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03-30-2013, 10:39 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club Jayco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 104
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New towing set up.
Ok so I bought a newer truck a few weeks ago, and just had the 5th wheel rails put in and I hooked up to the new truck and put the camper and truck on the road on level ground to see how it looks, and the camper sits level, the truck squats a little bit, which is normal.
I measured how much space I have between the bed rails and the camper, and I have 4.5 inches. I still have 1 more row of holes I can utilize to raise the hitch if needed. Should I put it all the way up to the top?
I want to say I had either the same amount or just a tad bit more on my old truck, I would rather have more space than less, but I have never had a problem before, but would raising the front of the camper hurt anything, as it is, it sits perfectly level.
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2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD-1998 Jayco Eagle 25 foot
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03-31-2013, 06:21 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 1,682
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If it sits level and you can maneuver around without grinding the paint off the bed or damaging the camper then it's good. If you want to try it just move it to the last holes and see how the set up looks all you can lose is a few hrs of time moving the pin box around might work out better you never know till you try it.
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Mark Anderson - Nebo NC - western NC - RV Restoration tech - 9 Doggies - Outdoors person
1990 33ft Wilderness Cimarron 33X
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03-31-2013, 08:49 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club Jayco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 104
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My driveway where I park it, I have to back it up a hill over a sidewalk, then back up another hill, then into the yard which my truck is still backing up a hill, my camper is going down a hill then it twists to the right while my truck is leaning to the left, I could tell that it was a tad lower than my other truck because there were a couple "holy crap" moments where it came within probably half inch of touching.
I may just try moving it up to the last holes, I would rather have more than none, but I dont want the camper to sit nose high. I'm not sure if that would cause any problem or not with weight.
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2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD-1998 Jayco Eagle 25 foot
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03-31-2013, 08:53 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Beaumont, TX
Posts: 1,055
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I think you can raise the hitch a couple of inches and the bubble will hardly move as far as level goes. At any rate many 5ers, including mine, are slightly nose high. IMO you have more potential for problems with only 4 1/2" clearance than you would from being slightly nose high.
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GARY
2022 Duramax LTZ 3500 4x4 drw//2021 Van Leigh Beacon 34RLB//Magnum MS 2012 inverter/charger/4- T105's/Trimetric/Tristar//B&W 3000//TST tire monitor
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03-31-2013, 09:12 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club Jayco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasTwoStep
I think you can raise the hitch a couple of inches and the bubble will hardly move as far as level goes. At any rate many 5ers, including mine, are slightly nose high. IMO you have more potential for problems with only 4 1/2" clearance than you would from being slightly nose high.
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Hmm well I guess I have my self a project for the near future. I only have one more set of holes to raise up so we will see what hapens there.
The king pin on the camper is on the lowest setting it will go I believe.
Other than that camping season is right around the corner!!!
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2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD-1998 Jayco Eagle 25 foot
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03-31-2013, 02:17 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Solo Rvers Club Jayco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2010
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 104
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Well I just tried to get the bolts out of the hitch to raise it, and I was successful on getting 1 of them lose, they are on so tight that I actually started to round one of the nuts off with the wrench. I sprayed some lube on it, and maybe I will have to heat it up a little bit to get it off
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2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD-1998 Jayco Eagle 25 foot
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03-31-2013, 02:31 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 31,311
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#1, if you have to heat those bolts, DO NOT re-use them.
#2 as soon as possible, weigh your rig, in particular the truck rear axle.
98 /25' 5th wheels would have too much pin weight to be 1/2 ton towable.
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99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
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04-02-2013, 03:57 PM
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#8
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: HillBilly country, Smokey Mtns
Posts: 4,171
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I don't agree with anyone who says it's okay to tow a trailer when the floor of the trailer is not level front to rear. Adjustments of the hitch or pin box are to help you get the trailer level, not to increase clearance between truck and trailer. If you have less than 6" clearance between the top of the bedrails and the underside of the 5er overhang, then you need to either lower the truck or raise the trailer.
The most common way to raise most trailers is to move the spring perches from below the trailer axles to over the axles. That will gain you about 4" additional clearance.
If you have an expensive trailer with Dexter TorFlex axles, then Dexter makes a kit that will raise the trailer a few inches.
Dexter Axle - Trailer Axles and Running Gear Components - #10 Torflex Lift Kit (K71-707-02)
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Grumpy ole man with over 60 years towing experience. Now my heaviest trailer is a 7'x16' 5,000-pound flatbed utility trailer, my tow vehicle is a 2019 F-150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCab with Max Tow (1,904 pounds payload capacity).
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04-02-2013, 07:17 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 1
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Looking for truck to pull a 5th wheel any help would be highly appreciated.
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04-02-2013, 07:23 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: sault ste marie,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 364
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Andrews
Looking for truck to pull a 5th wheel any help would be highly appreciated.
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welcome eh!!
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1997 four winds windsport 38,000 miles
polaris sportsman 700,polaris sportsman 500. honda goldwing 1500
Rob,Faye and peanut(long haired chiwawa)
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04-02-2013, 07:50 PM
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#11
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Moderator Emeritus
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,945
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You want the trailer to be as level as possible when hitched. you also want 6" between the bed and the trailer, you might get by with 5" but no less. If it means lifting the trailer with axles spacers, so be it.
Ken
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Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
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04-02-2013, 08:09 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Beaumont, TX
Posts: 1,055
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmokeyWren
I don't agree with anyone who says it's okay to tow a trailer when the floor of the trailer is not level front to rear. (K71-707-02)[/url]
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Smokey,
What harm do you feel will be done to the rig if you are 1 or 2" nose high? And what is level? I can raise my pin 2 inches and the bubble will hardly move on a 24" level over a 33' length.
__________________
GARY
2022 Duramax LTZ 3500 4x4 drw//2021 Van Leigh Beacon 34RLB//Magnum MS 2012 inverter/charger/4- T105's/Trimetric/Tristar//B&W 3000//TST tire monitor
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04-02-2013, 08:51 PM
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#13
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: HillBilly country, Smokey Mtns
Posts: 4,171
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasTwoStep
Smokey,
What harm do you feel will be done to the rig if you are 1 or 2" nose high?
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Brakes on the TV and trailer won' work as good when the trailer is not level. And in emergency conditions, the trailer won't follow the TV as good so you could more easily lose control of the rig.
Quote:
And what is level? I can raise my pin 2 inches and the bubble will hardly move on a 24" level over a 33' length.
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You should use a 4' carpenter's level to level the trailer front to rear. If you have to raise the low end of the 4' level more than a quarter to a half of an inch to make the bubble dead center, you are not level enough.
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04-03-2013, 04:54 AM
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,945
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Additionally, if you nose high, you will place more load on the rear axle and if nose low, more load on the front axle.
Ken
__________________
Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
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