Lowering a trailer

[_brad_]

I know this may sound retarded, but I have this old 1964 Gator boat trailer that I want to build an ice fishing house onto. My problem is, the trailer sits a little high.

Would it be possible to lower a trailer a little without sacrificing the suspension? I'm not worried about the wheel wells. I can and probably will remove them for this project.

The trailer has your standard leaf spring system.

Thoughts?

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Lowering a trailer

They make an axle, called a drop axle, which, just like it's name, is an axle with a 4 inch drop on each end. Couple this with underslung springs (springs that are held on to the bottom of the axle, as opposed to the top, and it gets the trailer quite a bit lower. But, I would not use both, if you have less than 13 inch tires. Ours that has the 4" drop axle, and the underslung, has 4 inches of clearance under the spring shackles, and the trailer is about 14 inches off the ground.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Lowering a trailer

Even with a dropped axle you won't get the frame low enough to the ground (or the ice) to make an effective ice fishing house. That large a gap between the ice and the floor would have the hole freezing over faster than you can keep it clear - especially in a wind.

Look at a manufactured house. They use a winch on each side to lower the suspension.

 

[_brad_]

Re: Lowering a trailer

Yeah, I thought about a manufactured house but its way to much $$$.

If I could get the trailer 8 inches from the ground I could make it work.

Here in MN we most always have snow on the lakes anyways so I can just bank the crap out of the gap.

Could you use shorter sized/smaller wheels and tires?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Lowering a trailer

get a couple of roller bunks, and slide it on and off the trailer. most old Gators were tilt trailers. that from a southerner that has only seen snow a couple of times. Gators were also built here in Jacksonville.

 

[_brad_]

Re: Lowering a trailer

get a couple of roller bunks, and slide it on and off the trailer. most old Gators were tilt trailers. that from a southerner that has only seen snow a couple of times. Gators were also built here in Jacksonville.

Hmm... Very true...

Never thought of that one; your right it is a tilt.

Thanks for the idea there tashasdaddy!

 

[srothfuss]

Re: Lowering a trailer

If you can weld, you could custom make some axle mounting flanges off of the top of the frame instead of the bottom. That would save you around 1.5 or 2" depending on how it would be setup.

If the load is small enough (don't know how elaborate your mini house will be) you could also run a smaller tire when moving the shed out to the lake, like an 8" tire (700 pounds max on a single axle)

 

[pgdignan]

Re: Lowering a trailer

If the axle is attached under the leaf spring you could move it above the leaf spring and just shackle it there with extra heavy ubolts. You'd likely have to re-position the fenders but if you changed the axle location and went with a drop axle that would (I think) get the trailer fairly low.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Lowering a trailer

we use to haul our construction site, tool building on an old gator trailer, but we muscled it on.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Lowering a trailer

I didn't suggest you actually buy a manufactured house -- I merely meant for you to look at how they did the lowering. The problem with getting the frame too low is that is becomes a problem trailering it without dragging it when going in and out of driveways, ramps, etc. Trade the trailer for a snowmobile trailer. Build the house to fit the trailer and simply slide it on and off. Winch it back on with a boat winch, or you can buy an electric winch for less than 40 bucks these days.