Can You Put a Lift Kit on a Travel Trailer?

Most people who own a travel trailer spend their time in campgrounds, some of the best campgrounds are difficult to get to. Whether the road is bumpy, hilly, or simply not maintained, you may run into an issue of hitting your sewer line or rear bumper on obstacles.

Lifting your travel trailer is one way to solve that issue. Even on our factory trailer when we go down our curb at hour house, the sewer outlet just barely clears, a lift kit would benefit you in many situations.

Can you put a lift kit on a travel trailer?

Lift kits can be installed on many travel trailer brands. Some brands such as Winnebago give you the option to lift or lower your travel trailer with the included bracket from the factory. Most of the time you would install a kit which would flip your axle giving you more ground clearance.

Travel Trailer Lift Kits

Lift kits for trailers are called over/under kits and they can be used on a variety of trailers. There are options available depending on how big the diameter of your trailer axles are. If you cannot find a kit appropriate for your trailer, using taller suspension hangers is a good option.

Trucks and SUVs are the most commonly lifted vehicles and can be lifted or leveled with a variety of lift kits. Trailers can also be lifted with the right equipment. There can be many benefits to lifting a trailer, it allows for more clearance when off-roading or going up steep hills. For many people, lifting their trailer makes their lives easier. 

Knowing how to lift your trailer is an invaluable skill when using your trailer for these hobbies or living arrangements. It is possible to hire someone to do this on your trailer. You can also install the kits yourself as long as you know how to do so. Lift kits can be purchased online or in many stores. 

For people who engage in outdoor hobbies, like camping, or live in places with a lot of steep hills, lifting their trailer is the best option for getting around. Having a lifted trailer makes it easier to maneuver your trailer and vehicle over bumps and steep hills. For people who off-road frequently, lifting their trailers is a must. 

If you decide to install a lift kit on your trailer, it is also important to know the risks involved. These risks are similar to the risks attached to lifting your SUV or truck. The center of gravity will be lifted and can make handling the trailer more difficult. Be sure that you understand the risks before you lift your trailer.

There are many reasons to choose to lift a trailer, it makes many hobbies easier to do and makes handling a trailer easier in many instances. There are some downsides to understand as well that have to be understood before lifting your trailer.

How to Lift a Travel Trailer

There are many ways to lift a trailer once you understand the basics. There is no need to go to a professional to get your trailer lifted if you know how to work your trailer and the kit.

One way to lift your trailer is to flip the trailer axles. This moves the suspension from below the axle to above the axle to create more clearance under the trailer. If lifting your trailer this way you will need to be careful about making sure your trailer’s orientation is correct. Flipping axles incorrectly can lead to poor handling and increased tire wear.

Another way to lift your trailer is to replace the existing suspension spring hangers with taller ones. This typically requires the use of a professional though if you have all the right equipment and know how to replace spring hangers, this can be completed on your own. You will also need to be certain that all hangers are replaced at the same height.

• Many brands such as Winnebago come factory with the ability to adjust the height of your travel trailer. There are 3-4 verticle bolt holes depending on how high you would like to lift your trailer.
• Other brands will have a factory option to lift your trailer to get into those tight backcountry campgrounds.

Once you know how you want to lift your trailer, you should know the benefits and risks to have that height. For many people, lifting a trailer is not something to do for some extra fun but is necessary for their lifestyle. This doesn’t make the potential risks any less devastating.     

Benefits of Lifting a Travel Trailer

Depending on the lifestyle that you have, lifting your trailer is not an option. Having that extra height on your trailer makes it easier to drive off-road and go up steep hills. For people with steep driveways having a lifted trailer is a must-have.

The benefits of lifting your trailer are very similar to the benefits of lifting a car or truck. It will be harder for your trailer to get stuck in the mud or on obstacles while driving off-road. For people who camp a lot, especially in less than ideal weather, being able to avoid issues with mother nature is important.

Having a lifted trailer will also make it easier to drive over potential terrain problems, like sticks or rocks. Another important aspect to consider if you’re a camper. Having that extra height makes it easier to avoid these potential problems and it is much easier to simply drive over them.

Some of these hazards can cause damage to your trailer, such as rocks or branches affecting the undercarriage and creating lasting damage. With the extra height lifts give your trailer, these items will be less likely to even touch your trailer, much less cause lasting damage.

Even with all of these benefits, there are potential problems to consider. Changing something as important as the height of your trailer does change how your trailer will handle on the road.    

Hazards When Lifting Your Travel Trailer

Raising your trailer can contribute to similar problems as raising any other vehicle. It can cost a lot of time and money to install. Once the trailer is installed, you have changed the center of gravity and that will impact your trailer’s safety on the road.

On top of creating potential issues with the handling of your trailer, it can also cost a lot of money just like lifting a car would. The cost depends on a lot of factors but even a basic lift can cost a thousand dollars or more. A kit that you can complete the lift yourself with can still cost you close to the amount of hiring a professional. 

Lifting your trailer can also mean running into serious safety concerns. Raising your trailer changes your trailers’ center of gravity, which makes navigating road hazards more difficult. A higher center of gravity can make your trailer tip over easier in case of an emergency.

This can even impact your car at slow speeds. When handling your lifted trailer while off-roading it is important to be aware of your surroundings and what can cause potential problems for your car and trailer. 

Even more dangerously, lifted trailers have a high rollover risk. Rollovers can make bad road accidents even worse and many of the most devastating accidents involve rollover incidents. Personal injuries from roll-over accidents include neck and brain injuries, which can have devastating lifelong effects.   

While driving a lifted trailer, you should be prepared for any number of accidents, especially considering that many common uses for lifted trailers involve off-road driving. Knowing your options after an accident is critical, even more so when help can be further away than you’re used to. Driving carefully is always important and especially when your center of gravity is lifted.  

Before lifting your trailer, make sure that you understand the risks at hand. Lifting your trailer can create driving hazards not only for you but for others on the road. Adding extra mirrors, a proper weight distribution hitch, and driving slowly in high traffic areas can help minimize these risks. Even when driving off-road, be aware of your surroundings and avoid potentially dangerous situations if you can. 

Adding lifts to your trailer can help you tow the trailer better because everything is more equal, but you should keep in mind how it will handle turns and other impacts that adding lifts to your trailer will have. While you won’t have to worry about steering, there are other concerns to be worried about with the added height. 

When lifting your trailer, it is often easy to think about the benefits of having extra height on your trailer. These benefits are great and will make life easier for many people. However, the risks of lifting your trailer should not be ignored and needs to be considered before making any serious changes to a vehicle.