flipping axles and shocks

+1 on TinHut's response. I did it a year ago on my StarCraft AR-One which was so low in the back I'd scrape trying to get out of the driveway. New Height has been a non-issue for me. In fact I just went from 13" to 14" wheels.

My only caveat - ironically, my last set of Chinese ST tires started cupping crazily, and wearing dreadfully in <5k miles. I had to axe myself, was that bad camber due to the axle flip?? Don't know, but I got the wheels aligned at a trailer axle place, and moved up to 14" LT tires. Everything seems to be wearing perfectly now.

On my trailer the axle is not straight has about a 3" offset. The axle is actually not "flipped" or rotated. The axle is moved from the top of the springs to the bottom. The old perch is welded to the axle so that when you move the axle in relation to the spring a new perch is needed. It should also be welded to the axle. There is a forum for KZ, SportsmenClassicClub.com that has some good info about flipping the axle.

Why a new perch? Why not just rotate the axle and brake assemblies 180 degrees and use the existing perch?
Randy

mayo30 wrote:
Radius or diameter of the axle??

Radius + perch + spring pack= lift. Radius = axle centerline. Those 3 things move from the top side of the spring to the bottom side of the spring. It makes you wonder when you first look at it. :) I think I said it right.

When I first searched I noticed some saying that it will only give a few inches. It will give you exactly what it measures as it moves from the top of the spring to the bottom of the spring. In my case it was 5 1/2 inches.

Added info, The axle flip and 14" tires raised the trailer about 4 1/2" as best I could tell. The stabilizers and jack are still plenty long. The step is not unmanageable, I did add a 5" high wooden step to use if I plan to stop for awhile. My KZ does not have shocks, I thought about adding them but really don't know if I need to. I'll be glad to post photos if someone will give me directions how to attach them!

I bought a KZ 16BH, single axle a couple of months ago, dragged bottom several times on the way home with it. The first thing I did was flip the axle to raise it up and put on 14" tires. I bought the fittings to flip the axle at the local Tractor supply, took about two hours to do the job. I did several more modifications (added a second propane tank and battery) to get it where I could boondock if I need to. I bought the fittings to flip the axle at the local Tractor Supply, about a two hour job. I have pulled the trailer on one trip to Northern Colorado, 1800 miles round trip, pulled great, I am very satisfied with the axle flip so far. Added bonus is that the holding tanks drain much better due to the increased height.

Radius or diameter of the axle??

I did the axle flip on my previous trailer and it worked out quite well. As mentioned the stabilizers end up being too short but that's easy enough to deal with. The higher step was a problem for my 5' tall wife but we just added a step stool for her.

Can't say anything about the shocks though.

Thanks! As you said, now is the time...not sure when "now" will be though. Probably after this summer.

Mine is tandem but it's still the same. If you count the radius of the axle tube, add the perch height that is welded to the axle and add the spring pack thickness you will have the number of inches that the trailer while be raised as everything moves from the top to the bottom.

The good: More clearance, more off road capability, personal preference as to how it looks.

The bad: It is more top heavy, the stabilizers may not reach at times, the first step may be too high (getting a new step with one more step may help but sometimes just shortens the rise on all the steps but may still leave the first step a little high.

I dont think I would be afraid of the top heavy, just drive smart. My last old Jayco TT sat low and would drag at the worse spots in some fuel stops etc.

Shocks are no big deal and now is the time as the spring plate holds one end of the shock. They most likely will need welding

I used the Dexter kit and welded the new perch.