Ride height question. ( Any hot rod guys around here ? )

[Noob]

I noticed some guys ( mostly hot rod / car show car guys ) "run" their trailers lower.

How is this done ? I mean you can only go, until the axel touches the frame... right ? Then there is no sus. travel...

[Will Smith]

you can mount your axle over the springs instead of beneath the springs. Although the easy way is to use a torsion bar axle.

[doug hodder]

Noob...I did what Will suggests and I also have a 4" drop axle to boot, I'm running leaf springs...if that doesn't give you a "low enough" look, consider some side skirts...the floor won't be any lower, but it will have the look you want...other options...torsion axle or a lower profile tire and 14's not 15's if using a car tire...Doug

[SteveH]

An FYI about the tortion axel...mine was pretty low and I raised it because it looked sort of "funny" behind my Dodge pickup, and now that I've raised it, it rides a lot better. Must have something to do with the angle of the axle arms. It felt like a 3000 pound trailer before when it hit bumps.

[cracker39]

Steve, that could be because of the angle of the swing arm. When the chassis was riding lower, was the arm angled up? If it was, when it tried to rotate with the bumps it was probably moving somewhat laterally and not as much vertically, reducing the up and down travel of the chassis iteself. When it is level, or nearly so, to start with, it will move up and down and the trailer will have more vertical movement on the axle torsion unit absorbs the bumps better. In other words, the higher the angle of the arm, the less vertical travel it can have. If it could be moved to a 90 degree angle, there would be no vertical travel at all.

Disclaimer: The above statements are not based at all on scientific findings or mathmatical calculations, but rather, JMHO.

[emiller]

I also put 4" drop 3500# axle, and instead of building the body on top of the frame I built it over the sides of the frame and when you use the fiberglass fenders like mine you can put them pretty low, I had to raise my fenders abit because I would scape coming out my driveway. I like them low.

[SteveH]

Dale,

I agree with your assesment of the axel and ride thing...just was a little reluctant to state my "opinion" on the matter for fear of...well, you know.

[cracker39]

Steve,

My opinions are just that...opinsions, and are someimes way off base, but that doesn't mean the I'm afraid to state them...

[alaska teardrop]

Steve, that could be because of the angle of the swing arm. When the chassis was riding lower, was the arm angled up? If it was, when it tried to rotate with the bumps it was probably moving somewhat laterally and not as much vertically, reducing the up and down travel of the chassis iteself. When it is level, or nearly so, to start with, it will move up and down and the trailer will have more vertical movement on the axle torsion unit absorbs the bumps better. In other words, the higher the angle of the arm, the less vertical travel it can have. If it could be moved to a 90 degree angle, there would be no vertical travel at all.

Dale, Well said. Andrews post on 'Start Angles' gives all of the information. The 'H' is the vertical dimension change. "L" the horizontal change.

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=7214

Noob, As an example. You'd get about an 11"-12" no load ride height with a standard Dexter 22 1/2* up start angle using 14" tires. And 2.62" of vertical travel to full shock load. How low do you want to go? You could drop the frame in front and rear of the axle, say 6", and have a 5" ride height. Plus 6" of almost full storage under the floor. With the sides covering the frame, as Doug mentioned, you'd have a Low Rider Hot Rod.

Fred

[cracker39]

How low do you want to go? You could drop the frame in front and rear of the axle, say 6", and have a 5" ride height. Plus 6" of almost full storage under the floor. With the sides covering the frame, as Doug mentioned, you'd have a Low Rider Hot Rod.

Fred

Now, there's an idea. Don't worry about the chassis height. Just put in below frame storage areas, and drop the sides to cover it and you'd get the low rider look.

[Noob]

How low do you want to go? You could drop the frame in front and rear of the axle, say 6", and have a 5" ride height. Plus 6" of almost full storage under the floor. With the sides covering the frame, as Doug mentioned, you'd have a Low Rider Hot Rod.

Fred

Now, there's an idea. Don't worry about the chassis height. Just put in below frame storage areas, and drop the sides to cover it and you'd get the low rider look.

Hmm...

[alaska teardrop]

Low Rider for Marty....