Lower height for storage - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-10-2021, 12:55 PM   #1
Member
 
TeresaT's Avatar
 
Name: Teresa
Trailer: Trek
Kentucky
Posts: 37
Registry
Lower height for storage

I know it’s somewhere on this site but can’t seem to find again.
Any advice to lowering a 1978 Boler with small roof vent to fit in a house garage.
Find smaller tires/wheels? This trailer doesn’t seem to have an axle - wheels attached directly to trailer-
a friend suggested deflating tires but that seems bad for the tires to let sit deflated
Mayb re inflate once inside wouldn’t be so bad?
I’m new so please be kind due to my lack of FG trailer knowledge
Thanks for consideration
TeresaT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-10-2021, 01:09 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
Registry
Deflating the tires is one option. As long as there enough pressure to keep the rim off the ground, you're okay to roll it a few feet. Once inside consider raising the whole trailer on jack stands to take weight off the tires and the axle. It's okay to leave the pressure low if there's no weight (around 15 psi to keep the bead seated). If it's going to sit on the tires, then yes- reinflate after you get it in.

Swapping for 8" wheels and tires is another option if deflating doesn't get you there.

If it's close, sometimes raising the tongue to get the back end in and then lowering it to get the front in will gain that last inch. Only works if you're moving it by hand, of course.
Jon in AZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2021, 05:38 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Name: Lisa
Trailer: Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 130
We had a boler 13 that we could get in the garage by taking off the lid of the roof vent.
Lisa in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2021, 07:25 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
CarlD's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: LiL Hauley
Syracuse, NY
Posts: 656
My garage door height is 8 feet, my trailer is 8 feet 4 inches. The first time I put the trailer in the garage I aired down then removed the wheels in preparation for the build. I have since made some fred flintstone tires which I put on when I put the trailer inside. I created and printed a pattern on the computer with 5 radial lines and a circle diameter the same as the lug pattern. I transferred the pattern to a 3/4 piece of plywood, drilled the lug pattern and counter sunk the holes. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole in the center which fit a jig I made for my table saw. I rough cut the perimeter then final cut the piece on my table saw. I cut it by raising the blade until it just contacted the wood then rotated it into the blade. You have to hold the workpiece to keep it from spinning while raising the blade. Repeat the cut until done. I then cut out the center to fit the hub. I cut 2 more pieces the same diameter and glued them together. So far they are holding up great. A side benefit is the trailer is super easy to move around because of the wood tires do not flex like rubber tires. Think trains wheels.
Attached Thumbnails
wood tires - Edited.jpg  
__________________
Your heirs will inherit money and stuff when you are gone. You can only save or spend money, but you can do things with stuff, so they are going to inherit stuff!
CarlD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2021, 07:48 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
To get our Trillium 4500 under our 7 foot doorframe:

- Replace the wheels+tires with 8 inch wheels+tires
- Remove the roof vent dome
- Unplug the door opener and wedge the door bottom edge above the door frame. In order for this to work, the roller tracks are sufficiently above the door frame.
- Crouch the tongue down close to the driveway surface

Doing all of these measures, the trailer just fits, rubbing and pushing up the garage door frame seal.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2021, 11:05 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
FRED SMAILES's Avatar
 
Trailer: 13 ft Boler
Posts: 1,175
Registry
I used the old 13 inch rims that came with the trailer. Took the tires off and roll it in and out on the rims. This lowers the trailer by about 4 inches.
If your trailer has brakes, anything that you can bolt on that has a slightly bigger diameter (the wood wheels above, good idea) will work.
If it doesn't have brakes it could even be rolled in on the hubs as long as nothing else under trailer drags.
Fred
__________________
I'd rather do it myself, done right or not. Isn't that what a hobby is all about?
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ler-55601.html
FRED SMAILES is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2021, 02:41 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
Send a message via Yahoo to Darwin Maring
You can remove the wheels and set them on car dollies to get it about as low as it can go.
https://www.harborfreight.com/1000-l...-pc-61283.html
Darwin Maring is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 09:55 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
I actually tried car dollies. It didn't work for me because my garage floor is an inch or so higher than the driveway paving. I switched to 8" wheels+tires. I tailored the solution to my situation.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 10:11 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
Send a message via Yahoo to Darwin Maring
Me, I would just roll it in on the hubs.
Darwin Maring is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 10:34 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
No bare hubs or wheels, that would wreck my epoxy/poly floor
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 12:36 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
Send a message via Yahoo to Darwin Maring
Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Michigan View Post
No bare hubs or wheels, that would wreck my epoxy/poly floor
John, You are absolutely correct.
Darwin Maring is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 01:07 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
FRED SMAILES's Avatar
 
