Lippert never fail bushings

[quick83]

Hope this in right spot for this post.
I had lippert never fail bushings installed one year ago. I’m not having any problems. With that said I just wanted other enthusiasts on here to know that I am going to post how these things work out on this post. I take my RV in every two years for a complete suspension inspection, brake check, and bearing repack. Next April when I get it done I’m guessing you can tell if the bushings are wearing out some by the amount of play in the suspension when the weight is taken off the RV. I’m not sure about that, but it does seem like it would be ridiculous to tear it down just to see if it was OK. My suspension shop says they can tell if there’s play in it that the bushing is wearing out. Any comments is appreciated. I’m thinking some will say no way to tell with out tear down or symptoms like tire wear or noises.

[quick83]

Ok this is ridiculous. This trailer life article says to inspect bushing every 6 months with a tear down. [emoji849][emoji849]

[dward51]

Bronze bushings and wet bolts with lubrication!!!!

[mekkerlc]

I put in the wet bolts with bronze bushings Oct 2017.
July 2018 the rear axle, passenger side, leaf spring hanger bolt came out during our 6,000 mile cross country trip. This happened about 600-miles into the trip. Brnt the hanger back to where it should beand put in a grade-8 bolt from tractor supply.
Then this past Saturday...enroute to Savannah from St Augustine... same thing happened...but on the driver's side. This time, the hanger bent much much more.
A mobile mechanic fixed it enough to limp all the way home to Rochester NY.
Not sure I'm a fan of these wet bolts. Unfortunately, I have no idea if the nut snapped off...or the bolt simply sheared off...or the hanger bent enough with a bump or beaking and the bolt/nut assembly broke off.....

I will likely have to have two hangers replaced...and I may have them replace all the wet bolts on the four hangers.

Any advice??

(If I knew how to post a picture on my phone FR app I would!)

[mekkerlc]

Figured out how to post pic I think!

This the bandaid job to get me home to NY from GA.

[XenoRev]

I've heard of this before, the bending. The solution was to weld a plate across the end of the mount bracket and box in the end. Makes it stronger.

[mekkerlc]

Xeno... So essentially have no open sides of the hanger? Or you mean weld in a piece of tube from one hanger to the opposite hanger? (Stretching across the camper)

[W5CI]

The Never Lube bearings are a Sealed bearing, you don't repack them

[BarabooBob]

W5CI-The item being discussed is never fail bushings which are used in the suspension. They are inserted into the leaf springs where the bolts go through.
Never Lube bearings are wheel bearings.

[RET.LEO]

Originally Posted by XenoRev

I've heard of this before, the bending. The solution was to weld a plate across the end of the mount bracket and box in the end. Makes it stronger.

X2.......not that all uncommon. Great preventative action.

[babock]

Originally Posted by mekkerlc

I put in the wet bolts with bronze bushings Oct 2017.
July 2018 the rear axle, passenger side, leaf spring hanger bolt came out during our 6,000 mile cross country trip. This happened about 600-miles into the trip. Brnt the hanger back to where it should beand put in a grade-8 bolt from tractor supply.
Then this past Saturday...enroute to Savannah from St Augustine... same thing happened...but on the driver's side. This time, the hanger bent much much more.
A mobile mechanic fixed it enough to limp all the way home to Rochester NY.
Not sure I'm a fan of these wet bolts. Unfortunately, I have no idea if the nut snapped off...or the bolt simply sheared off...or the hanger bent enough with a bump or beaking and the bolt/nut assembly broke off.....

I will likely have to have two hangers replaced...and I may have them replace all the wet bolts on the four hangers.

Any advice??

(If I knew how to post a picture on my phone FR app I would!)

So did the bending break the bolt or did the bolt breaking cause the bending?

For my trailer, I have welded cross braces in between the hangers across from each other. I also use the Morryde wet bolts.

[dward51]

The plate they are talking about is across the front of the front hanger, and across the back of the back hanger. You are basically boxing in the outside edges of the hanger making it a solid unit from inside to outside. You also weld the bottom of this plate to the trailer frame at the U of the hanger.

Then run either a square tube or a thick angle brace from the left side hanger to the right side hanger, front, back and center. The bent hangers are from road forces, not the wet bolt kit you had.

[quick83]

Originally Posted by quick83

Hope this in right spot for this post.
I had lippert never fail bushings installed one year ago. I’m not having any problems. With that said I just wanted other enthusiasts on here to know that I am going to post how these things work out on this post. I take my RV in every two years for a complete suspension inspection, brake check, and bearing repack. Next April when I get it done I’m guessing you can tell if the bushings are wearing out some by the amount of play in the suspension when the weight is taken off the RV. I’m not sure about that, but it does seem like it would be ridiculous to tear it down just to see if it was OK. My suspension shop says they can tell if there’s play in it that the bushing is wearing out. Any comments is appreciated. I’m thinking some will say no way to tell with out tear down or symptoms like tire wear or noises.

I don’t know how many of you are still watching this thread but it’s basically three years later and I took my RV in for a full inspection and they pulled two of the spring bolts out to inspect the Lippert never fail bushings and they were in good condition. I just wanted everybody to know that and also Lippert quit carrying them because nobody was buying them and they couldn’t get them from their supplier. I will probably keep posting every year to see how long they last.

[nayther]

I just installed the MorRyde wet bolt kit. My 3 year old Wildcat needed new tire and when putting the wheels back on noticed movement in the shackles. Found one bent and the other as well as the grunion worn out. This trailer MIGHT have 10000 miles. Nylon bushings and 1/4” shackles....what a joke. My former Toy Hauler had 8k axles with the same bushings and shackles and had similar problems. How can they be allowed to continue to install ubderengineered suspension systems in a potential life threatening component? The 6 month inspection is how! My next rig will NOT be FR