear Springs which were china made and were more expensive. The other set of springs I ordered through eTrailer and were also china made but were cheaper.

We have the 6 way electric leveling. I use a pair of huge jack stands, I think they are 12 ton (I've had them for years). Also a pair of hydraulic jacks that are lockable. I use the Ground Control 3.0 Electric leveling system to get the side of the rig up, then place one jack stand under the drop frame. The second jack stand I place under the rear frame on stacked and screwed together 2x12s near the rear leveling jack. On our mid leveling jack (which you don't have) I insert boards and jam them in to also help support the frame. Our mid jacks we can't control independently at least on our version of GC 3.0

Then I have a pair of hydraulic jacks that are also lockable, and place them under the axles between the Ubolts. You can jack them independently to help position the axles and the equalizer to better get the eyes and hanger holes lined up.

Good Luck

Steven, did you support the side your “Not working on” with blocks/ jacks, or leave the tires on the ground just supported by the leveling jacks?
Or did you lift and support the whole trailer at one time with jacks and blocks?
Just wanted to better understand if it’s safe to jack and block just the side I’m working on?
I will need to get some more lumber to create some cribbing to support the frame, it is pretty high off the ground.
This is quite a project to get the suspension upgraded, I just don’t trust the hangers and springs that are original equipment. The V clips welded to support the hangers from the factory must have been added in the later years of these fifthwheel trailers after the reports of failures rolled in.
Do you know if the center hanger with the equalizer has the Vclips welded also?
Thanks for adding some details.