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ugeesta's avatar
ugeesta
Explorer
Jun 11, 2018

How to tow a level trailer with a new truck.

Since the other thread is more about complaining about high trucks, (This thread) thought I'd open a new one about solutions.

My trailer is riding about 2" high with my current set up. I have a Valley 16k slider and a Reese 5th Airborne hitch on the Lippert 1621HD Pin Box.

This new trailer has put our current TV at its limits and thinking about upgrading to a 1 ton but the new trucks are a good 3" higher. The top of the AC on my trailer is already at 13'-6" and concerned about it making it higher. Don't need to pull down any low hanging cables or shear the AC off on a low bridge.

Are there any options out there to lower the truck or trailer to tow level without flipping the axles? I thought about a low profile hitch but the be rails are also 2" taller so that is not much help.
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18 Replies

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  • Vette_Racer's avatar
    Vette_Racer
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2018
    Alt ride height only drops the rear 1 inch, very little difference. That's measured on my 2016. Without air leveling the rear drops more when the pin weight is added which would give you more clearance.
  • RCMAN46's avatar
    RCMAN46
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2018
    Me Again wrote:
    Get a RAM with rear air ride, and run in alt ride height. Truck will stay perfectly level and lower than the other two.


    Do you know what the bed rail height from the ground is with the air ride in alt ride is?
  • Durb's avatar
    Durb
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2018
    A Ram dually will sit about 2 inches lower than a Ram SRW 3500. 57" compared to 59" for 4WD models. Extra cost of dually may be offset by necessary trailer mods which you don't have headroom for anyway. Better tow is a bonus.

    Might consider 2WD.
  • goducks10's avatar
    goducks10
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2018
    Me Again wrote:
    Get a RAM with rear air ride, and run in alt ride height. Truck will stay perfectly level and lower than the other two.

    x2
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Jun 11, 2018
    Get a RAM with rear air ride, and run in alt ride height. Truck will stay perfectly level and lower than the other two.
  • ACZL's avatar
    ACZL
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2018
    Long shot here, but what about taking to either your truck dealer or a good spring shop? Perhaps new blocks (smaller) below springs or 1-2 less springs?

    With our old '03 F250, we were dead level w/ '06 Cedar Creek. The '15 F350, pretty darn close w/ same coach. Same '15 and '18 Big Country, lil nose high but okay (truck hitch on lowest setting, 5th Airborne on highest setting--closest to underside of RV). '17 F350 DRW & '18 BC, same as the '15. Only real issue I have is the rebound of rear axle on the truck when going over a bump or raised pavement seem, it REALLY BANGS when it comes back down for the susp is doing it's thing in forcing the axle back down to the road. Work in progress.
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    Jun 11, 2018
    Thats one reason I went with a 4X2 vs a 4X4 on my current truck. You might check the trailers spring hangers to see if they have adjustment holes. Did that too and never had a problem on the road. You might measure the nose of the trailer sitting level. With that measurement you can go looking for a sutiable cantadate. Fords will be the highest, GMs likely will be the lowest, Rams somewhere in between.
    Sent you a PM
  • brulaz's avatar
    brulaz
    Explorer
    Jun 11, 2018
    Get a 1 ton flatbed with fold down side boards or custom sides?

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