Pin Box Adjustment and Trailer Leveling???

My best guess if you have 8 front and 6 at tailgate, you lower front to 6 and get about 4.5 at tailgate and still nowhere near level.

My truck is a 2018 Ram. I will have to look to see if it does have blocks in the rear.

I guess what I am really unsure about is how moving the pin box will affect the height above the rails in the back, given the cantilever effect.

Given that the trailer will pivot at the wheels as if it were a fulcrum, I wonder what the effect of raising the pin box would be in terms of the effect on the height above the rails near the hitch and pin box, and the height above the rails at the tailgate.

I would imagine that that vast majority of the affect will be at the nose of the trailer, while reducing the clearance above the rails at the tailgate only very minimally. But I have not tested this theory.

I am sure there is a way to figure this out with geometry somehow


Matt

bowler1 wrote:
My current setup has my trailer slightly nose-high. When I measure the clearance between my trailer and the bed rails I am right about 6 inches by the tailgate and the front of the trailer nose is about 8 inches.

My hitch in the bed of my truck is already as low as it will go.

Do you think I should try raising the Pin box up one more hole? Not sure if this will still give me enough clearance on the bed rails. I think it will put me close to 6 inches in the front, but I am not sure how close I will be in the back.

I don't want to end up having insufficient clearance. I also don't want to go to through the PIA of moving the pin box and then having to move it back again.

What do you recommend? thanks for your help

Matt

First off, what truck do you have? A lot of late-model trucks have lift blocks in the suspension and removing those can help with trailer leveling.

Second, how much nose high are you? If only a couple inches, leave it. If more, then you =should= correct it.

Third, do you have any adjustment in the FW's suspension? A lot of them have at least 2 holes in the spring hangars. If not in the bottom holes, then move them. (Add a wet bolt kit at the same time.) If your FW is older, make sure that the axle is below the springs; if not, then get a "flip kit" and move the springs on top. That will gain you about 4-5".

Fourth, if you don't have spacers on your truck, suspension's as low as it will go and the springs are on top already, you could add a Correct Track kit and get an easy 2" lift on the FW as well as the ability to easily align your axles.

Fifth, if you do need to lift the FW > 2", a sub-frame and cross-bracing is really the best way to go and it's not as expensive as you might think.

Lyle

schlep1967 wrote:

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
Do you have a Weight Distribution System?

You can adjust the level a few inch at a time with the placement of the chains.

You do realize this is in the fifth-wheel section, right?

Sorry, dang too quick on the trigger.

So, my next advice is: just buy an RV? lol

Before doing anything take it to the scales. If the front and back axle's, when scaled separately, are close in weight I wouldn't change anything. The fear of having an unlevel trailer when towing is transferring too much weight to one axle where it would overload the tires. If that is not happening you don't have a problem.

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
Do you have a Weight Distribution System?

You can adjust the level a few inch at a time with the placement of the chains.

You do realize this is in the fifth-wheel section, right?

I would not change the pin box. If adjustment lowers the front to 6"s, you'll be too close at the TG. You likely need to raise the trailer for best results. Lots of options to raise the trailer, especially if you aren't too far from level when hooked up now.

Jerry

Do you have a Weight Distribution System?

You can adjust the level a few inch at a time with the placement of the chains.

NO don’t go less than 6” at tailgate.

Do something with the RV.

Move the pin box up one.