Height of raised 15

[Bobbie54]

I may be hitting a snag on raising my garage door. I was hoping the contractor building my neighbor's new garage would do it and he came and looked, and was worried about how the original was done, so I found a construction pic, and he may be worried for good reason. (See photo). The header may be done the way it is for wind resistance reasons.

Anyway, the alternative I was thinking of are lowering the trailer and then possibly just letting air out to store in the garage. It wouldn't be an easy in and out all camping season, but I could get it out of winter storm winds anyway.

Mine is raised and is 8' 8" tall. The brochure says the 15 is 8' 2" tall. That seems like more of a height difference than I've seen mentioned for other trailers ( more like 3 1/2). Has anyone measured their non-raised 15? And is the tall part the fan?

Bobbie

[cpaharley2008]

You could always dig out and lower the floor, that picture shows a thick garage floor....

[Bobbie54]

Not practical for a variety of reasons.

I have thought of getting a cover, and building a small fenced area so that the wind would be cut down, and parking it in there. I don't think I could get a permit for another garage even if I could afford it. Carports are impossible here; the wind just crumples them up.

But most practical if do-able is normal axle and then maybe let a little air out. Plenty of room inside the garage to fill the tires back up.

[NCBill]

Somewhat side tracked, but I am debating a similar issue. I had a carport built several years ago, could have gotten just about any height but I went with 9 foot side walls (I enter on the side wall rather than the front).

Then my Casita showed up, so I had a local welder raise the header above one entry point to the very max, its 8-6. Now I am moving to an Escape, and need 9-3 minimum....

In my case, the cost to modify that carport one more time may exceed the cost of replacing it with a 12 foot side wall unit.

Of course, the carport is attached to a matching enclosed garage, which of course, has 9 foot side walls as well. Raising the garage roof is a non-starter due to the improvements inside of it.....

Been kicking myself for a while on this one. First step is to see if I can even get the Escape into the backyard where the carport is located, as I have a long, narrow garage, with a diagonal slot you have to traverse just to get into the back yard. I've actually looked into a second driveway, but that has a serious of hurdles, mainly utilities in the way and a steep grade......

Stupid question but can you replace the existing header with a steel beam or perhaps an engineered glue lam beam? You'd probably only gain inches.

[steve dunham]

The garage floor has to be higher than the surrounding terrain so that gas / fuel vapors are not trapped in the garage . If the garage floor is lower than positive ventilation is required to remove the fumes.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by NCBill

Stupid question but can you replace the existing header with a steel beam or perhaps an engineered glue lam beam? You'd probably only gain inches.

Inches might be enough though I'd rather not both have the expense of lowering AND changing the garage door. I did email Escape to ask about the height difference.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

The garage floor has to be higher than the surrounding terrain so that gas / fuel vapors are not trapped in the garage . If the garage floor is lower than positive ventilation is required to remove the fumes.

The surrounding terrain would have to be lowered, too, or I couldn't get the trailer in- which would mean lowering the driveway, too, which can't be done because the septic tanks are under the driveway so they'd have to be lowered, too.

There seem to be a lot of us kicking ourselves! I just had no thought of another trailer being over 8' tall when I was building. It never occurred to me.

(My neighbor across the street built about a year before I did and you should see how he has to maneuver to get his boat into the garage- it involves folding back part of the trailer tongue and then putting it in diagonally! And he actually did measure the boat- he just forgot that the finished drywall he wanted in the garage would take space. I suggested he should just put a hole in the drywall to accommodate the end of the boat.)

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

I may be hitting a snag on raising my garage door. I was hoping the contractor building my neighbor's new garage would do it and he came and looked, and was worried about how the original was done, so I found a construction pic, and he may be worried for good reason. (See photo). The header may be done the way it is for wind resistance reasons.

Anyway, the alternative I was thinking of are lowering the trailer and then possibly just letting air out to store in the garage. It wouldn't be an easy in and out all camping season, but I could get it out of winter storm winds anyway.

Mine is raised and is 8' 8" tall. The brochure says the 15 is 8' 2" tall. That seems like more of a height difference than I've seen mentioned for other trailers ( more like 3 1/2). Has anyone measured their non-raised 15? And is the tall part the fan?

Bobbie

I wouldn't suggest this for camping season, but if your main purpose is winter storage, get a pair of cheap sacrificial wheels without tires. Just swap them out in the driveway when ready to put up for the winter. I bet wheels without tires would lower your trailer enough to clear the header.

[Bobbie54]

That may work- or small tires. I would have preferred easy in and out but I really only need it for off-season storage. But if I can get to an easy in and out I'd rather do that, even if it costs a little money.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by arniesea

I wouldn't suggest this for camping season, but if your main purpose is winter storage, get a pair of cheap sacrificial wheels without tires. Just swap them out in the driveway when ready to put up for the winter. I bet wheels without tires would lower your trailer enough to clear the header.

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

That may work- or small tires. I would have preferred easy in and out but I really only need it for off-season storage.

If I read the thread correctly you need about 8". In rough numbers...assuming you are running a 205/75/R14 (~26" inflated diameter) a 12" rim with small tire (4.80-12 on etrailer is 20.5" inflated diameter) would only buy you about 2.75" +/-. If you decided to roll it in on just a set of 12" rims you would gain just about 7"+/-. I know you probably don't want to modify the MaxxFan but the Fantastic Fan with standard lid appears to be about an inch shorter in height above the roof. So there you have 8" without modifying your garage or your axle lift....but it may just barely make it, still costs money and isn't terribly convenient.

