Axle Flip - Any Regrets?

[DRKMinWA]

My small TT is pretty close to the ground and I have round bar WDH. I'm hitting parts of the WDH too frequently. When hitch up and the bottom of the spring bars is 5 1/2 inches from the ground.

Seems like I need to change out the WDH for a trunnion bar system or do the "axle flip". Blue Ox WDH would probably work too.

My TT suspension is leaf springs under the axle and I think it would raise the coach body 3 to 4 inches. Single axle trailer.

If you have done the axle flip do you have any regrets? Any thoughts on axle flip versus different WDH system for the long term.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Bucky_Badger]

No regrets here. best 300 bucks i spent

[fairfaxjim]

I flipped my axles and added Dexter shocks to my 18CK. Picked up about 5" lift. I added Saveajack removable mounts for the rear stabilizer jacks. I simply slip the stabilizers into the mounts when I'm ready to use them. Lots of rear ground clearance. My trailer had very little waste plumbing hanging down, but had a skid guard welded under the dump connection just in case.

Travel on very rough desert roads ended up bending the axles and tires went FAST! Scary FAST! Got a pair of Alko 3" dia. tube 3500# axles made up to replace the 2 3/8" stock axles. They were cheaper and quicker to get than you would think. Allowed use of existing brakes, hubs & wheels on new axles. Picked up another 1 1/2" lift. If I do a flip again, I will probably upgrade the axles when I do it. Was a pain in the butt to redo a lot of the work a few months later.

I have subsequently added the Dexter Ez-Flex equalizers.

I don't notice much additional sway, but I tow mostly in California at 55 MPH. When outside of CA at 65 MPH it increases with wind but never had had problems with 18 wheelers. I use a Husky WD hitch but no stabilizer, and tow with a 2007 Tundra.I do think the extra height resulted in a slight hit on gas mileage.

All of the previous comments about extra height apply. I use a taller foot on my manual tongue jack, extra leggo's under the stabilizer jacks, and that first step can be a pain if parked on a hill with the door facing down. Had to be careful when setting up the hitch to get the ball/coupler high enough without the tailgate hitting them when it is opened.

What I can say for sure is I have never dragged anything in my travels! Some rigs I see are crazy close to the ground! Mine is very obviously the opposite. People notice it looks different right away.

[DRKMinWA]

Where are you driving that you hit something at 5"?

Pulling out of my driveway I would just scrape one of the L brackets on the Fastway e2 round bar hitch. Also banged it enough to pull the clip out of the pin holding the spring bar to the L bracket leaving WalMart after buying groceries. Dragged the L bracket through the dirt on a pot hole in the driveway of a campground. When level the top of the coupler is at 15.5 inches. Pretty low trailer.

I replaced the hitch and left the axle flip for a future possibility. I chose the Reese SC trunnion bar with integrated sway control. Reese part #66151, lots of ground clearance now.

[Crabbypatty]

I had my dealer do mine. He used a kit made by dexter for just that purpose. It helped big time with ground clearance. Insurance would have to pay as oem parts and a dealer installed it.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

TNGW1500SE wrote:
I would worry that if I got in an accident my insurance company would see the flip as a way to avoid paying a claim.

Why would they not pay the claim? :h

That's like saying they would not pay the claim if you put a lift kit or oversize tires on your truck.

[Wrace]

JIMNLIN wrote:

The point is do the lift right.

That's a good point and made me remember how helpful Dexter was when I was installing the new spring/axle assembly on my TT. One fellow in particular communicated with me via email whenever I had a question. It's not a complicated job but there were a couple of small questions that I wanted verification on. I sent digital pictures with my question and received a reply the same day.

[TNGW1500SE]

I would worry that if I got in an accident my insurance company would see the flip as a way to avoid paying a claim.

[JIMNLIN]

My silly bil some years ago added blocks under his springs on a 24' TT even after the RV dealer and a major Auto/Truck spring shop and myself telling him what can happen.
The next summer after he made the lift one side of the front axle busted the U bolt. That end came around and under the rear axle sending the trailer into a severe crab that left the rig sitting crossways in the middle of the road.
The point is do the lift right.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

I raced enough cars in my life to know I want the lowest CG I can get no matter what. My trailer is very low and handles like a slot car.

Where are you driving that you hit something at 5"?

[RVcircus]

I'll be doing a SOA lift in a few weeks, so it's good to know what issues to expect.

[Wrace]

I bent both the axles on my 22' TT while traveling a very rough forest service road that required 4 wheel drive at several points to make it through. Tore the jack pad up and one of the stabilizers as well.

I replaced the stock axles and leaf springs with the next size up and mounted the axles under the leaf springs to give me more ground clearance. I also added the lube/bushing kit at the time (has zerk fittings to lube some of the suspension points).

It helped with the off-road travel for sure but was not without some irritations.

- had to use blocks under the powered tongue jack because on certain campsites the jack had to be extended to the full length or more to get the rig level front-to-back. Repeated full length (right up against the stop) extension puts more wear and tear on the jack as it goes into 'clicking' mode. I don't recall the real term for it but the jack essentially slips a gear when it gets to full extension to prevent permanently damaging the gearbox.

- the lower of the two steps was no longer low enough for safe/comfortable entry. I messed around with various home made wood blocks for a new first step but all of them succumbed to the weather and I finally gave up and purchased the expensive aluminum step from CW.

- of course had to change the ball height on the hitch head an make some other adjustments with the change in ride height of the trailer.

- I seem to recall having to do something with the brake wiring to get it to the new lower location of the axles. I don't think I had to extend the wiring but had to reroute it a bit or something.

- My nice shocks that were on the stock axles no longer had enough travel to use them on the flipped axles. I probably could have made some brackets I suppose.

- I replaced the small exterior entry handle with a larger (longer) one which allowed for one to grab the handle before stepping up on the first step when entering.

- Needed to purchase a taller ladder to get on the roof when needed and to use when putting on the winter cover.

- Had to purchase or make more blocks for use under the stabilizers.

All in all the added ground clearance has allowed us to get the trailer into some remote camp spots that would otherwise be difficult or impossible with the stock ride height.

[TenOC]

Depending on the cost, you may want to consider replacing the axles with heavy duty axles. I flip my axles and loved it, but a year later I need to replace the axles because they were bent and the tires only lasted about 10,000 miles -- not long for a FTer.

[Mike_LA]

No regrets here.
I raised two trailers. One was equipped with Torsion Suspension(3" lift), the other spring suspension(4" lift). No problems with either trailer.

[mericksonjr]

I just sold a 27' 2009 Weekend Warrior Toy Hauler and I flipped the axles for the exact same reason I was bottoming out coming out of the local gas station. For me I found that the only problem was it made the camper about 6 inches taller and that seemed to increase how the wind hit it. I live in Wyoming and its always windy where I am and it made one big sail. I had an equalizer hitch and that seemed to help and I think if you put a sway bar on it that would help more. It took away all of the scraping the ground problems away. Just made the trailer a little more top heavy. If I was to say do it or not, If you do a lot of off road in back woods camping I would definitely do it if more improved campground camping I would just mount heavy duty casters to the rear to help protect things.