Anyone ever tried lowering a trailer? - Page 2

Olbucko · 01-10-2014, 07:14 PM

With all the time and money you are going to have to spend you would be better off going out and buying a new trailer and selling the old one to somebody with a truck!

xtremerus · 01-10-2014, 07:42 PM

You could replace the drawbar and make a goose-neck one, with 150mm drop.
Haven't got a photo, but that's what mine has.

nstg8a · 01-10-2014, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olbucko

With all the time and money you are going to have to spend you would be better off going out and buying a new trailer and selling the old one to somebody with a truck!

Trailer mob near work quoted me $600 to build me a ute tub trailer, if I supplied the tub. Il price up what this one will cost to get it to what I want and work out which way to go I think.

Gypzy · 01-10-2014, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olbucko

With all the time and money you are going to have to spend you would be better off going out and buying a new trailer and selling the old one to somebody with a truck!

A canopy on the trailer should weigh it down sufficiently to suit the vehicle! Just a thought!

nstg8a · 01-10-2014, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gypzy

A canopy on the trailer should weigh it down sufficiently to suit the vehicle! Just a thought!

Lol, what does a canopy weigh?

**MR REKLAW** · 01-10-2014, 09:24 PM

Could also fit a different tow ball tong, something that brings the ball up higher, with out compromising its loud capacity.Cheers Geoff.

Gypzy · 01-10-2014, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Trailer mob near work quoted me $600 to build me a ute tub trailer, if I supplied the tub. Il price up what this one will cost to get it to what I want and work out which way to go I think.

At a guess, 150kg for an ABS canopy. Got an FG tub lying around in the other back paddock too, in Nitro blue i think they call it. I put a tray on the FG, instead of borrowing Dads trailer all the time.

GREGL · 01-10-2014, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Trailer mob near work quoted me $600 to build me a ute tub trailer, if I supplied the tub. Il price up what this one will cost to get it to what I want and work out which way to go I think.

Have just been through the same dramas. Trailer 150 mm to high, first step new hitch , managed to gain 50mm , from there I researched tyre profiles, might gain an inch there for a $500 outlay, I then had a brainwave lovells lowerering blocks $ 120 a pair which would have got me close considering the clearances involved. In the end I just bought another vehicle to tow it,
I was borderline with towball download anyway so it was more peace of mind for me. Someone mentioned reversing the hitch to the underside of the drawbar, a big no to that one legally I think you will find

naddis01 · 01-10-2014, 09:55 PM

When I had a ute tub trailer I had a tow ball with a tall base. It was probably about 50mm taller than a standard ball. If you were nearby you could have it.

So if you got one of them and changed the hitch to the bottom of the draw bar you would gain around 125mm with very little cost. No buying a new drop axle or springs.

Just be careful if you lower the tub itself too much as you can take the front corner out when you go through a gutter into a driveway or something.

nstg8a · 01-10-2014, 10:08 PM

Yeah I think I'm gonna grab one of the adjustable tow hitches, for a little over $100 it at least gets it usable until I decide if I modify this one, or just get a new frame built to my specs.

towtaltowing · 01-10-2014, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Lol, what does a canopy weigh?

theres no way there 150kg there like 50 to 70 at the most ..

nstg8a · 01-10-2014, 10:23 PM

Next time one comes through work il try and remember to chuck it on the scales

mechanic · 02-10-2014, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ply-boi

theres no way there 150kg there like 50 to 70 at the most ..

I've just put a canopy on and off my BF ute TWICE and although I didn't weigh it I'd go along with the 50 - 70 kgs. Mine has a support frame inside for the roof rack and may be a bit more.

**supershifty** · 02-10-2014, 05:08 AM

As suggested lowering blocks and longer "u" bolts might be the easiest and most convenient option - dunno if it's legal though. Definitely not legal on a car/ute.

Seems your trailer is rather heavy duty with having air shocks on it, like you said - way over engineered. Can you do away with the air shocks at all or fit just standard shocks? or better still do away with shocks at all? Does it have it's own braking system?

As said before, non braking system reduces your tow capacity to around 750kg - do you need it?

Cheers!

Edit: I've got a 1 tonne ute and I've had the front tyres swimming at times, we all fracture the rules every now and then!

XR Martin · 03-12-2014, 08:50 PM

How about trying something like this?

snowcone · 04-12-2014, 10:33 AM

Taller towballs tend to snap off.
Forget about fiddling with the trailer as there isn't much clearance underneath and just change your towbar tongue to a stepped up one.

Matty4 · 04-12-2014, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Random I know...

Basically I bought a trailer that sat a little higher than my car, which made the trailer sit on a bit of an angle when towing...

image

Obviously when it's fully loaded it would sit a bit lower, but I'm doubting it would sit level even then.
Now I've compounded the issue by lowering the car... So I figure I need to lower the trailer to match.
But this pic shows the difference now with the trailer sitting level.
image
As you can see, the trailer needs to come down a fair way lol

Trailer has leaf springs and air shocks, as far as I can tell there's no air in the shocks.
I was thinking either flipping, or removing a spring, or finding some sort of lowering block? Any issues with either (or both) of these options?

How are you going to fit an adjustable height hitch when it looks like you only have a 1600kg rated flat tongue towbar?
You'll need a whole new towbar with a 50mm box opening to fit that hitch into.

mik · 04-12-2014, 10:16 PM

caravan drop axle anyone ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TRAILER-D...item27cbcf1f5e

nstg8a · 05-12-2014, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matty4

How are you going to fit an adjustable height hitch when it looks like you only have a 1600kg rated flat tongue towbar?
You'll need a whole new towbar with a 50mm box opening to fit that hitch into.

Towbar is a 40mm removable hitch, same design as Haymen Reece style 50mm ones.

But your right, the adjustable height one I bought didn't fit. But I did find a 40mm one on eBay that gave a 100mm drop or 70mm lift, depending which way you use it,, so I bought that.
Made enough of a difference that it stopped it looking like the drawbar was dragging on the ground but still needs to be better.

But my fairlane copped it in the hail last week so I'm looking at my options now. May just replace it.

nstg8a · 05-12-2014, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mik

caravan drop axle anyone ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TRAILER-D...item27cbcf1f5e

This was one of the options I was considering.would get expensive reasonably quickly.

GCRXR6 · 05-12-2014, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

How about trying something like this?

image

WTF? NO WAY .... Sorry... That is sshhhhheeeesshh.

nstg8a · 05-12-2014, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

WTF? NO WAY .... Sorry... That is sshhhhheeeesshh.

Yeah you would hope that trailer has very good brakes.

hootar · 05-12-2014, 11:40 PM

The cheapest, best option IMO is to lower the coupling on ya draw bar on the trailer. Either weld the plate underneath or fit a RHS spacer and lower it a bit more if needed. A bit of plate and an hr with a grinder and welder tops and she will be at the right height. You could even buy a smaller basic coupling as it looks like there is no brakes fitted anyway.

my_gxl · 07-12-2014, 02:14 PM

The one I built was higher than yours, but I used the ute chassis and springs, just made a drawbar for it.

The guy that bought it wanted it for an off road trailer behind a 4WD, so it was perfect for him.

The Yeti · 07-12-2014, 03:49 PM

Pull a leaf or 3 out of each pack