Leveling 5th Wheel to TV

[travel4fun]

Our family has just purchased a new 5th wheel that we are excited about. My TV has a 4" lift and I had the RV dealership flip the axles and added (1) 4" spacer on each side of both axles to help level the trailer to match up to my TV. After connecting the trailer it looks that it is nose high and still not level.

Look at the pic in my profile to see my set up. I am curious if I still need to add taller spacers or if this looks ok. Currently I have 9" of clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer.

Thanks.

[N-Trouble]

travel4fun wrote:
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I have created a list of items to do to try and fix this issue.

1. I will first raise the pin box two sets of holes and I hope this will put the trailer between 5" to 6" of bed clearance.

2. Look at a different tire setup running LT 16" radials on the trailer (the RV dealership welded the spacers to the axles so that will take quite a bit of work to remove them) or changing the tire size on the TV (its about due for new tires anyway).

3. If those two things don't work then I will look at adjusting the suspension on my truck.

Also, I will look at addressing the squat on the TV after I get the truck and trailer as level as I can get it. I have already began looking at different types/styles of air bags to install to reduce the squat on the TV.

Any more suggestions are appreciated.

Fix the squat of the truck first as that will affect everything else

[phillyg]

I personally wouldn't like the FW riding as high as it appears in the photo. I'm assuming you don't want to change it again and want to leave the truck raised. Instead, and if you can, lower the hitch head a notch and raise the pin and you should still have 6-7" of clearance which is optimal, anyway.

[travel4fun]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I have created a list of items to do to try and fix this issue.

1. I will first raise the pin box two sets of holes and I hope this will put the trailer between 5" to 6" of bed clearance.

2. Look at a different tire setup running LT 16" radials on the trailer (the RV dealership welded the spacers to the axles so that will take quite a bit of work to remove them) or changing the tire size on the TV (its about due for new tires anyway).

3. If those two things don't work then I will look at adjusting the suspension on my truck.

Also, I will look at addressing the squat on the TV after I get the truck and trailer as level as I can get it. I have already began looking at different types/styles of air bags to install to reduce the squat on the TV.

Any more suggestions are appreciated.

[N-Trouble]

You really need to level your truck out too. Got the Cali-lean going on both the TV and trailer. Sure not many drivers in the other direction are liking your headlights

[tvman44]

It is a little hard to tell because of the angle of the picture, but does not look too bad. 🙂

[RustyJC]

Lifted 4x4 trucks and 5th wheels generally don't play nice together. With the current crop of 4x4s, it's a challenge getting everything leveled out with sufficient bedrail clearance with a stock truck. Although the OP has apparently already made his choice to tow with a truck with a 4" lift, others might want to rethink this unless they're willing to make major changes to the 5th wheel suspension and/or chassis and accept the resulting compromises to make this work.

Rusty

[the_bear_II]

Agree with others you should be able to adjust the hitch height to bring the nose down a little more and leave 6 plus inches of clearance for the bedrails.

My 5th wheel sits as high as yours and I've been towing it that way for over 20 years with no stability issues. Before I had the axles flipped the tail often dragged when going in and out of driveways or dips. No more dragging my ### since then.

[rhagfo]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

Greene728 wrote:

travel4fun wrote:
Our family has just purchased a new 5th wheel that we are excited about. My TV has a 4" and I had the dealership flip the axles and added (1) 4" spacer on each side of both axles to help level the trailer to match up to my TV. After connecting the trailer it looks that it is nose high and still not level.

Look at the pic in my profile to see my set up. I am curious if I still need to add taller spacers or if this looks ok. Currently I have 9" of clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer.

Thanks.

Based on the pics and your description (9 inches of bed clearance) either raise the pinbox a notch or lower the fifth hitch down in the frame a notch.
On a side note, I would be terrified pulling that camper raised that high. Stability has got to suffer set up like that. You also have quite a bit of squat on the TV (which is a beautiful truck BTW). But bags would only amplify your nose high problem I know. Good luck to you, but that set up would drive me nuts. Lol!

:h :h :h

With a 1,128# pin I think it is more the photo angle than squat!!

It would be nice, if you could get a good side view on a near level surface.

That 1128# is 'dry' pin weight........probably closer to 1600# when 5vr is loaded which could be close to 'payload rating' depending on truck's trim level

5rv doesn't look level......looks nose high and with 9" bed rail clearance 5vr nose can be lowered via adjustments of pin box/hitch

Hard to tell with that off angle squished photo in sig about truck squat and/or 5vr nose high


As for the method used to lift 5vr........not a fan of using spacers.
Sq. Tube subframe welded to trailer frame with sq/tube cross bracing is a tried/true method.

