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Enclosed trailer lift

cervelorod

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2022
Member Number
5762
Messages
99
Loc
Near the sand dunes
My enclosed trailer needs a lift kit. It has SUA and about 6" of ground clearance. If I run my hitch level, it almost drags the ground. I thought about making new side plates and just lowering the mounting points for the spring mount points. The frame is a 2x6" rect tube and I should be able to plate all the way to the top of it, but I have a little concern about them racking(?) in being 2-3" longer than they are.

Youtube answer is to change the axle to SOA, weld on new base plates and bolt it up. That seems to give about 5" of lift. That seems like a lot, but maybe the easiest. Amazon has kits with the new bases, u-bolts, nuts, etc, so probably a 1 day job.

Anyone done this before, either way, and how did it work out?
 
I never did it to any of my trailers but several of my friends that camp in the sand when we go to the dunes have done SOA to run slightly larger (wider) tires on their trailers and I haven't heard any of them complain about any downsides. I'm sure they catch a little more wind on the highway but it seems to work for offroad.
 
I didn’t do it but my toyhauler is SOA from the factory and seems fine. It is nice not having wheel wells inside.
 
are your trailer axles straight or drop center style? I lifted 2 of my single axle campers, one was a straight axle and I went SPOA to gain the lift and the other was drop center axle so I just flipped it over but stayed SPUA.
 
350TacoZilla said:
are your trailer axles straight or drop center style? I lifted 2 of my single axle campers, one was a straight axle and I went SPOA to gain the lift and the other was drop center axle so I just flipped it over but stayed SPUA.
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They are straight axles. I didn’t think I wanted the 5” of lift going spoa, but for the amount of work, that’s what I am going to do. I’ve also decided to be stupid and raise the back half of the roof so my golf cart fits better. Gonna do that part first, pulled apart the trim yesterday and going to get steel today. I can order a kit to do SPOA, and that looks to be pretty strait forward.
 
cervelorod said:
They are straight axles. I didn’t think I wanted the 5” of lift going spoa, but for the amount of work, that’s what I am going to do. I’ve also decided to be stupid and raise the back half of the roof so my golf cart fits better. Gonna do that part first, pulled apart the trim yesterday and going to get steel today. I can order a kit to do SPOA, and that looks to be pretty strait forward.
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You can reduce the lift with drop shackles (assuming not slipper springs).

If you only want 1" of lift or something you can always go from straight equalizer to triangle.
 
I did a spring over on our 18' single axle camper so I could go with a higher load range tire on 15" wheel. It was an honest 5" lift and sat too high. The spring and shackles mounted quite low so I drilled the mounts 2" higher. About 4500 miles since and no apparent issues.
 
I just ordered equalizers(?) that are big triangles, and I can fab some longer shackles to get the 2” I’d like. I think the spoa will just be to much.
 
cervelorod said:
I just ordered equalizers(?) that are big triangles, and I can fab some longer shackles to get the 2” I’d like. I think the spoa will just be to much.
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Longer shackles will lower it

Also, whatever difference the equalizer height is will be cut in half since it's only one side of the spring.

I suspect you may end up going down the same path as ZSK. if you want 2"
 
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Maybe shackles is the wrong term. If I put taller equalizers and mounting points for the end of the springs it will lift the chassis. That is the current plan.
 
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