Trading trucks and bed clearance.

[DannyA]

Looking to trade my 2004 F250 with 16 inch tires for a 2011 F250 with 18 inch tires. My question is now I have about 3-4 inches of clearance between trailer and bed, how will this affect that, am I going to have a clearance problem. I know there are many who pull with the truck I am looking at but before I trade just want to make sure there will be no problem. I have short bed and no slider hitch with never any problems but thinking about getting slider, any thoughts on that also. thanks

[Dave_H_M]

yep measure them up.

Also a big butted difference between 2 and 4 WD i think.

I have a 2012 F250 short bed with 2 WD. It sets virtually level when unhitched.

[Irelands_child]

I have an '11 F250 with the optional 18" 275-70 tires vs the 265-70 which is the OEM. The tires I'm using are about a couple inches larger in diameter then the OEMs or 1" on the radius. This F250 is a bit lower with the 2 inch spring block vs the '06 F350 I had previously. Neither had/have a bit of trouble height wise though the trailer rode a bit nose high with the F350, or about that 2" of spring block height. This is the current 6-7 inches clearance:

[RustyJC]

58-7/8" to the top of the tailgate with the truck in my signature unhitched and unloaded. Yes, the newer trucks are tall. I agree with the others - 6" minimum truck to trailer overhang clearance with 8" preferred. 20 years ago I wrote the check to repair the bedrails on our first truck and 5th wheel to learn this lesson.

Rusty

[camp-n-family]

Newer trucks tend to be taller but the tires don't have much to do with it. A truck with 16" tires can have the same height as one with 20" tires. It all depends on the sidewall height which will affect the overall diameter. For example a 275/75r16 tires is nearly identical in overall diameter and height to a 275/55r20 tire.

The difference in most trucks today is in the springs and spacers as well as the walls of the bed tend to be taller.

[Slownsy]

Not nessesarely, newer trucks has larger rims but the tyer walls are lower.
Frank.

[MFL]

Yes, if you are short of clearance now, it will be worse with new truck, and larger tires/wheels. Measure difference between two trucks, but something will need to change.

Jerry

[Diesel_Camper]

3-4 inches between bed and 5er is not enough in my opinion. I run about 5.5 inches and have gone through pretty rough country, but have come within 1/8th of an inch of a bed strike. 6.5 inches would be about perfect.

I also have a short bed and never had any issues backing or turning. The trailer will start to pivot on the wheels long before getting to 90 degrees. In short, you shouldn't need to back so sharp that it's an issue. That's with an extended pin box of course.

[Old-Biscuit]

Park your 2004 F250 next to the 2011 F250 and eyeball it

Measure height at tailgate of both trucks


Currently ...3" to 4" of bed rail clearance is way too little. Surprised you haven't tapped top of bed rail already.

Sounds like you will need to raise hitch/lower pin box and then raise trailer at axles to get level