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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2010 0:46:56 GMT -5
I've got this 26' travel trailer camper now. We've been having a good time with it. It does sit a little low. I can understand it makes it easier to get in and out of with only having 1 step. But at the campgrounds looking around I see about half the campers with about the same height as mine, and the other half are much taller. I'd like to have some more ground clearance, especially in the back since I've dragged it a couple times on uneven pavement. And the holding tank outlet is low and is only maybe 5" off the ground. So I'm worried about it catching on something and ripping off and it also makes it a pain to empty the holding tanks. Having it up higher would help it drain better. So I found these: dexteraxle.com/inc/sdetail/1099Looks easy enough, just line them up and tack the new perches in place. No realigning or putting a lot of heat to the axle when welding. So who's done an axle flip on a camper before? Am I going to regret the way it pulls and the extra height getting in and out? Leave it until I find it is a problem or break something, or prevent it now?
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Post by toynrnd on May 24, 2010 4:59:28 GMT -5
I put that kit on our popup in order to be able to load it on the big trailer. It was very easy. Things to check/things that might need adjusting are: Tongue jack length Brake wiring Steps Trailer hitch adjustability (if you have a weight distribution hitch)
Of course ours is only a popup that is 4' tall (when towed) and has a GVWR of around 3500 lbs.
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Post by onzrocks on May 24, 2010 5:47:54 GMT -5
I had a 25' TT that I did a SOA conversion on, about 7k GVW. I bought it used and ripped off the drain pipes backing it into my driveway the first night! I made my own brackets but it worked very well, no adverse issues that I know of, of course grab a few extra blocks for your stabilizing jacks. The most difficult part of the job is jacking up the trailer high enough to relocate the axles around the springs, but overall realtively easy job. Make sure to recheck your axle u-bolts after the first couple tows, I ended up losing a couple because I didn't check them!
Dave
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2010 10:56:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback. Was hoping it won't cause any kind of swaying or tracking issues when towing.
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Post by 87B2XLT on May 24, 2010 12:10:56 GMT -5
Dual axle, 26' long, and you'll gain maybe 6 inches to a foot? Shouldn't affect much as far as towability, especially if you have a weight distribution type hitch - other than maybe fuel economy with the extra drag from the height increase - which will be something to consider when you're putting it in and out of camp, etc. I think that it will probably be negligible in the overall big picture and you'll have that added comfort of knowing that you won't drag bottom unless you really hit some more severe angles and dangles. As long as the trailer is biased toward the tongue, you shouldn't see any problems.
Dave G
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Post by onzrocks on May 24, 2010 18:42:35 GMT -5
I did not use a weight distributing hitch and didn't have any towing issues w/ my super duty. I towed it to NY twice, Charlotte, Martinsville, Lake Gaston and Richmond a bunch of times, etc, etc. With a distributing hitch you can always add anti-sway control also.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2010 23:08:04 GMT -5
I do use a WDH; I don't need it with the airbags, but I like how it puts a little bit of the weight back on the front wheels. Helps with the steering a bit. Anyway, that Dexter kit worked out pretty well and I was glad to have the extra height. It towed nice and no more scraping and it makes dumping the poopies tank a lot easier. ;D It's how it should have been when it was made. I did find that the camper axles are the drop type and that's why it sat so darn low. I can only guess that someone special ordered it like that to pull with a smaller vehicle or an older couple so they didn't have but one step to get in. Have the axle tubes so low to the ground makes it look funny from underneath but oh well. I almost bought a new pair of straight axles but since I had all the parts and everything is in great shape I just did the spring over.
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Post by toynrnd on Aug 3, 2010 4:58:13 GMT -5
So where did you end up going camping?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2010 8:22:44 GMT -5
We spent 8 days in Newport, TN. Other than the heat the first part of the week it was a very good trip. We did whitewater rafting, ziplining, tubing, some touristy stuff in Gatlinburg, a lot of swimming. A group of us 7.3 Powerstroke owners started getting together there last year and this year it became a huge event with drag racing, a dyno, some tech, a big raffle, and a lot of wrenching at the KOA in Newport.
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Post by toynrnd on Aug 3, 2010 9:14:22 GMT -5
So... What was your best time, what did you dyno, what did you win, and what did you break?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2010 10:39:33 GMT -5
Rofl, this trip and event seriously wasn't too far off from what any 4wd trail ride would be. I broke the fan clutch on the way there, was running hot on the long grades and when I hit Afton Mtn I had to pull in the truck lane and slow way down. I made it to TN because it'd cool down after I crested on the grades so it was just speed up, slow down the whole way. It was an easy but expensive fix.
I broke nothing at the track, ran some 10.40s and 10.50s at about 68mph (this was an 1/8 mile track). Best was 10.48. Cheryl even got in to the action and raced another girl a few times down the track to the amusement of all there.
I didn't dyno because it was $80 to get on there, it was a mobile dyno brought in to the campground. I already know I'm not putting the power down these guys are making with the bigger injectors and turbos they have.
I won a bigger 1.0 A/R compressor housing and a high flow exhaust outlet at the raffle which should compliment the tuning I have nicely. The tuner was there and updated the live tuning tuning on my truck. I got 2 more mpg on the way home. Sweet! And I won some kind of super duper cleaning/polishing/waxing kit. I don't do much waxing or polishing, but maybe one day I'll get to it.
We had a journalist from Diesel Power magazine there again, he was there last year. I even got a pic of my truck in it last year, maybe he'll do the same again. I shared my beer with him when we got back to the campground.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2010 10:44:20 GMT -5
BTW, I highly recommend this location as a good family vacation spot. So much to do, you won't do it all in 2 weeks time even. We skipped Dollywood on this one, maybe next year. I didn't have it in me to do a theme park. Everything is within an hours drive, Newport is central to Knoxville, Pigeon Forge and Sieverville. We have pics somewhere, but were using a waterproof camera so we have to get them developed the old fashioned way. If anyone wants to see pics and video you can go here to see some old underpowered PSDs: photobucket.com/guestlogin?albumUrl=http://gs144.photobucket.com/groups/r175/PQ6FN0QEVG/Use RiffRaff as the password exactly as I spelled it. I did get a chance to whoop up on somebody slower than me:
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Post by LILREDCJ6 on Aug 3, 2010 13:34:27 GMT -5
So from drag racing mustang's to Diesel's. Nice one.
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Post by onzrocks on Aug 3, 2010 19:54:05 GMT -5
Sounds like a great trip - I need to get out to see Jody one of these days for a live tuning. Last time I dragged at OBX speedway, I ran a 10.16 @ 66mph w/ my 7.3, running in 4wd. Good times! I'd go over your camper axles and check all the fasteners, I lost a few u-bolts a few months after flipping the axles.
Keep an eye on the Diesel Power Challenge - fouth place finisher is a local boy w/ a 7.3.
Dave
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ROK JNKY
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Post by ROK JNKY on Jul 16, 2012 21:52:00 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback. Was hoping it won't cause any kind of swaying or tracking issues when towing. My experience is that everything levels out around 80 mph... ;-) Sent from my HTC Flyer using ProBoards
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