Slight oversight in the trailer I bought... 14" wheels vice 15".
While it's only an inch, it makes a critical difference when hooked up behind the RV. Having 12' of overhang between the rear axle of the RV and the rear end of it creates a pretty long 'lever', so now with the trailer being yet another inch lower, she'll drag at the slightest incline I hit with the RV (driveway, etc).
I haven't actually tried to put a 15" wheel on it, but setting one next to the puny 14" tires is a HUGE difference. My guess is that I'd be rubbing wheel wells pretty quick.
So I'm not sure if I'd just do better to sell this and buy a new/other 6x12 with 15" wheels or to try and 'lift' this one an inch and toss new wheels on.
Thoughts?
Well, I'd say first is borrow a 15" tire from someone and try it. If it it's the fender, why not just raise the fender?
Seems a lot easier than buying another trailer. Unless you want another trailer....
On my little trailer that came with 14's, I was able to put a 15" spare tire on it. On the side of 65, in the pouring rain coming back from Barber.
why not just buy another ball mount for the hitch... they should be less than $50 in any amount of drop or rise that you need.
Quote from: bambam on June 15, 2007, 10:03:04 AM
why not just buy another ball mount for the hitch... they should be less than $50 in any amount of drop or rise that you need.
Maybe I didn't clearly explain the problem.
I have the trailer level with a drop hitch now, the problem is that the trailer clearance is VERY low, and the overhang creates a huge long lever so any slight rise by the front wheels of the RV (say, a driveway) equates to a magnified drop in the rear. With very little clearance to begin with, it drags quite easily.
Let's try this.
Trailer - x= hitch - RV
__________ x ______________________________
O O O
Now, if this above scenario was traveling left to right on your screen and hit an incline with the front wheels, the pivot point (X) drops to the point of where it drags. Wasn't a problem with my previous trailer (often) which had 15" wheels on it, but the new trailer and smaller wheels required an additional drop at the hitch to get it level which ate up clearance...
Stop buying new toys. ;)
hey, this is a USED piece to replace the old trailer. :-) and after booking the trip to Mexico, I had to stop buying...
2 cars, finished basement, gym grade elliptical, new laptop and a few other bits & pieces later I have finally snapped back to "Racing Broke". LOL.
going from a 14" to a 15" is only 1/2" difference in height not 1" unless the profile of the tire is is that much lager it probably wont make much of a difference.
or you may be able to get a taller 14" tire
what is going to hit the jack on the trailer? if so can you get a different jack that pivots when toeing?
also your trailer doesn't have to be level if its a single axle trailer like you show in your digram( which is a good digram by the way)
Hey Jeff, is the trailer leaf spring or torsion axle? Torsion axle mount a piece of 2"X2" 1/4" wall square tube between the torsion housing and the trailer, leaf spring have someone weld a plate to the spring hangers to lower the hangers away from the trailer (both (three?) ends of the springs so you don't screw up the handling characteristics of the trailer)
Both methods give you more clearance than the 15" tires with less cost.
Quote from: Jeff on June 15, 2007, 10:32:01 AM
hey, this is a USED piece to replace the old trailer. :-) and after booking the trip to Mexico, I had to stop buying...
2 cars, finished basement, gym grade elliptical, new laptop and a few other bits & pieces later I have finally snapped back to "Racing Broke". LOL.
:finger: and the CC you rode in on. :ass: :lmao:
take me to Mexico with you, please?
ok sorry i'm kinda slow sometimes and the picture helps. :banghead: i agree with gary though a 15" tire that has the same sizes wont gain you much. 205/75/14 = 205/75/15 as far as overall diameter is concerned. what you need is to go to a taller 245/75/14 for example.
It's a leaf-spring suspension. I was looking this morning and yes, a small weld job would provide a lot of clearance.
I think I'll try the 15" tire I have from my old trailer spare to see how that works. I like the 15" tire anyhow, it's a bit more robust.
