Viking 17BH bottom drags

[qq]

I just bought a new Viking 17BH. When I tow my new travel trailer on my driveway, the bottom of rear leveling jack drags on ground (see picture). The skid bar is actually shorter than the jack, that's why jack is touching not the skid bar.





If I remove weight distribution bars, the rear will not touch the ground, but the hitch hits the ground (see picture).



Right now I am using the 5th chain on the weight distribution. I could try using less (4,3,2,or 1 chain) to find the right balance. But I am thinking to install some kind of skid wheel. My questions: where to install the skid wheels? rear bumper, skid bar, or somewhere else? I saw a picture about skid wheels over the skid bar (see picture).



Is it possible that I go to Homedepot and buy one of their caster wheels. But I have no idea how I can mount the wheels to my trailer.

Need help / suggestion for an easy / cheap fix. Thanks!

[bongo_solo]

I had the same problem with my Bantam B-17 which scraped bottom exiting my driveway, and a lot of other driveways, gas stations, etc.

I bought some heavy duty casters at camping world and took them to a weld shop and had them welded on to the rear frame for $50 and havent had an issue since.

[goducks10]

qq wrote:
Thanks for your suggestion. I didn't back the trailer in because it's better in my setting. I can directly drive my vehicle into the garage while leaving the trailer outside. It is also safer in that the tongue is facing the garage. Unless someone breaks into my garage, there is no easy way people can hook up and steal my trailer 🙂 I will visit the dealer sometime in the following weeks to swap the mounting of jacks and see if it helps.

I haven't used my camper yet as I am waiting the kids out of school until mid June. But I like the trailer so far. It's my first one and quite excited about it.

You still will have to deal with the very low sewer drain.
My son can barely back his into his driveway. He has to back in diagonally.

[spoon059]

qq wrote:
I haven't used my camper yet as I am waiting the kids out of school until mid June. But I like the trailer so far. It's my first one and quite excited about it.

Ha, just like my buddy! He and his wife came tent camping with us (we were in the trailer) and they ended up sleeping on our trifold couch the second night. Fell in love with campers and bought his Coleman the following week. With her work schedule and newborn son they haven't had a chance to camp yet. First trip will be 4th of July to a lake with us and a group of friends. I'm hoping they enjoy it as much as we do, we camp year round and spend 45+ nights camping a year. I'm looking forward to more, but still have to work full time and we have 2 small kids.

[justafordguy]

I think moving the jacks to the inboard side of the skids and putting wheels on the skids will be the best option.

Oh yeah, congrats on your new trailer.

[opnspaces]

I would try adjusting the links on the chains to see if there is a happy medium that prevents dragging into the driveway.

[qq]

Thanks for your suggestion. I didn't back the trailer in because it's better in my setting. I can directly drive my vehicle into the garage while leaving the trailer outside. It is also safer in that the tongue is facing the garage. Unless someone breaks into my garage, there is no easy way people can hook up and steal my trailer 🙂 I will visit the dealer sometime in the following weeks to swap the mounting of jacks and see if it helps.

I haven't used my camper yet as I am waiting the kids out of school until mid June. But I like the trailer so far. It's my first one and quite excited about it.

[spoon059]

Remounting the jacks inboard of the skid bars will help. As someone else suggested, perhaps larger wheels and tires could buy you sufficient clearance in the back. Have you tried backing your trailer in? With the WDH disengaged you might find the angle of approach is much better in reverse.

Good luck. How do you like your camper? My friend bought a Coleman 17BH (same camper) last fall and hasn't taken it out yet. Its a snug camper, but should be sufficient to get them out camping!

[qq]

Contacted the dealer and sent the picture. Dealer contacted the manufacturer, who suggest to remount the scissor jacks to the other side of the V-shape skid bar.

[stevemorris]

we have the same issues with our tt and dodge Dakota. both are quite low and if I back in the drive way straight, we wouldn't have a sewer pipe anymore or jacks. if I left the wb bars off, the hitch would hit the concrete at the curb

my solution is to back in at a long angle(double driveway fortunately), straightening the tt after one of the back wheels of the truck is over the curb

I back in with the driveway on the drivers side, trailer goes on the far side. I aim the drivers side wheels to go over the curb right at the edge of the driveway, tt is going up the driveway at maybe 45 degrees until the truck wheel goes over the curb. then I start to straighten up the tt.

I cannot back in straight, something will hit the concrete

[rbpru]

There are just some driveway angles that my TT will not handle. After bending the skid plates I try to avoid them or approach at an angle.

I am surprised your stabilizers are mounted to a spacer tube, mine are welded to the frame.

Fortunately, our driveway is flat.

[goducks10]

deltabravo wrote:

goducks10 wrote:

PAThwacker wrote:
Sub par tow vehicles and trailers with the same shortfalls.

Loan my son some cash so he can trade his paid for Pathfinder in on a dually so he can get a real trailer.

Like this... 🙂

LOL, nice.

[deltabravo]

goducks10 wrote:

PAThwacker wrote:
Sub par tow vehicles and trailers with the same shortfalls.

Loan my son some cash so he can trade his paid for Pathfinder in on a dually so he can get a real trailer.

Like this... 🙂

[deltabravo]

I have a 17BH too.

The first thing I did was sell the 14" wheels and tires (including the spare), and upgraded to 15" wheels/tires. Doing this reduces the clearance of the tire and the back of the fenderwell. The axle is off center in the wheel opening due to a crappy frame design by good ole LCI (Lippert).

2nd upgrade was to install the Dexter kit to move the axle under the spring.

I gained at least 4" of lift with the axle mod.

I did the mods so I could take the trailer off the beaten path

[colliehauler]

deltabravo wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
My son has the same exact TT. His drags entering his driveway. I told him to flip the axles. He hasn't done it yet. But that would be my suggestion.

You can't "flip the axles".

You have to do a "spring over axle" conversion.

Dexter makes a kit for it.

I don't know any qualified dealer that does not know what your talking about when you ask about flipping the axle. While you are 100 percent correct about what it actually does. It would solve a variety of issues for the OP. The wd hitch head would be moved up a few holes to make it level giving more hitch clearance. No tail dragging. More clearance for plumbing (black and gray drains).