Safe to have rear suspension lifted for clearance?

[blue_seeker_1]

I just purchased an 05 Jayco Greyhawk 31 ft. my driveway from the road to enter the driveway is steep, I'm not sure my rv will make the grade up. How safe is it to raise the rear suspension 5-6inches?

[BendOrLarry]

SweetWaterSurprise wrote:
I've got airbags for my rear suspension. I can get an insane amount of lift from them.

I have Firestone air bags on my 28 foot class c. I get less than an inch of lift at max air pressure. I called Firestone and talked to a tech who said if your E450 rear suspension is at stock height, you won't get any real lift. The air bags are designed to return a sagging suspension back to stock height.

[gkainz]

I had rear springs re-arched and an additional leaf added to an '83 Ford E-350 Tioga we used to own, but they only raised it up so that it was level when loaded. Regained significant clearance at the rear and no downside that I noticed.

[tenbear]

Just to reinforce what DrewE said. Leveling will be difficult, and it is important to have the refrigerator fairly level.

[Bordercollie]

If you are carrying seldom used stuff in the rear cargo hold, and your rig scrapes, removing some weighty stuff might be just enough for clearance.

[Butch50]

I wouldn't raise it up that much if it was me but if you do make sure that you have the angle of the rear axle realigned.

If needed I would consider adding some ramps to help that you can remove. I know it would be a pain but better than raising the rear of the MH that much. IMO

[j-d]

CharlesinGA wrote:
If the springs have sagged or flattened from years of being loaded up (these are truck chassis and few trucks are fully loaded 100% of their life) consider taking the MH to a truck spring and suspension speciality shop and have them re-arch the springs and add a leaf to them. In the long run this is the best thing to do.

This is what I did with an old E350 under a 24-ft Class C. But...
1. Those springs were tired and sagged. Coach had an awful sway.
2. Raising one end above OEM ride height, means always having to "level" on a campsite, even if the site actually IS level.

All I did was add a "repair leaf" to each side. These are generic leaves bought by width, thickness, and length. We had to cut the length and drill each leaf for the center bolt. Did NOT re-arch them since I'd heart the tapered Ford leaves didn't tend to retain the new arch for long.

[CharlesinGA]

If the springs have sagged or flattened from years of being loaded up (these are truck chassis and few trucks are fully loaded 100% of their life) consider taking the MH to a truck spring and suspension speciality shop and have them re-arch the springs and add a leaf to them. In the long run this is the best thing to do. If you have add on air bags (Winnebago installed 3T kits on the Views from the factory) then make sure they stay inflated to a minimum pressure (probably 40 psi or so) otherwise them will fold and wrinkle and leak. Will last much longer with air in them ALWAYS.

Charles
2007 Winnebago View 523H on a 2006 Dodge (Daimler-Chrysler aka Mercedes) Sprinter 3500 chassis (T1N). Bought Sept 2015 with 18K miles on it, Prog Ind HW30C, Prog Dymanics PD4645, Chill Grille, PML/Yourcovers.com deep alum trans pan, AutoMeter 8558 trans temp gauge, Roadmaster sway bar, Koni Red shocks (rear), Fantastic Ultra Breeze hood, added OEM parabolic mirrors and RH aspherical mirror.

[klutchdust]

Going in at an angle helps also, I need to do that at some service stations and store entrances.

[crasster]

RoyB wrote:
If the clearance needed is small something like these skid wheels may work for you. I would do a slow drive doing this...


Google image

These skid wheel rollers are made by ETRAILER...



Roy Ken

LOL, I have some of these on the back of my Toyota C. They work! 🙂

[SweetWaterSurpr]

I've got airbags for my rear suspension. I can get an insane amount of lift from them.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I had a steel wheel roller made up to fit the hitch receiver. It helps greatly.

You might consider adding air bags to the rear that may gain you 3 inches.

I went to oversize (taller) tires which gave me 2 extra inches.

[dicknellen]

Your receiver hitch receiver is the lowest point and I think they also have a roller like above that will slip into your receiver. Dick

[RoyB]

If the clearance needed is small something like these skid wheels may work for you. I would do a slow drive doing this...


Google image

These skid wheel rollers are made by ETRAILER...



Roy Ken

[DrewE]

More important than the absolute steepness of the driveway, of course, is how sudden the transition is.

I agree with carringb that doing a slow, careful trial run before making any modifications is only sensible. I would tend to advise against a significant lift (and I think 5-6 inches is pretty significant), if only because it will make getting the RV level at most campsites very difficult. You'd have to put 5-6 inches of ramps or other lifting under the front to get level on a dead level campsite, and that's a lot of ramps or blocks or jack extension.

If you only need an inch or so, air helper springs might give sufficient clearance without any real suspension changes.