15" on '97 2619

It seemed so easy - install the factory lift kit and new 15" wheels and tires. Unfortunately - my 1997 2619 was on 13" (yup) wheels and tires. The lift kit installed easy enough with VERY close clearance on the back of the axle, but the minute I put the new 15" tire & wheel in place it became VERY clear that it wasn't going to have enough bump clearance at the rear of the wheel well.

The fix was to get 5/8 x 1.5 grade 8 bolts and nuts, rotate the 2.5" lift kit tube 90 degrees and drill new holes. I moved them 1/8 inch from the longitudinal center line to get better clearance from the axle, and drilled the holes in the bottom of the tube 1" forward from the holes in the top of the tube, thereby moving the axle forward 1".

The tires still don't have an over abundance of clearance, but at least I now have tires that have more load capacity than the empty weight of the trailer!

Photos located at John & BJ's TrailManor page