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14RK sits lower on door side

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8:15 am
July 21, 2010


dallas214

Member

posts 23

Anybody else have a 14RK that sits lower on the door side than on the street side? There is an inch or two more wheel clearance in the wheel well on the "street" side of the trailer than on the door side and it is also on the door side that I have the wheel rubbing on the inside of the well. I'm planning on having the "axle flip" done next week, but I was wondering if I should ask for a stronger spring on that side as well. I think the trailer might be heavier on that side (the fridge, water heater and fresh water tank are all on that side).

3:38 pm
July 21, 2010


kayaknut

Member

posts 376

Post edited 3:41 am – January 14, 2012 by kayaknut


3:47 pm
July 21, 2010


kayaknut

Member

posts 376

Post edited 3:41 am – January 14, 2012 by kayaknut


5:45 pm
July 21, 2010


dallas214

Member

posts 23

Thanks for the suggestions. I have looked at the springs and didn't notice anything obvious, but I think I'll go ahead and take it into the shop sooner rather than later just to be sure.

2:20 pm
July 23, 2010


dallas214

Member

posts 23

I just got the trailer back. Went ahead and had the "axle flip" (mounted the springs above the axle instead of below) which gives the trailer a lot more ground clearance. (see "Important Tire Clearance Issue" by Sportsman Matt in this section). It does look a little funny being so high off the ground, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.  Also the sagging on one side (the door side) was caused by a weak spring. They couldn't find new springs in the right size, but were able to "re-bend" it. The trailer looks like it sits level now. Also, it seems less bouncy on the road. I'm sure fixing the weak spring helped that.

Total cost for axle flip and grease/re-pack wheel bearings: $220 including tax at Joe's Hitch and Trailer in Dallas.

10:49 pm
July 25, 2010


smilinjohn

Minnesota Prairie

Moderator

posts 380

Dallas, how many inches to the top of the ball is your tonge with the 14RK level, now that you have had the axle re-positioned?  How high off the ground is the steel entry step?

SmileJohn

2010 Sportsmen Classic 14RK; 2005 Ford F-150, 5.4L V8; "…..it is always advisable to perceive clearly our ignorance." Charles Darwin

1:47 pm
July 30, 2010


dallas214

Member

posts 23

The distance to the top of the ball (hitch) is 18″. The distance from the entry step to the ground is about 9″.  I just got back from my first long trip with the raised trailer (Dallas to San Antonio, round trip about 600 miles; I took the scenic route home…).  The trailer tows fine raised up and I can't really tell any difference. A couple of things I would correct from my earlier initial observations tho: 1) the trailer is still a little lower on the door side, only it's a lot harder to tell since it's higher off the ground.  I think the trailer is just heavier on that side, especially since I have water in the fresh water tank. 2) the trailer is more bouncy, not less. I can't tell this by the way it looks in the rear-view mirror or by how it feels when I tow (it all seems pretty calm back there). But, I found that all of my plastic drawers came out of the cabinet and my portable ice-maker flipped over on its side (it has rubber feet and is pretty heavy), which would seem to indicate that it must get kind of bouncy on the back end of the trailer. I solved the problem with the drawers by putting a tension rod (curtain rod) in front of the drawers to hold them in and just put the ice maker farther forward. It did seem a little easier to use the dump valves and also lighting the water heater with everything a little higher up.

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