Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Fleet | Keystone RV Models > Fifth Wheels
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-21-2013, 06:06 AM   #1
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Equa-flex suspension on a 2014 Laredo

We recently purchased a 2014 Laredo 312re 5th wheel with Equa-flex suspension. I'm trying to determine what type of bushings are installed in this suspension (brass, nylon or never fail). I called Lippert & Keystone customer service & they were unable to answer. Lippert suggested I call Keystone, Keystone suggested I call the dealer. The dealer service department could then call Keystone service.
Does anyone on here know what type of bushings are installed at the factory?
If they are nylon what is the life expectancy?
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2013, 06:19 AM   #2
jsmith948
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Central San Joaguin Valley, CA
Posts: 2,117
Our 2012 Cougar came with Equaflex - the bolts were dry - the bushings were nylon (plastic?). In 3500 miles the bushings were badly worn/cracked. We had an issue with the rubber 'dougnuts' cracking on the equalizers. Lippert was willing to replace the equalizers under warranty if I supplied the labor. While I had it apart, I installed a wet bolt kit. FWIW
__________________

Jack & Marty
2018 Laredo 298 SRL
2011 F-250 SB Crew Cab 4x4 6.7L
jsmith948 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2013, 07:51 AM   #3
Bluewater
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Spokane, Washington
Posts: 368
It's about a 95% chance it has the nylon bushing that will wear out in very short order. Do not hesitate replacing them and check all the shackles for cracks or damage. The pics shows what mine looked like after only two years. I replaced with the Never Fail bushings.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	DSCF8180.jpg
Views:	275
Size:	101.0 KB
ID:	4384  
Bluewater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2013, 08:13 AM   #4
diugo
Permanent User Ban
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Imperial Dam LTVA (Yuma, AZ)
Posts: 258
I've been doing a ton of research on this issue lately, as I will very soon be replacing all the bushings in my suspension---including my own Equa-Flex/Trailair equalizer, which was developed by the same Mobile Outfitters group as the Never-Fail bushing and other components using the same material. All new Equa-Flex equalizers now incorporate the Never-Fail bushings.

Unfortunately for me, my 2010 Equa-Flex equalizer well predated the Never-Fail bushings, which only came out last year. Fortunately for you, there's a 95% chance that you DO already have Never-Fail bushings in your equalizer. However, your leaf springs likely do not.
diugo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2013, 09:30 AM   #5
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Thanks everyone. I'll make another attempt to find out for sure from someone at Keystone.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2013, 01:22 PM   #6
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluewater View Post
It's about a 95% chance it has the nylon bushing that will wear out in very short order. Do not hesitate replacing them and check all the shackles for cracks or damage. The pics shows what mine looked like after only two years. I replaced with the Never Fail bushings.
This is the very reason I asked about this. Thanks for the picture.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-21-2013, 07:01 PM   #7
Bluewater
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Spokane, Washington
Posts: 368
Thanks gramps and glad I could help out. Now let's hit the road.
Bluewater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2013, 03:06 AM   #8
laredorick
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: East Peoria
Posts: 7
We just purchased a 2013 Laredo 250RL built Oct 2012. It has Dexter EZ-Flex with wet bolts from the factory. Did they make a change?
laredorick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2013, 04:25 AM   #9
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Quote:
Originally Posted by laredorick View Post
We just purchased a 2013 Laredo 250RL built Oct 2012. It has Dexter EZ-Flex with wet bolts from the factory. Did they make a change?
I thought I read somewhere it had Equa-flex. You may be correct. It's in storage now. I'll check this weekend.
Thanks.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2013, 11:19 AM   #10
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Quote:
Originally Posted by laredorick View Post
We just purchased a 2013 Laredo 250RL built Oct 2012. It has Dexter EZ-Flex with wet bolts from the factory. Did they make a change?
Laredorick, I think you're correct. I went to Dexter website & it looks like the suspension I have because mine has the two grease fittings on the top. I know several dealers are advertising it comes with the Equa-flex so I made the assumption mine did too. That would explain Lippert unable to help me out. I will have a look as soon as I get a chance. I'm learning every day. Thanks for your help.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2013, 10:12 AM   #11
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Quote:
Originally Posted by laredorick View Post
Your description is e-z-flex. Suspect it looks like this. Grease fittings are behind the bracket.

Attachment 4397
Yes. I think that's it based on memory. Has 2 grease fittings on top. I didn't know they came with wet bolts. Dealer didn't explain about suspension maintenance at all when they did the PDI. I will be able to check tomorrow. Like I said several dealers are advertising that they come with equa-flex. We do long trips and don't want suspension problems like I have read about here. If I have the wet bolts I'll give them a couple shots of grease each.
Thanks again.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2013, 08:33 AM   #12
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
O.K. I checked today. I do have the EZ flex suspension but without the wet bolts. I checked my sales contract & it shows Equa-flex. I don't mind the EZ flex as it seems to work very well. Now I have to try to determine what type of bushings are installed. Once I determine the type of bushings, I will make my decision if I should change them.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2013, 06:46 PM   #13
Bill & Deb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 120
Gramps

I have recently bought a 2014 Laredo 329RE and I verified that mine has the Dexter EZ- Flex as well with the grease fittings on the top.
The installation manual is available at http://l.b5z.net/i/u/6149609/f/Instr...59-863-00C.pdf
It recommends greasing with lithium grease. I would not change the bushings.

