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Topic ClosedAxle Riser/Lift Kit

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Kahonu37 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Axle Riser/Lift Kit
    Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 5:37am
I believe that the 2017 on up on the east coast, all have 15” tires. The Hood River’s have 15” off road tires.

I have not yet inquired with Forrest River, but I would like to find out what they did to increase the height. Spacer, rotate axel, thicker frame?
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Jeepinator View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 6:51am
Our is a model year 2017 manufactured in 2016 and we have 14’s.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 7:08am
Originally posted by Kahonu37

I believe that the 2017 on up on the east coast, all have 15” tires. The Hood River’s have 15” off road tires.

I have not yet inquired with Forrest River, but I would like to find out what they did to increase the height. Spacer, rotate axel, thicker frame?

GlueGuy mentioned them re-clocking the torsion arm.
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crankster78 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 5:26pm
Greetings:
I've owned a 171 and now a 179 that I bought in 2015.  I have around 10,000 miles on this one and have had a lift kits under them from day one.  I have had 0 problems with the frame and have traveled down many a bumpy 2 lane road, plus gravel.  I often travel with a full tank of fresh water.  I just don't see how installing the factory lift kit would add stress to the frame.  I have seen some other makes of TT's that have a much lighter frame than the pods.

Crankster78
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 5:43pm
+1 - 2015 178 - lift kit added at factory - no frame or axle issues. I do not travel with a full FW tank. The tank on a 178 is at rear of trailer.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2019 at 7:40pm
Originally posted by crankster78

Greetings:
I've owned a 171 and now a 179 that I bought in 2015.  I have around 10,000 miles on this one and have had a lift kits under them from day one.  I have had 0 problems with the frame and have traveled down many a bumpy 2 lane road, plus gravel.  I often travel with a full tank of fresh water.  I just don't see how installing the factory lift kit would add stress to the frame.  I have seen some other makes of TT's that have a much lighter frame than the pods.
Crankster78


Here’s how to visualize how the lift kit increases the frame load. Look at the trailer from the drivers side. When you hit a bump the torsion axle twists counterclockwise and tries to bend the frame counterclockwise, pushing the frame up behind the axle and down in front of the axle. Now suppose that bump is a curb which you hit head on. That pushes the wheel and axle backward so also twists the frame counterclockwise. Now suppose you have a really tall lift kit, say 4 feet tall, (just to make the point), and then hit that curb. The torque getting applied to the frame is now much larger because of the 4 foot longer lever arm, so the frame twists even more clockwise.   At some as the lift kit gets taller you will reach a point where the stress on the frame will bend it. It’s basically an example of Archimedes’ saying ‘give me a lever long enough and I can move the Earth”. Whether you will see that in real life depends on how you load the trailer and what you are unlucky enough to hit.
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crankster78 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 7:47am
Greetings:
Why would Forest River sell lift kits if this was any sort of a problem?  

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Nov 2019 at 9:28am
Originally posted by crankster78

Greetings:
Why would Forest River sell lift kits if this was any sort of a problem?  

Crankster78

Well, if GlueGuy is correct, their not anymore. Well, at least not factory installed..

The issue is frame wall thickness. This picture shows where the stress occurs and happens to be where my fracture occured. By just adding the same size lift kit really doesn't help a existing issue. 

As a few of us determined we have 12gauge or .10 steel thickness. According to the dealer during repairs, I may actually have 14gauge steel or .075.. Either way fairly light gauge for what it's meant to do. 

OffGrid has a plan, as do I as how we'll lift our trailers. Differences are basically height and maybe thickness (thinking weight). I will probably match his length of tube. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 2019 at 10:50am
Greetings:
Both of my pods had and have 14 inch wheels.  The newer pods come with 15's and they are set higher so I don't think that a lift kit is needed any longer.

Crankster78
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