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Old 01-16-2018, 04:38 PM   #1
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High lift axle install

Looking for advise on how to convert a 2016 5.0TA to have a high lift for my 60” siderails on my stick Ram truck. Do I order a high lift kit from ETI or are they simply flipping the axle? I’m looking at a used one but I’m not sure how to make it match up to my TV. Thank you!
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Old 01-16-2018, 10:21 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by Stkorp View Post
Looking for advise on how to convert a 2016 5.0TA to have a high lift for my 60” siderails on my stick Ram truck. Do I order a high lift kit from ETI or are they simply flipping the axle? I’m looking at a used one but I’m not sure how to make it match up to my TV. Thank you!
They changed the 5.0TA suspension from beam axles with leaf springs (2014-2015) to Torflex (2016-). First, you need to identify which suspension this trailer has, because the corresponding lifting approaches are entirely different.
  • Torflex: add spacer kit to lift (if it doesn't already have spacers) - kits available from ETI or various Dexter parts dealers
  • beam/leaf: move axles from above springs to below springs, if they're not already below the springs (don't actually flip them over) - no parts required except a fresh set of U-bolts and nuts
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Old 01-16-2018, 10:38 PM   #3
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Thank you Brian! That's exactly what I wanted to know. Perfect!
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Old 01-17-2018, 10:28 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stkorp View Post
Looking for advise on how to convert a 2016 5.0TA to have a high lift for my 60” siderails on my stick Ram truck. Do I order a high lift kit from ETI or are they simply flipping the axle? I’m looking at a used one but I’m not sure how to make it match up to my TV. Thank you!
It is my understanding that you can’t just flip an axle as they have a curve in them so they track correctly. However most axles have spring mounts on the top and the bottom to make the lift easy.
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Old 01-17-2018, 10:03 PM   #5
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It is my understanding that you can’t just flip an axle as they have a curve in them so they track correctly.
Right - that's why I said not to actually flip them over.

The curve is to set positive camber, and compensate for the way the axle will bend under load reducing camber.

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Originally Posted by Eggscape View Post
However most axles have spring mounts on the top and the bottom to make the lift easy.
Most trailers that I've seen come with axles having only have one set of spring mounts, but Escape bought them with both sets to make the change much easier, knowing that owners would need to adjust height to suit different trucks.


Of course, all of this is about beam axles (with leaf springs). Stkorp does need to determine which suspension system the particular trailer has, because the transition between designs was at about the beginning of 2016.
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Old 01-18-2018, 02:37 PM   #6
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We went to a local auto / truck service shop that specializes in springs and the like. They inserted a new part that bridges the two springs and it provided more lift. I also gave them the latitude to adjust the 5th wheel hitch, to increase adjustment degrees of freedom, to better match the truck bed rails and to keep the trailer running as level as possible.
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Old 01-18-2018, 02:50 PM   #7
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Torflex: add spacer kit to lift (if it doesn't already have spacers) - kits available from ETI or various Dexter parts dealers
If we are talking Torflex axles I believe this is the kit that is used by ETI when the high lift axle option is selected. Obviously for the 17 it would be a single axle kit.

www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Dexter-Axle/K71-707-02.html
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