Axle Riser DIY
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1920
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 5:35am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Axle Riser DIY
Posted By: FISHTAIL
Subject: Axle Riser DIY
Date Posted: 04 Jul 2011 at 11:54pm
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Since I didn't see a writeup for this, I figured I'd give it a go. Sorry in advance for having so few pictures, but it was so hot out when I did this that sweat kept running off my gloves and onto the camera, and I didn't feel like causing any damage..so I really only took one to start, and when finished. So we'll have to work with that. Anyway, here goes. Total time, < 2hrs. Tools/supplies needed for this job: 1 axle riser kit 19mm Socket 15/16 socket 15/16 wrench dykes (or sharp scissors) 2 Jack stands 1 Floor jack zip ties wheel chuck Recommended Tools: Impact Gun (Makes the job so much easier) Torque Wrench red loctite Ok, first things first, place the wheel chuck behind the tire opposite of where you are going to work. I started on the right hand side of the pod, just so I could get working around the step out of the way. After you have the wheel blocked up, place your floor jack under the axle and bring the jack up tight against the bottom. If you don't have an impact gun, now is the time to break your lug-nuts loose. Now is also a good time to check your jack alignment, to make sure you can freely move the handle before continuing. Once you are sure you're ready to go, go ahead and raise up the camper. You'll want to get the wheel about 2-3" off of the ground. Next, place your jack stands under the camper on either side of the wheel, careful to leave yourself enough room to move the jack around, and to work. Once positioned, carefully let the camper back down to rest on the stands. Before continuing, check to ensure the camper is secure. Give it a good hard wiggle, and make sure it's steady before going any further. Once your comfortable with it's stability, go ahead and remove your wheel. The next step is to take your dykes and cut the two white wire-ties that hold the wiring for the brakes. There isn't enough slack in the wire as it sits to lower the axle and install the riser. Once cut, just move the wire to the side so that it doesn't get in the way of lowering the axle. Below, you can see both of the zip ties (small red arrows) and the rear facing axle bolt (large red arrow).  Now, the next step is to remove those axle bolts. To do this, place the jack back under the axle, as close to the end as you can get it, while still giving yourself room to work. Once you have it positioned, raise the jack back up to the axle so that it makes contact, and leave it. Now you're ready to remove the axle bolts. The bolts on my 2011 176 were 15/16", and were on pretty darn tight. This is where an impact gun makes the job much easier, but it's not required. Once you have the bolts out, go ahead and slowly let the jack down to lower the axle. You're halfway there. Now you need to install the riser. The riser installs with the open end facing out, with two of the bolt holes facing down, and the other two facing towards the inside of the camper. The axle riser kit only comes with enough washers to put one washer on each bolt/nut combo, which I didn't like since the factory used washers on both sides. So what I did was re-use the washers from the factory install so that I could have a washer on both the bolt head, and the nut. Go ahead and put the riser into position, and put the bolts into each of holes. Once there, hand thread each of the nuts on as far as you can (make sure the oblong portion of the nut is goes on last, otherwise you won't get it on very far). At this point, you can put some loctite on the bolts too if you wish (I did, partially because of what I"m about to tell you). Now, BEFORE you start tightening the bolts, make sure your riser is positioned how you want it, and raise the axle back up against the camper. DON'T lift the camper back up off the stands, but do give it enough pressure to hold it in place. If you don't do this, the riser will shift when you tighten the nuts and you'll have to start over (ask me how I know...). Once you have the riser in position, and wedged in place with the jack, go ahead and tighten all of the nuts. I couldn't find the torque specs on these, so I went ahead and used the german specs (goodntight). Again, impact gun makes this easy, and lets you run the bolts on VERY tight with little effort. EDIT: Found the specs! Bolts call for 120ft/lbs.
