Truck bed to trailer nose clearance.

Happy Camper Bobby · 10-03-2019, 01:41 PM

I have a Cougar 5th wheel that is 11 ft 9 inches tall and is housed in an RV garage with a 12 ft door opening, as you all can see I've got little room for error. I recently went from a 3/4 ton to a 1 ton dually truck, the new truck is only 3/4 of an inch taller than my F250. I have about 7.5 inches of clearance between the truck & trailer right now. My Curt hitch is set to its lowest position already, I can gain about 1.5 inches of height by raising the pin box up 1 set of holes. Does 6 inches of clearance between the truck and trailer seem sufficient?

ChuckS · 10-04-2019, 06:41 AM

Six inches of bedrail to fifth wheel clearance is pretty iffy. I have 8 1/2 inches on my GMC to Alpine. I do go on dirt forest roads sometimes.

If you go on a road with uneven heights or pull into a gas station with a raised area to street height you may hit

Pic is my hitch install specs

YMMV

CaptnJohn · 10-04-2019, 06:52 AM

I've put thousands of miles on for years with 5" or 5 1/2" without a problem. Most will tell you 6".

Happy Camper Bobby · 10-04-2019, 06:56 AM

Thx Chuck.

Happy Camper Bobby · 10-04-2019, 06:56 AM

Thx Captn.

Getn off · 10-04-2019, 10:36 AM

I have asked in many threads and still no answer...unless I have just missed it....
What do u do if the measurement is less than 6 inches and ur trailer already sits azz low because ur f350 dually 4x4 (stock) rides so damn high?
Troy

jsb5717 · 10-04-2019, 11:33 AM

Running a little nose high is actually pretty normal. I'm not sure what the tipping point is for being too high in the front which might overstress the RV rear axle but a little high is very common.

I think the only solution if needed is to raise the RV. There are kits for this but there's a lot to consider when having this done to make sure that safety is maintained and whether warranties are voided.

Getn off · 10-04-2019, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Running a little nose high is actually pretty normal. I'm not sure what the tipping point is for being too high in the front which might overstress the RV rear axle but a little high is very common.

I thisnk the only solution if needed is to raise the RV. There are kits for this but there's a lot to consider when having this done to make sure that safety is maintained and whether warranties are voided.

I cannot raise it much as the measured clearance is 13'4"! Kinda stuck I guess.
Maybe I shouldnt have chosen the fx4 package.
Troy

jsb5717 · 10-04-2019, 01:28 PM

I don't think that raising the trailer at the wheels/suspension will have a big impact on overall clearance height

77cruiser · 10-04-2019, 01:58 PM

When morryde put the IS suspension on mine they raised it 5 inches to level it. Doesn't affect the front AC height which is you highest point.

Getn off · 10-04-2019, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 77cruiser

When morryde put the IS suspension on mine they raised it 5 inches to level it. Doesn't affect the front AC height which is you highest point.

Very good to know, ty.
Troy

notanlines · 10-04-2019, 05:37 PM

If your front AC is directly above your pin (highly unlikely) then raising the height at the axles will make no difference. Otherwise it will be a proportional amount between pin and AC.

monkhunt · 10-15-2019, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Getn off

I cannot raise it much as the measured clearance is 13'4"! Kinda stuck I guess.
Maybe I shouldnt have chosen the fx4 package.
Troy

Speaking on Ford's as that is what I run, measure the block between the rear leaf springs and axle. 2011-2016 F-250's come stock with a shorter block vs. F-350's. You'll see guys who want to lower their F-350 and will swap in the factory F-250 block (like what OP should do since he went from 3/4T to a 1T and noticed the height difference), and F-250 guys who want a mild lift and will swap in the taller F-350 blocks. The newer generation Superduty's are getting tall, the solution was to put in 2011-2016 F-250 blocks on these 2017+ F-350's. It lets you guys reverse level to lower the rear truck height instead of messing with the trailer setup. And it can be done with factory parts, as well as a few aftermarket suppliers like PMF Lift Blocks. Measure your current block height (you will have one) and opt for the height you believe you need. This could be done at the cost of the block and u-bolts, potentially shop labor if you aren't comfortable with the job. Shocks 'could' stay the same length.

I do believe as long as your are F-350 DRW and not F-450 DRW, your spring/block width will be the same as F-250/350 SRW and allow the block swap using Ford parts but that should be confirmed!

The FX4 package does not contribute to vehicle ride height, no worries there.

Roscommon48 · 10-16-2019, 02:33 AM

happy camper....to your answer, 6 inches will work.

You are there so you are the best person to evaluate it.

just keep an eye on it and see if it works for you.

RickReichert · 10-17-2019, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkhunt

Speaking on Ford's as that is what I run, measure the block between the rear leaf springs and axle. 2011-2016 F-250's come stock with a shorter block vs. F-350's. You'll see guys who want to lower their F-350 and will swap in the factory F-250 block (like what OP should do since he went from 3/4T to a 1T and noticed the height difference), and F-250 guys who want a mild lift and will swap in the taller F-350 blocks. The newer generation Superduty's are getting tall, the solution was to put in 2011-2016 F-250 blocks on these 2017+ F-350's. It lets you guys reverse level to lower the rear truck height instead of messing with the trailer setup. And it can be done with factory parts, as well as a few aftermarket suppliers like PMF Lift Blocks. Measure your current block height (you will have one) and opt for the height you believe you need. This could be done at the cost of the block and u-bolts, potentially shop labor if you aren't comfortable with the job. Shocks 'could' stay the same length.

I do believe as long as your are F-350 DRW and not F-450 DRW, your spring/block width will be the same as F-250/350 SRW and allow the block swap using Ford parts but that should be confirmed!

The FX4 package does not contribute to vehicle ride height, no worries there.

What he said.....

goodellj · 10-17-2019, 09:21 AM

My Montana 5th wheel is 13'2", which is a little higher than most because I have a 2nd AC unit in the front over the bedroom. I get nervous when the clearance is less than 4 inches, but I gain confidence when there are tractor-trailers on the road since they are usually 13'6". There are a couple of underpasses near me and around Hartford CT (I-84!) that leave only a few inches to spare. You learn to pay attention to those yellow signs!

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