Best way to lift my fith wheel

[tshunt]

I just purchased a used 1989 Terry Resort 26ft 5th wheel and it sits way to low for my 2000 SWB 4X4. The axles where already dropped under the leaf springs. I went from 205/75/15 trailer tires to 235/75/15 light truck tires to gain more clearance but I still only had 3" between bedrails and trailer and the trailer is not level. A buddy of mine noticed that my axles are drop type (4" or so) so we rotated them and now it sits perfect. I have about 7" of clearance now and the bubble on my trailer is centered. I have been researching and now I realize it was not the best thing to do. My brakes are reversed now and I am not sure the axles are safe to support the weight in this direction. Plus the added leverage on the hangars and such. Does anyone have suggestions on the best way to remedy my situation? I don't want to lower my truck.

 

[RustyJC]

You also likely have another problem. If you actually "flipped" the axles (i. e. , rotated them 180 degrees), you have reversed the camber that's built into the axles. That being the case, your new tires will probably be worn out faster than you can imagine.



Rusty

 

[Grunt]

Ever consider a 4" or 6" subframe? I also went from a 3 leaf to a 6 leaf spring pack for an additional 1 3/4" lift. I also did a "spring over" i. e. welded new spring perches to the top of axle and relocated springs there, also used new u-bolts.



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[viper700]

I have a 2004. 5 4x4 DRW quadcab that I purchased last July to haul a 36' King of the Road 3 axel 5er. I live in Alaska and purchased the rig in Yuma last Spring. When we got to Yuma in early November to put a hitch in the truck we had a huge unexpected surprise when we discovered that the truck was to high for clearance with the bed and trailer. I made some calls to Dodge and others and found out the only way was to "flop the axels. The RV place I took it to Botched the job horribly and I spent the next two weeks correcting the problem. If you bought new perchs and welded them in place properly you did not lose the camber in the axel or reverse the brakes. flopping the axel is a term to put the axel under the spring to get the height so you did not really turn over the axel. We also made new shock brackets and used a longer stroke 00 shock or called a racing shock. equal pressure on each stroke this makes a real stable ride down the road. The tires on the rig are 235's and 16" rims. I have 8" clearance now. This raised the rig about 5 1/2" Rides real fine and loaded about 15K on the wheels. 2k on the pin.

 

[guava]

You also likely have another problem. If you actually "flipped" the axles (i. e. , rotated them 180 degrees), you have reversed the camber that's built into the axles. That being the case, your new tires will probably be worn out faster than you can imagine.



Rusty

I would have thought when flipping the axles, you just slid them out from the position above the springs and rebolted them under the spring by reversing any hardware involved.



Am I just not getting this?

 

[RustyJC]

I would have thought when flipping the axles, you just slid them out from the position above the springs and rebolted them under the spring by reversing any hardware involved.



Am I just not getting this?

That's what should happen (i. e. , the spring perches are relocated from the bottom to the top of the axle with the axle's orientation left unchanged), but the original poster stated:

A buddy of mine noticed that my axles are drop type (4" or so) so we rotated them and now it sits perfect.

This is why I made the assumption that the axles may have been rotated 180 degrees.



Rusty

 

[tshunt]

I know it is hard to invission without seeing it for yourself. I would take pictures but I am in the Air Force and currently deployed near Aphganistan and I won't be home until July. When I purchased the trailer the axles were already swapped from the top of the springs to under the springs. My buddy and I rotated the axle 180 degrees to gain 8 or so more inches. My axle is a drop type axle so the axle does not run between the center of the two hubs. It had perches on both the top and bottom side of the axle. I just don't know if this type of axle is designed to work either way. Just by looking it does not have any camber built in, it is perfectly straight.

 

[rweis]

I would HIGHLY recommend that when you rework your suspension that you are EXTREAMLY careful and critical of every procedure, every weld, every relocation.



I have an ALFA 2002 296 (13k). Had the axles relocated (better wording) from above the springs to below the springs. The "welder" only tack welded the second axle on the drivers side. Probably meaning to go back and finish the weld, but did not.



2 weekends ago I checked my brakes pulling out of a weekend rv site and the second axle spun in place on the drivers side about 160* and came off the spring package on the passenger side (axle U bolts keeping it from departing totally). This was at 2 mph and a distance of 12".



I got it chained together and towed to a repair facility about 5 miles away.



If that would have happened at 60 mph on an interstate, it would have been really not good.



I only post this to say, yes it can be done correctly, but know what you are doing, be extremely vigilant, check EVERYTHING yourself. Recheck tightness as the suspension system settles together.



Bob Weis