Bill
__________________
2014 Keystone Laredo 329RE
Mor/Ryde Pin Box
2002 Ford F250 SD with 7.3 PS
Pullrite Superglide 15K Hitch
Bill & Deb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2013, 07:59 PM   #14
laredorick
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: East Peoria
Posts: 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by grampscamper View Post
O.K. I checked today. I do have the EZ flex suspension but without the wet bolts. I checked my sales contract & it shows Equa-flex. I don't mind the EZ flex as it seems to work very well. Now I have to try to determine what type of bushings are installed. Once I determine the type of bushings, I will make my decision if I should change them.
I called my dealer today and they said they order all Life size Laredo's and Montana's with wet bolts lucky us and that does not happen in my life very often. When we were contemplating the purchase I found the wet bolts during my inspection and just assumed they were standard. Did'nt mean to get your hopes up just had no idea they were dealer ordered special.
laredorick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2013, 01:31 AM   #15
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Quote:
Originally Posted by laredorick View Post
I called my dealer today and they said they order all Life size Laredo's and Montana's with wet bolts lucky us and that does not happen in my life very often. When we were contemplating the purchase I found the wet bolts during my inspection and just assumed they were standard. Did'nt mean to get your hopes up just had no idea they were dealer ordered special.
I wasn't aware that I could order wet bolts. I did order the life size package. I was told it came with Equa-flex suspension. That doesn't matter anyway. It seems your dealership is a little more informed than mine. I can't believe that Keystone would send out any trailers without them. I don't think it would cost them much more than $50.00 extra & no more labor to install. Now I have to wait until spring to install them because it's in storage now. I have been warned that the nylon bushings wear out quickly & can cause a serious suspension failure. I had torsion axles on our last trailer so I wasn't aware about wet bolts until I read about them here. I guess I should have done more research before purchasing the Laredo.
I got a bit of a job ahead of me that could have been avoided.
Laredorick, thanks for your help.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2013, 04:38 AM   #16
laredorick
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: East Peoria
Posts: 7
Quote:
Originally Posted by grampscamper View Post
I wasn't aware that I could order wet bolts. I did order the life size package. I was told it came with Equa-flex suspension. That doesn't matter anyway. It seems your dealership is a little more informed than mine. I can't believe that Keystone would send out any trailers without them. I don't think it would cost them much more than $50.00 extra & no more labor to install. Now I have to wait until spring to install them because it's in storage now. I have been warned that the nylon bushings wear out quickly & can cause a serious suspension failure. I had torsion axles on our last trailer so I wasn't aware about wet bolts until I read about them here. I guess I should have done more research before purchasing the Laredo.
I got a bit of a job ahead of me that could have been avoided.
Laredorick, thanks for your help.
Just drop one spring end and use a small knife and scrape the bearing edge to see what you have. My bet is at least you have bronze bushings. If not shame on them.
laredorick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2013, 08:20 AM   #17
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Laredorick, when I discovered that I didn't have wet bolts I called Dexter. They told me there will be bronze bushings in the EZ flex but not the springs. I will have to change them before they get like the picture that Bluewater posted. I assume that means I will need 6 bushings & wet bolts for each side. Another option I could go with would be the never fail bushings. I have some time to decide which of the two to go with.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2013, 08:30 AM   #18
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill & Deb View Post
Gramps

I have recently bought a 2014 Laredo 329RE and I verified that mine has the Dexter EZ- Flex as well with the grease fittings on the top.
The installation manual is available at http://l.b5z.net/i/u/6149609/f/Instr...59-863-00C.pdf
It recommends greasing with lithium grease. I would not change the bushings.

Bill
Bill, do you have the wet bolts? If not you may have the nylon bushings installed in your springs. You may want to check this also. The link you sent said you could have either.
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2013, 10:13 AM   #19
jlb27537
Member
 
jlb27537's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 55
For those of you that are going to wet bolts, while you have it apart, you might look into a product made by Mor/ryde called the X Factor. I put it on my Montana and feel much better with the axles staying in alignment.

http://www.morryde.com/aftermarket/r...r-ryde-60.html

If nothing else, at least install the heavy duty shackles. They come with new bolts, spring bushings and shackles.

http://www.morryde.com/aftermarket/r...pgrade-23.html

Call Mor/ryde and ask for Gary Wheeler, Retail Sales Manager 1-866-990-7433x202

Jim
jlb27537 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2013, 11:03 AM   #20
grampscamper
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 178
Thanks Jim.
I will change everything including the shackles.
I called the dealer & asked about doing this. They told me any modifications to the suspension could void warranty. I will wait until the warranty expires then do it.
__________________


2017 Passport Elite 19RB
2019 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
2017 Ford F350 Lariat 4X4 CC 6.7
grampscamper is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.