Reflection 220RK 6K axle replacement - step by step

[Yoda]

Another good day.


Got the axle off the shipping crate and on the the dolly assembly to move it into position and to replace the bushing and prepare the wiring. Gootdthing I have my tractor an palette forks. These new axles are heavy. I measure the camber and there is not much. That's what I expected given the 1/2" tube wall. Maybe a 1/4" of crown. This is a 7K tube. after all.. The blocking on the pallet forks allowed for clearance to fit the cradle and to spin the springs upright.. I double checked measurements and everything matches the OEM axle. so everything should fit.


I want to press out the plastic bushing , lube the spring eye, and press in the bronze bushing - any tips? I have my ball joint press and any number of socket sizes
I have deep socket that should fit, but don't want to get them stuck. BTW the spring eye looks pretty round to me.

Thoughts?

Keith

On edit I did take photos of the Dexter axle tag so I have it. Iron Bear sent me the build sheets so I have all the documentation I need. I will be adding it to the GD black folder for any future maintenance.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I drove in bronze bushings by placing the bushing on a non-wet bolt and hammered on the bolt head. That way I ensured the ID of the bushing would not be compromised when installed

[ncitro]

Another good day.


Got the axle off the shipping crate and on the the dolly assembly to move it into position and to replace the bushing and prepare the wiring. Gootdthing I have my tractor an palette forks. These new axles are heavy. I measure the camber and there is not much. That's what I expected given the 1/2" tube wall. Maybe a 1/4" of crown. This is a 7K tube. after all.. The blocking on the pallet forks allowed for clearance to fit the cradle and to spin the springs upright.. I double checked measurements and everything matches the OEM axle. so everything should fit.


I want to press out the plastic bushing , lube the spring eye, and press in the bronze bushing - any tips? I have my ball joint press and any number of socket sizes
I have deep socket that should fit, but don't want to get them stuck. BTW the spring eye looks pretty round to me.

Thoughts?

Keith

On edit I did take photos of the Dexter axle tag so I have it. Iron Bear sent me the build sheets so I have all the documentation I need. I will be adding it to the GD black folder for any future maintenance.

I find a large C Clamp works well. Nice controlled pressure and does not deform.

[Yoda]

It was an OK day today
Got the bushing replaced on one axle and wiring completed with a minor hiccup.

In post 62 above is the plastic bushings the cam out fairly easily. Bronze went i a little tighter.


Plastic washers as the came out. They look like they are just cut from tubing - nothing special.

I made up a press.driver tool using the bolt out of the old EZ-Flex



Just the center hanger bolt with a couple of washers to be sure the knurls did not get to the bushing. I got them started with a hammer and the used my ball joint press.

continued

[Yoda]

Now for the wiring

As you can see I am using heat shrink spade terminals to connect the wires and heat shrink tubing over the connections I was thinking of sealing the groment into the tube, but wondered about it needing to breath.

Now for the minor hiccup. There is a wire holder (white nylon clip) the secures the wiring to the backing plate. What is this officially called and where might I find a replacement. I broke the one on the other drum.

wiring on the door side. I again used spade connectors and heat shrink tubing over both. I might redo this to just a but connector. I used the spade terminals in case I ever need to replace the magnet. The hole beside the wiring coming through the backing plate is where the wire holder goes. A small piece of plastic fell in the drum when I tried to remove it. Is that going to be a problem? I think it will fall out, or I can try and blow it out.

Thoughts on what I had done and any suggestions to make it better?

Keith

[howson]

Yoda Quite the project, Keith. I've enjoyed following along and reading your posts. Sorry I don't have any suggestions (leaving that to the more knowledgeable-about-suspension folks).

[nprario]

Maybe these.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...ailer%20Brakes

[Yoda]

Maybe these.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...ailer%20Brakes

Bingo - that is them. Dang thier expensive..I'll try Iron bear where I got the axles tomorrow when they are open first, but thanks for finding them.

Keith

[Yoda]

First axle is in by the hanger bolts, My dolly worked great to get it in place, then jacked each end up to insert the wet bolt. One side went together perfect. The other side fought me - the X-Factor brace slipped slightly out of alignment enough for the bolt shoulder to hang up. Ends are set on jack stands to keep the shackle end above the EZ=Flex so I don't get them inverted. Got second axle on dolly and plastic bushings changed out. Tomorrow the wiring and then to set the hanger end as I did today..


