92 Bigfoot 17' axle

[tbp]

I have no info on what is the stock axle? Is it 3500lb? Did original come with drop axle?

[Jack L]

A 3500# axle with a 4" drop was standard with 205-75-14 tires. I changed mine to a straight 3500 axle. I really like this change but I should have upgraded to a heavier 5200#axle. Changing to a heaver axle would also require new hubs and 12" brakes as well as 15" wheels and tires.

[Franswa]

Jack, I'm curious as to why you would want a 5200 axle....especially since it would require the brake and tire upsizing as well...pretty tall order...just wondering....planning on a heavy/ier load??

pictured is the (stock?) drop axle with new, heavier springs (extra leaf) and how the trailer sits now (94 CB model)

[tbp]

Thanks for pics. I want to replace brakes and hubs, and I can get a great deal on axle/brakes/hubs as a whole unit for a lower price. I have a straight axle now, so it was obviously a replacement to drop axle at some point.

Has anyone went back to a drop axle from straight? My BF 17' sits a little high for my liking(roughly the same as the pictured above), especially behind my 09 Honda Odyssey. Any drawbacks to drop axle other than reduced road clearance?

[Jack L]

When I put my trailer on a scale (after changing the axle) it weighed 3150# on the axle. The tongue weight was about 400#. I don't remember the exact tongue weight but it was slightly less than15%. That is with a moderate load of gear and plenty of still unused storage. There have been times when I did not bring gear that I wanted because of weight considerations. I also believe in not loading to the absolute maximu specification. It would be very easy for me to overload this trailer and exceed the 3500# limit. In later years Bigfoot did put 5200# axles on this trailer as standard. They might have realized customers would prefer the extra load capacity.

After I bought my trailer the first thing I did was replace tires (old) wheels (rusted badly) and brakes (rusted).and later found out about a heavier axle. Staying with the 3500# axle is much less expensive. The added cost with new hubs, brakes, wheels and tires plus the cost of the 5200# axle would have been around $800 (parts only) and the cost of 3500# axle was about $160 (parts only).

[Jack L]

I went to a straight axle because I wanted more ground clearance. It makes it much easier for sewer connections and I do lots of BLM and Forest Service roads that are pretty rough.

Can you post a picture taken under your trailer of the axle as it is now?

If you look at the photo in Franswa's post that shows a 4" axle that has been "flipped" or underslung , mounted under the leaf spring instead of on top of it. Some people do this to raise the trailer but this will not give any extra ground clearance. A previous owner may have done the same.

[Jack L]

I'm just curious. What is the towing capacity for your Honda Odyssey? What is the maximum tongue weight for this vehicle ? The weight specs Bigfoot publishes are far from true

[Franswa]

"In later years Bigfoot did put 5200# axles on this trailer as standard. They might have realized customers would prefer the extra load capacity."

I'm thinki9ng this probably happened when Bigfoot changed to the 2500 series....the weight went up from the 2800 range to about 4000 IIRC....all those extra features/goodies do weigh more

[Franswa]

Honda lists the tow rating for the Odyssey at 3500 (same with the Pilot BTW)...you have to move to the Ridgeline to get 5000 tow rating...

it's complicated math but I'm guessing if you hook up 3500 lbs behind it you won't be able to carry too much stuff IN the van itself...."legally"

running that close to the tow rating is certanly doable...there's lots of "degrees" of towing....driving twenty miles on the flats to the lake for the weekend is different that going over the Rockies

an easy rule of thumb to tow anywhere is take the tow rating of the vehicle...substract 25 percent and don't go over that....sounds ruthless but it works....just so happens that is where I'm "sitting" at the moment and I wouldn't want anymore weight....just about right for where/how I tow

[trainjunkie]

Francois,

To add to Jack's post about using the 5,200 lb capacity axle, per a number of older discussions on this here, some did it just for durability. The 3,500 lb axle tends to de-arc somewhat more rapidly under harsh use than a 5,200 lb. axle. There was, at one time but no longer, a 5,200 lb axle tube with 3,500 lb hubs available. It wasn't for additional weight capacity, only for improved durability and longevity.

I considered doing this when I put a new axle under my BF but it was too costly and would have taken too long to get the parts in Alaska where I had the work done. But all things being equal, or near so, I would go this route just for the longevity.

[Jack L]

Tongue weight on my Bigfoot is 400+ pounds with a full load of propane and I'm still curious as to the Honda Odyssey tongue weight capacity.

[Franswa]

looks like 350....maybe

[Tom Trostel]

So many variables with any 17' Bigfoot, what year, what model (Standard, Deluxe, Spiritwing), what has been added to the unit, etc. My 1980 15B17G Standard weighs 2294 lbs. empty and when loaded has a tongue weight of 340 lbs. The only way to know about your trailer is to weigh it. I've towed it for 5 years with a Toyota Sienna with no problems. That includes trips through the Rockies.

http://s293.photobucket.com/user/tom...tml?sort=3&o=0

[Jeff T H]

Originally Posted by Franswa

Jack, I'm curious as to why you would want a 5200 axle....especially since it would require the brake and tire upsizing as well...pretty tall order...just wondering....planning on a heavy/ier load??

pictured is the (stock?) drop axle with new, heavier springs (extra leaf) and how the trailer sits now (94 CB model)

Not sure if this is the right way.
François, Can you tell me what springs you are using in those pictures?
The wheels are centered in the wheel well. My BF is not. Different springs.
Do you have a part # and location you bought them from? Thank you.

[Jack L]

Jeff, It's really not the springs that are doing this. It's the way the axle was underslung or flipped. Look at your axle and you will probably have a 4" drop axle and you can remount it below the springs like in the photo and raise your trailer and pick up 4" of body lift but the axle will remain the same distance from the ground. You can change to a straight axle and get the same trailer height plus 4" of ground clearance. Post a photo from under your trailer if you can.

[MC1]

Originally Posted by Franswa

Honda lists the tow rating for the Odyssey at 3500 (same with the Pilot BTW)...you have to move to the Ridgeline to get 5000 tow rating...

it's complicated math but I'm guessing if you hook up 3500 lbs behind it you won't be able to carry too much stuff IN the van itself...."legally"

I like the Ridge and if I were to own a pick up the Ridge would be my 1st choice. It has a 3/4 ton payload rating and the Oddy is only 150lbs less.

From what I have read if you did an side by side towing test between the Ridge and an Oddy towing the identical 3,500lb trailer the Oddy would out perform the Ridge in every test. The Oddy's are a top raded TV.

PS... your new spring set up on the BF looks real nice. Looks like a pro job.

[Franswa]

I went to a spring shop...there were no brand names or numbers....local shop "out in the boonies"....it's all they do....done buisness there before...great spot/people

did some checking...Honda says towing capacity for the Oddy is 1600KG or something close....Ridgeline is like 2500....both have the same engine....might have something to do with the fact that the Oddy is unibody construction and the Ridge has a frame... different transmissions too.....I dunno