Raise Your Caravan

And finally put an end to the horrible grinding noises  from the:

• Rear jacks
• Level rides
• Ball mount
• Step
• Rear Door

Modern caravans seem to be built lower and lower to the ground. They look nice and streamlined but is this really practical?

6 Reasons to Raise your Caravan

1. Improved clearance under your rear jacks. Stop them scraping.
2. Less gouging of level ride bars in driveways etc.
3. Increased chassis strength.
4. Easier to get the wheels off to change a tyre.
5. Opportunity for off bitumen travelling.
6. No loss of towability or noticeable change to fuel consumption.

Hardings have become experts at raising caravans to achieve more sensible ground clearance. It is a job we are doing more and more often. Once completed the only noise you hear when you go down the steep driveway leaving our premises is the customers’ sigh of relief!

How much can I raise it and what is involved?

Firstly your caravan needs to have a beam axle and spring suspension system. If it has independent suspension our ability to raise will be limited or not possible.

Assuming an axle and spring system we can approach the job two ways.

1. We can release the axle previously mounted on top of the springs and reposition it underneath. This will lift the van by approximately 100mm. See figures A & B.

2. Alternatively by cutting the front and rear spring mount fittings off the chassis, attaching a 50mm or 75mm long steel beam and refitting the springs we will lift the van by exactly the thickness of the beam. See figure C.

What is a suitable amount to raise your van?

We recommend 50mm or 75mm. This gives effective clearance without altering the appearance of your caravan. 100mm usually exposes the top of the tyres in the wheel arch and this can look a bit “odd”.

What issues do we need to keep in mind when we raise a van?

• Stepping up higher into the caravan can be physically difficult for some customers.

• Raising more than 50mm can create a problem if you have annexe walls. The draft strip and side wall flap may not reach the ground.

• Lifting the van 100mm could make it difficult for the wind down corner steadies to reach the ground.

• The towball height on the car needs to be adjusted up by the amount we lift the van. This is necessary to ensure the van travels level on the road. In cases where a Hayman Reese Weight Distributing Hitch is used this is a simple job done by Hardings when you pick up.

• And the old “Someone lowered the carport roof” trick! Just because there is 50 or 75mm clearance above the roof when the van is parked doesn’t mean the same clearance when you are backing it in. Dipping driveways and variable paving can bring you unstuck. Best pin some 50 or 75mm card board onto the lowest point of the roof beam and watch as the van comes in and out.

• Is there already a high centre of gravity which may be further effected by raising?

If clearance of your caravan is a concern, ring Hardings today to talk about the options. With
the job done, customers’ tell us how pleased they are when they are back for their next
undercarriage service. We can’t ask for anything more than that!

If you have a low carport or a van with independent suspension, Call us anyway. We still
have some options for you!