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Truck Bed too High

Usnthedog
Explorer
Explorer
Needing to buy a new pickup. I have an 09 f250 with a PS diesel. Enough said on why. The height of a new, all three, pickup bed is 4-5" higher than my 09. How do you handle the clearance issue and pull a level 5er. I had a 04 springdale and an 04 2500 and went to the f250 and had to put rails under the trailer to get it over the ford bed. My 11 Greystone fits the ford but not 4-5" more. Will I have to do this again? Both are 4X4 and that does not seem to make a difference. Why are truck manufacturers building trucks on stilts?

Thanks for your input.

Jeff
12 REPLIES 12

mt1729
Explorer
Explorer
I'm 5ft 6. I have to use a step ladder.
Moose

hotpepperkid
Explorer
Explorer
Usnthedog wrote:
Ralph Cramden. (you'll have to look back at his quote; I haven't figured out how to have it show in my post)
The RV industry may be a very small part of the mix but real people are the bulk. I'm 5-10 and it's getting to the point where I need a ladder just to see inside the bed. It's a big step for me to get to Ford's in-tailgate sissy ladder. Where does it stop; are they building for Shaq?


Hell I'm 6'1" and I carry a little 2 step ladder to make it easy to get thing out of the bed of the truck
2019 Ford F-350 long bed SRW 4X4 6.4 PSD Grand Designs Reflection 295RL 5th wheel

Second_Chance
Explorer II
Explorer II
My 2012 F350 DRW (17" wheels) sits abut 6" lower than my 2013 Sierra 2500HD (20" wheels) did. Both trucks are/were 2WD. I had the trailer raised 2" when we had the MOR/ryde IS installed to get enough bed rail clearance with the Sierra. On the Ford, I now have the hitch in the highest position and dropped the pin box a set of bolt holes to get the trailer level - but I now have LOTS of bed rail clearance! I call the F350 my "Low Rider Tractor."

Rob
U.S. Army retired
2020 Solitude 310GK-R
MORryde IS, disc brakes, solar, DP windows
(Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
2012 F350 CC DRW Lariat 6.7
Full-time since 8/2015

allen8106
Explorer
Explorer
Splashers3 wrote:
When I bought my '17 GMC 3500 D/A CC DRW truck, the first thing I did BEFORE buying was to measure the bed AND rail heights.....the bed height was the same as my 2008 GMC 2500 D/A CC...the rail height was about 0.5" higher....both vehicles are 4x4s.

Good Luck.


Same here with my 2013 and my 2018 GMC. My 2018 DRW is about 3/4" lower than the 2013 SRW.
2010 Eagle Super Lite 315RLDS
2018 GMC Sierra 3500HD 6.6L Duramax

2010 Nights 45
2011 Nights 70
2012 Nights 144
2013 Nights 46
2014 Nights 49
2015 Nights 57
2016 Nights 73
2017 Nights 40
2018 Nights 56
2019 Nights 76
2020 Nights 68

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Explorer III
The truck industry has convinced the truck buying public that looks trump usefulness. Doesn't really matter that the tall truck is tremendously inconvenient, it sure looks macho and tough. And that's the whole point. They have joined Harley Davidson in building "Style over Function" vehicles.
Howard and Peggy

"Don't Panic"

Super_Dave
Explorer
Explorer
Anything else a problem other than my rear tires wearing out first? I'm a little nose high but the trailer pulls nicely. I'd love a completely level ride but unwilling to spend a fortune to get it unless there are some hidden catastrophic consequences.
Truck: 2006 Dodge 3500 Dually
Rig: 2018 Big Country 3155 RLK
Boat: 21' North River Seahawk

Usnthedog
Explorer
Explorer
Ralph Cramden. (you'll have to look back at his quote; I haven't figured out how to have it show in my post)
The RV industry may be a very small part of the mix but real people are the bulk. I'm 5-10 and it's getting to the point where I need a ladder just to see inside the bed. It's a big step for me to get to Ford's in-tailgate sissy ladder. Where does it stop; are they building for Shaq?

john_bet
Explorer II
Explorer II
The difference between my '04 2500 and '18 3500 is 6". Both 2wd. I only have 4 1/2" clearance with the '18 and a 2018 Grand Design 337RLS. Thinking of getting a 2" taller ball for my puck system.
2018 Ram 3500 SRW CC LB 6.7L Cummins Auto 3.42 gears
2018 Grand Design 337RLS

Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Explorer II
Its the RV Industry that needs to adapt to what the truck manufacturers provide. Do not expect it to ever go the other way around.

Light truck sales exceed 11 million per year.
5th wheel RV sales are something in the order of less than 100K per year.

Don't expect the vehicle manufacturers to adapt their design to less than .009090909090909% of their market.
Too many geezers, self appointed moderators, experts, and disappearing posts for me. Enjoy. How many times can the same thing be rehashed over and over?

Splashers3
Explorer
Explorer
When I bought my '17 GMC 3500 D/A CC DRW truck, the first thing I did BEFORE buying was to measure the bed AND rail heights.....the bed height was the same as my 2008 GMC 2500 D/A CC...the rail height was about 0.5" higher....both vehicles are 4x4s.

Good Luck.
2017 GMC 3500 Sierra Denali, C/C, D/A, DRW, w/40gal Aux tank, 18K B&W Patriot.
2019 Cedar Creek Hathaway, 34RL2 - w/Bells & Whistles and disc brakes
Traded 2009 Cedar Creek Silverback, GII, 32 WRL

ugeesta
Explorer
Explorer
My new GMC is about 3” taller than my old GMC and have the same concerns. I did hook up the trailer but have yet to take for a trip as it’s still in breake in mode. Maybe next week I’ll take to to the scales finally to get weighed.

Anyway, when I put the trailer on, the 3” shortened down to about 1.5” higher. I’m not comfortable yet with the height as the top of the AC is about 13’8” high.

The two options I have to lower the trailer is to install the original pin on the trailer or lower the truck. I don’t like either option so I may have to get upset tot the idea of being nose high.
2018 GMC Seirra 3500 Denali SRW
2018 Jayco Talon 313t
2019 Polaris XP1000 Trail and Rocks edition
2016 Yamaha Grizzly EPS
1 wife & 5 cats

sayoung
Explorer
Explorer
2012 Chevy dually. My rv axles are flipped & hitch, AUH , is in highest position. I ran both a Reese & BW on a Curt xRail and ran at highest setting. With the later 2 if at a slight angle turning could still just scratch top of bed side. No such problem with the AUH and the connector reversed.