Underslinging

[Broncos11]

Hi we are on our first trip away with our new baby. An '04 16 Freedom/Outback. We will be doing a lot of beach/off-road campingin future and I'm thinking of under slinging axle for a bit more clearance height. Is there anything I need to know and I also assume it will affect the annex walls also???????

Thanks Dave

 

[cruza driver]

@David Hoare have a look Undersling and HERE oh and THIS one Ok one MORE and one to make you GROW

And Happy New year mate :thumb:

 

[macca]

Against:
Drop down Jacks may not be long enough.
Annexe may have to be altered.
Tow bar height will need looking at.
You will need a step.

Positives:
You can mow under your van.
Better clearance.
Cheaper than an Outback for those who don't need an Outback (occasional short rough roads)
More room in annexe (height).
Easier to do mods under your van .
Kids can sleep under your van when they get annoying.
More room to store stuff when you are on site. Chairs and stuff easily fit under there,

All this for $200.

 

[Frosty]

Hi @David Hoare

Did my 04 Freedom Expanda just 2 weeks ago & it's a great improvement. I didn't measure it but would say it is a little over 100mm improvement. Here's some pictures for you...

We are a bit short on the annex walls now but the weather flap is still on the ground. The step for your door will be a must. Bought this folding alloy one from Supercheap last week - it was a little under 60 bucks & is way more stable than the cheaper plastic ones.
You won't regret the mod....

Cheers,
Frosty.

Sorry, I should clarify... We didn't do a full "under slung" as such - as you can see from picture axle is still on top of the springs. The axle was spun through 180 degrees so the stubs are down rather than up, we welded on new spacers & also swapped it end for end so the brake wiring was all in the right place. The job was done in a workshop but they owed me a favor so the cost was 1 x carton...

 

[DaveS]

Hi
ummm go get your carton of beer back. alko preload all their axles for jayco's to give a correct camber setting for the wheels (seen them do it!), so by flipping your axle you reverse this angle, a undersling should only be to relocate the axle under the springs with the same geometry ie. reweld the pads on opposite side of axle and move it to other side of spring pack .... basically just change the spring mount to the top, i also reverse the spring pack bolt too as it will be around the wrong way then and hard to check, and alko in their wisdom! burr the threads of these bolts to stop them from coming out now, so a new bolt and nut is a must

 

[Frosty]

Hi
ummm go get your carton of beer back. alko preload all their axles for jayco's to give a correct camber setting for the wheels (seen them do it!), so by flipping your axle you reverse this angle, a undersling should only be to relocate the axle under the springs with the same geometry ie. reweld the pads on opposite side of axle and move it to other side of spring pack .... basically just change the spring mount to the top, i also reverse the spring pack bolt too as it will be around the wrong way then and hard to check, and alko in their wisdom! burr the threads of these bolts to stop them from coming out now, so a new bolt and nut is a must

Hi Dave & Thanks.

It seems I am lucky as the particular axle on mine is straight & doesn't seem to have any pre-bend. We double-checked this with a straight edge once it was off & confirmed it is as straight as a die. I have since spoken to Alko who were happy with it being rolled so long as the axle was straight - which it definitely is in my particular case. Maybe age has something to do with it as mine is an older model Freedom Expanda.

Many thanks,
Frosty.

 

[DaveS]

Hi Dave & Thanks.

It seems I am lucky as the particular axle on mine is straight & doesn't seem to have any pre-bend. We double-checked this with a straight edge once it was off & confirmed it is as straight as a die. I have since spoken to Alko who were happy with it being rolled so long as the axle was straight - which it definitely is in my particular case. Maybe age has something to do with it as mine is an older model Freedom Expanda.

Many thanks,
Frosty.

your probably right about the age thing with no bend, i was at alko last year for ESC training and in the factory tour i saw them pressing the axles to bend them a bit, but it is only done for jayco axles, i couldn't tell you when they started doing it ..... cause i never asked
cheers

 

[Broncos11]

Hi guys

I am not mechanically minded at all but am I correct in thinking that I may have to replace current shockies with smaller size if I under sling my 2004.
If it's too technical for me to do, does anybody know of a place around or near the Gold Coast that will do it?

 

[Glen Bundesen]

The photos are a little dark, but.. Normally the plate, your shockies are attached to under the spring, has to go on top of the spring when your undersling the axle. So yes you would need to change the shockies or have them attached somehow to the bottom of the springs.

 

[Broncos11]

All done!!!!

 

[Glen Bundesen]

Job well done. Would have raised the van by about 100mm.

 

[Broncos11]

Yep around 110mm

 

[S&P]

Is under slinging legal? Does it affect your insurance? In the unfortunate case if there was an accident, I would expect any insurance co to try to get out of coffing up if they found a non -engineer certified used mod like this.

 

[mfexpanda]

Is under slinging legal? Does it affect your insurance? In the unfortunate case if there was an accident, I would expect any insurance co to try to get out of coffing up if they found a non -engineer certified used mod like this.

We got jayco geelong to do ours

 

[Gruntawat]

Hi there just wondering if any one has underslung there out back

 

[Drover]

The Outbacks I have seen the axle is under the spring. I did my expanda, dropped the spring, rolled the axle out moved the plates to the other side and bolted it all back together, replacing the mild steel washers on the fish plate with HT jobs as the others were badly distorted. Way better to tow and get under the thing now and it doesn't drag it's arse. Oh, and my insurance assessor said it wasn't a problem, surprise, surprise.

 

[Gruntawat]

brought mine second hand but is 2012 model 16.49-1 OB was not underslung but pulled it apart today in back yard and gave it the lift and reset tow hitch on the SR5 so good going to Tenterfield at end of the week so will see how it tows

 

[mfexpanda]

brought mine second hand but is 2012 model 16.49-1 OB was not underslung but pulled it apart today in back yard and gave it the lift and reset tow hitch on the SR5 so good going to Tenterfield at end of the week so will see how it tows

mine is an outback with it done and it tows fine .

 

[bensl]

hmmm, my new (secondhand) outback is not underslung. its seems to be pretty high as it is though.

would someone be able to post a pic of their outback so i can get an idea of the difference in height?

cheers

 

[Pace]

hmmm, my new (secondhand) outback is not underslung. its seems to be pretty high as it is though.

would someone be able to post a pic of their outback so i can get an idea of the difference in height?

cheers

http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/xpandafans-18-57-7-the-learning-curve.1671/page-3

Check out this thread, post 43 44. Cheers Pace.