Have 3 inch clerance/new truck/ need 6 for level fiver

[Lilliemae30]

Just picked up the new dodge ram 2500 we ordered.The height of the bed rails is 3" higher from the ground than the old truck. The truck is backed under the fifth wheel camper. Not hitched and there is only a 3" clearance.

Only 1800/2000 lb pin weight. Our old truck (2003 Dodge 2500) had the 6" clearance and only settled 1" or so when hitched.

We need to get to a 6" clearance but still keep the fifth wheel camper level. Do we compress the springs to the truck, will that be enough to lower the bed of the truck? From the vround

We have a Reese hitch that is 13 years old but have had no problems with.
Any and all advice appreciated including what type of place or person to take it to.

[john_bet]

gmcsmoke wrote:

john&bet wrote:
For me just one of many reasons I will not own a 4X4 of any brand. Do not now and no plans to do so in the future.

4WD doesn't have anything to do with it.

I beg to differ. They are at least 4" higher at the bed rail as well as the step into the cab to name just two areas. 15 to 20 years ago 4x4 owners went thru the same stuff. Dealers were removing axle blocks and other stuff to make them work with the 5th wheels of the day. The current 4x4's of my brand sit close to 5" higher or more than mine. And yes I have walked up to them. JMHO.

[gmcsmoke]

john&bet wrote:
For me just one of many reasons I will not own a 4X4 of any brand. Do not now and no plans to do so in the future.

4WD doesn't have anything to do with it.

[azrving]

Op
Relax. You will work your way through it. Yes, like other RV issues you may have to throw more money at it but it may be relatively painless in the end. Im a mechanic and I knew before I hauled my used rig home that it would need lift. When I hooked up I thought oh no does it ever need lift.

It all comes down to two things, rail clearance and is it sitting level enough for YOU. The simplest thing you can do is to hook up and pull the rig onto scrap lumber. It will tell you 2 things when you reach level. You will be able to measure the rail clearance and you will be able to measure the thickness of the lumber under the rigs tires. The pin and hitch adjustment will give you rail clearance. For example if it needs 2 more inches of rail clearance you have to drop the pin box which will raise the nose of the fw but you will then also add 2 inches to the thickness of the lumber or the fw will be low in back again. The first issue is rail clearance.

There are numerous things that can be done to get a little or a lot of rig lift. Oh wait, let me bum you out a little more. Depending on how much you lift you may have entry step and rear stabilizer issues but remember we can help you with that too. 🙂

[john_bet]

Lilliemae30 wrote:
I am the original poster. Thank you to all those who responded in a helpful manner and so quickly. My hubby asked me to try to find information on this forum while he was on the phone with multiple places to get the best information he could.

We were stressed and nearly ready to return the truck. A lot has changed in the 13 years since we last purchased our old one and of course none of this was an issue then.

We have decided to follow the consensus to hitch up to the camper and go from there as outlined by helpful posters.

We cannot do it until Tuesday when the derails for the existing Reese is installed. I will updAte you all when we find our best resolution.
By the way, I have used this forum for many years and do know about and use the SEARCH button. You have to be pretty specific to find what you are looking for, as I am no mechanic, I did the best I could. Again thAnk you for your responses. They helped relive the pressure on us.

Just a friendly reminder that what ever you do, don't raise your RV above 13' 6" at it highest point.

[dpgllg]

Lilliemae30 wrote:
I am the original poster. Thank you to all those who responded in a helpful manner and so quickly. My hubby asked me to try to find information on this forum while he was on the phone with multiple places to get the best information he could.

We were stressed and nearly ready to return the truck. A lot has changed in the 13 years since we last purchased our old one and of course none of this was an issue then.

We have decided to follow the consensus to hitch up to the camper and go from there as outlined by helpful posters.

We cannot do it until Tuesday when the derails for the existing Reese is installed. I will updAte you all when we find our best resolution.
By the way, I have used this forum for many years and do know about and use the SEARCH button. You have to be pretty specific to find what you are looking for, as I am no mechanic, I did the best I could. Again thAnk you for your responses. They helped relive the pressure on us.

The forums can be your best friend or a nightmare at times. I agree on the search feature use as well not always finding what you are looking for. What others seem to forget is that when your faced with a situation like this you are stressed out and maybe a little panic is setting in. I know I've been there. Chastising the poster because they didn't use the search or because they bought a four wheel drive truck DOES NOT HELP the situation at all and only add to the frustration and stress. Everyone needs to remember the purpose is to help. Go back to what our mothers told us all growing up. "If you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all"

I just went through this last spring when I updated my truck from a 2006 Chevy to a 2013 Chevy. My solution was to replace the rear shackles on my truck. I dropped the rear of my Chevy just over 2 inches and it works fine without any trailer mods. The truck rode higher in the rear straight from the factory. It was not all that expensive either to do. I am not familiar with Dodge trucks but you could look into this as a possible solution. I had several posters claim that this would change my headlights to point upward etc. but none of that occurred with me. The mod worked great and I have plenty of clearance between truck and 5th wheel.

I wish you well and enjoy your new truck!

Dave

[azrving]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
It's not the radius, it's the whole axle diameter, plus the thickness of the spring pack, plus the height of the original bottom spring pad, plus the height of the new top spring pad.

You're moving the bottom of the spring pack from where it is, about 3" below the bottom of the axle tube, to where it will now be, about 1" above the top of the axle tube. This example is assuming both spring pads are about 1" high and the spring pack is about 2" thick and the axle tube is about 3" diameter.

