How to correct uneven "Bump Clearance" ?
I have a slight sag on the passenger side of our travel trailer. After extensive measurements, I find the bump clearance is actually less on the right side. Bump clearance is the space between the...
Forum Discussion
I try to close the loop on these postings but got so involved in this that I forgot this one.
I convinced an RV dealer to submit measurements and pictures to the OEM hoping for at least some sound technical guidance, but after 6 weeks got tired of waiting. Finally found a (non-RV) trailer shop about 50 miles away that agreed to look at it.
This guy crawled out from under the trailer shaking his head - said the suspension was just loaded to the max and starting to sag. Was well aware of the under-axle condition of many new travel trailers and had replaced several suspension systems.
We cut a deal to replace my two 3,500 lb Lipperts with two 5,400 lb Dexters. Same size wheels but 6 lug instead of 5 lug so new wheels all around. Tires go up a size from 205 to 225/75-R15 but I was due for new tires anyway --- found 10 ply Maxxis. The shop always uses manual adjust axles, and since I have had problems with over-adjustment on my auto-adjust Lipperts I agreed to go manual on the new ones. Re-used the spring hangers and equalizer.
This guy's normal deal is to take all your hardware in on trade for the new stuff so price was not as bad as I was expecting. He also swapped my emergency stash of spare bearings/brake parts for a similar set of parts for the new axles.
I'm still burnishing-in the new brakes, but they are MASSIVE! Went from 10"x1.5 brakes to 12"x2".
The modification raised the trailer about 3". I was concerned it was going to look like BigFoot but if you had never seen the trailer before I don't think you would notice the extra height. Still playing with the WDH adjustments.
Really looking forward to not worrying about this. Some of the best money DW has let me spend !!
I convinced an RV dealer to submit measurements and pictures to the OEM hoping for at least some sound technical guidance, but after 6 weeks got tired of waiting. Finally found a (non-RV) trailer shop about 50 miles away that agreed to look at it.
This guy crawled out from under the trailer shaking his head - said the suspension was just loaded to the max and starting to sag. Was well aware of the under-axle condition of many new travel trailers and had replaced several suspension systems.
We cut a deal to replace my two 3,500 lb Lipperts with two 5,400 lb Dexters. Same size wheels but 6 lug instead of 5 lug so new wheels all around. Tires go up a size from 205 to 225/75-R15 but I was due for new tires anyway --- found 10 ply Maxxis. The shop always uses manual adjust axles, and since I have had problems with over-adjustment on my auto-adjust Lipperts I agreed to go manual on the new ones. Re-used the spring hangers and equalizer.
This guy's normal deal is to take all your hardware in on trade for the new stuff so price was not as bad as I was expecting. He also swapped my emergency stash of spare bearings/brake parts for a similar set of parts for the new axles.
I'm still burnishing-in the new brakes, but they are MASSIVE! Went from 10"x1.5 brakes to 12"x2".
The modification raised the trailer about 3". I was concerned it was going to look like BigFoot but if you had never seen the trailer before I don't think you would notice the extra height. Still playing with the WDH adjustments.
Really looking forward to not worrying about this. Some of the best money DW has let me spend !!
