Leaf spring upgrade?

[AreWeThereYet]

The curbside of our 2018 324BHTS is sitting a little low. I see where the tire has rubbed the underside of the camper and a spot where it looks like the u-bolts have hit the frame. My springs on that side do look a bit flat and I'm looking to replace them. I'm on the fence about bringing it in to the dealer as we have a trip planned right after Thanksgiving and I doubt they could get it back to me in that short a timeframe. I'm considering a wet bolt upgrade and perhaps stronger (6000lb) rated springs but wanted to know what other's experiences were with stiffer springs?

[spoon059]

Last fall on a trip from Maryland to Vermont we had a leaf spring break. I found an upgraded spring (I forget the spring weights now) and bought it. Replaced the one broken leaf in the campground. Got back home and replaced the other 3 and the shackles with wet bolts, which were starting to show wear.

It was super easy to do (especially back home with the right tools) and a major upgrade. My old 4 leaf springs were much flatter, the old shackles were thin and starting to oval out. The plastic bushings were totally destroyed. The new 5 leaf springs sit up higher and don't flatten out. The new shackles are almost twice as thick. The wet bolts were the unexpected upgrade... no more popping, creaking and banging as I slowly drive through a campground, it is very quiet.

It was less than $300 in parts (last year, mind you) and a huge upgrade. It took me about 2 hours of slow work to replace everything. Just make sure the grease holes are facing the sides, rather than up/down. It supposedly makes it much easier to push grease through the bolts.

[norty1]

I would make a few calls and find a trailer frame and suspension shop. It does not have to be a rv dealer or shop. They are in the business of doing that specialty work and will get you out without any hold time. I had my bent spring bracket replaced by a nearby shop. I took it in for an estimate and two weeks later he scheduled me. I was out in 2 hours and very happy with the whole process.

[Nature Ist]

The wet bolt and heavy duty shackle upgrade is absolutely worth doing. The heavier shackle hangers give great peace of mind. The wet bolts give your ears peace and quiet!
You may get a slightly stiffer ride with higher rated springs. Some shops will recommend staying with the same set-up, but it's really your choice. I added Sumo Springs on my unit for a different reason, but they do help carry the weight and reduce the compression of the springs. I believe they also help prevent a broken spring, but only time will tell.

[BasilHayden]

The OEM suspension is the least rating they can get away with, and they don't consider the tongue weight as part of the suspension calculation, saying it's carried by the TV.
While that's technically correct, I like having a little margin of error.
Our previous trailer had Dexter 3000# axles , and 1500# springs(4) with nylon bushings and cheap shackles. You can see the axle rating on the label in your picture.
I bought new springs the next rating up, about 2000# i think and when I compared them I could see the old ones had distorted and stretched and the holes had elongated from the deteriorated bushings. This in just 2.5 seasons.
So, new heavier springs, new brass bushings and wet bolts and heavier shackles made things sit a lot better.

This is relatively straight forward to do, provided you have the right tools. You will need a jack and jack stands that will reach the frame, as well as another jack to support and lift/lower the axle as you position the springs to the frame.
You also need a capable method to press the new bushings into the springs without damaging them. I used a small vice on my workbench, the old bolt and washer, and a deepwell socket to provide relief for the bolt. Pressing the bushings in on a work bench is easier than crawling around under the trailer. You will also need to prress the new bolts onto the new shackles as they have locking splines and you dont want to twist or strip them.

If you don't feel comfortable with all this, then take norty's suggestion and find a suspension shop to tackle it.

Good luck.