Back end scraping on 2020 377FL Montana High Country

[Patrickdoran]

Due to the design of the 377FL, the back end is closer to the ground than the rest of the camper. The backend scapes when I pull into and out of my driveway. I was thinking of installing a sacrificial steel plate on the rear of the camper. Modifying my driveway would be a real pain since it is paved. Anyone have any other ideas?

[Ram Montana High Country]

depending on how bad the drag is - think about laying down some 2x12 lumber to raise the trailer going in or out of driveway. Saw someone else had to do that to keep the nose off of the bed rails. Is the rig running level? If the nose is high when hooked to TV you might investigate getting it level.

[Oldharley]

weld some steel rollers on the back so if it scrapes the wheels hit before the 5th wheel. draw a line from the rear wheel to the bumper just make sure the rollers are lower than that line.

[DmaxDually]

I have a 2012 3750FL and I had the same problem. The ground in front of the storage unit where I keep the RV has a steep angle. I didn't even know I was scraping the bottom of the RV pulling in and out until one day I noticed gouges in the asphalt in front of my storage unit. I looked at the bottom of my camper and found that the support bars on the bottom of the receiver tubes, on the hitch that was installed by the previous owner, were gouging the ground. I am lucky the hitch was there to take the hit other wise I could have done a lot of damage to my rear cap and ladder.
I immediately had skid wheels welded to the bottom of the hitch assy. on both ends. The back of the RV now only clears the ground by an inch or two when the skid wheels make contact.
Here's a link to etrailer. They have good info and videos on skid wheels. Click the tabs at the top for product pictures, videos and FAQ's.

https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=skid+wheels
Check Amazon for the prices.

[kingdaddy]

Same problem on my 3580RL...found some very heavy duty bolt on roller wheels at my local RV store.
I can take some pics if you want to see them. Very happy with them and they don't hang down too far...

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by kingdaddy

Same problem on my 3580RL...found some very heavy duty bolt on roller wheels at my local RV store.
I can take some pics if you want to see them. Very happy with them and they don't hang down too far...

I wished I would have done something like that ,I had the Steadyfast wing nut on the rear drag twice ,and broke off the bolt both times, lost it the first time, realized what happened the second time Had to replace it. Finally modified it so there was no wing nut ,and bolt hanging down when traveling . Of course after that never got in a spot where it dragged again

[Montana Man]

I put 1 1/2" blocks on the axles. That raised the rear 2 1/2". Doesn't sound like much but it leveled the trailer and hasn't dragged yet.

[Patrickdoran]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will install the skid wheels.

[kingdaddy]

Originally Posted by Patrickdoran

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will install the skid wheels.

I will post up a few pics of mine in the next couple of days or so...thought I already had some, but can't find them.

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by Montana Man

I put 1 1/2" blocks on the axles. That raised the rear 2 1/2". Doesn't sound like much but it leveled the trailer and hasn't dragged yet.

I was going to do a lift however since most of the newer Montanas are 13'5" I do not want to exceed 13'6" that can be a game changer with routing and low bridges.

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by Patrickdoran

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will install the skid wheels.

I have the same problem looked in to wheels however all the wheels had many reviews where the wheels broke and do not hold up to regular use. This is very understandable. Adding wheels will mean you will have a longer impact zone as they will reduce your clearance by a couple inches. For me I have about a 1' scrape and the receiver seems to easily handle the scraping. I would be more incline to have a actual skid welded to each end of the receiver and let it scrape.

[Texan]

Originally Posted by lightsout

I was going to do a lift however since most of the newer Montanas are 13'5" I do not want to exceed 13'6" that can be a game changer with routing and low bridges.

Raising the rv at the axles does not raise the total height of the rv. When Mor-Ryde installed my I.S. they raised the rv at the wheels about 3 inches to level the rv with the truck. What you are doing is you are pivoting the rv up at the axles but not actually raising the rv in the front where your front air is most likely the highest point of your rv. My rv was 13.5'' before and after the I.S. install. It doesn't matter if you are installing the I.S. or or any other type of suspension as you are raising the rear and not the front and the rear is several inches lower than the front already. Using your rear jacks if you have 6 pt. leveling you can measure the height of the front at the start then raise the rear 3'' using just the rear jacks then measure the front and rear and you should find you have not increased the front height yet the rear will have increased but should still be below the 13.6 maximum height required by law.

[MidMOTraveler]

Like Texan I thought I was level , then had IS added and raised 2” at the rear. Didn’t change the front at all.

[DmaxDually]

Originally Posted by lightsout

I have the same problem looked in to wheels however all the wheels had many reviews where the wheels broke and do not hold up to regular use. This is very understandable. Adding wheels will mean you will have a longer impact zone as they will reduce your clearance by a couple inches. For me I have about a 1' scrape and the receiver seems to easily handle the scraping. I would be more incline to have a actual skid welded to each end of the receiver and let it scrape.

