jlaustin
Crossville, Tennessee
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I have a F-250 with a Reese slider hitch and just got a 29' FW. The hitch's adjustable height was set at maximum so I just left it there for the tow home. Since the hitch was so high, the trailer was not level.
After I got home and had the time, I removed the 4 bolts and lowered the hitch height 2 sets of holes. Now, I have about 6 1/2" clearance at the tailgate and about 7 1/2" clearance between the bottom of the fiberglass cap on the trailer and the pickup's box rails. However, the trailer still is distinctly not level, but of course somewhat better than before!
There is one more set of adjustment holes left, which would drop the hitch height about another 1". I've been told you need a minimum of 6" clearance from the pickup box. Would lowering it some more be pushing it, or leave it as-is?
John
* This post was
edited 11/07/09 01:20pm by jlaustin *
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rick83864
Sandpoint, ID
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Joined: 09/04/2009
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I which I had 6" but I have 4" clearance and have done fine since 2006. I am very aware of it and I keep a good eye on in pulling into driveways like some gas stations. Good Luck
06 Dodge 3500 Laramie 4x4 Dually
5.9 Cummins HO Automatic,Jacobs brake, Dodge Navigation
06 Grand Junction 34' Mor/ryde, 5500 Onan genny, Dual A/C, Fireplace
21500 GVW
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kaydeejay
SE Michigan, USA
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6" is a pretty good safe minimum.
Have you raised the truck, or installed big tires? These changes will cause the situation you have.
And a 4WD truck is typically higher than its 2WD equivalent.
If your fiver is still low you may need to look at lowering your axles/raise the trailer. Many trailers have multiple holes in the spring plates to allow this. Had to do this to level the combo in my sig.
Worst case - you may have to consider "flipping" the axles, ie reverse the "U" bolts such that the axles are below the springs instead of above them.
A level trailer is better for equalizing the load on the tires, especially unloading the rear ones as they do not get as much cooling air as the front pair.
It will also equalize your front/rear bed-rail clearance.
Plus of course, it just looks better!
Keith J, Retired from GM Engineering
1999 Sunnybrook 27RKFS Fiver
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE 2WD/CC/SB/DA, 52 gal Titan tank, Bilsteins, Line-X, Westin steps, Prodigy, Retrax, 16K Superglide, 5th-Airborne pin box, Multi-vex mirrors, TST TPMS.
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jlaustin
Crossville, Tennessee
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kaydeejay wrote:6" is a pretty good safe minimum.
Have you raised the truck, or installed big tires? These changes will cause the situation you have.
And a 4WD truck is typically higher than its 2WD equivalent.
If your fiver is still low you may need to look at lowering your axles/raise the trailer. Many trailers have multiple holes in the spring plates to allow this. Had to do this to level the combo in my sig.
Worst case - you may have to consider "flipping" the axles, ie reverse the "U" bolts such that the axles are below the springs instead of above them.
A level trailer is better for equalizing the load on the tires, especially unloading the rear ones as they do not get as much cooling air as the front pair.
It will also equalize your front/rear bed-rail clearance.
Plus of course, it just looks better!
The F-250 is a 4x4 with the 20" wheels, so it is tall. The axles are already below the springs, but the spring mounts have two sets of holes in the one in the front of the wheels and the one in the rear - they're both bolted in the upper holes, therefore the "lowest" height for the trailer. Looks like if the springs were bolted in the lower holes (therefore "highest" trailer height), I would raise the trailer about two inches - that'd probably level it out. One curious thing, though, the third/middle mount for the springs between the front and rear tires has three holes in it ... and those holes are not the same distance apart - they're a little closer together. Right now the springs are bolted in the top of the three holes. If I dropped the springs in the front and rear mounts to the lower holes, do you bolt the springs in the middle mount to the middle or the lowest set of holes???
This gets complicated ... quick!
John
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Larry Betty
Vancouver, WA.
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I would adjust the hitch one more inch. Then take a look at it. your FW is low in the back and this will put extra weight on the rear tires. You need the FW as level as possible for even weight on all wheels. Plus it will handle much much better. The FW has adjustment also, but get help with that one.
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btd35
Spokane, WA
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6 inches is what I have and never have come close to hitting with a long bed.
Tom & Beth
05,Grand Junction 35TMS
99, Dodge 3500 Dually.
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TomG2
Central Illinois
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Every inch closer to level will bring big rewards. I went down to five inches of clearance and got a much smoother tow.
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hankpage
Point Pleasant
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I would go 5 1/2 and level than 6 1/2 and not level any day. You may also have some adjustment at the pin-box also. It may level out some when you get it loaded for camping also. I would try this first.
Hank & Lynn
07 Cougar 290RKS 5er E-Z Flex + 16" XPS RIBS
04.5 Dodge 2500 HO CTD,QC,2wd,LWB,Prodigy, Ride-Rite 
REAL TRUCKS RATTLE
Our getaway vehicle
'07 Cougar mods.
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aemedic
Redstone Arsenal, AL
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Just a word of warning, 5.5" is too close for my rig, I have had issues with the 5er hitting the rails very easily, so I just "flipped" my axles for more clearance and a level rig.
Chris
2006 Dodge MegaCab Dually 4X4 CTD
2004 Yamaha V-Max
2007 Honda XR650R
2007 Honda TRX250EX
2008 Desert Fox 38-5U
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rick83864
Sandpoint, ID
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aemedic wrote:Just a word of warning, 5.5" is too close for my rig, I have had issues with the 5er hitting the rails very easily, so I just "flipped" my axles for more clearance and a level rig.
Interesting. How much pin# you carry? We have similar trucks other than the short box. I carry about 3300 and with 4" I have never touched. Must be something with the pin box difference. Not sure if my mor\ryde box could lower the king pin more or not.
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