What height do I want the chassis frame off the ground?

[VermonTear]

Still working with pencil and paper instead of lumber and tools on my first teardrop.

I've got a Dexter Torflex ready to order, and a shop ready to weld my frame. But I need to tell Dexter what angle to set my arm brackets.

The hitch on my Subaru is 14" off the ground. (Top of the ball about 16". )The 2000 # axle will carry my 900-1100 TD (including chassis). Since the towbar will be welded to the underside of the chassis frame, that should put the bottom edge of the actual chassis frame at about 14" if I want it to ride level.

With the arm of the Dexter at 22.5 degrees and at half load (ie about 1000# I guess) the bottom of my chassis will be at 15.6 from the ground; at 10 degrees it would be closer to 14.5; and at 0 degrees closer to 13.25+-.

Seems to me like either the 10 degree or the 0 degrees would have my chassis riding closer to level with the top of the Subaru hitch... but then this is all new (and a bit Greek -- no offense-- to me).

Ken

[Woodbutcher]

If you have the ability to keep the frame level with the hitch ball that's great. Make sure that your working space on the counter in the galley works out as well. I was more concerned about that and how the galley worked. You can always adjust the trailer level with a drop on the hinge. Or you could get the Flexride torsion axle which has adjustable arms on it. After you have the trailer built and before you mount fenders you can adjust the height real easy.

[Shadow Catcher]

One thing to remember is that the height of the ball is easily adjustable with an offset ball mount/draw bar. How high a frame is dependent on where you will be going and how long the frame. CR has a zero offset on the Dexter and quite frankly I have dragged a couple of times, one of the reasons I am working on a air shock addition to gain some height when I want it.

[bdosborn]

Here's a thread on axle angle

Clicky

I have a flexiride, you can set it at any angle you want.

Bruce

[CliffinGA]

Also remember that tire size also effects ride height! My lil tear had 12" tires on it and you could not even use the stabilizers that were on it because it was so low to the ground. I put 14" wheels and tires and it raised it up 4-5" and lined the coupler up to the truck. If you get to high you can always flip the ball mount and instead of dropping it raise the ball up. I had a dodge caravan that I had to do this in order to tow with it, just flipped a 2 1/2" drop to raise it 2 1/2" and there was no dip between TV and trailer. Just my pennies woth anyway .

Cliff

[VermonTear]

Thanks for the responses, everybody. I can't say that things are totally clear for me yet. I've looked at the information in the clicky several times, and done the calculations. I come up with a 10 degree down being the closest. But then some of the same posts in that thread seem to suggest 0 degree might be closer based on their personal experience.
I do take some comfort in the thought I can alter the height of the draw bar on my vehicle.

[CARS]

I have a flexiride, you can set it at any angle you want.

How do you set it at any angle?? Would make it easy to set up ride height.

[Evan Gaffney]

Thanks for the responses, everybody. I can't say that things are totally clear for me yet. I've looked at the information in the clicky several times, and done the calculations. I come up with a 10 degree down being the closest. But then some of the same posts in that thread seem to suggest 0 degree might be closer based on their personal experience.
I do take some comfort in the thought I can alter the height of the draw bar on my vehicle.

I was stuck in the same boat as you (only my boat was leaking, due to the added concern of multiple tow vehicles). It seems like the solution to all our problems is the flexiride axle. Order the width and rating you want and then set it however you want when the trailer is finished and loaded. I'm going to aim for a sweet spot right in between the ball height of both vehicles (after getting the ball heights as close as possible, obviously). Takes the math and guesswork out of it and the prices are pretty comparable.

http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/c-2 ... axles.aspx

[bdosborn]

I have a flexiride, you can set it at any angle you want.

How do you set it at any angle?? Would make it easy to set up ride height.

The arm is splined and held on to the axle with a big bolt. Here's a pic where you can just see the bolt:



Take the bolt out, pull the arm off the spline and put it back on at any angle you want.
Bruce

Bruce

[CARS]

Thanks Bruce! I think I just found the answer to my ride height concerns.

That is cool as it gets!

[VermonTear]

Nice to see the conversation that got stimulated. I'm not the only one to have noodled on this. I ended up with a Dexter at 0 degrees, since my calcs were kinda right in the middle between 0 and 10. As it turned out 0 is just perfect, after my chassis got finished, so I'm a happy camper.
Now I just have to get that Tear finished by May so I won't be sleeping on the chassis -- level though it may be!

ken