This the the curb side and this wet bolt fought me. The other side went together without issue, I tightened this side fully before doing the curb side and hat may have bound things up. Jack stands are on the hub so I have the U=bolt free to jack against for getting the shackles in place. Also by being on the hub the axle is free to rotate. I have not tightened up the X-Factor cross members yet, except center one.

Tomorrow will be another day, but it sure feels good to getting close. I may do the new brake wiring T-splices first tomorrow too.while I have a bit more room.

Keith

[Scott'n'Wendy]

RE your brake wiring. If it were me I would run a ty-wrap around the axle tube and secure the wires so they can not flop around while driving. May not be needed, but it's what I would do.

[Yoda]

RE your brake wiring. If it were me I would run a ty-wrap around the axle tube and secure the wires so they can not flop around while driving. May not be needed, but it's what I would do.

Scott
I don' I know about you For a rabble rowser you come up with some good ideas once in a while May I borrow that thought?

Thanks
Keith

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Scott
For a rabble rowser

I've been called much worse......

[Yoda]

Second axle is in



Hanger end wet bolts went right in without issue, Trick was leaving the X-Factor cross brace loose.

Now for a serious question. With the hanger ends completed, but not finally torqued I started on the shackles, Two of the springs aligned perfectly as far a lining up with the EZ-Flex, but two were out of alignment (offset). On maybe 1/2" but within the limits of the shackle bolts to pull it into alignment. The other was out probably 3/4 to 1". It pulled in place using the ball joint press, but I am concerned I may have done something wrong. On that spring alignment the spring pack has a slight offset twist to it. the center pin is still in place. The bottom two leaves ends are slightly offset form each other maybe 1/4"

I called Iron Bear about loosening the spring pack u bolts to see if the spring settles back into place. I think it was slightly out of being square to the axle when assembled as I know there is some play wen installing them. They thought that should work. .The spring pack on the axle in question has a slight leaf twist on the spring seat as I mentioned above. I should have taken a picture before pulling things together, but did not. DOH!

So what do you folks think? I was going to loosen just enough on both ends to let the springs come into alignment free hanging and re torque to 75 ft/lbs (9/16 nuts).

I have not torques anything down yet, nor have a fully installed the X-Factor and torques those nuts. Before install the hangers looked true and the EZ-Flex looked parallel to the frame.

Your thoughts would be very helpful.

Keith

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Keith,

Re: Spring alignment . . . trailer suspension not very precise . . . to put it politely. Hangers can be out of alignment by a few degrees, spring eyes might not be exactly square to the spring and so on. This is why there is so much tolerance in how these parts fit together. (Not even close to what would be acceptable on your truck!)

Way back when, I was in the throws of trying to figure out spring strength and deflection curves, I built a measuring device out of a hydraulic press and a Shurline scale to correlate deflection and load. The spring ends were free to move in and out with spring compression. This is where I learned that the spring eye is seldom exactly crosswise to the spring. See the attached pictures of the measuring device and probably one of the worst of the spring eye alignment . . . and, this was a new spring!

Spring eye alignment of way better than this can still put the other end of the spring easily a quarter inch sideways from where it is supposed to be. You just have to muscle these parts into alignment.

Rob

[Yoda]

Hi Keith,

Re: Spring alignment . . . trailer suspension not very precise . . . to put it politely. Hangers can be out of alignment by a few degrees, spring eyes might not be exactly square to the spring and so on. This is why there is so much tolerance in how these parts fit together. (Not even close to what would be acceptable on your truck!)

Way back when, I was in the throws of trying to figure out spring strength and deflection curves, I built a measuring device out of a hydraulic press and a Shurline scale to correlate deflection and load. The spring ends were free to move in and out with spring compression. This is where I learned that the spring eye is seldom exactly crosswise to the spring. See the attached pictures of the measuring device and probably one of the worst of the spring eye alignment . . . and, this was a new spring!

Spring eye alignment of way better than this can still put the other end of the spring easily a quarter inch sideways from where it is supposed to be. You just have to muscle these parts into alignment.

Rob

Thanks Rob
The eyes were true believe it or not - no issues with wet bolts at the hangers., it was the offset from the spring end to the center equalizer when trying to install the shackles. I had to force the spring end sideways using my ball joint press to get the shackle installed. I think during shipping the spring pack got slightly twisted so it was not perpendicular to the axle. Was it OK I force the spring end sideways to get the shackle installed? That's why I am thinking of loosing the spring pack U-bolts to let it shift back to perpendicular to the axle again?

Keith