Well!!!! I'm done installing the lift kit on my '98 TM. I went with the straight through bolt, placing the axle in the same place only the frame is now 2.5" higher. This gives me almost 3/4" inch from the back of the tire to the frame. I hope that's enough for the 15" tires. I sure don't want to do that job again. I'm getting too old for this stuff......
I should have done this 2 weeks ago when I replaced the bearings and installed the new brake assemblies
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The reason that I decided not to move the axle forward is the the axle moves up and forward when I hit a bump in the road. I calculated that the axle can move up about 3" and forward about 2.5". That's about all the room that I have on the left side of the trailer. I'm afraid that the 15" tires might hit the front of the wheel well when I hit a bump
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The installation is really simple. For those that may be interested, I will spell out what I did.
1. (with the trailer tongue just above level) Put a jack stand under the tongue of the trailer (I actually use a stack of 2' long 4x8s) and block the tires.
2. Loosen the lug nuts (2 turns) on both wheels.
3. Place a Jack under the frame (I used a 10-ton bottle jack with a piece of hardwood between the jack and the frame), just rear of the axle and jack up the trailer until the tire is 3" off the ground (to make allowance for remounting the tires after the 2.5" lift kit is installed). This means that your jack must have ~6" of lift or you may have to step up, with 2 jacks or you can lift the trailer the addition height, after installing the lift-spacers while removing the jack stands.
4. Place jack-stand under the frame (just rear of the jack) and lower the jack so the frame is resting securely on the jack-stand. (carefully repeat steps 3 & 4 on other side while keeping an eye on the 1st side). Lower the trailer stabilizers as back-up
5. Remove both wheels and set aside.
6. Loosen 2 axle mounting bolts on each side of axle about 3 or 4 turns (use plenty of WD40 or equivalent before and after initial loosening).
7. Extend a smaller jack to 3" above it's retracted height and place it under the
center of one side of the axle, about 1 foot in from the brake backing plate. (with necessary spacers or adjustment). Just snug it up against the axle. A scissors jack works well for this.
8. Remove mounting bolts & nuts from that side of axle and lower axle with the jack. (discard old bolts, save the nuts).
9. Lower axle ~3" and place new lift spacer on top of axle mounting plate.
10. Drop new
grade 8 bolts through the holes in the upper bracket and the holes in the new lift spacer.
11. Slowly jack axle back up into position while working bolts through the mounting holes in the axle.
12. Install new
grade 8 lock washers & nuts,
just finger tight.
13. Repeat steps 7-12 on the other side.
14. Tighten all 4 nuts to 150 ft # of torque. I recommend using the old nuts as lock nuts, tightening them against the new nuts to 1150#. (To accomplish this, use 4" to 4 1/2" long bolts for a 2.5" lift-spacer.)
15. Remove jack from under the axle and install the wheels.
16. Jack trailer enough to remove jack-stands and lower trailer to the ground. Torque the wheel nuts to 90#.
17. If you are over 60 go soak in a hot tub for about an hour. This was a lot easier when I was 30.
----------------------edited 10/27/2010-------------------------------------
There is a difference in the later model trailers. I just installed a kit on our 2004.
The axle mounting bolts are not exposed (like the earlier years). The bolts come through the bottom of the box frame and are hard to get at. They are reached through a (fairly large) opening in the back side of the frame. It is important to have a second socket wrench with a 15/16 socket (for a 5/8" bolt) to hold the bolts for tightening and loosening the nuts.
The axle is also welded on both ends of each side of the axle. The welds are best cut with a 4" angle grinder and a steel cutting blade. After cutting through the weld (try not to cut into the frame), it's important to switch to a grinding wheel and grind away all of the excess weld to achieve a flat, smooth surface.
It's also important to scribe a locating mark on the axle and frame so that the axle can be properly aligned. My 2004 frame had elongated bolt holes in the frame. Alignment is essential.
It may be a good idea to have the spacer welded to the frame after proper alignment is confirmed to keep the bolts from moving in the slots in the frame.
---------------------------end of 10/27 edit-------------------------------------------
For any one that is interested in making your own lift-spacers, the bolt holes are 8" on center and you need a minimum of 12" of either 2" or 2.5" square tube. The tube should be minimum 3/16" wall thickness. The place that I bought the tubing from (new $9 Incl cutting) also had 3"x 4" tubing which would work also (I was tempted). If anyone might contemplate this, there is no restriction on the width of the spacer. However, any higher than 2.5", I would recommend using 3/4" bolts. I used 5/8-18 grade 8 bolts (4" long 4 1/2" might be better), nuts & lock washers. I double nutted them for safety and torqued them to 150ft #.
One tip..... if you use 2.5" (or larger) tubing. Do not drill your holes in the center of the tube. If you do, the tube will hit the axle. Drill your holes 1" (on center) from one edge. There is 1/4" clearance from the outside of the spacer to the swing axle arm. There is
NO room for error on the outside measurement of the hole location. I used a 5/8" drill bit and a drill press. I would not use a 3/4" drill bit unless using a 3/4" bolt, it's that close.....
It probably isn't necessary but I used 3/4" crush sleeves on the inside of the tubes. Oddly enough, I tapped the crush sleeves in (tightly) with a hammer before I installed the bolts. After tightening the nuts to 150#, the crush sleeves were loose......
.....go figure.