Lowering a trailer height by 2-3 inches

[John T 744]

I'm looking to buy another enclosed trailer that is 80-81" high. I need it to be 2-3 inches lower. I figure if I buy it with all the weight we carry that alone may lower it by an inch..but I could still use another inch or two lower. I could let out most of the air in the tires out at the job site to maybe get another 2" but then I was thinking to buy smaller wheels for it to put it on the trailer when we get there. I'm wondering if a smaller wheel can be put on.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Douglas Hicks 128]

Why the height requirement? Parking garages?

And smaller tires means worse tires than are normally put on the trailers. My trailer only weighs about 3500 GVW and I got less than 500 miles on my rear tires until I went to pick-up tires on the rear axle.

[Christopher 102]

I would contact a trailer manufacturer, not just the guys re-selling the trailers.

Sometimes they can put the springs under the axles instead of on top and that would get you a lot of clearance but that alters the center of gravity a little bit and will affect the weight load distribution in the process.

If you have a trailer built with your requirements, I am sure it can be done but I would not alter a trailer trying.

I have seen some of those dumping trailers where they had really wide tires underneath and then one time I saw one with 3 axles but with small tires, I guess to help handle the load. They use those dumping trailers for hauling dirt, rock, roofing materials when torn off roofs, etc.....

I am sure that they can build what you want, you just have to give them the dimensions and how much weight it will hold.

I had a trailer made here in Texas for a certain weight load, length and width along with powder coating (nobody around here does the expoxy coating or bedliner stuff) so that will last a while until it is re-done or replaced and the price was not too bad. They also made it with 12" centers beams where most other companies make the trailers with 24" center beams. This will also have 5"support beams, full wrapped tongue (from the hitch all the way to the fenders),pipe top rail, brakes on 1 axle, stronger load rating tires, etc.... for just a little bit more money than a regular axle trailer.

This is being built about 7.5 hours away but the local guys wanted more than $800 more so I will just spend some fuel and time driving up there on a day when work is slow and get it.

[John T 744]

Yup this trailer I want to get into parking garages. It's a used trailer but the guy is offering it up pretty cheap. The trailer is sitting @ 80 inches in height. I need to get down to 77-78" to fit into just about any garage I deal with. I can't mess with the axles and the springs because that would cause problems.

It looks like either I can take most of the air out of the tires when I get to the garage and maybe lower it an inch or so or I can try to find a different size wheel to put on the trailer only at the garage site. With my guys it would take less then 5 min to switch out the wheels the question is can you put a smaller wheel on the trailer just for that purpose and then switch them out inside the garage or do it when where completed. This trailer also has jacks on the ends so I can put them down to help support the trailer with the smaller tires on it.

Do you think a smaller wheel can be put on the trailer for this purpose only?

[Scott Stone 604]

keep in mind that the listed height of the garage is the lowest ceiling point in the garage, and with only an inch or two difference, you will likely be able to take your trailer through parking garages just fine. I trim my truck antenna to an inch taller then the highest point on the trailer, and if it hits, i pay attention for potential problems. everyone has different experiences though, so you need to do what makes you comfortable.

[John T 744]

keep in mind that the listed height of the garage is the lowest ceiling point in the garage, and with only an inch or two difference, you will likely be able to take your trailer through parking garages just fine. I trim my truck antenna to an inch taller then the highest point on the trailer, and if it hits, i pay attention for potential problems. everyone has different experiences though, so you need to do what makes you comfortable.

Good points Scott. So far the lowest point we dealt with was about 5'8" on an underground parking level which was insane but the height to get in some of these garages my flatbed truck was to hi because of the mi-tm PW on there which is going to come off. That height put my trucks heights point at 6'9" or 81" and one garage we we an inch to high and the tanks were full and some air out of tires and we still missed by a 1/2". We were going to unscrew the whole garage door mechanism but were gunned down...

We'll be doing that garage again next year so this time we'll hopefully be more prepared and the enclosed low profile trailer is a good option here due to mainly weather conditions and at times security reasons but that's mostly ok since these garages almost all have camaras now and we leave our trailer equipment at sight at times.

[810F250 14]

Yup this trailer I want to get into parking garages. It's a used trailer but the guy is offering it up pretty cheap. The trailer is sitting @ 80 inches in height. I need to get down to 77-78" to fit into just about any garage I deal with. I can't mess with the axles and the springs because that would cause problems.

It looks like either I can take most of the air out of the tires when I get to the garage and maybe lower it an inch or so or I can try to find a different size wheel to put on the trailer only at the garage site. With my guys it would take less then 5 min to switch out the wheels the question is can you put a smaller wheel on the trailer just for that purpose and then switch them out inside the garage or do it when where completed. This trailer also has jacks on the ends so I can put them down to help support the trailer with the smaller tires on it.

Do you think a smaller wheel can be put on the trailer for this purpose only?

I had the idea of installing smaller wheel and tires once at the garage and off the roadways, the problem I had was to many lugs for smaller wheels, but if you look at some of the bigger trailer tire websites, you may find something that works, but if you went to an industrial manufacturer you probably have a better chance.

Edited November 30, 2011 by 810F250

[splashandash 15]

Have you thought about air bags on the axles to raise and lower the trailer.

[John T 744]

Have you thought about air bags on the axles to raise and lower the trailer.

Interesting. I have to think about that one.. Thanks.

[John T 744]

I had the idea of installing smaller wheel and tires once at the garage and off the roadways, the problem I had was to many lugs for smaller wheels, but if you look at some of the bigger trailer tire websites, you may find something that works, but if you went to an industrial manufacturer you probably have a better chance.

Hey Nigel-- what do you think about this.. I haven't bought the trailer yet because my offer wasn't returned yet. He's going to think about it.. But I was thinking of buying smaller powerful wheels and drill holes in the wheel where the lug nuts don't line up. This trailer will be no more then 7000lbs loaded but in there will be the Swabby and I may put the Ppwerwasher back on wheels again and tow them out at the garage so that's 2000lbs right there to come out and then put in smaller wheels if there is a problem. I also though about buying 4 crappy right sized wheels and have no tires on them and put them on with sheet metal underneath and roll it in like that.. Crazy the ideas that we come up with..but it needs to be something easy and not time consuming.

I'm going to look into airbags for the axles. I've seen trailers that have something like that where they can be raised or lowered.. Hmmmmm

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Have you not heard about hydraulics...LOL Personally Air bags seem easier.

I do like Jims Hydraulics on his trailer.

[Jim Gamble 20]

John, I left you a voice mail on how to correct the issue for a Parking Garage.

[John T 744]

John, I left you a voice mail on how to correct the issue for a Parking Garage.

Thanks Jim. I'm laying in bed after another Marathon day on the horn and reading emails. My other Job is hooking me up and yet I'm finding myself getting extremely busy again. My guys are in Manhattan tonight and tomorrow night so thats good because the weather will be dropping here soon.. The other stuff is going to another level and that's fun... Now if I can just get this guy to sell me this trailer..that's been tough:lgbugeyes

[John T 744]

Have you not heard about hydraulics...LOL Personally Air bags seem easier.

I do like Jims Hydraulics on his trailer.

I like those hydraulics but I'm not at that level. My trailers I buy Are usually second hand and we may switch out the axles and coat the floor...that's about the range where at.. Maybe one day.. Or maybe buy that boat and stay small and hang out on a boat in the Harbor not far from my house.... And having fun with non profits.... That's my speed these days.

[810F250 14]

I like your ideas, there are also wheels that they use to move steel containers 20 and 40 ft, those would be great also.

[cleanhoods 43]

Get a low profile torsion axle.That will drop you a bunch. Dexter axles makes good ones,plus you can call them and they will hook you up with what you need....hope this helps. 574-295-7888 Dexter Axle - Trailer Axles and Running Gear Components - Home

Marko

[Cleaner 14]

Dexter has a axle called The Air Flex,it has air bags mounted to it.I use to own a 28 foot Pace racecar trailer,it had Dexter rubber torsion axles under it.They made it sit low.

[Rick2 42]

I'm looking to buy another enclosed trailer that is 80-81" high. I need it to be 2-3 inches lower. I figure if I buy it with all the weight we carry that alone may lower it by an inch..but I could still use another inch or two lower. I could let out most of the air in the tires out at the job site to maybe get another 2" but then I was thinking to buy smaller wheels for it to put it on the trailer when we get there. I'm wondering if a smaller wheel can be put on.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I easily lowered the height of my truck by three inches last Monday and it only took a few seconds. Being tired of looking at my dirty truck I decided to run it through the carwash but failed to consider the Trac-Rac ladder racks. Hope this helps.

[John T 744]

I easily lowered the height of my truck by three inches last Monday and it only took a few seconds. Being tired of looking at my dirty truck I decided to run it through the carwash but failed to consider the Trac-Rac ladder racks. Hope this helps.

My red trailer has ladder racks and that trailer goes everywhere. Alot of garages we do there's other ways to get in such as where trucks may go in for drop offs.. We usually dump the red trailer there but at times it stayed locked up in some shizz areas outside the garages but its fully enclosed and I look to park it by camaras completely locked up. All doors,hitch and wheels and all ladders we have them locked up on top of trailer with thick cables or if the area is bad enough those ladders go inside of trailer. My 32' ladder stays back at the shop when we do garages.

[Rick2 42]

I was just making light of the misfoutune of tearing off the front ladder rack from my truck.

[John T 744]

I was just making light of the misfoutune of tearing off the front ladder rack from my truck.

Lol... That sucks.