Level towing of a 5th wheel? - Page 9

5picker · 04-16-2018, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaps2018

Photos can be deceiving but it looks like your concerns are much ado about nothing.

The truck will sag a bit, I don't think yours is abnormal.

My 2017 is about the same. It is slightly rear high empty and drops the rear to where the overloads almost touch when loaded. That makes it slightly low in the the rear but not enough for concern.

I'd also not be worrying about ~3" nose high.

Here's mine...

Cujo7240 · 04-16-2018, 11:29 AM

It was not just that the RV was 3" nose high, but the 3-1/4" rear truck squat was causing my headlights to shine into the eyes of on coming traffic. If I were to just correct the truck squat issue without doing anything with the RV, then I would have 6" + nose high towing situation. IMO, I thought that would be just too much out of level for my liking.

5picker · 04-16-2018, 11:53 AM

Why do you believe your truck squats too much loaded?

How compressed are your overloads?

Aim the headlights (loaded/semi loaded) and be on your way.

otrtrucker · 04-16-2018, 07:33 PM

I installed Firestone Air Springs on my truck to level it out whole towing. Works great. The headlights stay pointed at the pavement instead of the trees, and oncoming traffic eyes.

Senior · 04-25-2018, 07:24 AM

I just picked up a 2019 Cedar Creek Silverback 37MBH. This is the first 5th wheel I have owned much less towed. Does it look like the nose is to high?

otrtrucker · 04-25-2018, 07:36 AM

I have seen, and towed much worse than what you have. Mine was a 1990 model that was designed for the lower profile trucks of the 90s. I had to be careful coming out of my driveway, and other moderate elevation changes. Just make sure you have skids or wheels on the tail. Your rig doesn't look very bad at all. At least to me.

5picker · 04-25-2018, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior

I just picked up a 2019 Cedar Creek Silverback 37MBH. This is the first 5th wheel I have owned much less towed. Does it look like the nose is to high?

She's a little nose high but not terrible.
I've had a couple that were close to that.
Doesn't look like you can lower the hitch/raise the pin box without adversely affecting the bed rail clearance you have.

Pictures can be deceiving.
I notice you don't seem to have any squat in the truck.
Are you running air bags or Timbrens?

OldCoot · 04-25-2018, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior

I just picked up a 2019 Cedar Creek Silverback 37MBH. This is the first 5th wheel I have owned much less towed. Does it look like the nose is to high?

Looks to me like the truck is squatting in the rear.

5picker · 04-25-2018, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Looks to me like the truck is squatting in the rear.

And it could be OC.
As I mentioned, pictures can be deceiving.

Since I own what appears to be the same truck, I was going by what I see with mine when hooked-up. (see post #161)

Carry on.

JohnD10 · 04-25-2018, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior

I just picked up a 2019 Cedar Creek Silverback 37MBH. This is the first 5th wheel I have owned much less towed. Does it look like the nose is to high?

It does look nose high to me.

I was at a camping rally in Las Vegas NV about a year and a half ago and I was having a strange tire wear issue on my rear axle (inside tread wear both tires), and one of the Dexter Axle engineers was there giving a seminar.

After the seminar I was telling him of my problem, so he came over to my 5'ver to take a look.

He told me that he thought my rear axle had lost it's camber and was 'flat' (as it turns out, it wasn't), so of course he said that I probably overloaded the trailer (NOT-I know better), and then he said that possibly I was towing nose high!

I showed him a photo I had taken of my rig while on the way there, and he said, judging by the photo, I was towing high in the front.

As it turned out, I was towing two inches high in the front and my tire wear problem apparently was because one of the tires on that axle was starting to have belt separation, and after replacing that one tire the wear problem stopped.

I just recently upgrade from 'D' to 'E' range tires, which are roughly an inch taller than the old tires and now my trailer is basically level when hitched up.

However, according to the Dexter Axle engineer, it is BAD to haul any trailer nose high as it puts more stress on the rear axle.

First photo is shot of axle I took just before the seminar to show the Dexter guy, second shot was when I got home from this trip and pulled into the neighborhood Kohls Store parking lot to measure.

JohnD10 · 04-25-2018, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5picker

And it could be OC.
As I mentioned, pictures can be deceiving.

Since I own what appears to be the same truck, I was going by what I see with mine when hooked-up. (see post #161)

Carry on.

You need to do a straight on side shot to see if it is level.

That 3/4 angle is what makes it look deceiving.

Senior · 04-25-2018, 08:47 AM

Thanks for the feedback. Stock suspension... 2017 F-350 King Ranch...

Skyliner · 04-25-2018, 11:10 AM

Last summer on I-25 and highway 24 in the southbound lane, I witnessed an old 5th wheel that was VERY nose high experience two almost simultaneous tire blowouts on the rear axle. It was ugly because the blowout did a lot of damage.

I'm going to have to two nose high until I can afford to lift my axles about 4 inches. Even with 6 inches of clearance, I was able to damage my truck bed when the fiver contacted it on a sharp turn on uneven terrain. I wanted to cry for the damage caused to my new truck. Fortunately, my l/t tires have greater weight load capacity then my factory tires but I will be checking tire temps when I stop to make sure the rear ones aren't running excessively hot!

jemnsm · 06-12-2018, 08:35 PM

I recently purchased a Cedar Creek Silver back 35iK 5th wheel. I have an F250 SD 4x4 8ft bed with a 6.4 diesel. The rear bumper dropped about 2 1/2 inches when hooked up. Have no problem with power. Just thinking the air lifts will level the truck out and give a better ride. Any thoughts or suggestions?

mwdilday · 06-12-2018, 10:12 PM

If you are not overloaded on either axle, GVWR or GCWR then you are good to go. The truck is designed to handle the weight within specs. If you are overloaded then adding more hardware will make you even more overloaded.

Cujo7240 · 06-13-2018, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jemnsm

I recently purchased a Cedar Creek Silver back 35iK 5th wheel. I have an F250 SD 4x4 8ft bed with a 6.4 diesel. The rear bumper dropped about 2 1/2 inches when hooked up. Have no problem with power. Just thinking the air lifts will level the truck out and give a better ride. Any thoughts or suggestions?

I ended up installing an AirLift 5000 air bag system with a wireless controlled air compressor on my 2017 F350 SD 6.7L diesel truck and it has really helped me dial in the amount of lift I wanted to offset some of the squat when towing my 5th Wheel RV. My 33ft Wildcat weighs less than 10K lbs, so it's no where close to overloading my 2017 F350. Works great for me and keeps my trucks headlights out people's eyes at night when I'm towing my RV.

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