1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Lowering travel trailer height for storage?

Discussion in 'General' started by rwdfun, Nov 4, 2019.

  1. rwdfun

    rwdfun

    Serious question. Anyone have to do this to fit their travel trailer into a shorter door opening when storing it?

    I have a 10ft door with 11ft ceilings and have found several trailers listed in the 10-11' range. Toying with the idea of replacing AC with ultra low profile unit but not sure I can get it below 10' total. Next idea is it to remove tires and place the drums on wheel dollies but concerned that drums will not take the load. They would only be on the drums less than an hour while rolling the trailer inside. Last idea is to use jacks or build rolling platform to sit the axles on which would keep the drums just off the ground.

    Thoughts?

    Thanks
     
  2. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    thought about that for my 6x12 in the old house - for the garage, but ended up renting a storage lot down the road.

    i would have had rollers welded to the frame and have the trailer sit on these when the wheels were off.

    would you still want it to be on the hitch of the tow vehicle? because that would need to get really low too.
     
  3. BC

    BC Well-Known Member

    Get a set of 480-12 tires/wheels. If it's tandem, you'll only need them for the rear axle.

    That will buy you 7-8"
     
    BigBird and Phl218 like this.
  4. ChemGuy

    ChemGuy Harden The F%@# Up!

    Ive seen them in the plants on smaller tires/wheels and with nearly flat tires to get under scaffold and door height. Think stacker trailer in small plant...

    Bring a tape measure and see how much lower you need to get. I could see maybe 6-8" this way.

    If looking at camper/TH types, sometimes the "ultralight" versions are 4-6" lower ceiling height (weight savings).
     
  5. motomadman217

    motomadman217 Well-Known Member

    Get a junk set of steel wheels to roll in into the garage on.
     
  6. sbk1198

    sbk1198 Well-Known Member

    Put a dolly underneath each leveling jack (assuming you have one in each corner), then take the wheels off, lower the jacks as much as possible and roll it in. Combined with a low profile AC that might be enough. Or just keep it outside...after all it is a trailer, they're kinda built for all sorts of environments.
     
  7. fastedyamaha

    fastedyamaha Well-Known Member

    Just make sure whatever you do, it doesn’t prevent you from quickly moving the trailer outside in case of an emergency
     
  8. notbostrom

    notbostrom DaveK broke the interwebs

    Like in case of divorce
     
    Gino230, JJJerry, G2G and 6 others like this.
  9. rk97

    rk97 Well-Known Member

    This is funny, but i have yet to meet an ex wife who wants to deal with a trailer.

    I like the junk steel wheels idea.
     
  10. Spitz

    Spitz Well-Known Member

    The door is 10ft but the opening won't be I bet.
     
  11. StaccatoFan

    StaccatoFan My 13 year old is faster than your President

    I knew a couple that got divorced who owned a camper...she took it in the property settlement.

    She had no tow vehicle. It was freakin' hilarious.

    Haven't seen her in a few years...she would lose a spelling contest to a gold fish.
     
    sheepofblue likes this.
  12. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Guy up the street has a travel trailer in the driveway his GF got during her divorce. He towed it home from her ex-husband’s place! Haha. I’m not afraid to admit my balls aren’t that big. But, women getting them does happen.
     
  13. Once a Wanker..

    Once a Wanker.. Always a Wanker!

    When a couple I know well was divorcing, she asked me if she should fight to get the M-I-L's house, or the Sea Ray 40' yacht. She took my advice and has been renting the house (nice ranch with river view, and paid for,) for several years. She did get the Mastercraft ski boat and quickly peddled it.
     
  14. rwdfun

    rwdfun

    Thanks for all the good ideas.

    I have a GF not a wife..... yet. Only reason I'm getting it is because she actually wants to take the dog and go places other than the track with it too. She doesn't have a tow vehicle though so.

    As for ideas. Door opening is right at 10' I started with that measurement and when the door is open it is over 10'. The bottom of the joists 11' I'll look into the smaller wheels . If I can find something that's just bigger than the brake drums that would be ideal. I'll do some measuring that's for sure. I'll be fine tuning the hitch height to start so I'll keep in mind the lower height needed for the storage. Don't think these smaller trailers come with levelers. They make a point of them being stabilizers not meant to bear weight but that would have been a good idea too.

    Are most of these travel trailers using the same wheel bolt pattern? Also, is it a good idea to only have wheels on 1 axle of the tandem and why would you put it on the rear axle if you did? Is there something to the suspension articulation? I would think putting them on the front would balance the load better, less hitch weight
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2019
  15. rwdfun

    rwdfun

    You are a traitor.
     
    sdg likes this.
  16. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    You might be able to find a 13” rim.

    5” on 4.5” seems the common bolt pattern.

    I wouldn’t do the single axle thing. That probably has 3500# axles and there’s a good chance of bending the one you use. And, being on leaf springs, the rocker will probably drop the other axle far enough to drag.
     
  17. Once a Wanker..

    Once a Wanker.. Always a Wanker!

    My daughter is engaged to their son, and the husband quit communicating with me long before, like I was the enemy.
     
  18. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    ^^^ Corrected.
     
    Once a Wanker.. and speedluvn like this.
  19. Lawdog78

    Lawdog78 Well-Known Member

    I changed the a/c out on mine to fit in my barn. I was needing about 2" more clearance. I gota Coleman that is supposedly the lowest profile one on the market. It fits now but is super tight and I believe our clearance is like 10'6 I can't imagine being able to get it under 10 feet tall without either putting much smaller wheels or unless you can slope the ground at the entrance to the garage so it rides in at an angle?? That's my next option is we ever get a bigger trailer
     
  20. Shocker

    Shocker Well-Known Member

    Get yourself some 13" Daytons and hydraulics and you can make it fit. :D

    [​IMG]
     
    Laz, NemesisR6, BigBird and 1 other person like this.

Share This Page