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09-09-2019, 12:59 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Roseville, CA
Posts: 598
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If you’re already at 13’5” don’t raise it higher! Are you sure that’s right, measured with the trailer level?
__________________
Jim & Linda Kelly
2017 Landmark 365 Newport
2015 F-350 DRW 2WD 14k GVWR, 5660 payload
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09-09-2019, 05:01 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldelevatorman
If you’re already at 13’5” don’t raise it higher! Are you sure that’s right, measured with the trailer level?
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That was a different member on here, not the OP.
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09-11-2019, 11:57 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Rossville, TN
Posts: 407
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I ran these 2" blocks for 3 years on my last Jayco with zero problems. I personally think it is less stress on the suspension than the correct track is on the hangers.
https://www.trailerblocks.com/produc...-4-wide-spring
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09-11-2019, 03:07 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 250
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New axles, cross members, longer U-bolts, spring spacers, heavier duty springs, new shackles, and upgraded equalizers (disc brakes not shown) = ~ 2.5" lift for us.
Even after lowering the 5th wheel hitch, this helped our rig ride more level. (less tail dragging)
__________________
2018 Grand Designs Momentum 376th
2009 Sportchassis RHA350 w/8.3 Cummins & Allison
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09-11-2019, 05:24 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Garyp4951
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This looks promising.
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09-11-2019, 08:25 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Bushnell, FL
Posts: 1,048
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If you have rear leaf springs, check into DROP SHACKLES or LOWERING SHACKLES. Some will drop the rear up to 2"
__________________
2015 Silverado 3500HD CC DRW Duramax
2006 Hitchhiker Champagne
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09-12-2019, 04:13 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Bushnell, FL
Posts: 1,048
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Sorry if I misled anyone, drop or lowering shackles on the tow vehicle.
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09-12-2019, 05:25 AM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 3,722
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Ours is the signature High Country Montana ..... and it was too low, so much so that the belly mounted spare dragged occasionally.
This is what I did. First of all, I installed new springs that had one more leaf (etrailer at ~35 bucks each). I then went to Metals Supermarket where I found a 3 foot length of 1x1.75 aluminum (~20 bucks). This was cut to the width of the spring plate, added a center bolt on one side and machined a relief for the existing spring center bolt on the other side.These items meant I needed new U-bolts (~$40). I also added wet bolts(~$85 Amazon) and a MORryde X Factor cross member in the center. Then, when all the parts were on hand, jacked the 5er up and spent about 8 hours doing the lift part of the mod. Since everything was apart, more time was spent lubing the bearings (actually replaced the Chinese junk with USA made timkens) and added disc brakes, but that's lots more dollars and time and not part of the question. Oh and I also cleaned the rust off the axles and painted them to look like new which, 3 years later, still look good
OK, finished the job. The 5er is about 2.5 or so inches higher, nothing drags, the 5er no longer wallows on road heaves, i.e. bridge approaches and departures, is still below 13'6" by a couple inches over the front a/c (and best of all stops much better).
As you can see, not a lot of dollars just to raise the trailer, and an '06 probably needs new springs, though it does take some time and a few tools that not all DIYers have, but even those tools wouldn't break the bank if you needed to buy a few.
I would NOT add longer hangers or shacles - that could induce tail wag and dangerous handling
__________________
Dave W
2011 Ford F250 6.7 Lariat CCLB, Gone but not forgotten
2014 Montana High Country 343RL (sold it!)
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09-12-2019, 05:35 AM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TB673
Sorry if I misled anyone, drop or lowering shackles on the tow vehicle.
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The newer (4th & 5th gen.) Ram 2500's have a 5 link coil system. So no shackle adjustments. A guy on another forum said he was getting custom coils made that were shorter. I am not really wanting to mess around with the trucks suspension. Besides he was stating it was going to be upwards to $ 3,000. Maybe if my truck was new & I knew I was going to be pulling this 5er for many years to come.
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09-12-2019, 06:35 AM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IC2
Ours is the signature High Country Montana ..... and it was too low, so much so that the belly mounted spare dragged occasionally.
