I read Patman's post about lifting the coach from the axle using the Dexter lift-kit, and where he discovered (as well as others) that Dexter only sells their axle lift kit for double-axle trailers for their #11 axle (which I believe most Airstreams utilize.)
So, I took his suggestion and purchased the unused-half from him. (Thank you, Patrick!) I have the advantage of an aircraft hangar at the end of my house which is my "mancave" (or "doghouse", as my wife refers to it), and as a past auto/airplane mechanic I have many tools to make this job easier: Pair of floorjacks, many jackstands for safety, air-tools, large shop-compressor, and most-importantly....a 1/2" impact-wrench.
It took a little less than 3 hours to do the job, including standing-back with a self-congratulatory beer. (or two.)
I invited the wife out to look at her Airstream (she's the one who picked it out because she liked the bathroom) and try out the lifted door-step...which is now at 13" instead of the former 10". Her 5'2" frame is fine with it.
I'm thrilled at the sewer now being 12" off the pavement instead of it's former 8" (approx., depends on if you measure the skid-plate or the plastic pipes themselves. I measured to the lowest point of the pipes/valves.)
THEN... I discovered the newest problem from the modification. The stabilizer jacks no longer reach the ground!
I spent some time thinking about it and, not enjoying the thought of having to carry more "legos" or landing-pads.... I decided to weld some footpad extensions onto the existing, ...and as I lay down to take some measurements to fabricate them I noticed the screwjacks actually appeared not to be reaching their fullest amount of travel. Beyond the normal amount of their ordinary travel, they were packed with dried-mud and congealed grease.
I used a stiff wire brush laid into them and operated the screwjacks with my hand-held electric drill/socket attachment to clean out the threads, then lubricated them with garage-door screwjack lubricant (3-in-1 brand aerosol.... sold in a twin-pack with aerosol 3-in-1 oil at Home Despot).
Happy Happy Joy Joy
The stabilizers have full-travel now, and it's much more than needed.
I guess I could also have titled this thread as "Much Ado about Nothing"...but I'm hopeful it may help others to overcome what first appears to be a problem, which has a simple solution.
(BTW, these are the Bal Lite type jacks A/S puts on the Sport series. These are the type discussed in another thread, which use a slotted-fitting on a crank like the one depicted, ....the jackscrews onto which I mentioned I welded 8" long, 1/2" bolts, which have a 3/4" hex-head, thereby extending them out to the edge of the banana-wrap and allowing the use of an elect. battery-operated drill and socket-attachment common to other stab jacks.)
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