The wheels are back on our wagon…now if they’ll only stay there!

 

The springs look the same but the new one is lighter and the leaves are shorter. 

The one in back that Eric had made in Mazatlan has longer leaves, is heavier and the leaves are much longer. 

It’s 9am and Eric is getting started.  I’m sitting outside ready to get things for him and ….to take pictures.  He has already hooked the trailer back up to the truck so when he jacks one side up it won’t damage the legs which have been retracted.   

Eric is using his 20 ton jack to lift the trailer so he can get the back wheel off.

Wheel is off and now it’s time to try and get the new one on.

The front stationary end is connected first and then the end where the shackle allows you to move the spring.  It took alot of jacking of the frame and lowering the back axle to get the shackle on. 

The equalizer has to be close enough to the spring eye so that the shackle will fit.

Stationary end connected.

Lifting the equalizer to connect the spring.

It worked.  Now the U bolts have to go on to attach the middle axle to the new spring. 

U bolt is going on. 

In the process of lifting and lowering the band around the back spring snapped.  It isn’t structural it just keeps the leaves aligned, Eric will fix that tomorrow. 

Middle Sailun tire is back on….note the damage from rubbing on the front tire which didn’t sustain any damage. 

The wheels are back on and now for the other side which will get the heavier Mexican spring that was bought in Mazatlan a few years ago.  It is the heavier side of the trailer as the bike and slides are on the driver’s side. 

Now that the the passenger side is back where it should be Eric doesn’t have to take off the rear tire on the driver’s side. 

Jacking up to attach the spring.

Same procedure with less jacking and it’s all back together.  Now for the tire.

For those of you who don’t know the easiest way to this is with a shovel.  Easy as pie to raise and lower the tire, by yourself, into the right position.  Tip of the day!  The whole procedure took about 4 hours. 

So…it’s all back together and as long as we don’t move it will all be fine!   We do at least have one spare spring to get us to Mazatlan along with one more spare tire.  No wonder some people are overloaded.  You have to carry so many tools and spare parts it’s bound to get heavy.  Our 5th wheel has a huge GVW capacity and we aren’t even close.  So why are the springs breaking….underbuilt and probably Chinese. 

Tomorrow is another day. 

P.S. -  Just as I was making dinner the propane ran out.  No problem Eric would just switch to the full tank but when he turned it on no propane would come out.  What now?  In the end he had to get out the 20lb barbecue tank and it worked fine.  What the heck we just bought a brand new $100 regulator at home so that we could switch back and forth.  What the hell else can go wrong.   Enough already.