Axle flip on a small 16 feet Sportsmen

vlopddap wrote:
Well here's a little story which raises my idea of an axle-flip...

My father-in-law own a 2013 Sportsmen Classic 19FB and the ground clearance issue isn't specific to the 16BH model, but to the entire Sportsmen Classic line! Because last weekend he goes to camp somewhere in the northern US and he can't connect to the camp site sewer inlet because the inlet was actually HIGHER than the outlet on the Sportsmen... in fact the sewer drain on the Sportsmen is no more than 3-4 inch from the ground!

Finally he was be able to change from this camp site for another farther which has a lower sewer inlet... but that show you how the Sportsmen Classic have low ground clearance!

I "flipped" the axles on my 1989 Layton last year shortly after I purchased it. I wouldn't call it easy by any means and you should have the new spring perches welded to the axle after your finished with the flip so they don't move. I gained about 6" in ground clearance after the relocation and I am very happy with the results. I am 5'4" and my wife is shorter than I am, so I just put an extra small stool on the ground before the single step on the trailer, no big deal.

My trailer tows the same as it did before the relocation, no handling or sway issues there, I did have to re-set my hitch obvisouly after the relocation.

Note that "flipping" is a genaric term, your not actually "flipping" the axles, you are re-locating them from above the leaf spring to under the leaf spring (over slung). If you physically Flip the axles you will have handling issues as the axles have bend in them as designed and if you "flip" them over (180 degrees) you will have tracking/handling problems.

I have 24+ yrs of mechanical experience turning wrenches and while it was not the hardest job I've ever done, I would not call it easy. Getting the trailer jacked and blocked high enough to do the relocation is a bit hairy and you need good wood cribbing to support it. After the trailer is raised and the frame on blocks, I also put my crank-down jacks on the corners down for an extra safety measure. What is your level of mechanical experience? If you don't have much, I would recommend paying a good RV shop to do this for you.

The prior owner of my trailer had put steel wheels under the frame on the back that drug on my driveway the first time I backed it in when I brought it home before the re-location. That's not good at all for the frame as it's not designed to handle that weight load that far back. It can cause frame twist/damage and a host of other issues as well. I would not recomend removing your rear brackets as was mentioned prior, they are there to protect your pipes and tanks.

Good luck.