This post may contain affiliate links or mention our own products, please check out our disclosure policy.

Axle Flipping Guide: How To Flip The Axles On Your Trailer For More Ground Clearance And Better Boondocking.

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Reconnect the Brake Wiring

For the electric brake wiring, cut an adequate length of spare cable to fit between the two cut ends with a couple of inches to spare for slack and movement in the suspension.

Strip the plastic sheathing back to allow either soldering of the wires (slide on some heat shrink tubing if soldering) or for fitting crimp bullet/spade connectors.

Match the brake wiring up as they were marked prior to cutting, and when wired up, check that the brakes activate with the help of a friend.

Sign up for the newsletter today!

Please enter a valid email address.

An error occurred. Please try again later.

× logo

Thank you for subscribing to the Do It Yourself RV newsletter, keep your eye on your inbox for updates.

Once the wheel is fitted to the braking hub, spin the wheel while your friend activates the breakaway braking pin. If the wheel instantly locks up, power is being correctly applied to the brakes.

Check the alignment of the axle and torque the U bolts
Check the alignment of the axle and torque the U bolts

Remount the Shock Absorbers

If your trailer spring setup is fitted with shock absorbers, additional modifications will need to be done to remount the shock absorber once the axles have been “flipped”.

Remove the shock absorber when disconnecting the spring from the axle. Measure up your shock absorber mounts and source new mounts from your local trailer hardware supplier.

Under no circumstances should you attempt to remove the existing mount and reposition it. Doing so could compromise the strength of the chassis and potentially reduce the trailer’s mechanical integrity and lifespan.

Image showing original shock position before modification
Image showing original shock position before modification

When you order the over/under conversion kit for the axle flip, check that the new spring plates have provision for attaching the bottom end of the shock absorber.

Image showing shock absorber mount before and after flipping the axle position
Image showing shock absorber mount before and after flipping the axle position

Once the axle has been “flipped,” locate the shock absorber bottom end into the spring plate and position the shock and top mount so they are in approximately the same angle as the original setup.

The shock absorber will need to be compressed to compensate for the reduced travel.

If room is available, raise the new mount higher on the chassis rail to give additional cushioning from the shock absorber.

The angle of the shock absorber is not overly critical as long as it is not truly vertical or at an angle more than 30 degrees from the vertical. The shock absorber should always angle toward the direction of spring/axle travel (in the above example – up and to the right).

When happy with the positioning, clamp the mount, remove the shock absorber (to prevent any fire or potential explosion) and weld the mount to the chassis.

Getting Back on the Road

If time allows, remove the drums and do some servicing on the brakes and wheel bearings.

Refit the wheels, lower the trailer to the ground, hitch up and take the trailer for a good run.

Take it slowly at first – the trailer will handle slightly differently after the modifications and it will take some time to get a feel for how it rides.

After a good 100 or so miles, get back under your trailer and recheck the torque settings for all the spring and equalizer bolts, U bolts and wheel lug nuts.

Happy trailering!

4 thoughts on “Axle Flipping Guide: How To Flip The Axles On Your Trailer For More Ground Clearance And Better Boondocking.”

  1. Hi and thanks for the article. I recently had my axles flipped by a local RV dealer. In most articles I noticed that they include welding the spring seats to the axle. Like your article the dealer did not weld the seats either. What are your thoughts on this. I’m concerned that the axles might rotate over the course of years to where the camber is not bowed up as it should.

Leave a Comment

Welcome! Please follow these guidelines:

  • Be kind and respectful.
  • Keep comments relevant to the article.
  • Avoid insults, threats, profanity, and offensive remarks.
  • Refrain from discussing gun rights, politics, or religion.
  • Do not post misleading information, personal details, or spam.

We may hide or remove comments at our discretion.