Hitch height Creekside 23RKS

[Papa_Jim]

We just bought a brand new Creekside 23RKS and are in the process of bringing it home. It's about a 16 hour trip, but it's a great trailer and it tows nicely.

We are driving a new to us Dodge 1500 Eco Diesel. Really great truck. Somewhere around 30 mpg at 70 mph empty. Somewhere around 12-13 mpg at 60 mph pulling the trailer.

The dealer hooked the trailer up to our truck, supplying and using an Equalizer brand hitch. It pulls nicely, with no sway or problems of any kind.

We pulled off the road tonite, and I noticed for the first time that the trailer hitch is so high that I cannot open the tail gate on the truck!

Just as I noticed that, I watched another truck and trailer drive past us. I noticed that the trailer hitch on that trailer was positioned underneath the trailer floor, making the hitch much lower. The tail gate could be opened on that truck. The hitch on my trailer is at trailer floor height, making it very high!

Considering that the Creekside 23RKS is supposed to be designed to be half ton towable, I am surprised.

I really want to be able to open the tail gate with the trailer hooked up. In fact, I chose a travel trailer over a fifth wheel trailer because I want to have usable access to my truck box with the trailer hooked up.

What should I do?

Jim

[plasma800]

are you saying that the hitch stinger is sticking UP instead of DOWN?

is the trailer level once it's down on the ball?

[Papa_Jim]

The hitch stinger is up. The trailer is sitting relatively level, a little low at the front. The stinger would have to be taller to raise the trailer any more. I think I'll have to have rear air bags added to the truck because the rear coil springs sink a lot with the load, which makes the front of the trailer lower. I thought that was what the equalizer hitch is for, to raise the back of the truck up. It does that, but not enough. The equalizer bars lift the back of the truck up, but not quite enough. That's all fine, but I can't see how I can adjust anything to get the trailer hitch below the tail gate.

Once we're home, I'll have time to play with it, and include a picture.

Jim

[brulaz]

If the trailer is ~level, there may not be much you can do other than air bags.

Had the same problem with my old F150 1/2 ton with the Equal-I-Zer.

But the new 3/4 ton RAM is higher off the ground and doesn't sag as much, so I had to lower the Equal-I-Zer hitch head to level the trailer, and now I can open the tailgate. Same hitch, same trailer, different truck.

[brulaz]

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

...
I think I'll have to have rear air bags added to the truck because the rear coil springs sink a lot with the load, which makes the front of the trailer lower. I thought that was what the equalizer hitch is for, to raise the back of the truck up. It does that, but not enough. The equalizer bars lift the back of the truck up, but not quite enough.
...

You really want to use the WDH to reduce the FRONT end lift by 50-100%. You want to be careful not to go over 100% as that can affect your steering adversely. The rear end is less important in setting up your WDH.

And yes, to reduce sag and, if lucky, be able to lower your hitch head and open the tailgate, air bags might be the best solution. Inflate the air bags, then adjust the WDH.

These trailers are really tongue heavy. If you weigh your combo, you may find that you're over the truck's GVWR and possibly the rear GAWR and hitch receiver rating when fully loaded to travel.

Good luck.

[archer75]

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

I think I'll have to have rear air bags added to the truck because the rear coil springs sink a lot with the load, which makes the front of the trailer lower. I thought that was what the equalizer hitch is for, to raise the back of the truck up. It does that, but not enough. The equalizer bars lift the back of the truck up, but not quite enough. That's all fine, but I can't see how I can adjust anything to get the trailer hitch below the tail gate.

Once we're home, I'll have time to play with it, and include a picture.

Jim

A WD hitch should raise it back up. You shouldn't have that much sag. which tells me the hitch isn't set up right or you don't have the right equal-i-zer for the weight you need. Which one did they sell you? I have a creekside 23dbs which has 150lbs more tongue weight than yours and I am replacing my equal-i-zer 1000lbs with their 1400lb hitch. You will likely need their 1200lb hitch.

You also might be overloaded with that truck.
A ram 1500 ecodiesel towing is somewhere in the 8000-9000lb range. Payload is low on the 1500's. 1113lbs to 1296lbs depending on it's configuration(4x4, crew cab).
That trailer empty is 6100lbs. with 620lbs tongue weight. Two 60lb batteries, two 30lb propane tanks and the WD hitch itself is over 100lbs. You're at 890lbs tongue weight right there without adding any other gear to the trailer or truck. Passengers and gear will likely overload the payload.

As far as opening your tailgate while hitched I don't think you can. Even on mine my shank is flipped like yours. But on the 2500 the tailgate still opens. But then the truck also sits higher. I don't know if they make shorter shanks but I think that's your only option. Once you post a picture we'll have a better idea.

On my previous trailer the A frame was welded underneath the trailer frame putting it closer to the ground. I then had to use a drop shank which put it so close to the ground I would sometimes scrape pulling into and out of places. So i'll take the higher hitch of the creekside any day!

