Trailer lift kit? Lower Axles? Need advice!!

[MrJimi]

Gee, Todd, I was thinking you had a 4 X 4 all jacked up with monster tires messing you up with the bed height. We have lots of those in Florida and I'm sure you do also
Jim

 

[blueriver]

No Jim, Nothing lifted or no monster tires, we do have a few around Oklahoma that way!

I think a combination of a 10-15 yr old trailer, 15" tires and todays Trucks they just don't go together with out doing somthing. As the Dexter axle website stated, with todays tow vehicles you may need to raise the trailer.

Have you seen there over/under kit? Pretty simple, adjustable spring seats that fasten one top, bolt down to the old ones, new U bolts and thats it. About $45 per axle.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[MrJimi]

I may be wrong but I think thats cheap to get you close to level and stop draggin the back here and there. I had many Corvettes and I always go in a dip entrance at an angle and they never hit but if I go straight in, the front and rear will drag, not good for a Vette
You will be fine Todd
Jim
by the way, I have a 82 and a 78 for sale
Happy trailering

 

[RobS]

Hey Todd, have you looked at your axles? I've seen a lot of livestock/horse trailers with Dexters' torsion axle which allows for a lower deck height. The kit I mentioned is for a conventional leaf spring axle arrangement.

Just a passing thought...

 

[blueriver]

Rob,
Thanks for the passing thought! Yes you are correct it would be terrible not to get down and lay an eye on them! They are not torsion, rather they are springs, therefore the Dexter kit should work just fine.

Thanks,
Todd

 

[blueriver]

DONE! The entire process took less than 3 hrs and lifted the trailer about 6" and gave me the ground clearance. I did not go with the Dextor Kit. I went to the local shop, bought 4 of the 3" sring seats, 8 U bolts and 4 new spring Bolts, Total Cost $56.00!

Thanks to everyone for helping!!

Todd

 

[RobS]

Excellent, good job Todd! Pictures of your craftsmanship?

 

[blueriver]

Here are two pictures, just imagine how low it was. One of them is with it hooked to the truck.

Todd

 

[montanaman]

The angle of that picture doesn't show any weld and I don't see any grinding marks on the axle tube. You did weld them on, right??

Ken

 

[Skyco]

I wonder about that too. The Dexter kit has provisions to align the new upper pad with the lower welded ones and to transfer load to the welded one. They have a nut arrangement to adjust.
Instructions here- http://i.b5z.net/i/u/1080235/f/059_551_00.pdf and a picture of the kit here-Dexter Axle - Trailer Axles and Running Gear Components - K71-385-00 Over/Under Conversion Kit
even with the kit they still strongly recommend welding.

If one just uses spring pads and not the kit they must be welded. Blue river- please tell us they ARE welded