Even at 1,600# way below the GRAWR, even a newer 2500 will not drop much without 1,600#. I carry about 2,200# and squat 1-1/2".

I agree with the tube sub-frame for anything over 2".

This has been a couple years in the getting this level.

[Old-Biscuit]

rhagfo wrote:

Greene728 wrote:

travel4fun wrote:
Our family has just purchased a new 5th wheel that we are excited about. My TV has a 4" and I had the dealership flip the axles and added (1) 4" spacer on each side of both axles to help level the trailer to match up to my TV. After connecting the trailer it looks that it is nose high and still not level.

Look at the pic in my profile to see my set up. I am curious if I still need to add taller spacers or if this looks ok. Currently I have 9" of clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer.

Thanks.

Based on the pics and your description (9 inches of bed clearance) either raise the pinbox a notch or lower the fifth hitch down in the frame a notch.
On a side note, I would be terrified pulling that camper raised that high. Stability has got to suffer set up like that. You also have quite a bit of squat on the TV (which is a beautiful truck BTW). But bags would only amplify your nose high problem I know. Good luck to you, but that set up would drive me nuts. Lol!

:h :h :h

With a 1,128# pin I think it is more the photo angle than squat!!

It would be nice, if you could get a good side view on a near level surface.

That 1128# is 'dry' pin weight........probably closer to 1600# when 5vr is loaded which could be close to 'payload rating' depending on truck's trim level

5rv doesn't look level......looks nose high and with 9" bed rail clearance 5vr nose can be lowered via adjustments of pin box/hitch

Hard to tell with that off angle squished photo in sig about truck squat and/or 5vr nose high


As for the method used to lift 5vr........not a fan of using spacers.
Sq. Tube subframe welded to trailer frame with sq/tube cross bracing is a tried/true method.

[mtofell1]

The bottom line is lifted trucks and 5th wheels just don't play nicely together. It's simple physics.... keep lifting the 5th wheel, lower the truck or adjust the hitch and lose bedrail clearance.

[rhagfo]

Greene728 wrote:

travel4fun wrote:
Our family has just purchased a new 5th wheel that we are excited about. My TV has a 4" and I had the dealership flip the axles and added (1) 4" spacer on each side of both axles to help level the trailer to match up to my TV. After connecting the trailer it looks that it is nose high and still not level.

Look at the pic in my profile to see my set up. I am curious if I still need to add taller spacers or if this looks ok. Currently I have 9" of clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer.

Thanks.

Based on the pics and your description (9 inches of bed clearance) either raise the pinbox a notch or lower the fifth hitch down in the frame a notch.
On a side note, I would be terrified pulling that camper raised that high. Stability has got to suffer set up like that. You also have quite a bit of squat on the TV (which is a beautiful truck BTW). But bags would only amplify your nose high problem I know. Good luck to you, but that set up would drive me nuts. Lol!

:h :h :h

With a 1,128# pin I think it is more the photo angle than squat!!

It would be nice, if you could get a good side view on a near level surface.

[rhagfo]

travel4fun wrote:

BobKrogstie wrote:
Does the FW have 16" tires?

No they are 15" tires on the trailer.

#1 Raise the pin box two sets of holes with put you between 5" to 6" of bed clearance.

#2 What type of spacers did the dealer add?? Get rid of the spacers and have a sub-frame built to do the final leveling.

#3 you could always take the the lift out of the TV. OK maybe half the lift! :B

[travel4fun]

BobKrogstie wrote:
Does the FW have 16" tires?

No they are 15" tires on the trailer.

[Greene728]

travel4fun wrote:
Our family has just purchased a new 5th wheel that we are excited about. My TV has a 4" and I had the dealership flip the axles and added (1) 4" spacer on each side of both axles to help level the trailer to match up to my TV. After connecting the trailer it looks that it is nose high and still not level.

Look at the pic in my profile to see my set up. I am curious if I still need to add taller spacers or if this looks ok. Currently I have 9" of clearance between the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer.

Thanks.

Based on the pics and your description (9 inches of bed clearance) either raise the pinbox a notch or lower the fifth hitch down in the frame a notch.
On a side note, I would be terrified pulling that camper raised that high. Stability has got to suffer set up like that. You also have quite a bit of squat on the TV (which is a beautiful truck BTW). But bags would only amplify your nose high problem I know. Good luck to you, but that set up would drive me nuts. Lol!