Lifted truck for towing?

[patriotgrunt]

Towing a 5th Wheel with a lifted truck

Which one of you guys has the lifted truck and wants to know if you can still tow a fifth wheel?

[BenK]

Yup...that is the basis of discussion on ratings and the specifications provided by any OEM...it is for the vehicle as it left 'their' factory

Any re-engineering (modifications) alters the base engineering...therefore the OEM's labels/brochures/specifications/etc do NOT apply anymore....AKA...they are not as liable in whatever area that/those re-engineering components/systems/etc perform for

You are just parroting exactly the basics of my wording and just using different verbiage...saying my wording is false...

Unless these 'quality' after market kit providers (engineers) changed out the drive-line U-Joints to CV joints...Hooke's formula's applies...heck they still apply to CV joints too, but to only one half of that CV joint. Guess it would be too much to go into the morass of info...that Hooke's stuff is also the basis for sun-dials...Middle and High school physic's class touched on this when in school...college physics got into much more detail


Universal Joints (Automobile)


Real life experience with one of my designer (youngster in his mid 20's) bought in his jacked up half ton to work. Asked his boss (me) why it is vibrating badly after the last 4" body lift (already had a 6" suspension lift)...

Took one look and noticed the drive shaft phasing was off. Advised him to take it back to "The Best 4x4 in Silicone Valley" and tell them to "correct the spline alignment" of the drive shaft...

[valhalla360]

BenK wrote:
Ratings still the same...except...depending on what type of lift...the Z angle of the U-Joints may have increased

Meaning that they are being stressed more, are unable to transmit as much torque as before at certain portions of it's rotation...that they will wear out sooner

Depending on how and where driven...CG might be an important factor

If by ratings, you mean the sticker on the door frame doesn't change...sure but that sticker presumes a stock truck with not significant suspension changes. If there is an accident traced to the suspension modifications, don't expect that sticker to do anything for you.

But to claim the actual physical changes don't change the loading based on the assumptions of the engineers is just plain false. If it's a quality well designed, properly installed system, it might have minimal impact but without someone running the calculations and verifying that it was installed correctlly, you can't say it's the same.

[colliehauler]

Heck my stock truck is so high people use the Nerf bars to get in. I'm more into high speed handling and stability but to each his own. For off road I prefer a UTV or dirt bike with a shorter wheelbase. Most of the trails I do are tight and technical and that would be a joke.

[BenK]

Z angle and phasing are just a couple of engineering things gotta account for and why a GOOD lift kit so important

This video shows how stuff can mess up the drive line if not engineered right

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gmV4qwLfOMY

With that changing velocity, there is also a change in torque transmitted and efficiency

[BenK]

Ratings still the same...except...depending on what type of lift...the Z angle of the U-Joints may have increased

Meaning that they are being stressed more, are unable to transmit as much torque as before at certain portions of it's rotation...that they will wear out sooner

Depending on how and where driven...CG might be an important factor

[Grit_dog]

Lift it! Cause fat chicks cant jump!

[kaydeejay]

Your biggest problem will be getting a light enough fiver to stay under your truck limits while at the same time being long enough and high enough to be reasonably level after the height of the truck bed is taken into consideration.
I'm with the "stick with a TT" and a dropped tow-bar crowd.

[dodge_guy]

For some reason the guys that lift the trucks usually think they don't need a WD hitch. Almost everyone i`ve seen has the trailer just sitting on the ball and the truck squatting badly.

[valhalla360]

Two major issues:
- A lot of people have to jack up the trailer frames to get bed clearance using stock trucks. add 6-8" to the bed height and that trailer is going to have to be very high to get any clearance on the bed.
- You better hope it is someone who knew what they were doing when they spec'd the parts and installed them properly. Most lift systems are focused on making it taller not stronger.

Then you have secondary issues such as did they upgrade the brakes? Larger tires will require larger brakes to have the same braking capability. Not a huge issue driving around empty but if you need the full capability, it's not great. Similarly the big tires will result in needing to run in lower gears.

[fj12ryder]

I was kind of surprised that so many people agreed that the truck featured was not a very good tow vehicle.

[Lwiddis]

Are you just trying to start a forum fight? lol

[IdaD]

I know it's heresy to say it on this site but as long as you use quality components and are smart about tire capacity you can tow safely with a moderately lifted truck. Most guys I see running lifted trucks tow TT's, though. Newer stock HD trucks are already about maxed out in terms of height while keeping the fifth wheel reasonably level with enough bedrail clearance. A leveling kit up front would be fine but that's about it.

You'd have to do some serious mods to make a fifth wheel work with the truck highlighted in the article, meaningless payload rating or not.