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msgross's avatar
msgross
Explorer
May 11, 2014

Torsion Axle lift, 13" to 15" wheels, with pics

So we picked up this Hybrid in late winter from a local trailer shop. They obtained it from a large RV dealer that only handles newer rigs. I still need to replace some rotted roof and delaminating issues but I picked it up for $1900 and the interior is in great condition. The previous owners had a few fixes done and it appears that they took it to a dealer for the work. More of this rebuild to come...

1st mod was to get it out of the weeds. My driveway has a bit of an incline and the rear bumper guard would drag, making the sewer pipes get dangerously close to hitting. I decided to put a lift after much research on this forum and upgrade to 14" wheels so I had a little ore weight margin. 3 of the 5 tires were very dry rotted and it scared me to even tow it home.

I need to a side "after" shot but here are some shots of the lift. Total cost for this was $40 and a days work.

Before:


After:
  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 11, 2014
    started with 22.5" of space on the front wheel...



    and only 6 inches of sewer space.

  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 11, 2014
    I thought about buying the factory kit for $125 but figured I could make it better and cheaper.

    Local metal shop cut 2x3x12 rectangular tubing, 3/16" thickness. Cost $25.



    measured and marked the current holes, drilled 1/2" holes with my drill press and shot them with some self etching primer and black rustoleum



    The axles bolt to the side plate, now the lift block will bolt there and the axle will bolt to the bottom of the lift block using its previously unused top mounting holes.





    Grade 5 bolts with nylock nuts ($10 at Tractor Supply) hold it all together now. I plan to place some weld just to make sure nothing moves. I thought about grade 8 hardware but sometimes the shear forces can make them brittle.

  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 11, 2014
    After the lift, I decided to move the back axle 1.5" to the rear for better spacing and 15" wheels vs. 14" wheels.



    26.5" height now... somehow the 3" block gave us 4"...hmmm.



    10" clearance on the sewer now, this will change once the hitch is adjusted.



    much better stance, would have been fine except for the weight limits of the 13" wheels. We make an annual 1,000 mile trek to Canada every year and I like the options for Radials and some better weight seperation for a larger margin of safety.

  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 11, 2014
    Now for new wheels. The 15" were only $3 more than the 14" so I figured that we would give it a shot. This fender will soon be replaced. PO replaced the other side but not this one.



    27" now, the nose is diving a little since I need to raise my WD hitch.



    Easy 12" for the sewer, this will also decrease a bit once we level out the hitch...



    plenty of clearance with the new wheels



    Final shot of the job, only takes a day with one guy doing the work. That included paint drying time. I will still weld a gusset or plate to make sure we have zero wiggle on the road.

  • sch911's avatar
    sch911
    Explorer
    May 11, 2014
    No need to create a new post each time, just use the "Edit" link at the top to add more pics to your orig post!
  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 12, 2014
    Some forums only allow you to link so many in a single post, figured this would separate my thoughts a bit as well.
  • sch911's avatar
    sch911
    Explorer
    May 12, 2014
    msgross wrote:
    Some forums only allow you to link so many in a single post, figured this would separate my thoughts a bit as well.


    Right! Good job BTW, I hope it holds up...
  • aepowell's avatar
    aepowell
    Explorer
    May 14, 2014
    That turned out really nice, All you jayco guys can do that same thing,but would be better to weld the channel on to your frame. I think the poster said he is going to do that before he finishes. I made mine a little beefier, but it was a pain to install.

    My 3 inch lift
  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 14, 2014
    Thanks, I think it would be fine without welding, the original setup never had welds. However, I have a welder handy so a few can't hurt anything.


    This is without the WD hitch hooked up...



  • msgross's avatar
    msgross
    Explorer
    May 14, 2014
    aepowell wrote:
    That turned out really nice, All you jayco guys can do that same thing,but would be better to weld the channel on to your frame. I think the poster said he is going to do that before he finishes. I made mine a little beefier, but it was a pain to install.

    My 3 inch lift



    I found your link while researching my lift, nice setup and very beefy. I don't think it can be "overdone" when it comes to suspension support but these trailers aren't built that sturdy from the start.

    The real test is if you hit a curb or pothole, that's when you realize if it was built heavy enough! Yours is better than factory while mine is equal to the original.

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