Posted 2014-07-10 6:26 PM (#159830 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Veteran
Posts: 175 Location: Florida
Is the trailer a bumper pull or a gooseneck ? If it's a bumper pull, just use the appropriate drop hitch ball to level the trailer. If it's a gooseneck - need to know more information - what's the height of the truck bed/hitch vs the height of the trailer gooseneck when level.
Posted 2014-07-10 6:34 PM (#159831 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by acy on 2014-07-10 5:36 PM
My friend just bought a new dodge 4wd truck. she's worried it will be too high to fit under her trailer.what are her opinions to make the trailer higher so it sits level?
If she really ends up with little to no clearance on the truck rails...her options are ...block up the trailer's axles...or put a flatbed on the truck
Posted 2014-07-10 6:52 PM (#159833 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 391 Location: Columbia, KY
Sorry should have qualified that question. Its a 3H 4Star goose neck LQ trailer. she's pulling it now with a half ton pickup. the new truck sits up a lot higher
Posted 2014-10-24 10:26 PM (#161280 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Western WA
I have a similar set up and dilemma, a month ago I bought a 2009 Dodge 3500 4WD before trailer shopping, then less than a week ago I bought a 1996 4Star 3 horse LQ and when hooked up for the first time for the first few minutes I had roughly 3.75 inches between the bed rail and GN bulkhead.
This is the first rig I've owned - I've driven rigs owned by others and didn't inspect every detail - I took the setup for granted.
So, the seller tells me to take it real easy going home and we talk about this for a few minutes and I feel like I can handle it so . . . I drive up the hill of their driveway and promptly ding the back end of my truck on the GN as I am leveling off onto the road - the sound was awful and I thought for sure I was ripping off my tailgate. Amazingly I only have a small dent at the top of the rail where the side meets the back.
The seller hearing the sound from the bottom of the driveway calls me and asks if I'm ok and do I want him to come up with some tools and adjust the pin on the GN? Yes please. He dropped the pin and now I have about 5-6 inches of clearance.
Where the GN is right now it is nose high and I think it is a bit too high - I took it around to several RV/Hitch/Steel fabricator type businesses the day after I got it home. RV guy doesn't want to lift it because I have torflex axles - he suggests the steel fabricator guy. Steel guy doesnt' think it needs to be lifted, he thinks I have enough clearance above bed rails to lower the GN a bit.
Help please! I want to do this once and right and welcome your opinions.
Posted 2014-10-24 10:37 PM (#161281 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
If the nose is raised too high, it will put an uneven amount of load and wear on the trailer's rear axle and tires. This can lead to maintenance items. Many torsion bar axles have been successfully raised to even the level of trailers. Many fabricators and dealers can effect such a modification.
Posted 2014-10-24 10:48 PM (#161283 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Western WA
Thank you Gard - I appreciate your quick response - and I am worried about over stressing that rear axle and tires.
I will attach an image of the rig on level ground - now a few days after bringing it home and talking to all those folks I'm thinking the guy at the steel shop might be right. I think I can lower my pin 1.5 to 2" and be ok??
Posted 2014-10-24 10:53 PM (#161284 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Western WA
The size of the image I've uploaded is WAY too small to see any details - don't bother to download. This is my first posting and I thought the image would appear in the body of my messages.
Sorry for showing you where I'm at on the learning curve : )
Posted 2014-10-25 12:14 AM (#161285 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
While the goal is to keep the trailer as level as possible and keep the weight equal on both trailer axles. Being a little nose high has become very common with todays new trucks.
Consider just how heavily you load the trailer and how much weight is being put on the axles. Vs what the axles are rated for.
For example. Lets say you have 7,000lb axles and when loaded with horses and all gear, you have 6,000 lbs on the rear axle and 5,500 lbs on the forward axle. I wouldn't loose any sleep about this, because you are still with in your ratings. As long as the trailer pulls wells and is not squirrelly.
The opposite would be true, if you had 6,000lbs axles and had 6,000 lbs on the rear and 5,000 lbs on the front axles. That would make me worry.
Load your rig up, and drive across a certified scale and see what it weighs on each of the truck and trailer axles.
Posted 2014-10-25 12:16 AM (#161286 - in reply to #161285) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I personally like to lift my trailers. But I almost never hang out at fair or rodeo grounds. I use my trailer to haul to forest service trail heads for trail rides and they usually are rough roads and I want all the clearance I can get so I don't drag on bad roads.
Posted 2014-10-27 11:15 PM (#161315 - in reply to #159828) Subject: RE: trailer height questions
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Call me crazy but have you looked into having the truck lowered? Either by switching tires or looking into a work/hauler bed?
Seems to me years ago you could have the 2" blocks (front and back) pulled on the Super Duty trucks and lower them without any ill effects, but I could be dreaming.
trailer height questions