Going from bottom to top, it's the spring pack thickness (2"), plus the bottom spring pad height (1"), plus the axle tube diameter (3"), plus the top spring pad height (1"). This totals 7", in this example. Axles can be all different diameters. Spring packs can be all different thicknesses. Spring pads can be all different heights. So it is entirely possible to end up with a measurement less than or greater than this example.

Another example could be a 2-1/2" axle, 1/2" spring pads and a 1-1/2" spring pack, which would make 5" instead of 7".

No. You're not moving the center line to the bottom edge of the axle. It's still at the center of the tube. Look at the center line of the tube as it swings under. It's all about the center line of the tube. It's all going under the spring so the thickness of the spring pack counts. The perch is still the same thickness and the radius is still the same or the same distance from the spring as it was when up on top. If you measure from the top of the spring surface to the center of the tube and say it's 3 ", when you put it under the spring pack and measure from the bottom flat surface to the center of the tube it's still 3 "and we now have to add the sprig pack thickness for the amount of lift. It will make you scratch your head when you try to picture it but that's what it's doing.

Yes,the axle radius, perch thickness and spring pack thickness numbers can all change but the formula stays the same.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

It's not the radius, it's the whole axle diameter, plus the thickness of the spring pack, plus the height of the original bottom spring pad, plus the height of the new top spring pad.

You're moving the bottom of the spring pack from where it is, about 3" below the bottom of the axle tube, to where it will now be, about 1" above the top of the axle tube. This example is assuming both spring pads are about 1" high and the spring pack is about 2" thick and the axle tube is about 3" diameter.

Going from bottom to top, it's the spring pack thickness (2"), plus the bottom spring pad height (1"), plus the axle tube diameter (3"), plus the top spring pad height (1"). This totals 7", in this example. Axles can be all different diameters. Spring packs can be all different thicknesses. Spring pads can be all different heights. So it is entirely possible to end up with a measurement less than or greater than this example.

Another example could be a 2-1/2" axle, 1/2" spring pads and a 1-1/2" spring pack, which would make 5" instead of 7".

[mountainsam]

I have the same issue. I hooked up and retracted the legs. I lowered my hitch down one hole to get the nose down a bit. I measured and i am sitting 6 inches nose high vs rear bumper. I have just under 6" bed rail clearance. Really doesn't look unleavel. I contacted Forest River and they said that was not a problem. I also have a 2014 2500 Ram CTD and a Rockwood fifth wheel with a Revolution pin box and a Reese 16K Pro hitch on a picture frame adaptor. My truck settled just over 1-1/2 inches if I remember right. I have towed it only 100 miles with this truck and no problems.

Correction, after looking at my photos the truck settles 2".

[azrving]

.

[Me_Again]

garyp4951 wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

garyp4951 wrote:
...since it would be the diameter of the axle plus the thickness of the spring pack.

Plus 2 times the height of the spring pads...

If you have a 3" diameter axle tube, 2" thick spring packs, and 1" high spring mounting pads, the lift ends up being 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 7

Thanks, I forgot about the spring perches.

My 5200 pound Alko axles flip raised the trailer 5.5", and I then went back down 2" on the jack plates for a net of 3.5" and level ride. This was on our former Cardinal 2005 29WBLX.

[azrving]

garyp4951 wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

garyp4951 wrote:
...since it would be the diameter of the axle plus the thickness of the spring pack.

Plus 2 times the height of the spring pads...

If you have a 3" diameter axle tube, 2" thick spring packs, and 1" high spring mounting pads, the lift ends up being 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 7

Thanks, I forgot about the spring perches.

It's actually the radius of the axle tube and one perch/pad. Radius plus perch plus spring pack which put me at 4 1/2" iirc plus since I needed tires so I upgraded to 16" for another 1/2 inch or so.

[garyp4951]

If someone is asking for help on this forum, and all you can do is tell them to search, it would be better if you didn't post at all.
Sometimes the search info takes a while to read through, and with all the knowledgeable people on here, it's a little more personal to get replies to your questions, or problems.
Thank you very much

[garyp4951]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

garyp4951 wrote:
...since it would be the diameter of the axle plus the thickness of the spring pack.

Plus 2 times the height of the spring pads...

If you have a 3" diameter axle tube, 2" thick spring packs, and 1" high spring mounting pads, the lift ends up being 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 7

Thanks, I forgot about the spring perches.

[avvidclif1]

Chock the trailer tires real well. Back the pickup under it. Stack some boards, at least 2x10's in a cris cross pattern and ease the hitch down on the stack with the landing gear. Make sure everything is where nothing can move.

Take some measurements, raise it back up, and go from there. That way you don't alter/change the truck if you need to visit the dealer for a little heart-to-heart about getting the truck out of nosebleed territory.

My 2 cents. As someone else said until you put the weight on the truck you don't know what you need.

[Lilliemae30]

I am the original poster. Thank you to all those who responded in a helpful manner and so quickly. My hubby asked me to try to find information on this forum while he was on the phone with multiple places to get the best information he could.

We were stressed and nearly ready to return the truck. A lot has changed in the 13 years since we last purchased our old one and of course none of this was an issue then.

We have decided to follow the consensus to hitch up to the camper and go from there as outlined by helpful posters.

We cannot do it until Tuesday when the derails for the existing Reese is installed. I will updAte you all when we find our best resolution.
By the way, I have used this forum for many years and do know about and use the SEARCH button. You have to be pretty specific to find what you are looking for, as I am no mechanic, I did the best I could. Again thAnk you for your responses. They helped relive the pressure on us.