[1bigmess]

You might not be able to open the tailgate. Best laid plans, etc. I have a 2500 that rides kinda high and I cannot open the tailgate depending on how the trailer is angled to the truck. Oh well.

What is in the back of the truck that you need to get out while you are hitched up?

[Papa_Jim]

Thanks for all the advice. I have not had much experience setting up an equalizer hitch, so I'm listening carefully to all.

If the pictures are clear enough, the truck is riding low on the back, but also riding low on the front too. That kinda puzzles me, unless it simply indicates that both the front and rear truck springs are too weak.

The equalizer hitch is the 1200 lb one.

I spent a little time looking it over tonite, and I realize that there's no hope of lowering the hitch to clear the tail gate. I'm stuck with that. The way Dodge designed the tail gate makes this worse. The tail gate is very rounded outward, probably for strength, but that makes it hang down into the hitch area.

I understand what you're saying about the truck being light for the load. I'm just a little perturbed that these trailers are marketed as the light series, the sticker on the outside of the trailer says 'half ton ready'. The hitch dry weight is advertised as 623 lb, yet the sticker inside our kitchen cupboard says the hitch dry weight is 723 lb. Oh well.

Having said that, I am very impressed with how this truck handles this trailer. At times I can forget that the trailer is even there. I can only imagine the improvement if the back end of the truck is lifted up properly.

Jim

[Papa_Jim]

Oh, I forgot to talk about why we want access to the box of the truck while hooked up to the trailer.

We have traveled in our Class A DP for the last 8 years. We have decided that we want to downsize and travel in a smaller foot print. I don't want to promote a discussion the pros and cons of motor homes vs trailers. We all have to make the decisions that make us happy.

However, in downsizing, we recognize that we have been spoiled with an abundance of storage in the motor home. We have a cap top coming for the truck, we reason that this creates a great storage area for us. One thing that's in the truck box is our new generator, which my wife and I have already used on a couple of overnight Wal Mart visits to run our CPAPs. Once I install the inverter, we won't have to run the generator just to have some 110V power on the road, but it's nice to have the back up.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks for helping me.

Jim

[1bigmess]

I would offer the opinion and other info that you do not need to run a gennie to use two CPAP machines. Each machine could have its own 12v battery, and could be recharged silently by solar panels. This could eliminate the need to access the generator in the truck each and every night, reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, and maybe make your lives easier.

I keep my gennies in the truck. I don't need either of them while stopping for the night while on the easy to my destination, and I use a CPAP machine. I bought a cigarette lighter power plug for the unit, and it will run for almost 12 hours easily on alarge deep cycle battery if I don't use heat for the humidifier (I still get plenty of humidity without heating). I recharge it while driving. If at my destination, I recharge it with solar panels or with shore power if available.

Finding a way to run the CPAP machines of 12v in the trailer is more efficient than running through an inverter and the losses that come with it for such low power use.

I don't sleep with a gennie ruining because if it caught fire, I might be risking my life.

There is always more than one way to scan a cat!

[Papa_Jim]

Oh, I agree with you SO MUCH! and we are heading totally that way.

It's just that we got a call and had a chance to get this trailer. We threw our CPAPs and some clothes into the truck and drove 15 hours to grab it.

Once on the road, we found out there's no 110V on the road. My CPAP can also run on 12V but we also found out there's no 12V in the bedroom. In other words, the trailer is not set up to provide any power of any kind while on the road. FUN!

We did find out that by using our generator, we could have 110V power so we could get a decent night's sleep.

Now that we are home, an inverter is going in. Solar is going to be ordered soon and installed. Also, some 12V will become available in the bedroom. Soon all things will be good.

Thanks.
Jim

[1bigmess]

Then I would suggest you not become to concerned with how things are temporarily with tailgate access, as a fix is in the works.

Good luck.

[Papa_Jim]

Thanks, and good luck to you too!

Jim

[brulaz]

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

...
If the pictures are clear enough, the truck is riding low on the back, but also riding low on the front too. That kinda puzzles me, unless it simply indicates that both the front and rear truck springs are too weak.
The equalizer hitch is the 1200 lb one.
...

It could mean that the installers tried to get the rear back up by transferring way too much weight to the front. The front should never be lower than it's unloaded ride height. I would get out there with a tape measure and check front wheel well heights with no trailer, with the trailer attached but no weight dist, and then with the trailer but with the WD bars in place.

Both RAM and Equal-I-Zer have good, more detailed instructions for setting up your WDH.

Frankly, your truck looks way over-loaded, but it is hard to tell exactly from photos.

Originally Posted by Papa_Jim

...
I understand what you're saying about the truck being light for the load. I'm just a little perturbed that these trailers are marketed as the light series, the sticker on the outside of the trailer says 'half ton ready'. The hitch dry weight is advertised as 623 lb, yet the sticker inside our kitchen cupboard says the hitch dry weight is 723 lb. Oh well.
...

Heh, many of us have been there, myself included.
You just can't trust the marketing materials and salesmen.