Buzz

It looks like it's going to be up to me to get my 5er to ride level with my truck. Keystone said they make a lift kit for it but my RV dealer says Keystone told them just the opposite. My dealer said Keystone told them they don't sell a lift kit nor do they recommend installing one. I have 3,000 miles on the RV and wore out the inside of one rear tires already. At this rate I can't afford to keep tires on it!

I was thinking about putting some 2x4 inch rectangular pieces of heavy wall tubing between the axle and the leaf springs along with longer u-bolts of course. . My Rv now sits 4" higher in the front when hitched up to the truck. Hopefully that will level it with the truck and evenly distribute the weight. If you were to follow me going down the road, you can clearly see that my rear tires are tilted inward at the top...overloaded.

I guess my question is; can I safely lift the RV as discribed? My Rv came from the dealer with the springs on top of the axles already.Thanks for your input.

DPG

There are people on this site that have added 4" sections of frame above the spring shakles, hopefully some of them will chime in here. This topic has been addressed on earlier threads. Try doing a search using "raising trailer," or "flipping axles." Adding anything between the axles and springs doesn't sound like it would be too stable. I think that adding some spacing between the frame and the spring shackles is a better way to go. JMHO.

Hope that this helps!

DeWain

Edit: I did a search using "flipping axles" and got 15 hits (including this thread!) That should keep you in reading material for a while

kcbarnes

I don't know if keystone uses leland frames or not but they offer an adjustable jake plate that might work. Go to http://www.lelandengineering.com/jake.htm
I had K-Z install a pair on my durango fiver so I can be level behind my 3500 drw 4x4.

SuperGewl

Buzz, is your Sprinter the one with the rea kitchen
The other question is where is your Potable water tank located
If it is forward, do you fill it with water to help add weight to the bed of the truck??

Does your truck go down about 2-3 inches when you load the 5VR? If it would help add a aux fuel tank to the bed and keep it full, that will help get the rear down

Buzz

I have the rear kitchen and generally keep the fresh water tank about 1/2 full. The tank is just in front of the axle. I do plan to get a 70 gal fuel tank in the bed next month. Obviously the truck will get lighter as I drive....DUH!! My truck goes down a few inches when loaded. But not enough to make her level. Heck, I'd need a 100 gal. water tank..or two...then maybe she'd level out. 4x4's. Upside: Looks good, great resale, all terrain. Downside: Not ideal for towing.

Scotty

I had a 5th wheel that we lifted a full 6 inches...took the running gear out and built the frame up with 2 x 6" tube steel...ran crossmembers of 1 x 1" tube at the front and the back of the running gear from the added frame to the stock frame.
Welded the running gear back in place on the 2x6 tube steel.

Never had a problem. Solved my clearance issues going over slight rises like curbs into parking lots or not so level campgrounds.
Never had unusual wear on the tires after that either.
Pulled much better and was not top heavy as I thought it might be with that lift.

It cost me $1200.00 to get a shop to do it. I did not have the facilities to get the running gear out from under the trailer at my shop...or the roof clearance to get it out after.

Buzz

That's pretty much what I'm going to do. Camping World said they'd lift it 4" for $600.00. I thought it was a fair price. I have an appointment for this Friday. We'll see how it plays out.

Scotty

$600 USD is about 800 Canuck. Thats a good deal.
Make sure they reinforce with some crossmembers. My original quote did not include that...I paid an extra 200.00 for them to do this. I just felt that one hard turn and all that frame height and only 2" wide stacked could ...possibly, maybe make the frame 'fall over'.

Buzz

...thanks for the tip.

Grunt

Doing the labor myself I kept the cost down. I added a 6" subframe (cost @ $25) when the trailer was new in 93....did a spring over in 98 when I got my Dodge (cost @$30 for new spring perch's) This year to add more height (Bought a 3 gen) I replaced the 3 leaf springs with 5 leaf (cost @ $90 plus $40 for new u-bolts gained @ 1 3/4") I strongly considered longer spring hangers and equalizer bar (the bar the springs hang on between the front/rear) and going to bigger tires.

Grunt

One of the two springs that broke on my 5th wheel , and the main reason I went to 5 leaf

Equalizer 2

If you have Dexter axles they sell an Over/Under Conversion kit at about $50 per axle including shipping. Just did mine in June/July. Need to do a little welding to keep the new spring perches from moving. The kits included everything needed. Took about a day to complete. You will need jackstands as you must remove the axles to swap them around. I did mine in my gravel driveway.

Buzz

I had Camping World do the lift job. By the time it was all done and said, it cost me $700.00. The 5er now sits level. I hope this cures my tire wear problem.