New 5er owner!

P Kennedy wrote:
From what I can see in the most recent picture it has a nice profile compared to a lot of units on the road so get out and enjoy. The weights are decent and are that of a loaded truck which is what it is designed for.

With that profile, does it still look like I should go down a hole or leave the hitch in the highest setting?

From what I can see in the most recent picture it has a nice profile compared to a lot of units on the road so get out and enjoy. The weights are decent and are that of a loaded truck which is what it is designed for.

Skip & Jackie Tatum wrote:
You gotta use it to enjoy it. Happy Motoring.

I agree! Maiden voyage is set for next weekend.

You gotta use it to enjoy it. Happy Motoring.

Here is a pic from the storage lot.


I think the pics are deceiving because in person you don't see the squat and it doesn't measure out as a big squat but the pics all look like I have a lot of squat. It also doesn't handle light in the front end at all.

Ok so here are today's weights. These are with a full tank of fuel, family in the TV and trailer loaded up with everything except food.

Truck no trailer (reese 16k hitch in bed)--
Front axle 4900 lbs
Rear axle 3380 lbs
Total truck weight 8280 lbs

Truck with sabre attached
Front axle 4900 lbs
Rear axle 6000 lbs
Trailer 9760 lbs
Total combined weight 20,660 lbs

Truck specs
Gvwr 11,600 lbs
GCWR 24,500 lbs
GFAWR 5600 lbs
GRAWR 7050 lbs

So it looks like I have a 5er weight of 12,380 lbs and it looks like my pin weight is 2620 lbs. My available payload without 5er was 3320 lbs so I'm well within specs.

Measurements
Truck no trailer, front wheel well 40", rear wheel well 42 1/2"
Truck with sabre attached front wheel well 40 1/2", rear wheel well 40"
There is 7 1/2" clearance between the bed rails and the 5er.
The front and rear corners of 5er both measured 26". I forgot to measure the kingpin height and will have to get that another day.

I'm thinking I might be a tad nose high. The reese is currently on its highest setting. I'm thinking of dropping it one hole.

Congrats on the new rig

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Why do people think they need Timbrins/air bags or anything when the truck is loaded and sits level as the pic of the op's shows?

Trucks are supposed to "squat". Op drive your combo I bet everything will be fine!

It's ridiculous to see so many TV's with the ass end sitting high going down the road with the RV nose high because someone thinks they need to be sitting ass end high like when they are running solo. Also it makes for a very rough ride!

If you are within specs you don't need to add anything.

The OP's headlights are pointing to the sky. They need to do something!
Unless the OP wants to shine their lights in the eyes of passing motorist.

Sorry his truck is setting exactly as it should when fully loaded.

My 3500 RAM with 4,500# pin weight sits level also. My headlights don't shine towards the sky and the op's don't either.

The people that have their rear sitting low to the front should get a heavier duty truck. With that condition they are overloaded. Point is trucks that "need" a bandaid are overloaded.

I assume your truck squats when loaded with your RV. Do you feel the need to raise the rear to solo height? I have seen trucks exactly like yours and mine with airbags and they are going down the highway with the bags pumped up with the rear at solo height and that causes the front of the RV to be noise high and that causes too much weight to be on the rear axle and makes for a rough ride.

The OPs picture was taken shortly after getting trailer......it's NOT loaded up. (Go back and read OPS first post with pictures)
And OPs truck is squatting with an empty trailer.

I did re read

"We will weigh the rig next weekend after we finish loading it. I should have no issues being within specs as I crunched all the numbers from a worst case scenario for the 5er (gvwr w/ 25% pin weight) and used actual loaded scaled weights on the TV"

They were camping so they were partially loaded and he says he will still be within spec with even 25% pin weight. Unless you are full time 20% is probably more accurate.

Bottom line the truck in the pic was sitting fine! Even with more weight it won't change any noticeable amount when "fully loaded".

Op weigh your rig when fully loaded tow with it and if the truck sits like in the first pic DRIVE IT!

Now if you want to improve the ride bags can help. I run mine at 30spi and it does not change my ride height at all but it does help control the springs on some of these nasty roads.

They have a 3500 it is designed to ride LEVEL when loaded!

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Allworth wrote:
So many experts! So little actual knowledge!

Have either one of you ever seen the OP's combination in person?

Shame on both of you.

Quoting the OP:

" Now to look into options to level the ride out as we had a decent amount of squat empty."

not to mention that it has squat like ( Before being loaded)....that will unload the front end causing you eratic steering and possibly No steering on a big bump .......:E

Oh.... that's right everyone knows all the roads in america are perfectly smooth and no potholes ..........if anyone can look at the picture the Orginal poster posted ,and say that is normal for a truck With trailer not even Loaded...they need to get their equilibrium in balance......A truck.car.bus....should sit LEVEL when loaded and ready to roll....PERIOD.

Air bags are not that big a deal, and easy for a Private Owner...to maintain....I assume the Private Owner,will maintain All his equipment...as he Paid for it,unlike a Employee...who Might not care, because its Not his.....So,that argument,is out the window.

All the talk about firestones and money and the on board compressor.

I been running firestones for years without the on board compressor.

They need the same amount of air each time and it is no biggie to air them up and down at the beginning and end of a trip. I do the air unloaded so it is less effort to air up. I know ahead how much to add unloaded to get what I want loaded.