Once tightened, it should look something like this:  Now you can go ahead and re-secure the brake wiring with fresh zip ties. I put mine in roughly the same position as factory, although it secures a little more inboard now that the slack has been taken up by the riser. This is also the time to put your wheel back on and thread the lugs. If you have an impact, just go ahead and put them all the way on, otherwise you'll need to wait until the camper is lowered to get them tightened. You're almost there! Go ahead and jack the camper back up by the axle to relieve the jackstands of their duty. Take them out of the way, and slowly lower the camper back down until the wheel starts to take some of the weight. Now is the time to finish tightening the lugs if you didn't have an impact handy. When finished, go ahead and let the camper down the rest of the way and take the jack out. If you want to make sure your lugs are where they should be, you can check them with a torque wrench now. Factory spec is 100 ft/lbs. I didn't run mine on very tight with the gun, so all of mine needed a little bit of snugging, but not much. Repeat the process on the other side, and your done! It's as easy as that. |
Replies:
Posted By: Tri-Pod
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 8:18am
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I have read about this process somewhere else but this is the most detailed, thanks for doing this. Clark. ------------- 2010 PR 176 sold 2012 replaced with 2013 SP 240 w outside kitchen 2012 Toyota Tundra Crew Max 4x2 5.7L V8 Me, My Honey, and Max our GSP |
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 12:15pm
GREAT "How to"! Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 1:44pm
| Thanks guys. I figured someone should do this, since it's a common thing people ask about. We should open a new DIY forum that's strictly for "how to" write ups. I have a few more things I'll be doing to the pod in the near future, and I'll try to put together one of these for each of them. |
Posted By: Snowbound
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 3:50pm
Wow! What a great description of how to put on axle risers. There is enough information there that I know my husband (graduate of the School for the Mechanically Declined) is not going to attempt it. Plus he would use it as an excuse to buy more tools. ------------- Tom and Bette in our 177 "The Gastropod" |
Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 5:03pm
Eh, it's really not very difficult. Even feeling my way through it it only took me about an hour and a half or so. Had I done it before, or read a set of instructions, it probably would have taken half that amount of time. There is nothing to the entire project that is hard, you just need to be careful while doing it because you are under something that's much heavier than you are. As for the new tool excuse...I use that one all the time. Every new project is an excuse for a new tool :).
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Posted By: Podsible Dream
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 8:34pm
Only one new tool!? How about one for each level of the house or garage?  ------------- Chris and Walt '10 RP-171 'Free Spirit' '13 Dodge Durango Crew 5.7 L Hemi V8 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 9:14pm
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We had a long discussion on them, which I linked to on this page: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723&PID=14735&title=creating-an-instruction-maintanence-manual#14735%20 - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723&PID=14735&title=creating-an-instruction-maintanence-manual#14735 But, I don't think we've had a good installation thread yet. The "manual" thread has been in hibernation lately, when it gets going again I will make sure I link to this. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 10:12pm
Cool. Yeah I'd seen lots of discussion about them, but no install threads which is why I wrote this one. Not the best I admit, but workable I hope. Also, the link you just posted doesn't work? ------------- |
Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2011 at 10:12pm
LOL, yeah, sometimes projects require multiple tools. I've been good lately though :). |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 2:57pm
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Ok, link fixed. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 4:12pm
| Yupper. And would you look at that...it's right at the top of this forum. Please excuse me while I go back under my rock. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2011 at 10:27pm
 ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2011 at 11:17am
| First post updated with torque specs for the riser bolts...thanks to someone posting the instructions that were supposed to come with the risers, but didn't come with mine. |
Posted By: Footslogger03
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2011 at 8:45am
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Thanks Fishtail ....couldn't have asked for anything more. If anyone knows the torque specs on those nuts please pass them along.
Thanks again ... MJ ------------- Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger |
Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 25 Jul 2011 at 9:06am
| No problem. Glad to have posted something useful. Torque spec is 120ft/lbs. I edited the post after someone posted it up a while ago. |
Posted By: electrician549
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2011 at 6:58am
| I just ordered the axel risers for my fathers "11 171 and we plan to put them on as soon as they come in before our next trip. Once installed will we need to raise the hitch on his tv as well? |
Posted By: Chuck
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2011 at 7:56am
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Clark, It would appear in your picture of the installed riser that it is somewhat pitched where it is bolted to the frame. Is that something that I will need to be aware of? And thanks for this posting. It has given me the confidence to do this mod myself and save around $200 it looks like. (more money for awning lights, more flamingos I think) ------------- Z-pod Chuck Janet & Bogie the dog '12 RP 177 1972 Shasta 1400 2005 Ford F-150 5.3L V8 |
Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2011 at 9:33am
That depends. I didn't, but I was already hauling in "tongue up" configuration because the pod wasn't high enough to start with. It tows level now that the risers are on it. So the answer to your question will depend on which TV you have, how your tow alignment is now (are you level, or not), etc.
