Towing with a lifted truck - Montana Owners Club

Slow Hand · 07-16-2019, 07:46 AM

I dont want this thread to bash anyone I just want to know how many think its ok to put the axles on the bottom of the springs to lift the trailer? i saw a guy on a truck site with a 6" lift and he took the axles on his 5th wheel and put them on the bottom of the springs to lift the trailer. he thinks it's safe. I wonder how that changed the center of gravity and how safe that is.
I am not in that camp and not planing to do this to my 5er

Ram Montana High Country · 07-16-2019, 08:03 AM

not me - … - trusting in fate too much

RoadRunnerTR21 · 07-16-2019, 08:04 AM

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

mlh · 07-16-2019, 08:19 AM

I would have no problem lifting the trailer like he did. My problem is with the truck. His drive shaft isn’t lined up straight. If you like vibration especially starting out this is an excellent way to get it. And it weakens the U joints.
Lynwood

jsb5717 · 07-16-2019, 08:25 AM

Reversing the axles as you described is how it used to be done. I used to see it quite often on older rigs. That's how you gained lift, especially on 5ers that were historically built with low ground clearance and low pin height.

I don't know if was problematic. I do know it was common practice.

**Carl n Susan** · 07-16-2019, 09:18 AM

Montanas are built with the axle on top of the springs. If you need to go higher then you need blocks between the axles and springs which brings up other issues.

rohrmann · 07-16-2019, 09:57 AM

Not sure if that is right, or at least not on ours.

Sdgood1 · 07-16-2019, 10:56 AM

We have 10's of thousands of miles with the axles turned on our 25' salem. We did notice it put a LOT of added stress on the frame. We had to beef that up. We also double towed with that same trailer. It's GVWR is under 10K, and I believe that makes a difference. I wouldn't do this to my Montana, but that is how we were able to drag it off road without hitting the truck bed! This question is kind of like the double towing question, some would some wouldn't. IMHO Like Rohrmann said, already done on our monty!!

MidMOTraveler · 07-16-2019, 01:59 PM

Yea but isn’t that gonna lift the whole camper, We’re 13’5” now!

jsb5717 · 07-16-2019, 02:47 PM

Yes, it will lift the whole rig about 3". I think you would need a very compelling reason for reversing axles. Best left alone on the newer, heavier rigs, IMHO

Sdgood1 · 07-16-2019, 05:47 PM

I believe that most if not all of montanas are already on the bottom of the spring stack, so NO turning the axles!! But on some of the others the axle is on top of the spring stack. On my salem, we gained over 5" . The axle plus the thickness of the spring stack! It was a low profile 5er, so the 5" was no big deal. As I said, I did have to reinforce the frame above the spring mounts.

Scootsk · 07-24-2019, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carl n susan

Montanas are built with the axle on top of the springs. If you need to go higher then you need blocks between the axles and springs which brings up other issues.

If the axle is on top of the springs and you place a block between them it will lower the trailer. The block only works to lift the trailer if the spring is on top of the axle

StageCoachDriver · 07-24-2019, 02:18 PM

I did that with a 16' TT I had a few years ago. Didn't do it to match my truck, but to get some ground clearance. Raising the height of a Montana will reduce the number of overpasses one could travel under. My Monty is 13'5", reversing the axles would push it up to 13'9' or 13'10'. Still legal, but could be a problem on some US and state hwys, especially on the east coast.

RichardD · 07-24-2019, 02:31 PM

If your unit has the springs attached at the bottom of the axels and you want to attach them to the top, you will need to have new spring mounts welded to the bottom of the axles. If you just flip your axles over without doing this your axles will now have negative camber and will cause very poor handling and significant tire wear... FYI!

Carguy1965 · 07-24-2019, 06:48 PM

I know none of us is likely towing our rig around the track at Indianapolis or anyplace like that. But just a little food for thought anything you lift you also
raise the center of gravity. Make it a bit more top heavy. High winds, going around tight curves in the mountains etc, your rig would be a bit more tipsy that way..

Slufoot733 · 07-28-2019, 07:08 PM

My 3121RL is 13'4" already. No way could it be raised the height of the axle and still clear some bridges.

rohrmann · 07-28-2019, 10:02 PM

Usually, the highest point on these rigs is the top of the front A/C and if the rig is lifted two or three inches at the axles, likely the most the front will go up would be maybe 1/2". The rig will pivot up the back end the most, so that will maintain the original height.

Theunz · 07-29-2019, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rohrmann

Usually, the highest point on these rigs is the top of the front A/C and if the rig is lifted two or three inches at the axles, likely the most the front will go up would be maybe 1/2". The rig will pivot up the back end the most, so that will maintain the original height.

While that might be true with a single axle trailer, a dual axle trailer will give a more uniform lift. Besides that the main reason to lift a trailer is to make it tow level on a lifted truck, therefore any pivot effect would be negated by the increased height of the tow vechicle.

You may also like: