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09-19-2014, 06:09 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Full-timers - Home is where we park it.
Posts: 4,722
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Truck "Squat"
We're looking to move from a MH to a 5th wheel. One problem I'm seeing is maintaining around 6" of clearance between the bottom of the 5er overhang and top of the bed on a 4x4 tow vehicle. Obviously, the hitch can be raised and/or the pin box can be lowered to gain clearance; but then the 5er will tow nose high by several inches.
I know excessive squat of the TV is undesirable, but with a 1-ton dually and a pin weight of around 4k, can anyone give me an idea of how much I can expect the TV to lower when the 5er is hooked up?
Also, how much nose high is too much?
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09-19-2014, 07:36 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 423
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I have a f250 heavy Duty diesel pulling a 27 footer and my rear bumper goes down about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. My ford is a 2 wheel drive and all stock except new shocks after 102,000 miles. I have a good 8 in clearance between the bed and trailer and my 5er on the open road is dead level.
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09-19-2014, 07:45 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 7S5
Posts: 658
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Install some airbags, then you can adjust the amount of squat.
__________________
2004.5 GMC SLT CCLB, Ride Rites, Turbo brake, EFI Live
2012 Arctic Fox 29 5T 5th Airborne, B&W, Prodigy
Papillon navigators Lily, Buddy and Willow
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09-19-2014, 07:56 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Dallas,OR
Posts: 4,584
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Most duallies ride rear high when empty. When loaded it should sit level
__________________
Don and Lorri
Resident Dummy. 
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09-19-2014, 07:59 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Full-timers - Home is where we park it.
Posts: 4,722
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Quote:
Originally Posted by road dogs
Install some airbags, then you can adjust the amount of squat.
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Will air bags make it sit lower? The problem is the truck is too high.
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09-19-2014, 08:10 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,597
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We have this problem. We are this Tuesday having a flat bed installed on our truck. Clearance solved. Some raise camper but that was not an option for us.
__________________
2003 Teton Grand Freedom. 2006 Freightliner Century 120 with Detroit 14L and Ultrashift.2016 Smartcar carry on deck. Full time going from job to job. Building and maintaining plants across the USA. Sold 2006 Mobile Suites 32TK3
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09-19-2014, 08:42 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 472
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Airbags at 5 PSI;
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Al
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09-19-2014, 08:44 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 472
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Airbags at 40 PSI;
Thats a 4X4, while I don't keep the tailgate on, there is lots of room to walk behind the gate when its down in this setup. Plus lots of clearance with the boxrails too.
Adam
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Al
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09-19-2014, 08:50 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Spicewood Texas (West of Austin)
Posts: 4,514
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You don't mention which brand of truck. The bed rail height is a couple inches taller from bed to top rail, on a GM than it is a Ford. You can lower the hitch considerably on a Ford. Also the Ford DRW's sit a couple inches lower than even their SRW's. My 5th wheel has about 2"-3" more clearance on my Ford than it did on my previous Chevy.
__________________
Scotty and Kristen, Airedales Dagny and Wyatt
2007 Newmar Mountain Aire 4528, 450 HP ISM, Allison 4000, 8 Lifeline AGM's
2019 F250 King Ranch 4x4 Powerstroke - SOLD
2022 F350 DRW King Ranch 4 x 4
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09-19-2014, 09:10 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,597
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Depends on the camper you choose also. My Teton sits very low due to its tall ceilings. A 6'6 person can stand upright in our bedroom though. Everything is a trade off. If you buy a cab & chassis and put a hauler bed on it you won't have any issues with clearances.
__________________
2003 Teton Grand Freedom. 2006 Freightliner Century 120 with Detroit 14L and Ultrashift.2016 Smartcar carry on deck. Full time going from job to job. Building and maintaining plants across the USA. Sold 2006 Mobile Suites 32TK3
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09-19-2014, 09:05 PM
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 450Donn
Most duallies ride rear high when empty. When loaded it should sit level
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EXACTLY!
Too many "think" that that is squat. Then they add bags to bring the TV to unloaded ride height. Then they wonder why the RV is nose high and "why does it ride so rough"?
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09-19-2014, 09:38 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 167
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Mine does squat.....because I have my truck leveled. So it does squat some but it is no big deal. The ride is still fine and handles great. A little squat don't hurt......
__________________
2007 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 35TSA
2005 Rav4 Frog.... 
Dave and Jeannie with Miss Bella & Kassie
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09-22-2014, 06:16 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 472
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Dually's sit high so when loaded they sit level, I would consider that normal chassis geometry.
Level is level,
Squat is squat........how far does the nose have to go gentlemen? Is this far enough????
__________________
Al
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09-23-2014, 09:01 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: PINEY FLATS TN
Posts: 1,098
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I would like the clearence to be 6" from top of bedrail to bottom portion of the 5'ers overhang.
__________________
USCG MKC (Ret.)
2022 Winnebago Forza 36H
RVM #104
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