SV264 Drags

[bikeman911]

Our new SV264 drags in the rear when entering the long (and steep) access road to our house. It looks like the main place it drags is the pads on the rear power stabilizer jacks. I guess they are designed to take the weight of the camper, but I can't help thinking I'm doing some damage. I wonder if the chassis can be raised like a car? Any advice?

Thanks - Rick

[MtnGuy]

Rick does your trailer have something like this near the back ??



If so, those skid bars should be the 1st thing to hit the road. I think that repeated rubbing of your power stabilizers is not good.....something is gonna give.

As a quick fix, you may be able to take your spring bars off before attempting the road to your house. Of lower the the head assembly 1 notch if the trailer is now riding a little tongue high.

[bikendan]

Surveyor used to advertise, that they have a lower profile, for less wind resistance.
the negative is that the trailer sits lower than other brands.
Jayco and Surveyor are well known for clearance issues. many owners complain about the same thing you are.

[acadianbob]

Don't they make a riser kit for Surveyors?

[bikeman911]

These are in my driveway - not that steep! I'm in contact with the dealer!

Thanks - Rick

[Twisty]

"I wonder if the chassis can be raised like a car? Any advice?"

The axle mounting brackets can be removed from the frame and a spacer welded to the frame. Then mount the axles to the spacer. Many people with single axle popups have done it.

Mtnguy, the skid bars are much closer to the rear axle than those in the pic.

[nowait]

Yes they do make a lift kit and I had it installed on mine after having the same problem as you experience. Search the forum for "lift kit" and user nowait and you should find the thread. It worked fine for me.

[OldCoot]

We had the same problem on our old 76 Golden Nugget and I added two 6"dia steel wheels on the bottom of the frame rails right at the rear. It would still drag, but it hurt nothing.

[talladega1]

One thing you have to watch for on these new light weight campers is to not have any weight carried at the ends of the frame rails, either by dragging on the jack pads or by intentionally adding wheels. The frames will simply not support that type of load. And adding wheels will actually make the situation worse by decreasing the clearance even more.

But primarily, you do not want to be dragging on the jack pads, as you will most likely rip the whole assembly right off the camper. If you look at how the jack assembly is "welded" to the frame, it will scare the heck out of you!
Those jacks are most definitely NOT designed to carry the weight of the camper, but only a small fraction of it.

Lifting the camper is probably your best bet. Raising a spring suspension is very easy, torsion a bit more work.

[DDC]

If you manage to raise it what would that do to your warranty,this has torsion suspension I can't see it being an easy task,I have the same trailer and the same problem but my drive is wide so I can back in at an angle and get a wheel on before it touches.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by talladega1

...carried at the ends of the frame rails, either by dragging on the jack pads or by intentionally adding wheels. The frames will simply not support that type of load. And adding wheels will actually make the situation worse by decreasing the clearance even more...

The wheels are added to prevent damage to the jacks and if installed properly will only reduce clearance by an inch or so. In the OP's situation in trying to get it parked in his driveway, it would be the easiest solution. I definitely agree raising the trailer is a good solution, but it is very expensive and requires taking it to a very good welding-frame shop, possible frame warranty problems and definitely hitch problems. A lot of trouble just to be able to get parked at home. Just my thoughts.

[talladega1]

"A lot of trouble just to be able to get parked at home."
---
Very true, but I have also seen many gas stations with very steep entrances that would probably also cause problems for such campers. The deep gouges in the pavement indicates something has been bottoming out!
I just wish they would put better frames under all of the new campers. Some are still very strong, others made out of glorified tin.

[OldCoot]

When I installed the wheels, I stretched a string from under the rear wheels to the bottom of the frame at the rear and placed the wheels so the bottom was approx. 1/2" below the string. So any dragging was on the wheels momentarily. BTW they were caster type wheels.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by talladega1

"A lot of trouble just to be able to get parked at home."
---
Very true, but I have also seen many gas stations with very steep entrances that would probably also cause problems for such campers. The deep gouges in the pavement indicates something has been bottoming out!
I just wish they would put better frames under all of the new campers. Some are still very strong, others made out of glorified tin.

Agree totally, but we can all avoid those gas stations, but kinda hard to not park at home.

[talladega1]

dunnnc, on the old campers, I would have never been afraid to add drag wheels, as the frames were almost universally very heavy-duty, at least twice as strong as what we now see.
Have you looked at the frame on your camper? It isn't even a real I-beam, but three pieces of sheet metal welded together to make a fake I-beam. Much cheaper than the real thing, but extremely weak.
I have the same type on my camper, and it makes me cringe every time I look at it.

[OldCoot]

This is our 2nd Flagstaff Super Lite and I agree the frames are flimsy, but for just backing into a driveway, I would not hesitate to put the wheels on. It is a very momentary load which is in all seriousness probably not a much as stablilizing it in a campground for days/weeks/months.

[teamgl]

Originally Posted by acadianbob

Don't they make a riser kit for Surveyors?

Yes - there is a F/R riser kit and it should not void the warranty if its installed by the dealer. The kit lifts the camper about 3" by putting blocks above the torsion axles and extending the mounting brackets.

[talladega1]

"It is a very momentary load which is in all seriousness probably not a much as stablilizing it in a campground for days/weeks/months."
-------
Actually probably not an accurate assumption. Most instances of dragging the rear end of a camper involves only one side at a time, and the forces could/would be many times greater than what the stabilizer jacks could apply. Just because the force is momentary does not mean that it would not exceed the yield strength of the frame.
I would really hate to see someone bend the frame on their camper because they got bad advice. Always better to err on the side of caution.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by teamgl

Yes - there is a F/R riser kit and it should not void the warranty if its installed by the dealer. The kit lifts the camper about 3" by putting blocks above the torsion axles and extending the mounting brackets.

I would guess the dealer could do it and avoid warranty problems, but around Concord, NC the dealer gets over $95/hr and I would guesstimate at least 6-8 hrs labor. Add to that, the cost of the kit, re-setting the hitch and you're talking some serious change just to be able to get in your driveway.

[bikeman911]

Just got off the phone with the dealer. They recommend the extra wheel. I expressed the concern over frame material and he said, it is true that some tt's use "c" channel material for their frame, that's not the case with Surveyor. If it was just a problem getting into my driveway, I'm sure I could rig something up, but I live on an common drive that for five house and the enterance is narrow and steep. He also said that it would keep the warranty in tact. Thanks for all the advice.

Rick