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04-24-2016, 05:13 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 21
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Adjustable Fifth Wheel Pin Box
Somewhat new to fifth wheels so may not have the correct terminology so forgive me in advance.
We just bought a 2015 2500 SilveradoHD diesel and the truck is bed is 5" higher off the ground that our previous truck.
We have a Reece 16K hitch and our pin box is adjustable. I want to move the pin box to the very top hole so the trailer nose will ride lower. Right now we are in the middle holes in the pin box so there are two holes above and two below.
Are there any issues with having the pin box in the very top hole? I need the trailer to ride lower also so I can get it out of my storage shed but also so the trailer itself is more level going down the road.
Are there any other options we have to lower the nose - while also maintaining enough clearance from the box?
These "newer style" 2500 silverados are so much taller than my existing (2000 2500ck)!
Any/all help or advice is appreciated!
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04-24-2016, 05:23 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,235
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Moving the pin box is fine. Just understand that the box is cumbersome, and you need at least 4 bolts installed and torqued on each side.
Often times we find that the "ears" are spread out to install the pin box and it can be a real bear to move it up. Watch for screws holding the break-away switch and possibly rivets holding the VIN.
__________________
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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04-24-2016, 06:57 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 65
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Keep an eye on your clearance between your bed sides and the fifth wheel. You should keep about 5-6 inches. Raising the pin box will decrease this space. You may have to flip the axels or add some other device to raise the fifth wheel.
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04-24-2016, 10:06 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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Just curious, can you lower your hitch head? The Reese 16k should have 3 different height adjustment options and it's much easier than raising the pin box.
__________________
Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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04-25-2016, 04:09 AM
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#5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 21
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Yes, the hitch head can be lowered, but lowering that will bring the camper closer to the truck box. I thought raising the pin box will allow me to drop the nose of the camper while keeping the distance from my truck box the same, am I wrong in my thinking?
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04-25-2016, 04:51 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,235
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Adjustable Fifth Wheel Pin Box
Quote:
Originally Posted by 77vetter
Yes, the hitch head can be lowered, but lowering that will bring the camper closer to the truck box. I thought raising the pin box will allow me to drop the nose of the camper while keeping the distance from my truck box the same, am I wrong in my thinking?
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Lowering the hitch OR raising the pin box will put the bed rails closer to the trailer. When you raise the pin box, the pin moves up closer to the trailer and decreases the clearance.
__________________
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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04-25-2016, 07:13 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vermont
Posts: 367
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I went from an F150 to an F350 right before going across country and was way nose high. After replacing a rear axle as a result of wheel bearing failure, I raised my pin box at a campground by driving the tailgate under the raised nose, putting support blocks under it to support it, remove the bolts and had the DW lower the nose until it was aligned with the new holes. I also had to move the emergency brake pull and relocate. I had about 9" over the rails to begin with and 7" after.
__________________
2015 Ford F-350 XLT Ruby Red 6.7L Powerstroke, 4x4, Short Bed, Andersen Ultimate Hitch
Cougar High Country 299RKS, Mor/Ryde pin box, 200w solar
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04-25-2016, 03:53 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 21
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So how do you lower your nose without getting too close to the box? These new trucks are so darn big!
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04-25-2016, 03:59 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 77vetter
So how do you lower your nose without getting too close to the box? These new trucks are so darn big!
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Usually, the nose is lowered so that there is approximately 6" of clearance between the bed rails and the 5th wheel overhang. The two ways of lowering the nose have been described above. When lowered to the recommended clearance, the 5th wheel should also sit fairly level so that the weight of the RV is equally distributed between the two axles.
If, after adjusting the pin box and/or the hitch itself, you cannot achieve the recommended, safe clearance, then the other option is to "adjust" the axle and suspension of the 5th wheel - sometimes known as "flipping the axles".
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
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04-26-2016, 12:13 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Howell, MI
Posts: 34
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Dexter makes a kit to move your spring perch from the bottom of the axle to the top of axle. I did it's on a Jayco trailer and move the trailer up 5 inches I towed that trailer around for year and never had a problem
__________________
2007 2500 HD C C. L B Duramax Allison
2015 Montana High Country 343
2005 8 foot sunlite pickup camper
2000 18 foot Smoker Craft Walleye boat
Restoring old gas pumps just for fun
2000 Mercury Marquie
2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
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04-26-2016, 02:29 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,841
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Quote:
Originally Posted by saw dust kid
Dexter makes a kit to move your spring perch from the bottom of the axle to the top of axle. I did it's on a Jayco trailer and move the trailer up 5 inches I towed that trailer around for year and never had a problem
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With the incorporation of "flat floor slides" in travel trailers, many of Keystone's RV's are already installed with the spring perches on top of the axle. I haven't seen a "trailer with slides" that has springs under the axle in several years. Our old Jayco and our Holiday Rambler were constructed to sit "low to the ground" but almost all the "new models" are built with slides which require the axles to be "flipped" during assembly in order to get the required ground clearance for the "flat floor slide".....
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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