Grandby on a Trailer

[longshanks]

Hello from northern Canada. I stumbled across this great message board a few weeks ago and due to the fact that FWC are rare up here, I am hoping that one of you can help me with an enquiry.

I'm about to start a fairly ambitious project to modify (cut and re-weld) my aging utility trailer so that it will one day haul a four wheel camper. I've done my best to get all the measurements, and I'm hoping to accommodate a 1990 or newer Grandby. My trailer is 8' long and (will soon be) 60" wide. But, the wheels stick out to about 86" total width, and I'm not sure whether the jacks on a 1990 and newer Grandby will clear this width without modification. I understand that the grandby is 81" wide, which means that the inside of each jack has to be at least 2.5" out from the camper in order to clear my trailer. Can anybody help?

At some point down the road I'm going to buy a larger truck so that I can either haul the camper on truck or trailer. Right now I'm driving a Tacoma and if I can modify my trailer that means that I might get permission to buy a used camper at some time before buying a new truck

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[UglyScout]

I have a '93 grandby sitting in my backyard - I can get you some measurements.

 

[longshanks]

I have a '93 grandby sitting in my backyard - I can get you some measurements.



thanks Scout, that would be much appreciated. Before welding any further I want to make sure everything will fit.

cheers

 

[UglyScout]

The front of my camper is 81" from the jack bracket to jack bracket (as if no jacks installed). BUT I do not have the jacks in the factory spot I added 4" wings on my jacks to clear my truck sides/fender flares. So from the inside of one jack to the inside of the other is 90.5".

The back is a different story - the jacks are oriented facing the rear rather than the sides - so from inside of jack to inside of jack is only 78"....

Does that make any sense?

 

[longshanks]

yes, that makes sense. I understand that all the newer Grandbys are 81" wide, and my tires will need about 86-87" clearance so that I can load the camper on the trailer. I guess this means I might expect to have to fabricate some 'wings' to clear the front jacks for loading on the camper.

I have never looked closely at the jack brackets, but I'm guessing it wouldn't be too hard to make a 3-4" addition so that the jacks sit out a little further from the camper...

thanks for your help

 

[UglyScout]

The jacks bolt to the jack brackets - you could easily get a piece of 4" x 1/4" flat flat - dril the matching holes and bolt it to the jacks/brakcets and you'd be set. Cordless drill and a hacksaw could get the job done!

I welded my extension plates to the stock bracket and just remove the whole jack and extension plate as one piece when I take my jacks off. I also flipped my brackets around on the camper so they do not stick out at all when the jacks are removed. I leave the rear jacks on all the time as they do not get in the way and they do not block my view looking in my side view mirror.

 

[goodtimes]

I understand that the grandby is 81" wide, which means that the inside of each jack has to be at least 2.5" out from the camper in order to clear my trailer. Can anybody help?


My '91 Grandby is 83" between the inside edges of the 2 rear jacks.

 

[longshanks]

thanks for your responses. After looking carefully at my trailer, the measurement between the rear jacks won't be a problem for me, but I need to have about 87" clearance between the two front jacks.

I should finish up at some point in the winter and then I get to start my hunt for a camper!

 

[burt]

Hey, Another consideration on a grandby on a trailer that size is to make sure the tongue sticks out far enough to allow clearance of the cab overhang in tight turns. I lifted a 4x8 trailer for moving my grandby around and other off road utility and it worked great with my flatbed. Then I went to move it with a lumber rack on the flatbed and I coulden't turn sharp enough to even use it. Then I took lumber rack off and went to move the grandby/trailer with logs in the back and the logs shifted an hit the cab over. Just a consideration that may not apply to you but may save some work if you are cutting and welding any way.