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JDT · 02-12-2020, 06:31 PM

I got a quote today from MorRyde to raise my height. They have to change or add some rubber if I heard right. Anyway, $438 and that is in Elkhart. I'm going to see how mine sits once I can get it out of the garage. I'm hopeful it will be ok with the new truck but I'm afraid not.

BRS50 · 02-14-2020, 07:49 AM

My dealer consulted with MORryde and Curtis at Excel SC. They are raising my IS but the one hole left isn't going to get me level. MORryde quoted my dealer a much higher price ($3000) with custom fabrication needed. The puck adapter is adding 3" too so eventually going to a direct puck hitch will help. For this trip I'll just have to live with running a little high in front. Even before the IS adjustment the service tech and I looked at the rig and we agreed it wasn't optimal but would do for the short term. It doesn't look like there are any lower profile pin boxes so a lower profile hitch would be the easiest solution. After years of not thinking about it I'll pay attention to my turns and the slider to see if it really comes into play much for me.

BRS50 · 02-14-2020, 06:55 PM

My dealer raised the MORryde IS and of course it was a lot more difficult and costly than estimated. It did make a difference but I'm still a little high up front. Really doesn't look too bad in the wide shot, the close up makes it more evident. I wouldn't stick with this long term but for this trip it shouldn't be a big issue. It looks like 3" would do it so a direct to puck hitch without an adapter will probably be the best long term fix.

rockintom · 02-14-2020, 08:31 PM

Ours was always that much north in the front. In the beginning I watched tire temps and wear closely and after a while finally quit worrying about it. All was good. Go have some fun. With the short bed.....do watch your pinbox on bedrails on sharp turns.

BRS50 · 02-14-2020, 09:26 PM

Tom,
I was second guessing my decision to make the truck change so close to departure when I saw the initial hitched up angle. But with the suspension raised and a thumbs up from you on those pictures I definitely feel better about towing slightly high in front. I have to say after a short first tow earlier this truck is a fine TV, powerful, great ride and remarkably quiet inside. It's a big improvement over my '12.

After selling my business in the fall and completing my consulting duties with the new ownership today we are looking forward to a whole new lifestyle so your "Go have some fun" really resonates. We are off to start our new era Monday!

JDT · 02-14-2020, 10:05 PM

Brad, congratulations on the new life. We just completed 12 years at being somewhat free. I say somewhat because with 8 grandkids there is usually some sort of conflict with our travel but we manage to get all we want. Hope you enjoy it as much as we have. We have been all over the country and parts of Canada but still plenty left to do and see.

Looking at your picture is like looking at my rig. Mine sets a little nose high and has since we got our first dually in 2014. So far I've seen no ill affects.

JDT · 02-16-2020, 07:59 PM

Finally got to hook mine up today to the new truck and try the Reese Goose Box. I did about a 30 mile run. My first impression is extremely good. The 10 speed is so smooth. The ride is the best I've ever had with the Winslow. It is much smoother than any of my previous trucks. A really controlled ride without any harshness going over some pretty good bumps. I'm not sure which is the biggest factor, the Goose Box or the truck.

Now for my issue. I may not be quite as nose high as Brad but with a downside. I only have about 4 inches of clearance at the tailgate and about 5 more toward the nose. That is worrisome. I at first had the hitch in the middle holes but really sat nose high with a little over 8 inches of clearance at the nose. So I raised the Goose Box up 2 inches (which lowers the trailer) and now I don't have enough clearance. I'm thinking my best answer may be to get a taller goose neck ball. Right now I have one that sits a half inch off the bed. I can get one that sits 2 inches which would mean raising the nose an inch and a half. I can only get one more inch out of the suspension but maybe with the two it might work.

I did measure the deflection of the truck when I hooked up and it was 3 1/4 inches. I'm not sure if that is bad or good.

Here's a few pics:

BRS50 · 02-16-2020, 11:40 PM

Jim,
That clearance does look a little tight, I have almost a foot at the back. The adjustment to the IS yielded at least 2", looking at the exposed hole position the dealer expected less. Maybe raising the IS along with the taller ball would be enough on the clearance.

I was very impressed with the Chevy ride and the 10 speed too. I'll give a good test over the next 3 days with about 950 miles to Gamble Rogers SP near Flagler Beach, FL. Even with a mild winter here in PA the Wednesday forecast of 77º sounds pretty good.

JDT · 02-17-2020, 05:57 AM

Brad, what was involved in raising the MorRyde? I'm thinking if I could find a local dealer to do it I would be money ahead. I'm 650 miles from Elkhart.

Have a safe trip.

BRS50 · 02-18-2020, 06:41 AM

Jim,
They remove the suspension for each wheel and re-bolt it using the higher holes. Curtis had advised them it was a 2 hour job but of course with rusty bolts and the weight requiring a second tech it was closer to $700 than the $300 estimate. It did make a difference though. Might be worth a try vs a trip to Elkhart.

JDT · 02-18-2020, 06:52 AM

I am going to call the guy we bought ours from in Kansas and see what he says. He is the owner and chief mechanic. He was a long time Excel dealer and hopefully knows what to do. It would be summer before we could go to Elkhart and I need it done way before then.

JDT · 02-20-2020, 08:52 PM

Got no help from the dealer we bought it from. I did call MorRyde again and was told they would have to remove the axle assemblies and weld in whatever height riser blocks I need, probably 3 or 4 inches. Cost would be $2300 plus a 1300 mile round trip to Elkhart. Curtis said he could probably do it for the same money and it would be a lot closer to us, since the last I looked Oklahoma and Kansas still border each other. Anyway, I'm going to try a few other things first.

JDT · 02-22-2020, 08:02 PM

Got a new B&W goose neck ball for the Goose Box. It has an inch and a half rise of over the one I started with. I may have solved my problem. I'm now have about 7" clearance at the nose and about 6 at the tailgate. I'm sitting a bit nose high but it appears about the same as what I had with my previous truck and the Trailer Saver BD3.

I do have a question maybe some Excel owner can answer. It does appear I'm nose high and there is a like a 3 inch difference between the front and the rear measured from the side wall. However, when I measure from the frame the front and back measurements are almost the same. I put a level on the frame and it shows almost level also. I also noticed the side wall in front of the wheel well is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches lower than the side wall behind the wheel well. It makes me wonder if the nose high look might be part optical illusion. Probably not.

CARLnJANIS · 02-23-2020, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDT

I do have a question maybe some Excel owner can answer. It does appear I'm nose high and there is a like a 3 inch difference between the front and the rear measured from the side wall. However, when I measure from the frame the front and back measurements are almost the same. I put a level on the frame and it shows almost level also. I also noticed the side wall in front of the wheel well is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches lower than the side wall behind the wheel well. It makes me wonder if the nose high look might be part optical illusion. Probably not.

Jim,
Just eyeballing the trailer, ours looks level. I did some similar measuring like you did and my results were about the same as yours.

One final check I did a few years ago, was to weight the trailer axles separately. I straddled the scale pad joint putting a trailer axle on each pad. The rear trailer axle was only 180 lbs heavier than the front axle which could indicate a slight nose-high condition. Ideally, both axles would weight approximately the same. Since both axles were over 500 lbs below the GAWR, I am not that concerned about the extra weight on the rear axle.

Before a trip, I normally weight the truck and trailer three times. Truck alone, truck and trailer loaded, and the trailer axles loaded. So far, I have not been close enough to the axle ratings on the trailer to be concerned about a few hundred pounds.