On edit, the 12" rim is measured bead seat to bead seat so the overall diameter is slightly larger, so the gain of 7" is probably reduced by about a 1/2" or so.

[sumac.rhus]

I have no idea what might be involved, but would there be any way to separate the build between the wood and cement, raise the shed, and build in the required additional height.

I know people sometime jack up houses to replace or build foundations under them...
Probably crazy, but might be worth considering?

[cpaharley2008]

Perhaps cut out 2 grooves in the cement, gas is no worry since your propane is off, and maybe cutout 4" cement and with the smaller metal wheels, bingo-another option to the metal wheels are these dollies which your rim would sit in-

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

another option to the metal wheels are these dollies which your rim would sit in-

Jim: I had thought about mentioning the dollies but with the extra height you would have to be resting directly on the brake assemblies to be equivalent to just rolling it in on small 12" rims. Also, if the driveway has any expansion joints (appears he does), or lip at the garage those small casters are going to get hung up real good. The dollies might work for a short and absolutely flat roll.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by sumac.rhus

I have no idea what might be involved, but would there be any way to separate the build between the wood and cement, raise the shed, and build in the required additional height.

I know people sometime jack up houses to replace or build foundations under them...
Probably crazy, but might be worth considering?

Not cost-effectively.

[Bobbie54]

The driveway (also cement) now goes right up to the garage- and the septic tank lids are in the driveway with the tanks under them. That makes any thing involving lowering impractical (even if it was ever practical, which I don't see unless a garage floor is either very thin cement or dirt). Not to mention that the elevation was chosen to be above extreme tides.

But I should be able to get sufficient drop with just small winter storage tires. My tires are 27" in diameter and I've seen small ones at 16"- obviously not suitable for towing but could switch out for storage. Just trying to find out first if I can get normal-roll in height down below 8 feet in any practical way that would allow routine storage in the garage.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

But I should be able to get sufficient drop with just small winter storage tires. My tires are 27" in diameter and I've seen small ones at 16"- obviously not suitable for towing but could switch out for storage. Just trying to find out first if I can get normal-roll in height down below 8 feet in any practical way that would allow routine storage in the garage.

My earlier suggestion for a 12" rim assumed you have brake assemblies to clear. If the 15 doesn't have brakes then maybe a smaller rim could work. I do see 8" rims on etrailer with 4.80-8 tires that have an inflated diameter of ~16" as you suggest. This only buys you half the difference though...so only lowered ~5.5". It sounded like you need closer to 8".

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

And is the tall part the fan?

Yes, for trailers without air conditioning or a TV antenna.

Although the MaxxFan is a great unit, there is now a vent with a good fan from Fantastic Vent which is quite low (even when open, although that doesn't matter in this case): EZ-Breeze. I haven't tried it, or even seen one in person, but it looks like it could potentially be good for anyone wanting a lower-profile vent (for door clearance or solar panel shading).

Originally Posted by Bobbie54

My tires are 27" in diameter and I've seen small ones at 16"- obviously not suitable for towing but could switch out for storage.

That would be an 11" diameter difference, so 5.5" in height. Great... but a trailer tire that is 16" in overall diameter is probably on an 8" diameter wheel, which won't fit over the 10" brakes on the Escape. Even a 12" wheel might not fit because 10" brakes are 10" inside diameter and bigger outside, and 12" wheels are 12" diameter at the tire bead and the space available for brakes is much smaller; I haven't checked in detail.

In this forum and more often in FiberglassRV, people have reported their interesting wheel choices for this purpose. Clearing the brakes is a major issue. Fortunately, the setup doesn't need to be roadworthy, only to safely hold up the weight of the trailer without damaging the running gear while moved at a walking speed.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

My earlier suggestion for a 12" rim assumed you have brake assemblies to clear. If the 15 doesn't have brakes then maybe a smaller rim could work. I do see 8" rims on etrailer with 4.80-8 tires that have an inflated diameter of ~16" as you suggest. This only buys you half the difference though...so only lowered ~5.5". It sounded like you need closer to 8".

I started my reply before this response from Dave - and got distracted for a while - so mine is a bit redundant.

I believe all Escapes - even this discontinued smaller model - have had brakes. Since I think they have all had Torflex #10 axles, the brakes would then all be 10x2¼. A 2013 vintage brochure confirms brakes and a 3000 pound axle (which would be a Torflex #10); Karen's 27" tall tires are the ST205/75R15 size which has been standard across the Escape lineup for a few years.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

My earlier suggestion for a 12" rim assumed you have brake assemblies to clear. If the 15 doesn't have brakes then maybe a smaller rim could work. I do see 8" rims on etrailer with 4.80-8 tires that have an inflated diameter of ~16" as you suggest. This only buys you half the difference though...so only lowered ~5.5". It sounded like you need closer to 8".

Oh, right, forgot about that.

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I started my reply before this response from Dave - and got distracted for a while - so mine is a bit redundant.

I believe all Escapes - even this discontinued smaller model - have had brakes. Since I think they have all had Torflex #10 axles, the brakes would then all be 10x2¼. A 2013 vintage brochure confirms brakes and a 3000 pound axle (which would be a Torflex #10); Karen's 27" tall tires are the ST205/75R15 size which has been standard across the Escape lineup for a few years.

Yes, definitely has brakes. So another thing that may not work. Can I put on a 12" rim wheel only (no tire?) I am not familiar with brakes at all other than as an end-user so don't know what they look like on an axle.