I read those reviews too when I started researching skid wheels for my RV.. I had the same thought as you, that they don't work and they all break. But I kept doing research on them and I learned a few things about them like, their intended purpose, different types, installations, etc.

They make different skid wheel for different RV types and applications. You have to pick the correct wheels for your situation. The purpose of the skid wheels is to give you the minimum amount of clearance so the lowest part of the RV doesn't contact the ground, scrape. There is no rule that it has to clear by a certain amount. You don't need to clear by 5 to 10 inches. As long as the RV does not scrape, you are good. The majority of us are in the more is better camp. With skid wheels the smallest wheel needed too clear is best.

What I have found out by doing my research is a lot, NOT ALL, of skid wheel failures happened because the RV owner installed the wrong skid wheel for their application.They want a lot of ground clearance so they install a wheel that is too big/tall or they install a swivel wheel that didn't swivel and it broke.

You want to keep, if not all, the majority of the weight of your RV on your axles. Skid wheels are not designed for supporting or lifting the weight of your RV. You want them to support as little weight as possible to clear. If possible you just want the skid wheels to use your suspension travel to clear while keeping the weight on the axles. This is usually not a problem with travel trailers and 5th wheels. The problem comes with class A's and especially diesel pushers. They put too much weight on the skid wheels and they brake.

Different skid wheels are designed for different applications and weight ratings. None of them are designed to carry the weight of your RV. From what I have seen a lot of the failures happen because people want or think they need a lot of ground clearance for any situation. They install big skid wheels so they can clear anything. But what happens is the skid wheels are too tall and once the suspension travel is taken up it starts to lift the RV and the weight is taken off the axles and transferred to the skid wheels and at a certain point the skid wheels fail.

Look at the pictures, I posted, of the skid wheels I installed in my RV. They are the Ultra-Fab Steel Jumbo Roller for Trailers and RVs - Weld On - 2-1/2" Wide x 3" Tall, non swivel. That is all I needed to clear the ground when backing into my storage unit.
The skid wheel just needs to be the lowest point, the bottom of my hitch only clears the ground by about an inch and my spare tire is even closer, 3/4" to 1/2". The important thing is that is clears and does not scrape anymore. My wheels have been on my RV for over 6 years and never failed. They still work perfectly and have no damage at all. Just normal wear on the rollers.

To use a phrase from the first Fast and Furious movie, with a little modification..
"It doesn't matter of you clear by a 1/2" or by a foot. Clearing is clearing".

[Camp CA]

Originally Posted by Patrickdoran

..............I was thinking of installing a sacrificial steel plate on the rear of the camper. Modifying my driveway would be a real pain since it is paved. Anyone have any other ideas?

Ditto Oldharley, DmaxDually and kingdaddy..............No need to install a sacrificial steel plate and YES...........install rollers as suggested. $138 from etrailer Simply weld brackets to the frame then bolt the skid wheels on. Had to do this for my tandem trailer ski boat trailer to get it up and down my sloped driveway without scraping (with a competitive product supplied by my trailer manufacturer). In use for 19 years without maintenance.


https://www.etrailer.com/Skid-Wheels...AaAiyqEALw_wcB

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by Texan

Raising the rv at the axles does not raise the total height of the rv. When Mor-Ryde installed my I.S. they raised the rv at the wheels about 3 inches to level the rv with the truck. What you are doing is you are pivoting the rv up at the axles but not actually raising the rv in the front where your front air is most likely the highest point of your rv. My rv was 13.5'' before and after the I.S. install. It doesn't matter if you are installing the I.S. or or any other type of suspension as you are raising the rear and not the front and the rear is several inches lower than the front already. Using your rear jacks if you have 6 pt. leveling you can measure the height of the front at the start then raise the rear 3'' using just the rear jacks then measure the front and rear and you should find you have not increased the front height yet the rear will have increased but should still be below the 13.6 maximum height required by law.

Laws of physics suggest otherwise. Unless the AC is over the kingpin you are correct if the AC (highest Point of the RV) is set back it to also raises while not linear withe the rear it still raises.

[Bob P]

We have the same problem on our 2016 375 FL and the only place I scrape is on the bumper area where I store the sewer hose. I am not sure if that bumper area is strong enough to hold the wheels and have the wheels work like they are supposed to. Any suggestions would be great, thanks. After looking a little closer to the bumper it is welded to the frame of the 5th wheel.

[boisesmith]

Bob P. You don't attach the skid wheels to the bumper. Attach them to the frame. Have plates welded on and bolt the wheels to the plate. The instructions from the manufacturer will show you how to place them. They are thus lower than the bumper and first to contact the ground.

[Camp CA]

Ditto Boisesmith!!

[Nmorris]

What did you end up doing, I have the same issues, actually breaks off my fresh water tank shut off every time.