r-pod Nation Homepage R-Pod Travel Trailers At Jeff Couchs RV Nation
Forum Home Forum Home > Forest River r-pod > Maintenance Issues, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Axle riser installation question
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Axle riser installation question

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
duck42 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 23 Sep 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 18
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duck42 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Axle riser installation question
    Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 1:14pm
There have been quite a few posts on axle risers from time to time and I am considering installing a set I just received from Forest River myself. My question is this: I understand that the frame must be unbolted from the axle and jacked up in order to insert each riser between the frame and the axle, but can this be done one side at a time e.g. unbolt, jack one side up, insert riser, re-bolt, then proceed to the opposite side, unbolt, jack it up and inset riser, re-bolt or do you have to unbolt both sides and jack up the frame placing jack stands under both sides to gain clearance prior to inserting the risers? I'm guessing both sides have to be done simultaneously to avoid uneven torque on the axle in order to insert the risers, but I though I would check first for any tips. Thanks!
Back to Top
HyPod View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Location: Lakewood, CO
Status: Offline
Points: 2
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HyPod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 2:50pm
I used jack stands when I did mine. Then I used a floor jack to move the axle into place. Not a difficult job, even for me!
RP175, '09 Silverado
Back to Top
tsunami View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 05 Oct 2009
Location: MINNESOTA
Status: Offline
Points: 426
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tsunami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 4:48pm

The axle is suspended on elastomeric torsion bars.  The axle will move up and down and slightly back and forth when you are hauling. When I installed my risers...I removed my tires for easy access to the axle brackets.  There are small vertical flanges welded to the back side of both right and left axle areas near the brakes.  By placing the jack stays and hydraulic jack at that location, the axle tube would not be distorted.  Putting jack on the axle tube would place all of the weight of the Pod on one small contact point on the tube.  The vertical flanges are welded to the axle and will spread the Pod's weight along that part of the axle.

I made sure that enough strong jacks were placed along with wheel chocks on the opposite side for safety.  I placed a hydraulic jack on the outer longitudinal steel adjacent to where the bottom of the Pod connected with the axle.  If you look carefully before installation you will notice that the Pod's weight on that side is supported at that location onto the axle.
I carefully jacked the Pod up so that when I loosened and removed the factory attachment bolts that the Pod hadn't been raised anymore than necessary.
 
It took a pneumatic impact socket wrench to break the factory installed nuts loose from the bolts.
You probably could loosen them with a heavy duty box wrench with an extension.  But I didn't think I could develop enough torque to loosen them with just my arm strength and a very large/long hand wrench.
 
After loosening and removing the factory bolts, I adjusted the height of the lifted Pod to match the bolt holes in the Pod Bottom, the risers and the axle holes. It was quite easy to install the riser along with the provided hardened steel bolts and nuts. I torqued the nuts as required in the instructions.
 
I rechecked the bolts and reinstalled the tire wheel. I lowered the pod back to the floor and moved the jacks to the other side and repeated the installation.
 
While lifting the Pod, I did watch whether or not there was any unwanted twisting of the axle on the opposite side of the Pod.  No more flexing than going slowly over a pothole.  I did minimize the amount of lift I needed for the installation.  I did not want to overflex the axle. 
 
My final check was the torque on the wheel nuts.
 
After a year of hauling the Pod with the risers...I am glad that I installed them.
I am not a mechanic but watching the video on riser installation made the actual installation quite easy and took only about an hour of careful work.
tsunami
Back to Top
duck42 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 23 Sep 2011
Status: Offline
Points: 18
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote duck42 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 7:21pm
Great, that helps, thanks. I'll give it a try as soon as the snow melts!
Just to be sure I understand, you can leave one axle attached with tire on for stability while you work on the other side? I think I would be kind of nervous about working under the jacked up POD if both sides were suspended at the same time on jack stands. Sorry if I am a bit "obtuse" about this!
Back to Top
tsunami View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 05 Oct 2009
Location: MINNESOTA
Status: Offline
Points: 426
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tsunami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2012 at 1:39pm
I did leave the opposite side tire on while I worked on the other bracket. I made sure that the wheel chocks were well placed around the wheel before I worked on the other side.  I also used a couple of adjustable jack stands to provide support to the pod and axle while using a hydraulic jack. I didn't want the Pod or axle to move downward while I was partially under the pod.  A couple of extra jacks were placed to provide emergency support rather than help support the pod while I was working on it.  
tsunami
Back to Top
psaman View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Location: South Texas
Status: Offline
Points: 238
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote psaman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Feb 2012 at 1:44pm
Tsunami, do you have a link to the installation video?
2011 RP177 "Sponge Pod"
2011 F-150 XLT "Texas Edition"
P2 Brake Controller
Back to Top
tsunami View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 05 Oct 2009
Location: MINNESOTA
Status: Offline
Points: 426
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tsunami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Feb 2012 at 10:03am
The riser installation video was available via youtube.com about 18 months ago...
If I can find it, I will add an address on this thread.
tsunami
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 11.0
Copyright ©2001-2014 Web Wiz Ltd.