Community Forums

JLS · 02-25-2008, 07:31 AM

We have purchased an Excel 26TRW, maybe. When I looked through the Excel brochure last night I discovered that the standard king pin height is listed at 43 1/2". The height of my Chevy 3/4 ton HD is 55" at the top of the tailgate. That is only 12 1/2" from the bottom of the trailer to the top of the truck bed not counting the height of the king pin,which leaves little or no clearance between the trailer and the truck. Even with an axle flip I would only have about 4" clearance. Has anyone else had this problem? I can't believe that PI would be able to sell trailers at that height given the height of 3/4 ton pickups today. My neighbor's Ford is even higher than my Chevy.

JLS · 02-25-2008, 07:31 AM

We have purchased an Excel 26TRW, maybe. When I looked through the Excel brochure last night I discovered that the standard king pin height is listed at 43 1/2". The height of my Chevy 3/4 ton HD is 55" at the top of the tailgate. That is only 12 1/2" from the bottom of the trailer to the top of the truck bed not counting the height of the king pin,which leaves little or no clearance between the trailer and the truck. Even with an axle flip I would only have about 4" clearance. Has anyone else had this problem? I can't believe that PI would be able to sell trailers at that height given the height of 3/4 ton pickups today. My neighbor's Ford is even higher than my Chevy.

evan0810 · 02-25-2008, 08:13 AM

If you already have your hitch installed, measure from ground to top of the hitch. I also have a 2500HD and the top plate of my hitch is approx. 49" off the ground. It will be less with the weight on it. The 43.5" pin height should be fine.

Max1 · 02-25-2008, 09:56 AM

JLS, The 43 1/2" is standard height as you have some adjustment like one or two holes on the spring shackles I beleive their called as well as your pin box to give a little more height. We adjusted those two things for our 06 chevy 1 ton dually 4x4 and now are just a little nose high and about 8" of bed rail clearance with no problems yet and tows real nice. Have fun

Highgturn · 02-25-2008, 10:11 AM

Our F-350 4X4 DRW TowBoss has a loadfloor height of 35.3 inches, we have the hitch in the full down position and the pin box in the middle hole to maintain 6 inches of clearance between the cargo box rail. Even with this arrangement we are still just slightly nose high. I don't see how a 55 inch loadfloor height could possibly work. Raising a fiver to accommodate that tall of a tow vehicle would make the trailer disproportionably tall and very unstable. The problem is not the height of the Excel, but rather the tow vehicle. MTCW

ChiefJohn · 02-25-2008, 10:23 AM

Bob,
I think they're referencing a 55" height to the top of the bed/tailgate rails?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> The height of my Chevy 3/4 ton HD is 55" at the top of the tailgate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Highgturn · 02-25-2008, 11:13 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ChiefJohn:
Bob,
I think they're referencing a 55" height to the top of the bed/tailgate rails?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> The height of my Chevy 3/4 ton HD is 55" at the top of the tailgate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My mistake. I assumed he was talking loadbed height, that's the height you work with for the hitch. The other critical dimension is between the cargo box rail and the bottom of the trailer, all the time trying to get as near level as possible.

JLS · 02-25-2008, 11:43 AM

Thanks to all for your input. Things have changed for the better as the day has gone by. It just so happens that the service manager at our dealership has the same truck and the same hitch that I do. He brought his truck into the shop and hitched it up to the trailer. He then called me with the good news. The axels on the trailer are adjustable and he will have to move them one hole. Also the pin box will have to be adjusted by one hole and the trailer will be completely level with about seven inches of clearance at the truck bed. Wow.