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08-22-2014, 11:51 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Kingston Ontario Canada
Posts: 8
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Truck And Fifth Level When Hooked Up
I have a 2014 Ford 250 and have added air bags. I am towing a 2014 Avalanche 355Rk. When hooded up with the truck quite level The fifth seems quite high in the front. 3 to 4" higher than back. Should I have this much slope?
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08-22-2014, 12:37 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 287
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If the floor of the fifth-wheel is level and the roof slopes from front to back, then you should expect the same when hitched.
I'm certainly no expert, but most fifth-wheels that I have seen have some taper from front to back (slightly taller in front than they are in the rear).
Edit - you can most likely disregard this as I interpreted the question as "should the roofline be sloped" and not "should the frame be sloped"
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08-22-2014, 12:38 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
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No, it should be as level as possible. You don't mention whether 4x4 .. bedrail clearance ... can hitch be lowered???? For best ride while towing truck and trailer should both be level in an ideal world. Frame should be level NOT roofline!!!
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
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08-22-2014, 12:41 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 101
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I try to have mine ride level but can be hard to do at times depending on your set up. I was a little nose high also and ended up lowering my fifth wheel hitch. Seemed to do the trick.
__________________
2016 Chevy 3500hd 6.6l
2013 Keystone Avalanche 345TG
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08-22-2014, 02:41 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,356
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Level with 6" of clearance from the bed rail to the bottom of the trailer frame riding over the bed is the ideal.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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08-22-2014, 03:35 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,036
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I'm kinda stuck "in between". I'm just a little nose high and have 6 1/2" of clearance between truck rails and the 5th. Hitch adjustments are in 2" increments. That would be too low I think.
I'm thinking re-arch the springs is the only solution.....down the road maybe.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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08-22-2014, 03:47 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,356
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Some pin boxes are adjustable.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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08-23-2014, 07:38 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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Pin boxes can usually be adjusted as well as the hitch. 6" clearance to bed rail is ideal, but isn't written in stone. the biggest concern there is trailer roll. If you don't go over rough terrain causing heavy side to side body roll and you take it easy you can get away with less.....much less. For me, I'm comfortable as long a I have at least 4", but I'm also very aware if I have minimal clearance. Level or as close as you can get is a major concern for towing. If I was in your shoes I'd drop the hitch and deal with the 4.5" clearance. Also check your trailer suspension, some are adjustable to gain a little height there as well. Just realized you said you have airbags, drop them a bit as well. Your truck does not need to be at stock height, a little squat is fine
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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08-25-2014, 12:16 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Kingston Ontario Canada
Posts: 8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gearhead
I'm kinda stuck "in between". I'm just a little nose high and have 6 1/2" of clearance between truck rails and the 5th. Hitch adjustments are in 2" increments. That would be too low I think.
I'm thinking re-arch the springs is the only solution.....down the road maybe.
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I think my problem is I have a Pull Rite Sliding hitch that I cannot lower. I have 10 " of clearance between bed rail and bottom of trailer with only one bolt hole of pin box adjustment. I will be talking to Pull Rite about this problem. I am 17" from bed rails to top of hitch plate. Hope I don't have to change my hitch.
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08-25-2014, 12:21 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Kingston Ontario Canada
Posts: 8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bsmith0404
Pin boxes can usually be adjusted as well as the hitch. 6" clearance to bed rail is ideal, but isn't written in stone. the biggest concern there is trailer roll. If you don't go over rough terrain causing heavy side to side body roll and you take it easy you can get away with less.....much less. For me, I'm comfortable as long a I have at least 4", but I'm also very aware if I have minimal clearance. Level or as close as you can get is a major concern for towing. If I was in your shoes I'd drop the hitch and deal with the 4.5" clearance. Also check your trailer suspension, some are adjustable to gain a little height there as well. Just realized you said you have airbags, drop them a bit as well. Your truck does not need to be at stock height, a little squat is fine
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Thanks for the info. I cannot lower my hitch It's a Pull Rite Slider. I have lowered my air bag pressure and still have 10" of clearance between Bed rails and bottom of trailer. I have 5" of slope from front to back on trailer. I can live with this if I have to. Don't want to change hitches.
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08-25-2014, 12:28 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Liberty, Texas
Posts: 5,036
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Dang that is a lot of clearance. Does the Pull Rite adjust at all? I bet that rear axle has a load on it.
I got out at daylight yesterday and lowered my hitch a bolt hole. I'm now at 5" +/- of tailgate clearance. I put a torpedo level on the trailer floor and it was good, then a cheap 36" carpenter level showed good too. What the heck, put the Starrett 98 machinery level on it. Naaaw....it's a couple thousands off!
But I gained 1.500" at the rear bumper, which I needed badly. Previously it cleared the driveway by 1/4" when backing in from the street.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 Laramie CC DRW LWB 4X4 Cummins Aisin 3.73
Reese Goosebox 20K
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Oshkosh
2008 Bigfoot 25C9.4 LB Cabover
2023 CanAm Defender SXS
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08-25-2014, 04:39 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canada Goose
I think my problem is I have a Pull Rite Sliding hitch that I cannot lower. I have 10 " of clearance between bed rail and bottom of trailer with only one bolt hole of pin box adjustment. I will be talking to Pull Rite about this problem. I am 17" from bed rails to top of hitch plate. Hope I don't have to change my hitch.
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I can't see this as your problem. I am also 17" from bed rails to the top of the hitch plate. If you have 1 hole of adjustment available on the kingpin, I'd start by raising it up as high as you can. That will gain you a bit. Keep in mind that your adjustment front to rear will double as you are pivoting in the middle. Dropping the nose 2" will raise the rear 2" since the axle provides a teeter totter effect. That should get you pretty close. Having 5" difference is quite a bit and 10" clearance to the bedrails is really high.
Some pics would be helpful for us to see exactly what you're dealing with.
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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