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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Acton, CA | Question: I just bought a 4 star (4) horse trailer, 11 ft shortwall LQ, my problem is the trailer without horses in it scrapes my driveway. I need to find out what is the best way to fix this, should I get shocks, air lifts, skid rollers, etc., Please give my your best opinion, I'm sure if this could happen at home it will happen when I'm out on a trip, I would like to fix this before I take it out. FYI- I have a Ford F250 with air lifts, I had the lifts pumped at 80 PSI which did help a little. I just measured the height from the ground to the bottom of the trailer it's 10 inches, the step up for loading horses is 13 inches, so I think I've got room to move up. I believe I need to move up only about 5 inches or so. Do they make shocks/air lifts for horse trailers?
Edited by raksgim1 2009-09-09 12:45 PM
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Blocking the trailer axles up 4" or so may help... You must have a steep driveway either going in or out... Is it rubbing on the tail or high siding in the center??? I've had our 6 horse head to head rub the street pretty good underneath the rear going into a service station driveway. Trailer is 36' on the floor with 10' or so behind the rear axle. We have to be really careful crossing a low/dip/hump area. Welcome to HTW.
Edited by retento 2009-09-09 2:12 PM
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Acton, CA | I think 4 inches will help me, my neighbor thought I was about 2 inches from hitting the floor. So is this a common problem with gooseneck's? And yes, my driveway is steep going up while backing up, and then down hill. The center of the trailer new the grey sewer line is where is was affected. I was thinking of placing skid rollers ( not sure if this is what they are called). |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Acton, CA | Well, I just found out that I do not have leigh springs (spelling), not sure how this will effect trying to get air lifts, shocks, etc., |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Sounds like you need to have the axles on the trailer blocked 2" or 4", to raise the trailer. First thing I would do if the back or the trailer is 3" higher than the front, I would adjust the gooseneck coupler (down) and try again, this should actualy level the trailer and might work as a cheap fix for now. Alot of 4STAR trailers are out there with no block and the trailers set really low. |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | eYour trailer probably has "torsion" axles.... The trailers of old had leaf springs. Torsion axles are relativly easy to raise/block. Most any RV/trailer shop will/would be able to blockup/lift your trailer. Old thread on blocking axles.... http://horsetrailerworld.com/forum/thread-view.asp?threadid=10616&posts=6 There are air suspensions for trailers.... They are a little pricy.. http://www.dexteraxle.com/airflex_suspension http://www.keldermanairride.com/category.php?id=6 http://mrtrailer.com/airaxlehybrid.htm
Edited by retento 2009-09-09 5:37 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | I just measured the height from the ground to the bottom of the trailer it's 10 inches, the step up for loading horses is 13 inches, so I think I've got room to move up. I agree with HTB. My first thought as I read the OP was that the front of the trailer is sitting low and the hitch needs to be lengthend. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544
Location: Claxton, Ga. | Yeap, sounds like the nose is running low. Hook the trailer up to the truck and raise the landing gear up. Unlock the gooseneck hitch and go up one notch. I had to do the same with my trailer. |
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Veteran
Posts: 188
Location: Kinston, NC | You can always install 2" heavy duty steel wheels at the rear to prevent the dragging. That may be a pretty easy fix without raising the trailer. If you raise your trailer 5" without dropping the fenders, it may look funny. Bartley Heath bartley@DoubleDTrailers.com Buy Factory Direct at DoubleDTrailers.com |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Originally written by DD_TrailerMan on 2009-09-11 11:07 AM
You can always install 2" heavy duty steel wheels at the rear to prevent the dragging. That may be a pretty easy fix without raising the trailer. If you raise your trailer 5" without dropping the fenders, it may look funny. Bartley Heath bartley@DoubleDTrailers.com Buy Factory Direct at DoubleDTrailers.com
Slow down before you get them too confused! The trailer is dragging in the center by the holding tanks, no the rear of the trailer! |
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Veteran
Posts: 188
Location: Kinston, NC | thanks hogtown, skid rollers at the rear won't help the center dragging. Sorry for the confusion. If you block up the axles 5", would still consider lowering the fenders if possibly. Bartley Heath bartley@DoubleDTrailers.com Buy Factory Direct at DoubleDTrailers.com |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | Originally written by DD_TrailerMan on 2009-09-11 8:52 PM thanks hogtown, skid rollers at the rear won't help the center dragging. Sorry for the confusion. If you block up the axles 5", would still consider lowering the fenders if possibly. Bartley Heath bartley@DoubleDTrailers.com Buy Factory Direct at DoubleDTrailers.com Hey DD, did not mean to sound like an *** , but does not take much to make people really scratch their heads if they do not read every single post... Your right about the fender deal, I seen an older 4 Star today at the auction and somebody added blocks to it and left the fenders and talk about homemade looking. It looked like a jacked up 4x4 truck with factory tires. Any way, Sorry for coming accross like that.. HTB |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Acton, CA | Thanks for all your advise! It's in the shop now, and they suggest 4" blocks I certainly hope it doesn't look like a bad 4X4 jack up job, they are putting skid rollers on the rear and a skid plate under the center part of the trailer (my request, although the shop thinks this part is over kill). I hope raising the trailer won't make it sway, that was my fear when talking to the shop personell, they did assure me this would not be the case. We've looked into the coupler pin at the gooseneck, it has been adjusted we could only go up and by doing that it will lower the back, and that will help the center a bit (not enough to make a difference). I've paid so much for this trailer and to have it get damaged just pulling it into my driveway kills me. I've been told that this will only get better as time goes, there will be plenty of expenses as it is with any RV/trailer. I'll send you all a photo when it's repaired. Thanks again for all your advise! |
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Expert
Posts: 1351
Location: Decatur, Texas | You might ask them about going with 2" blocks and adjusting the hitch if you are installing kid plates. This will not look so funny and will keep the entry step for the horses at a good level for them. Some 4" blocks will really make for a high step for a horse, you said your trailer was about 13" in the rear and you will be adding 4" on top of that, so you will be alost 17" give or take an inch. Just a thought and my opinion! |
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: ohio | Hi raksgim1, was just wondering if you got your trailer jacked up? We bought a new 4 star with the same problem. It hit the truck bed and put a dent in it and my husband had, had enough. Like most of you guys he loves his truck! Anyways we had ours raised 5" and no more problem with the clearence. We was also afraid we would drag the tanks and everything else off the bottom as we mostly camp in primitive areas. Our trailer doesn't have a ramp so the horses do have to jump in sometimes. We try to get the lowest we can for them when loading and unloading, but they are long legged and good trail horses. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 720
| Please tell me what exactly a skid plate will do. I understand the concept, but in reality can you get something heavy enough to pick up a 10,000# trailer's full weight and slide it over a rise??? I'm not sure I see it actually happening. |
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