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Posted By: FISHTAIL
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2011 at 9:40am
Who's Clark? Anyway, no, that's just what you see in the picture because that photo was taken before I put the riser under load and tightened the bolts. It was hot out (100+) when I did this job, and my wife and I were supposed to be heading out soon, so I was in a hurry. I didn't think to snap pictures at every juncture, and only remembered to take that one when I'd stood up to grab my impact gun. At any rate, the risers install flush with the axle, frame, and bracket. So no worries there. It just looks off because of when I took the photo. |
Posted By: Chuck
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2011 at 9:05am
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I have no idea where I got the Clark thing from. It must be cause you're like Superman or something. Kidding aside, thanks for all of this information. It's gonna make this easy and my stabilizers are going to be eternally happy not to mention my driveway. ------------- Z-pod Chuck Janet & Bogie the dog '12 RP 177 1972 Shasta 1400 2005 Ford F-150 5.3L V8 |
Posted By: TIDALWAVE
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2011 at 2:48pm
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After you have installed the risers, you should check how level the trailer is when connected to the TV. My four inch risers made a noticeable difference in matching the Pod tongue angle to my TV. I had to reposition the TV's tow bracket one more bolt hole higher to keep the Pod angled slightly down in front. By adding the risers, the downward angle would have been more than recommended for my weight distribution hitch if I hadn't adjusted the bracket. Every trip I take proves to me the advantage of the risers. Of course my mileage was so bad already (11-12mpg) towing the Pod, that I found no real difference in mileage after adding the risers. ------------- TIDALWAVE |
Posted By: electrician549
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2011 at 10:42am
| Thank you for the information. After measuring everything this weekend it looks like one bolt hole up will be all we need to move the hitch as well. I imagine keeping the angle of the ball the same because the toungue wait will stay the same. It looks like we won't have a chance to install them before this trip and it is nothing I want to rush through. |
Posted By: secretbard
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2012 at 10:12pm
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Here it is. Looks like good info. here. ------------- 2010 Rpod 172 :) 2004 Chevy Trailblazer |
Posted By: Littlegun410
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2015 at 2:50pm
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Since Forrest River no longer has a supplier for the Dexter axle version of the 4" riser(for a 2012 R177), has anyone found an alternative supplier or fabricated a set? Forrest River suggested I may get lucky and find a set in dealer stock somewhere. I called several of the largest FR dealers I could find and no luck. The part number for the kit I need is 10F10587A. Any ideas or suggestions appreciated. ------------- 2012 R177 2003 F350 |
Posted By: SiberD
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2015 at 5:42pm
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Thanks for the tutorial! Got mine installed today but it took me far longer as I ran into a few problems. Of course as far as projects go I had to make that obligatory trip to the hardware. Where I ran into problems were yes, those bolts are on tight and I don't have an impact wrench. I put some WD40 on them and got all but the last one! I ended up fashioning a redneck breaker bar by cutting a piece of pipe and sliding it over the 1/2 in drive. It didn't take much to break it loose with the extra leverage. Next problem was that there was a big ole weld burger right where the axle riser was to be installed and it was enough to cause a noticeable gap on that end. I got my angle grinder out and carefully ground down the burger without getting into the rail. Channel now fit snugly on both ends. All righty, time to bolt everything into place and tighten to 120ft/lb. Getting close now......not. The lower bolts were easy enough, even though its slow going, but the ones on the frame bracket were a kitty "b" as I had to use an extension on the drive and it kept slipping off of the bolt head. That's where the hardware trip came in. Went and got a deep well 15/16in socket and that was just the ticket. All done with that, put the tires back on, tightened to 100 ft/lb and then raised the E2 receiver up, significantly too, with the rear end riding just slightly higher than the front. I'm a happy camper and no longer worried about scraping my pins that hold the stabilizer bars on the E2 hitch any longer. This is how the camper should come from the factory!
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2015 at 8:48pm
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Make sure you check the lug nut torque often until they seat again. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: SiberD
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2015 at 9:23pm
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Oh yeah, I check the torque on the lug nuts before a trip and at the campground before we leave. I may not post much but I do read here extensively ;) Oh, another reason it took so long is that I got my right hand, dominant of course, caught up in a table saw in April and the darned thing still doesn't work too well!
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Posted By: RoadToad
Date Posted: 08 Dec 2015 at 10:40pm
Somewhere I saw a DIY riser kit that used $12 worth of 3/16" square 2"x4" tubing- 2 pieces 12" long. I already bought those at a local metal shop. Now I need to get bolts and drill holes in my two risers. Anybody know where that set of instructions is on the net?  RoadToad------------- 2015 RP179 |