Pin Box Height / Trailer Leveling

[bowler1]

Hi,
My trailer still sits a bit nose-high. With air in my airbags, the trailer sits about 6 inches above my truck's rails at the tailgate and about 8 inches above the rails at the "nose" of the fifth wheel.

I am debating moving the box up one notch. I think this is about 2 inches. That would bring the front down to 6 inches above the rails at the "nose" of the camper, which is probably optimal, but do you think I would then be too close to the rails at the tailgate?

Not sure how the "cantilever" effect would work here. My guess is that it would bring the front down but not bring it down much closer at the tailgate end.

thoughts?

thanks
Matt

[lee_worsdell]

I just had my pin box raised yesterday at the dealer. Took a single guy 1/2 hr. He raised the trailer just up out of the jaws of hitch so no weight on it. Unbolted it with a small 2x4 with carpet on the end to hold it in place. Removed the bolts slowly drop the trailer so the pin box was at its highest point on trailer.Put the bolts back in and done. Now I can adjust my hitch at least to level it now

[Cummins12V98]

I HIGHLY advise those that think they are only a bit nose high to weigh your rear RV axle to be sure you are not onerloading the tires.

[CarnationSailor]

I would set the air bag pressure as needed to level the truck, and not sweat the trailer being an inch or 2 nose high. Mine is and it isn't causing any problem.

[mowingman]

I had to move my pin box up to the top set of holes so the 5er would ride level behind my 3500 Ram. It is easy, if you need to do that. I believe 5-6" is the minimum clearance recommended for bed sides to trailer. Be aware that the pin box can be VERY HEAVY. I rigged a stand for mine to set on when unbolted. It still took two of us to get it up to the holes we needed to use. Be sure and have a strong helper.

[donn0128]

Like I said in my previous post. WEIGHTS! You need to get honest weights before spending any time with band aids. Did that with my 2500 D/A. I got it level easy enough but was still 1400 pounds over weight.

[bowler1]

10 pounds gets my trailer about level, yes....but the truck is still just BELOW level. With the air bags filled to get the truck level the trailer is nose high.

I probably should have just left the whole variable of the air bags out since my trailer is still nose high before installing the air bags--just not as bad

Matt

Matt

[GHop]

I had the same problem with my Ram towing our 35 foot Arctic Fox. I moved the hitch so it's the lowest setting which I believe is 17 inches and moved the pin box up. This configuration gives me about 6 and a half inches from the bottom of the cap to the bed rail. When hooked up our fifth wheel and running about 25 psi in my bags to level my truck, I'm just a little nose. I have been happy with this setup, It seems to give me more control of my truck ster's, plus distributing the weight more on the fifth wheel tandems.

[donn0128]

So Matt, you just answered your own question. 10PSI is about right for your situation.

I would strongly suggest you get some real world weights. I would be willing to bet your way off on your guess of pin weight.

[bowler1]

Well...

I maybe should have clarified that the trailer was pretty close to level (or just a big nose high) before adding the air bags, and the truck was squatting about an inch below level or two inches lower than before hooking up.

I took it out this weekend with only 10 pounds in the bags and the rig was pretty level; although a touch high at the nose still.

45 pounds of air in the bags brings the truck up to about an inch below where it was before hooking up the trailer--so about level for the truck

Matt

[jkwilson]

bowler1 wrote:
Hi,

I am debating moving the box up one notch. I think this is about 2 inches. That would bring the front down to 6 inches above the rails at the "nose" of the camper, which is probably optimal, but do you think I would then be too close to the rails at the tailgate?

Not sure how the "cantilever" effect would work here. My guess is that it would bring the front down but not bring it down much closer at the tailgate end.

thoughts?

thanks
Matt

A 2" drop at the pin is probably going to be about 1-3/4" at the tailgate. Depends on bed length and trailer length.

[laknox]

Agree. Too much air in the airbags, giving your truck some "rake". You should be level and have the same bed clearance at the tail gate and in front of the hitch, or awful close.

Lyle

[Cummins12V98]

Are you airing the bags so you look like you did without the RV attached? If so lower pressure to where the truck is "LEVEL".

[donn0128]

How much air in the bags? Lower bag pressure should get you level.