New 5th Wheel & New Truck - Running nose high - UGH!!

[Herzog]

We recently purchased a 2016 Hideout 5th wheel (30 feet and 8000 pounds). Last summer I bought a 2016 Ram 2500 4x4 gas truck. We love both but when I hitched up to bring the RV home, it was running about 4-5 inches nose high.

I can't flip the axles as they came from the factory under the springs, and I have the pin box as high as it will go. There is about 6-7 inches of distance between the top of the bed rails and the bottom of the RV....seems good to go there.

The only recommendations I got from the dealer to raise the trailer were:
1. Build a box frame and put it between the trailer and the axles
2. Let it go and all should be ok.

I guess I should have received better advice for a $30,000+ investment...ugh

I don't want to add a box frame as it doesn;t sound very safe and the RV sits high enough as it is.

So, if I just "let it ride high", I assume I have more wear on the rear tires than on the front, but will it cause any other problems??

We only towed it about 40 miles to get it home but it seemed solid without any sway, but there was some chucking.

Any advice would sure be appreciated....I really think it is unreasonable that the newer trucks stand so darn high to begin with!

[Cummins12V98]

rhagfo wrote:

john&bet wrote:
This is a very major reason I will not be buying a 4x4 truck. Just to darn high.

This is the last reason I would use to disqualify a 4X4!

RAM 2x4 and 4x4 sit about the same since 2013.

[IdaD]

john&bet wrote:
This is a very major reason I will not be buying a 4x4 truck. Just to darn high.

I literally wouldn't have been able to get down my street for most of the last month with a 2wd truck, and I'm not exaggerating. I will never own a 2wd truck or SUV.

[rhagfo]

john&bet wrote:
This is a very major reason I will not be buying a 4x4 truck. Just to darn high.

This is the last reason I would use to disqualify a 4X4!

[john_bet]

This is a very major reason I will not be buying a 4x4 truck. Just to darn high.

[Herzog]

Bamaman1 wrote:
What about the fifth wheel hitch. Are there any up and down adjustments?

I have a B&M Patriot fifth wheel hitch, and it has up and down, forward and back adjustments of maybe 4-5 inches.

Curt hitch has three settings, and I'm already on the lowest setting....

[Bamaman11]

What about the fifth wheel hitch. Are there any up and down adjustments?

I have a B&M Patriot fifth wheel hitch, and it has up and down, forward and back adjustments of maybe 4-5 inches.

[pyoung47]

That's why I purchased a Ford with 17 inch wheels.

[G-Dad]

4"-5" nose high is a very small angle over the length of the trailer. If you have the typical leaf spring suspension, the weight shift (unloading the pin) is likely not measureable. The spring equalizers should do their job (if there is no binding) and there should not be much load difference between the axles.

However, I suggest you contact the frame and suspension manufacturer (engineering not sales). Hearing straight from them should give you ground truth.

[Dayle1]

Wild Card wrote:
I will add my .2 cents about building a sub frame to lift your trailer. DO IT if its economically in your ball park. It will hands down help with the strength of the frame in the suspension area.

I agree, a box with cross members actually improves the safety of the unit. Having cross members attached at the bottom of the main frame rails will prevent them from twisting or rolling sideways. There are many examples of units that experienced frame rail failures to due excessive side loading.

One more point for the OP. Another problem with nose high towing that can cause rough riding is the loss of suspension travel. When the equalizer is already tilted when static, then it has limited remaining travel to handle road bumps/potholes.

[JKJavelin]

Although I'm a rookie here, I tend to agree with garyp above. We just bought our Open Range last month. We were deciding between the Open Range Roamer and the similar sized Grand Design Reflection Super-Light FW. One glaring difference between them was the distance from the ground to the bottom of the box. I don't remember the exact amount, but the Open Range was something like 4" or 5" higher. I was wondering why they would be so different, but now I think I see why. I'm guessing they built the Reflection for the smaller half ton trucks.
JK

[alexleblanc]

Durb wrote:
I believe that trailer has 225/75R15 tires on it stock. According to my calculations the radius of that tire would be 14.14".

235/80R16 has a radius of 15.4" and would give 1.26" of lift. Your tires would be 2.52" closer together and you would have 1.26" less clearance above.

235/85/R16 has a radius of 15.86" and would give 1.72" of lift. Your tires would be 3.48" closer together and you would have 1.72" less clearance above.

These are unloaded calculations. The lift dimensions will vary slightly under load but the other clearances should be good.

I went through this last year with my setup and in the end I upgraded to taller tires and also had a suspension shop put the leafs on the highest hanger setting, in all I gained 3" worth of height and leveled out my rig. I put over 10000 Km's on it last summer with this new setup and I'm extremely happy with it.

before with the lowest setting on the spring hanger and 225/75R15 tires:





after adjustment and LT215/85R16 tires:

[ford_truck_guy]

As stated,

the Sub frame " BOXING" is very common.. In fact, when you to go Morryde and have the IS installed that's the first measurement they take.
At that point, they create a sub frame to allow the trailer to tow level... mine is a 2" high sub frame..

[VeroWing]

Had similar situation with Silverado 2500HD and Heartland Sundance fifth wheel, and recently purchased and installed "correct track" system. it raised trailer 2" from stock, and gives you the potential to fine tune your axles to pin relationship at any time in the future. My research showed this to be the best cost effective option until trailer tires need replacing, which will be a taller size to gain the final 1 1/2"-2", making trailer completely level.

[Wild_Card]

I will add my .2 cents about building a sub frame to lift your trailer. DO IT if its economically in your ball park. It will hands down help with the strength of the frame in the suspension area.

[Davezogg]

Jim2007 wrote:
Hi.. I agree with fly 4 fun.. lower the hitch if you can .. my hitch is a curt and it has three hole to adjust height . .. mine is set in the center hoLe which give about 4 inches clearance between the rail and bottom of the nose.... The trailer is slightly high but not enough to cause problems....Jim2007

I also have a curt hitch and it has three adjustment holes. It's already lowered all the way.