Okay I have a question that I know nothing about...well a little but I need someone else's brain too fill in the holes.

I went camping this weekend with the 04 and my Coleman Bayside pop-up camper. On the way up the 100 yard strech I knew I'd have problems on the way out with clearance, and it turns out I tore off one of my camper stabilizer pads. Now I'm curious if I can do a spring over axle conversion on my camper and if so HOW? I have the skills to do it but need details on how it works. I think the extra 3 inches of lift would help tremendously.

Any Help??
Thanks!

 

Did 2 of these today....one on a boat..two on a horse trailer

I'm sure a few people will simply say flip the axle over and your done.
BUT..trailer axles are pre-bent to flex under load and simply flipping the axle will cause pre-mature tire wear and possible handling problems.

New spring perch will need to be added...one on each side.

Measure your axle diameter because you will need to purchase 2 new spring perch. This is the place that is attached to the axle tube to keep it from rotating on the springs as well as keeping the axle from shifting forward or back. (Picture a square with a circle in it, then cut it in half so it will look like a rectangle with half a circle in one side.)

You will need to remove the axle from the trailer....obviously you will need a jack, jacks stands...bla bla bla.

You might also want to purchase a spare set of u-bolts and shackle bolts in case they are rusted and get destroyed removing them.

With the axle removed level it on the old spring perch, then put the new spring perch directly above the axle so the two spring faces are parallel. This is fairly easy if you are completely level, use the level again to make the new perch level as well....weld it in place with your preferred welder. There is no need to remove the old spring perch.

Re-install the axle now below the spring and your done.

The U-bolts, shackle bolts and spring perch can be purchased at any reputable trailer/truck supply place. I recommend these places as opposed to an auto parts store as they are common trailer parts and there are waaaaay too many possibilities when trying to cross-refrence auto parts...and a greater possibility to get the wrong parts.

 

Very interesting. I figured the part I was getting confused on was how you could just flip the axle and be done with it. I just looked again this morning and mine is indeed factory bent, so I will take all of this into account and see when I have time to do this. The rest of this summer I won't be going on any trails like that one again but next year I will. This could be a nice winter weekend project in the garage.

Thanks a bunch for the "how-to," I appriciate it!

Now to go to the RV dealer and get some parts!

 

Gee Osprey,
you're both in Colorado.

You may have just lost a work order, took food off your table, sent your kids to school without pencils, denied your wife toenail polish.

Keep giving away free knowledge and you'll end up turning to a life of crime just to make ends meet.

 

The long and the short of it is I am in no need of more service work...we are continually buried. Sell trailers...yes sir....more service....I'm good thanks.

Service is too competitive that there are not enough margins to keep the shop even open....but our other competitors are booked months out and we will do emergency work....not road side...but gotta have it by tomorrow kind of stuff that nobody else will touch. The only reason we do service is for customer service....not for profit.

 

why not just get a drop hitch?

if you raise the camper will the jacks still level or stabilize?

 

You're assuming he wasn't level to begin with.

He never did say whether the piece that broke off was on the front or rear of the trailer.

Four pieces of wood will take care of any stablization issues.

 

spoken like a true goat herder

 

Free knowledge is the best! I won't pay for someone to do this anyway...I have to try it on my own first, F** it up and then pay to have it all fixed!

It was a back pad that got torn off, the camper when being towed from all the crap in the back of the truck was already sitting down towards the front already. Yes this though crossed my mind, but then I'd have to get another stabilzer ball mounted to the hitch. Which will probably happen anyway when the trailer sits higher.

The stands should have plenty of up/down in them to support the rig after it is raised...otherwise a block of wood under each pad will do the trick.