EZ Flex vs. Equa Flex

I have tried to contact anyone from Dexter Axle to determine if I am able to use the EZ Flex on my CAT. I currently have the large steel triangle equalizer, in their literature it states that it will lower my ride by 1.5 inches. My current setup from the factory has the leaf springs mounted in the top holes of the hangers off the frame. Would using the lower leaf hanger holes make up the difference of using the EZ Flex. The only reason I would like to use the EZ Flex is because there is a company close by that has a great deal on that product.

Try emailing this gentleman. rkapsa@dexteraxle.com Sent me a lot of info.

Thanks Portagie, I emailed Rick thanks for that. It looks like EZ Flex will work, my holes are a inch and a half apart, so my Cat ride height won't change. Here is his response.


You would need to measure the distance from the top hole to the bottom hole. The measurement would be the amount you will raise the unit.



[b]Rick Kapsa | Product[/b][b] Manager
[/b][b]Dexter Axle - Company Headquarters
rkapsa@dexteraxle.com ~ direct tel: (574) 296-7386
fax: (574) 295-1069 ~ main tel: (574) 295-7888
[/b][b]2900 Industrial Parkway East ~ Elkhart, Indiana 46516, USA
[/b][b]Dexter [/b][b]| [/b][b]a [/b][b]Tomkins[/b][b] Company[/b][b][/b]

TY. Lot of info in his head. May have sent you a PDF file to how to measure.

Just purchased the Equa Flex suspension upgrade from Tweetys with wet bolts. My question is from anyone who has installed this,can I install the wet bolt into the bronze shackle before I assemble the suspension on the unit. I figure its easier pressing it into the shackle using a vise and a socket (to protect the grease stem) than trying to press them in when the unit is assembled on the Cat?

If the shackles are on the vehicle you can not. If the shackles are off the vehicle you can.

If you look at a previous post under" Equa-Flex Installed today
by oldelmer1 on 4/8/2008, 5:03 pm" it shows a picture of the bronze long shackle the wet bolt has a press fit area at the heal of the bolt that gets pressed into the bronze shackle, looking at that picture it appears I can put the entire equa flex together first then mount it to the frame hanger and each leaf spring eye.

Try this this. If the bronze bushing will go thru the shackle the answer is yes. Never done it that way and If you look at the picture the bolts are not pressed on to the bushings.
https://picasaweb.google.com/esz999/WetBolts#5482877051555203154

They are just sitting on the bolt is what it appears to me.

Also the brass bushings go into the springs a lot easier if you freeze them. Hard to do when installed on a bolt.

The shackle is not bronze, it's plated steel. You could press the bolts into the 4 shackles for the center support (I think that's what I did), but you should remove the grease fittings anyway, because you'll tap the shackle/bolts through the springs. I changes some of the grease fittings from straight to 45° and 90° so I can access the better around the tires. See my links:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2722514490056654887buHEED
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2805901400056654887AtdRsj

??? The shackle is not bronze ??

color only, I know its steel

Yo read my mind Shooter, I had some 90's from a heat pump job I did and they are the same size

You do not need a press, I drove a bolt with a washer into the bushing. This method is quick and easy, and was recommended by the dealer I purchased the EZ-Flex system from. Just remember to align the oil holes at the 3 and 9 o'clock position.

Portagie1968 wrote:??? The shackle is not bronze ??

Bronze would be way too soft of a metal. It would stretch and the bolt holes would wallow out. The color comes from, I believe, a zinc based plating.

Anodized is the word......

GustheUsher wrote:If you look at a previous post under" Equa-Flex Installed today
by oldelmer1 on 4/8/2008, 5:03 pm" it shows a picture of the bronze long shackle the wet bolt has a press fit area at the heal of the bolt that gets pressed into the bronze shackle, looking at that picture it appears I can put the entire equa flex together first then mount it to the frame hanger and each leaf spring eye.

My post was a reply to this one.

Put my new EZ Flex on over the weekend and it sure is a lot thicker and HD than the original. Went ahead and replaced all my bearings with Timkens. That was a long all day job doing it all at once, actually about a day and a half. Gotta say the chinese bearings were holding up pretty good. Just hope the Timkens give me a better piece of mind. I did have one bearing that had a piece of the seal or something rubbery that was stuck to the back side of the bearing, thankfull that didn't get yanked into the bearing. Glad I was replacing everything, that was a disaster waiting to happen. And no thats not rust on my Hanger, a spray paint can feel out of the back of my truck and did a little art work on the bottom of my camper awhile back.

Let us know how it rides.

it had the standard steel triangle. you can see one of the shackles I'm holding up next to the new ezflex.

The nylon bushings where just about done. They were paper thin on one side and one or two had already rubbed through on the ends. So they would have been pretty much gone in a couple more trips.

What a diffeence in ride, I just installed my Equa Flex w/ wet bolts yesterday. I decided to go with the EQF instead of the EZ Flex because I didn't want the Cat to ride lower, the inch and a half I would loose would affect my pin height and could have turned into me having to change all kinds of things for that setup to work. The plastic crap bushing were rubbed through except 2 of them. I cannot believe how thin they are to start, what are they thinking at the factory putting stuff like that in. I didn't have any more than 2500 miles on our unit from new when we picked it up. I drove it down a very bumpy road on the way to my shop and took it down the same raod home to compare, it is night and day. It actually seemed to help with the chucking a bit, maybe I was just too happy with the way the cat trailed behind to notice the chucking, I am still looking for an aftermarket pin box thou, just not sure if I want the air cushion type or rubber damper type.

Between the Mor-ryde pin box and the ez-flex, we can't even tell the camper is back there except that the truck rides smoother than when empty.

Hey Moo, how did you size your Mor ryde pin box, I have heard people needing different rubber dampeners because they weren't happy with the one that came with it.

As you might recall I had the spring shackle problem a couple of years ago and had them replaced. I recently installed a MorRyde pin box and the EZ flex. The "plastic bushings" were already worn after only two years! I've had air bags on the truck for some time. All I can say is, The ride of the truck, trailer with the upgrades is outstanding. Wish I had done it earlier. The difference is night and day. I highly recommend it for all.

GustheUsher wrote:Hey Moo, how did you size your Mor ryde pin box, I have heard people needing different rubber dampeners because they weren't happy with the one that came with it.

The Cameo came with the pin box on it. I would call Mor-Ryde and let them size what you need. I would take the Cat to the scales first so that you have all the info they may need. If you have Cat Scales around, they can do a split axle weigh for around $10. Just make sure when you pull on that you keep each axle on a different scale.

Had I known how good the Mor-Ryde was, I would have put one on my Cat!!!

GustheUsher wrote:
Hey Moo, how did you size your Mor ryde pin box, I have heard people needing different rubber dampeners because they weren't happy with the one that came with it.

When I ordered my mor-ryde pin box from Tweetys, they asked for theGVW of the 'Cat. They sent that to Mor-ryde and the pin box was sent directly to me.