JBarca wrote:
ExRocketScientist wrote:
Something doesn't add up here John. My fiver came with 28.3 OD tires and has a 9.5 inch tall frame. After we adjusted the suspension so it would tow level with our truck, we had about 5 inches of clearance in the wheel wells, which is just the flat bottom of the floor. It is a triple step camper, and the first step up was about an inch more than the rest. So we have to step up four times to get in, just like you. Your camper sounds very similar to my fiver, I would only expect the bottom step to be about a half inch higher off of the ground because your frame is a half inch taller. I would think you should have about 4 inches or so of clearance in your wheel wells.
The other option you have if you want to do the LT upgrade without doing an axle flip is to have a commercial truck frame shop put a 2" subframe on it (oh wait a minute -- you weld and would probably do that yourself). I know you ended up reinforcing your frame and doing the equivalent of the Mor Ryde X-Factor -- the subframe would preclude the need for that.
Hi Ex,
I only have 2 1/4 to 2 1/2" worth of clearance. Here see.
This is on the original setup when I had Maxxis tires
Here is the max suspension travel for my loaded weight. I am at the limit.
After I added the hanger stiffing and the 1 1/4" lift due to the loss of the EZ flex height and shocks. I now have 6 1/4" effective hangers.
Odds are high on your 5er you had a piece of 2 x 2 tube welded to the frame and then the hangers put on it. Lik this. This is off an old Jayco
Here is a side shot the day I put these Denmans on. Gee, 3 years and here I am....
I really do not want to do an axle flip on this setup. Yes I can build something to raise the camper 1" or 1.5" but boy, moving all 6 hangers down again....
I'm still collecting ideas at this point.
John
I have been so busy getting my new TT ready to go for spring gobbler season I haven't had time to get on the computer at home and see your pictures (can't see them at work due to blocking of picture sharing sites). On my Jayco, they didn't put the tubes on the bottom of the frame. Instead, they built their own spring hangers. Each side is a single piece that serves the purpose of all three hangers. The hole closest to the frame is 6" from the bottom of the frame IIRC. There are two more holes below that, with 1.25" spacing. If you go back and look at your thread on the shock install, you can see them in my picture of my Dexter shocks. You may also be able to see them in the pictures of my spare tire hoist that you looked at a while back.
What I am suggesting to you is to not only put a tube on the bottom of your frame with new hangers, but also put tubes from side to side attached to those tubes at each of the hangers. From above, the tubes would look like the number 8 on one of the orignal 7 segment LED digital displays. That would give you your frame reinforcement and the correct wheel well clearance at the same time.
Thought occured to me . . . when you give the numbers for you clearance, is that with the thing just sitting level, or is that when you have jacked up one axle to the maximum articulation of the suspension? I think the 3" figure from Dexter (which is actually given for their torsion axles -- they don't give a figure for leaf spring suspensions) is for a static situation on level ground with the trailer loaded. I think your shorter springs are going to have less flex, and thus less suspension travel when hitting bumps than those of us who have the 33" axle spacing.
Another thing -- what is the distance between your tires now (not on the left side with the bad tire -- the right side where the tire diameters are normal)? I have 33" axle spacing on my fiver and put the BFGCTA LT245/75R16 on. They have a diameter of 30.6, and I can barely get a BAL scissor chock between the wheels. So as long as your axle spacing is 32", the 225s should fit as far as distance between the tires.
