2015 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins

Bemota · 09-13-2015, 06:07 AM

Looking for someone with the "air-ride", auto-leveling, trailer height adjustment. Hooking up is no problem, unhooking is a different story, when I put the landing gear down to take load off of truck as soon as there is the slightest light between truck and FW plate, the truck automatically lowers and puts a strain on the hitch, pulling down on pin-box. I asked at the truck dealership and got the classic "Idonno", "Never heard of that", "Nobody ever asked", from salesman and service. It's a two person, ten minute ordeal to unhook.
Dan

Desert185 · 09-13-2015, 06:12 AM

Sounds like you're lifting the truck until it breaks loose then drops. Have you tried lowering the trailer back down somewhat, then pulling forward?

Javi · 09-13-2015, 06:22 AM

Well... if you are raising the trailer high enough to see daylight between the hitch plate and the pin plate then you is doing it wrong from the get go..

Both hitching and unhitching there should be about a 1/2" or so of load.. in other words you want the truck to squat a little as you hitch and raise a little as you unhitch..

Bemota · 09-13-2015, 06:31 AM

Hi, on my 02 Chevy I'd raise the FW just enough to see the weight was off the truck, pull the Reese latch handle and pull out. With this truck, same hitch, I have to "chase" the truck up and down, DW runs the landing gear, and I pull like he!! on the handle to un-latch. FW parked in exact same place on level ground in yard with both trucks. Is there a way to disable the auto-leveling, even for a little while, when unhooking.
Dan

TandE · 09-13-2015, 06:51 AM

What setting do you have the air ride set on?

Travis

bsmith0404 · 09-13-2015, 06:51 AM

I personally just watch the jaw on the hitch to see when the pressure from the pin is removed. There is typically about 1/2" play on the pin and you will see the shank rise above the jaw before you see clearance on the plate. If you are getting 1/2" clearance on the plate, the bottom of the pin is most likely putting pressure on the bottom of the jaw. That may have been the reason you had to pull so hard to release it in the past. I don't have any experience with the Dodge system so I may be way off s far as correcting the problem you're experiencing.

TandE · 09-13-2015, 06:53 AM

Also I have heard that you must leave the truck running when taking the weight off the hitch. Not sure if you do or not.

Travis

TandE · 09-13-2015, 07:13 AM

Here is a picture of the owners manual for the air ride system it starts on page 518 or so and these were on 520 and up.

Travis

Ron · 09-13-2015, 08:01 AM

On our Freightliner I drop the air out of the bags before unhooking, that way the leveling valve will not try and correct the ride height of the truck as I take the pin weight off, then there will be no pull down on the pin box, with the truck trying to equal the ride height out, it could cause damage to the frame of the trailer as heavy as our truck is, I have already had frame flex X2 for other reasons...

Bemota · 09-13-2015, 08:19 AM

Thanks for the replies. Basically, I was just wondering what other people were doing with this automated system to make the process easier and safer for me.
Thanks again, Dan

rhagfo · 09-23-2015, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

Well... if you are raising the trailer high enough to see daylight between the hitch plate and the pin plate then you is doing it wrong from the get go..

Both hitching and unhitching there should be about a 1/2" or so of load.. in other words you want the truck to squat a little as you hitch and raise a little as you unhitch..

X2, never understand those that think you need to take all the weight off and see day light. take most off, but expect the TV to rise a bit when pulling out!!!

When hitching, there is a REASON why the heads naturally set back, and there is a ramp on the back edge!

jsmith948 · 09-24-2015, 04:01 AM

X2 to Javi and Rhagfo. In the trucker's vernacular, you don't hitch or hook-up your trailer, you 'BACK UNDER' your trailer or you 'GET UNDER' your load. Allowing the truck to rise on its suspension when unhooking and having the trailer rise a bit when backing under it prevents "high hitching". It also eliminates any pressure/strain on the jaws and latching mechanism in the hitch and puts the weight of the trailer on the hitch plate where it belongs. If the hitch is properly lubed, it shouldn't be hard to unlatch. Unless it is in some sort of bind.

You may also like: