3.5" Axle Lift Completed Successfully!

[Entropy3XD]

Awesome Mod.  I was researching this last night, so it's great to see your pics.  I'm looking at adding a new axle and lift kit to a QS 10.0, so I can upgrade to 14" tires and increase storage capacity. 

[LivinLite AZ]

Awesome Mod.  I was researching this last night, so it's great to see your pics.  I'm looking at adding a new axle and lift kit to a QS 10.0, so I can upgrade to 14" tires and increase storage capacity.

Hey there Entropy3XD.

Definitely an upgrade I recommend. As mentioned in the OP, I suggest leaving the wheels on for the install process if you can. Let me know how it goes. Best of luck.

: ) S

[Scout]

Nice work. Good to see the fruits of a long day. I took a look at my 13' RDB and it looks like there might in fact be an down angle axle difference between our two units (recalling that mine was not a factory "off road" version and came with the 13" rims). Mine measures about 1.25" lower with the same lift kit. Anyhow, great work posting the step by step. glad you have had a chance to enjoy your new freedom. BTW any progress on the rear deck?

[LivinLite AZ]

Nice work. Good to see the fruits of a long day. I took a look at my 13' RDB and it looks like there might in fact be an down angle axle difference between our two units (recalling that mine was not a factory "off road" version and came with the 13" rims). Mine measures about 1.25" lower with the same lift kit. Anyhow, great work posting the step by step. glad you have had a chance to enjoy your new freedom. BTW any progress on the rear deck?

Hi Scout.

Lovin the lift, thanks to you! When I contacted Dexter they said I have a 32º down angle with the factory lift. I don't believe that you can rekey/reindex the torsion bars yourself without rewelding the axles to the brackets at a steeper angle. Probably cheaper than getting a new axle though.

RE: The deck, I've been drawing up plans for a drawbridge style folding/retracting rear deck idea that fully extended would give me a 7'x7' rear deck, with locking adjustable legs. This deck would also be able to be used half unfolded (3.5' x 7') and serve as a basket/tray for collecting firewood or whatever. It would fold in half and hinge up vertically against the back of the trailer when not in use. Love to put 250cc dirt bike back there but that could get squirrely with towing.
I'll post some plans soon for feedback when I get the overall concept sorted out.

Best,
    Steve

[patrick1853]

Any update on how this worked out long term?

I ordered the Dexter 2 5/8" lift kit but noticed they had a disclaimer that it couldn't be used with axles with the 3" high bracket (mine and the op's seem to have the high profile bracket).  I'm not sure if it really matters structurally, or if they are just covering themselves. 

[LivinLite AZ]

Hello Patrick.

We're probably talking apples to apples, but I installed a 3.5" lift, not the 2 5/8" lift. Regardless, the install process should be the same in principal. Meanwhile, my 3.5" 'Casita' lift has performed flawlessly, both on road and off, with a minimal 1 MPG impact on my mileage so far. Highly recommended !

Best of luck on your install. Enjoy your new height and happy travels

: ) S

[ADR]

I don't believe that you can rekey/reindex the torsion bars yourself without rewelding the axles to the brackets at a steeper angle. Probably cheaper than getting a new axle though.

The amount of heat required to weld re-indexed torsion arms would be huge, those are some stout steel parts.- that would damage/ruin the rubber element inside I'm sure.
Not sure how the factory does it.

[LivinLite AZ]

I'm sure they weld up all the hard parts first before they install the rubber mechanism at the factory. I'm glad that we got the factory off road package as a starting point, because even after adding 3.5" of lift, it now looks like a 'normal' ride height. As Scout mentioned, after adding his 3.5" kit, his 13 footer sits 1.5" lower than mine. Not a huge difference, but I'll take all the height I can get for the places we like to go.

Take care,
   : ) S

[zonzin]

Any update on how this worked out long term?

I ordered the Dexter 2 5/8" lift kit but noticed they had a disclaimer that it couldn't be used with axles with the 3" high bracket (mine and the op's seem to have the high profile bracket).  I'm not sure if it really matters structurally, or if they are just covering themselves.

Yeah I was told by Dexter not to use a lift on the #10 32 degree axel, may cause the frame mounts to fail.

.

[LivinLite AZ]

Hi 4Runner.

Thanks for the cautionary tip. So far, no signs of bending, distortion, or cracking with my 32º plus 3.5" Casita lift combo setup. We have twisted and flexed it pretty good in our travels - even enough to bend the receiver end of the ball mounting plate on our Reese friction sway controller. The 13QBB is pretty light tho at 3300 ish lbs dry. We have another big CO & UT trip coming up soon. I'll keep my eye on it and report anything of concern.

: ) S