This is what I did. First of all, I installed new springs that had one more leaf (etrailer at ~35 bucks each). I then went to Metals Supermarket where I found a 3 foot length of 1x1.75 aluminum (~20 bucks). This was cut to the width of the spring plate, added a center bolt on one side and machined a relief for the existing spring center bolt on the other side.These items meant I needed new U-bolts (~$40). I also added wet bolts(~$85 Amazon) and a MORryde X Factor cross member in the center. Then, when all the parts were on hand, jacked the 5er up and spent about 8 hours doing the lift part of the mod. Since everything was apart, more time was spent lubing the bearings (actually replaced the Chinese junk with USA made timkens) and added disc brakes, but that's lots more dollars and time and not part of the question. Oh and I also cleaned the rust off the axles and painted them to look like new which, 3 years later, still look good
OK, finished the job. The 5er is about 2.5 or so inches higher, nothing drags, the 5er no longer wallows on road heaves, i.e. bridge approaches and departures, is still below 13'6" by a couple inches over the front a/c (and best of all stops much better).
As you can see, not a lot of dollars just to raise the trailer, and an '06 probably needs new springs, though it does take some time and a few tools that not all DIYers have, but even those tools wouldn't break the bank if you needed to buy a few.
I would NOT add longer hangers or shacles - that could induce tail wag and dangerous handling
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Metal Supermarket! That's the competition!!! I am a Plant Manager of a company that distributes metal just like Metal Super. So some aluminum stock will not be a problem for me. Little confused & can't picture the part of where you added a center bolt & relief for the other side.
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09-12-2019, 06:45 AM
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#25
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 4,985
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Just be aware that raising the trailer center of gravity by 2-3" may affect the handling. I tried that once with a flatbed trailer and it was unstable when loaded.
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09-12-2019, 07:08 AM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 392
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PulNSerenity
The newer (4th & 5th gen.) Ram 2500's have a 5 link coil system. So no shackle adjustments. A guy on another forum said he was getting custom coils made that were shorter. I am not really wanting to mess around with the trucks suspension. Besides he was stating it was going to be upwards to $ 3,000. Maybe if my truck was new & I knew I was going to be pulling this 5er for many years to come.
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Look up a bit. I got a quote for custom lowered springs(2” rear 1” front). Total would be about $1000 plus 2-4 hours labor if you can’t DIY.
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09-12-2019, 03:14 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 3,722
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PulNSerenity
Metal Supermarket! That's the competition!!! I am a Plant Manager of a company that distributes metal just like Metal Super. So some aluminum stock will not be a problem for me. Little confused & can't picture the part of where you added a center bolt & relief for the other side.
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I guess I can't send you to Metal Supermarket tho in my area, about the only show in town for misc. and odd pieces of metals.
OK, that spacer. Think of a conventional leaf spring. It has a bolt through the center of all the leaves to hold them together. The spacer has to replicate another leaf but 1" thick. The existing center bolt needs a recess to set in to fit tightly. The added bolt on the opposite side needs to fit in the spring plate to prevent the axle from moving forward or back. I tapped the apprpriate size hole and used a 3/8"x1/2" long socket head with Lock-Tite.
An alternate way would be to just buy longer center bolts and bolt everything as a unit but I wanted the flexibility to remove it easily if it didn't work out.
And like I said above, the handling on our 5er was much improved with the added height as 2-3 inches wasn't noticeable nor IMO, in most other towables.Other folks .... if they haven't done it ....
__________________
Dave W
2011 Ford F250 6.7 Lariat CCLB, Gone but not forgotten
2014 Montana High Country 343RL (sold it!)
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09-13-2019, 06:21 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 357
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IC2
I guess I can't send you to Metal Supermarket tho in my area, about the only show in town for misc. and odd pieces of metals.
OK, that spacer. Think of a conventional leaf spring. It has a bolt through the center of all the leaves to hold them together. The spacer has to replicate another leaf but 1" thick. The existing center bolt needs a recess to set in to fit tightly. The added bolt on the opposite side needs to fit in the spring plate to prevent the axle from moving forward or back. I tapped the apprpriate size hole and used a 3/8"x1/2" long socket head with Lock-Tite.
An alternate way would be to just buy longer center bolts and bolt everything as a unit but I wanted the flexibility to remove it easily if it didn't work out.
And like I said above, the handling on our 5er was much improved with the added height as 2-3 inches wasn't noticeable nor IMO, in most other towables.Other folks .... if they haven't done it ....
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That is kind of where I thought you were going with it but wanted to make sure. I may try this on the off season. Thanks for the help.
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