Axle Equalizer Lubrication
- Thread starter JeffG1947
- Start date
Garypowell
Well-known member
Not sure what this means?
westxsrt10
Perfict Senior Member
http://www.morryde.com/aftermarket/running-gear/heavy-duty-shackle-kit-upgrade-23.html
If you put ALOT on miles on your Bighorn a Wet Bolt kit will stop the shackles from early wear.
A wet bolt is a bolt with a hole drilled length wise and a grease fitting is put on the end. Your springs are held in place with a bolts and a bushing is used so the spring suspension can move. A wet bolt is used to replace the spring bolt and now your bushing can be greased instead of running dry. There are also other options available. First of all if your bushings are nylon instead of bronze then just adding wet bolts may not provide much. Changing the bushing to bronze then adding wet bolts assure a longer life. They also have NEVER-LUBE bushings. Do a search on these. I have never used them but have heard that they do work well.
TeJay
TeJay
Garypowell
Well-known member
First thanks!
Second is this something a backyard mechanic can do? One clue to my ability was that I originally had no idea what you were describing. But I have rebuilt a lawn mower engine and even replaced a set of brakes once.
It would seem that if one jacked up the frame with a floor jack, removed the tire, then supported the spring with a bottle jack the parts could be removed and new installed then move on to the other schackle on that wheel. But maybe it is more complicated than that?
my guess it might take a torque wrench which I would have to buy.......and make sure my floor jack would handle the weight.
Or is this best left to a pro due to other things I don't understand?
Second is this something a backyard mechanic can do? One clue to my ability was that I originally had no idea what you were describing. But I have rebuilt a lawn mower engine and even replaced a set of brakes once.
It would seem that if one jacked up the frame with a floor jack, removed the tire, then supported the spring with a bottle jack the parts could be removed and new installed then move on to the other schackle on that wheel. But maybe it is more complicated than that?
my guess it might take a torque wrench which I would have to buy.......and make sure my floor jack would handle the weight.
Or is this best left to a pro due to other things I don't understand?
If you can figure out how to jack up something with an axle, spring and support everything correctly you can remove the nuts and bolts that hold your springs to the shackles and replace them with the wet bolts then you can do it. Changing bushings is also not difficult. What does a bushing do???? It is either nylon, or a brass bushing material if it is metal that allows the spring to rotate as it bounces up and down around the bolt but won't wear as fast. The wet bolt then provides grease to even further reduce the friction. So you are removing a standard nut and bolt and replacing it with a wet bolt. If you have to replace bushings you'll have to get the old ones out. It's not the correct way but impact sockets are hard enough so you can beat on them to drive the bushings out of the springs. Here's a formula for a really good penetrating oil. Mix 50/50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Shake and apply as you would any penetrating fluid.
TeJay
TeJay
