I pulled into the campground and everyone was making comments. “Your brakes are making noise”. “It sounds like you have a bad wheel bearing”. I was to busy setting up and getting all the kids settled that I didn’t notice I had a broken spring until a day later .
Once i found the problem i started calling around to see if I could find a new one. I called the camper store i had just left that i got a new faucet from, they didn’t stock any i also looked at the tractor supply company website and they didn’t have what i needed.
Knowing it would take me a few days to get a replacement i had to figure out a way to get the camper home with a broken spring.
I decided to jack up the camper and put a small 4×4 between the spring and the frame to see if it would give me enough height to be able to drive home.
We took off slowly and i stopped a few times to see if the block stayed above the broken spring . It stayed in place the whole way home a 1 1/12 hour drive . I would recommend taking it easy if you have to do this and trying to tie the block in place. But because of how my camper was made i wasn’t able to secure the block in place .
Replacement Springs
When we got home I found the springs I needed at etrailer.com . They shipped quickly , I installed the new one and realized I had ordered the wrong size spring . I had ordered 4,000 Lb springs since the Trailer GVWR is 8310. Because it is a 5th wheel trailer 20% of the weight is on the hitch . 1662 lbs on the hitch leaves 6648lbs on the axles which only requires a 3500 lb axle and springs. I called etrailer.com they got me all straigtened out and have a new set shipping right out to me . I’ll have plenty of time get the new ones installed to go camping in a week and a half. I am replacing both springs on the axle just to be sure they are exactly the same . I am also replacing any worn hangers or bolts that i find while replacing them.
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