Ground Clearance

So- Just wondering about things to worry about before I take delivery on my 2201TL. Hows the ground clearance? If you are heading down national forest roads- particularly the bad ones- how often is this a problem? On another sight I saw someone posting about "flipping axles" to get higher ground clearance. Mine has 13in tires and I already saw the posts about not being able to put larger wheels on..............so I'm just wondering. "Flipping axles" ? Does this work? Does this matter?

thanks

Rick

hilltool said:

So- Just wondering about things to worry about before I take delivery on my 2201TL. Hows the ground clearance? If you are heading down national forest roads- particularly the bad ones- how often is this a problem? On another sight I saw someone posting about "flipping axles" to get higher ground clearance. Mine has 13in tires and I already saw the posts about not being able to put larger wheels on..............so I'm just wondering. "Flipping axles" ? Does this work? Does this matter?

thanks

Rick

Click to expand...

The axles are torsion bar style ( no leaf springs).When they talk about flipping axles, that's when you move the axle to the bottom of the leafspring to gain height.So you can't do this on your hi-lo.
I would take delivery on your 2201TL, there is an option to get more ride height if you need it.You would have to take the trailer to a welding shop, remove the axles from the frame and weld in an extra piece of frame on to the hi-lo frame,then weld the axle brackets onto the new frame to get the height.These trailers are not designed to go 4 wheeling like this: thegallboys.com

WOW- LOL. Those gallboys look like an overtestosteronized "Flomax commercial" to me! Nice solar panels, though.

Truthfully, that is a bit more than I was worried about. Still, I was in the Big Horns of Wyoming last year and some of the national forest roads were a bit bumpy- so I was wondering what peoples experiences were who like to get out and away. Some of the tts and 5th wheels you see parked down near the trail heads of , say, the horse camping trail sites seem to have pretty favorable ground clearance. Up here in the upper midwest the gravel roads are pretty well graded most of the time----- so it should not be a problem. But the suggestion is an interesting one and certainly do-able if I decide it is an issue.

I certainly plan on taking delivery----just thinking about things until I actually get out and use the trailer.

Thanks

If the trailer is like mine was, the ground clearance is pretty minimal. Back roads could be a problem, and I worried about that since we like Forest Service campgrounds too.

I had the axle lowered 1 1/2 inches at a local welding shop which of course improved the clearance to things like the water tanks. Then, I was able to install larger tires that raised the axle by 1/2 inch. I still won't take this on a 4-wheel drive road, but it is fine on an "unimproved" road. You just have to drive fairly slowly and choose where you put the wheels.

- Jack

I plan on flipping my axles (1990, still has springs) and I was even thinking about changing the equalizer between the spring to give it just a bit more lift. My '90 is just a little too low slung for my taste, but I also don't see much need for it to look like a 4x4 either. Just want to get it up off the ground a bit is all.

It's a 22' and I have a 2WD TV, so if I can't make it with that, I probably don't need to be there anyway.

***A 4x4 usually only allows you to get stuck twice as far down the road***

Wish I had springs to flip under but I don't. I will just hope for the best and be careful. If it comes to it- I'll have to go the welding route- but I will try it for a season and see how it goes. I've been camping out of a VW Passat wagon the last couple of years and nothing gets much lower than that.

rick

Raising the HI Lo

Hilltool,I like your game plan. Use the HiLo for one season and see if it is a must for you to do. Also consider the cost versus real need.

hilltool said:

Wish I had springs to flip under but I don't. I will just hope for the best and be careful. If it comes to it- I'll have to go the welding route- but I will try it for a season and see how it goes. I've been camping out of a VW Passat wagon the last couple of years and nothing gets much lower than that.

rick

Click to expand...

sam said:

Hilltool,I like your game plan. Use the HiLo for one season and see if it is a must for you to do. Also consider the cost versus real need.

Click to expand...

I like that approach also, and you should be careful towing anyway... but I bet you are going to go a bunch of places you didn't with the VW...

Mine will only cost me time... and it won't be a "huge" lift but any little bit helps...

Just remember that flipping the axles over changes the built in Camber angle from positive to negative. Highway driving will wear the tires out prematurely on the inside. Look at the axles and you will see that there is a upward bow in them, flipping over puts the bow at the bottom. A better solution is to have new spring pads welded on the top of the axle.
I traveled some pretty nasty roads (trails) with are 95 and didn't have a problem, but you have to pick your driving track, you can't just go barreling thru. I would not have wanted a trailer longer that 21-22 ft. or there would have been problems.

Once again I agree with PopRichie. I have taken my '95 21' on some interesting roads (Photos on this forum somewhere) and as he said you need to be careful the wheels don't slip into the ruts or snag the pipes but it can be done.

So can I change the equalizer between the 2 springs and maybe have some added to the spring mounts would that work? I know where I am going and I have already drug the rear bumper on some turn ins... If it's already a kinda "issue" what will it be like on a "weak" maintained road?...

I just would feel better with an inch or 2... I just don't like the "low-rider" look of the FunChaser 229L.

Here is what Dave L, my wife's cousin, did with his 24' Towlite. It came out looking really nice. Scroll down in the thread for his solution: http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f26/jacked-up-hilo-241/#post1602