I also think the trailer is just a different design which is a couple inches lower than the big Pace was.
As far as what's dragging, the jack will drag, but now with the new drop-hitch, I'm sure the bottom of the ball will drag as well.
And Alexa, come come now... If I were spending that money on leather work you wouldn't give me the big red bird now would you?! :lmao:
Deducing from one of your other posts this is a single axle trailer so all you would need to do is weld in some verticle plates to allow you to lower the pivot bolts and a spacer for the free end of the springs. Much cheaper and more effective than 15" vs 14" tires.
Since its a leaf spring, get some new shackles. Then mount some 15X10" rims with 33X12.5 monster mudders on it.:biggrin:
Quote from: Woofentino Pugrossi on June 15, 2007, 05:46:49 PM
Since its a leaf spring, get some new shackles. Then mount some 15X10" rims with 33X12.5 monster mudders on it.:biggrin:
That's what I was thinking... about a 6" lift should do it 8)
Maybe this is what you need...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdWDJWFoKCE&mode=related&search= (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdWDJWFoKCE&mode=related&search=)
that's it we could put air bags under it with a lift axle switch so when your trying to bring that mess into the waffle house at 3 in the morning you just flip the switch and you got 3 more inches. or just tack weld 1"blocks under the springs . if you got thread left on your u bolts
Quote from: Ducmarc on June 15, 2007, 11:24:20 PM
......so when your trying to bring that mess into the waffle house at 3 in the morning you just flip the switch and you got 3 more inches.
:biggrin:
If the new trailer is a lot lower than your old trailer than it may be that the new trailer has the axles on top of the springs whereas the old one was beneath the springs. Fairly easy change no dollars and about 2-3 hours work. You just jack the trailer up remove the leaf spring and then reinstall with the axle under the spring and flip all the mounting blocks over to fit.
\_____A_____/ to \__________/
A
They commonly have to do this for fifth wheels that are pulled behind 4x4 trucks so you may take it to a travel trailer dealer if you don't want to do it yourself.
Quote from: Jeff on June 15, 2007, 02:15:41 PM
And Alexa, come come now... If I were spending that money on leather work you wouldn't give me the big red bird now would you?! :lmao:
You quit, you pussy. :ass: I suppose you now have to spend all of that freed up race cash
somewhere. ::) :ass: :biggrin:
Now where's my pie?
And to expand on what Eric said, if the axles are already underneath the springs you could do like some 4X4 trucks do for a cheap lift, they put lift blocks between the springs and the axles and use longer 'U' bolts to attach the axles to the springs. I would imagine you could check with some of the 4X4 lift kit companies and get some riser blocks and 'U' bolts in whatever height your looking for (generally from 1" to 6" max).
On the other hand though, you generally want to keep the axles as close to the trailer as possible to reduce trailer wandering and sway. If you could do like was suggested earlier and just raise the wheel fenders (if the wheels are outside of the trailer) then the added diameter of the tires on the 15" wheels should probably be adequate to give you the lift your looking for while keeping the axle closer to the trailer and providing more stability.
Quote from: Eric Kelcher on June 17, 2007, 03:19:31 AM
If the new trailer is a lot lower than your old trailer than it may be that the new trailer has the axles on top of the springs whereas the old one was beneath the springs. Fairly easy change no dollars and about 2-3 hours work. You just jack the trailer up remove the leaf spring and then reinstall with the axle under the spring and flip all the mounting blocks over to fit.
\_____A_____/ to \__________/
A
They commonly have to do this for fifth wheels that are pulled behind 4x4 trucks so you may take it to a travel trailer dealer if you don't want to do it yourself.
ding ding ding... we have a winner! Doh. That's something I didn't realize when I looked at it the first time around. That will make a pretty substantial difference (like 3-4"). Will give it a whirl.
Thanks for the tip.
Man! What I wouldn't give for another 3-4"
:spank:
Sorry, Sitting at home, drank too much triple distilled vodka.