Fifth wheel travling level question

[Marko]

I got a new truck 2018 HD3500 when fifth wheel is hooked to new truck I am not level. I am off four inches from back to front. I have five inches from top of truck bed rails to bottom fiffther. I have 16 inch wheels so can't change that. So being off four inches is this going to be a problem for me? If so what can I do to correct it? Appreciate your opinions & solutions.

[nylyon]

Same here, taking it to a spring shop to have the trailer adjusted to the last bolt hole, hopefully that will get it closer, otherwise will have to get some shackle work done.

[jtw]

Install a set of air bags on your pickup, you can then adjust ride height with camper hooked up.

[Marko]

Jtw air bags won't help new hd pick ups are all ready one to two inches higher then earlier model's. Raising the air bags would bring the nose up and lower the rear.

[KWDAILYD]

You didn't say if your new truck is a dually or SRW. I have a 2017 F350 SRW with the 11,500 GVW and I put lowering blocks in place of the stock blocks between the rear axle and the spring pack. Not sure how your GM is configured.

My truck set 2.5 inches higher in the back than the front from the factory so I just reversed leveled it. Most of the younger guys will lift the front to level the trucks but that's not practical for my towing needs.

[Marko]

SRW. Non-duley

[vcbice]

Yes, you can tow nose high by quite a bit without an issue. Ours is about 5" high. It does pay to monitor tire temps and pressures since the rear axle will be carrying a little more weight. Unless you are right at the max weight for your trailer it should not be an issue.

We have towed like this with a previous trailer and this one for about 30k miles.

And, yes, the refrigerator works just fine and is not damage by being a little off level.

And, yes, sometimes we leave the truck hooked up at night and just sleep with the bed tilted up a bit. We don't really notice it.

PS I could not lower the rear of my truck without severely decreasing the suspension travel. Not something I want to mess with.

[Shall36]

You can get lowering shackles for your truck and drop the rear up to 2”. You may want to add Sumo springs or similar at that point to improve the loaded ride and stay off the bump stops when you hit large bumps when loaded.

McGaughys.com has the shackles.

I dropped my 2wd 2500 1” and it’s just about perfectly level with my 29.5bhds with 15” wheels.

[AKRUEBBE]

I have a 2017 RAM 3500 with the factory air bags and when I hook up my North Point those air bags kick in and bring the height back to where it was before I hitched up. The 3500 rear end rides pretty high when not loaded. I select the "Alternate Trailer Height" option and it lowers it about an inch which makes for a perfect level ride.

[Marko]

Akruebbe,

So with the air bags on your truck your fifth wheel rides level front to back when hooked up to your truck?

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by Marko

Akruebbe,

So with the air bags on your truck your fifth wheel rides level front to back when hooked up to your truck?

Only when I choose the Alternate Trailer Height, otherwise the normal airbag auto adjustment brings the tail end of the truck back to the height it was before you load your fifth wheel which, IMO, is slightly higher than it should be, at least that's been my experience.

"Alternate Trailer Height (ATH) – Lowers the vehicle
approximately 1 in (25 mm) for a level truck, to be used as
required while trailer towing. It will automatically adjust
to maintain the rear ride height as conditions change."

I love the RAM air bag system!