Trailer: 13 ft Boler
Posts: 1,175
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darwin Maring View Post
John, You are absolutely correct.
Old piece a plywood would probably solve that.
Fred
__________________
I'd rather do it myself, done right or not. Isn't that what a hobby is all about?
https://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/...ler-55601.html
FRED SMAILES is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 02:02 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
CarlD's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: LiL Hauley
Syracuse, NY
Posts: 656
I'm lucky, I just have bare concrete!
__________________
Your heirs will inherit money and stuff when you are gone. You can only save or spend money, but you can do things with stuff, so they are going to inherit stuff!
CarlD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2021, 02:36 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
I'm luckier. I don't have a garage, or a carport.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2021, 05:45 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Florida
Posts: 1,691
Registry
Walmart sells tiny pneumatic tires with both 4-bolt or 5-bolt patterns. They will lower the trailer several inches and not ruin any floor. It’s just a pain to Jack up the trailer and change the tires each time it goes in or comes out of the garage. If only put in garage at the end of “camping season” and out at beginning (twice a year) perhaps not such a pain. And the Walmart price is somewhere around $30 per wheel/tire combination the last time I looked. Used this way and stored indoors out of UV when not in use, these smaller “storage” tires should last a very long time.
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2021, 05:51 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Florida
Posts: 1,691
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo View Post
I'm luckier. I don't have a garage, or a carport.
Be still, my heart. I am, and everyone else on FGRV must be extremely envious. It must almost be like you won millions of dollars in the lottery!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2021, 10:39 AM   #17
Member
 
TeresaT's Avatar
 
Name: Teresa
Trailer: Trek
Kentucky
Posts: 37
Registry
So many great suggestions! I got everything ready in the garage, bought the wheel dollies ...and can’t get the wheels off!! Grrr they don’t have lug nuts like a car. Why!!!!?!
Are they supposed to have lug nuts like a car. ��??now I will need to figure out how to get these rusted nuts off... is it always something new and interesting with these older FG campers? ��
TeresaT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2021, 09:09 PM   #18
Member
 
TeresaT's Avatar
 
Name: Teresa
Trailer: Trek
Kentucky
Posts: 37
Registry
What are these? They aren’t the same size as my car lug nuts.
Was hoping to get it into the house garage but looks like I’ll have to wait until the ice and snow clear to take to a tire shop to get the wheels off. Mayb not a bad idea to lift it up and inspect this frame anyway

Snowed in now so hardware store will have for the correct size socket wrench anyway.
Attached Thumbnails
C0D2F3C6-8281-4D84-9754-AE3A0FD29348.jpg   E85419BD-B531-465A-A9A9-7F6BA95214D9.jpg  

TeresaT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2021, 09:19 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
Those are bolts, instead of a lug nut threaded onto a stud. My Boler 17 came with bolts. Trick is that the bolts on the right side are left threaded, while the bolts on the left side are right threaded, or is it the other way around. So if you think you are loosening the bolts, you might be tightening them. My bolts were marked with an R or a L, depending on whether they were right tighten or left tighten.

I have since replaced the hubs with hubs that have the standard right tighten studs for lug nuts.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2021, 09:52 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
John in Michigan's Avatar
 
Name: John
Trailer: 1979 Boler 1700
Michigan
Posts: 2,048
Registry
Checking around apparently my original Boler 17 hub bolts were:

- Left side/driver's side hub bolts are left threaded
- Right side/curb side hub bolts are right (standard) threaded

And again each bolt head was marked R or L.
John in Michigan is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Storage complications with 7' 6" scamp 13' height? JohnF Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 0 09-19-2011 06:14 PM
Need Upper and Lower Cabinet Advice Bailey Modifications, Alterations and Updates 3 04-09-2007 10:58 PM
Lower Mainland, B.C. Canada meet, May 20, 21, 22 Doug Mager Rallies, Get-togethers, Molded Meets (Archive) 11 05-29-2006 07:08 AM
Storage, Storage, and Storage Legacy Posts Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 18 11-20-2002 10:43 AM
Storage, Storage, and Storage Modifications, Alterations and Updates 0 01-01-1970 12:00 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:15 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.