Towing nose high? Need sanity check.

[blkcorvair]

I have the same 296bhs and pull with a 2010 F250. I look exactly as you do being nose high. I am on the lowest hitch setting. My bumper scraped twice coming outta the driveway so I am on a mission to get it fixed. I ordered a 1" Lift Block kit and X-factor from Mor/ryde. These are the tallest they currently make/ recommend. It is also the same kit Crusader used in thier recent recall.

My Lift kit should be here any day so I will let you know how it works. All in all it cost about $300 in parts. I also had 2500lb helper springs in my Truck from the PO. I just yanked them out tonight, so that may also help my problem. I hope it doesnt "Squat" the truck too much without the helpers but it should make for a better dailey drive anyways.

Ill let you know how the lift kit works out, but I suspect it will help just enuf! It will be about a week before I get it installed.

[blkcorvair]

Heres a pic of my setup. Because of the angle it almost looks level, but is sits ex actly like your picture.

[HookMeUp]

Originally Posted by blkcorvair

I ordered a 1" Lift Block kit and X-factor from Mor/ryde. These are the tallest they currently make/ recommend.

Where did you get your 1" Lift Block kit? I need to lift mine because of the new TV I got last month. I am considering the Correct Track kit, but if the Lift Block kit is easier to install, I would go for that instead.

[blkcorvair]

Google Mor/Ryde. They have a wensite. The kit is not on thier website. I ordered (1) X-factor you can add up to three. I would add at least one as that is what Prime Time Factory Did in thier recall. That being said, I ordered these parts over two weeks ago and still havent gotten them. Ill let you know what it all looks like when I see it

[kohai]

Originally Posted by blkcorvair

Google Mor/Ryde. They have a wensite. The kit is not on thier website. I ordered (1) X-factor you can add up to three. I would add at least one as that is what Prime Time Factory Did in thier recall. That being said, I ordered these parts over two weeks ago and still havent gotten them. Ill let you know what it all looks like when I see it

Thanks for your info and picture, your setup definitely looks like mine. When I look at the Mor Ryde website it describes the X-factor crossmember as:

"The X Factor crossmember is the latest product in the MOR/ryde line of suspension system and aftermarket products. The X Factor crossmember is designed to provide added lateral support to fifth wheel and travel trailer frames. Using high strength low alloy steel, the X Factor greatly reduces frame stress from rough roads, tight cornering or extreme side forces. The result is up to 94% reduction in frame stress at each location."

Is that what you are installing or is it something else?

[blkcorvair]

Yes. When you install Lift Blocks (Which normally are not preffered) as they create more sideways stress on everything. Mor/ryde and Prime Time recommend at least (1) X factor in the middle. (Between the two center hangars) This doesnt add to the lift but instead helps reduce the side stress loads. The blocks are the key, but they are not listed anywhere on thier website. My parts actually just arrived today, but I just moved my Camper to the campground for the weekend so I wont get to install them for a few days

[MuddauberE]

I don't have a fifth wheel but I have been reading up a lot on proper towing. For best handling, you want the tow vehicle and trailer as level as possible. I assume being a little off is ok as I have been towing for years like this, but what they say about swaying and proper weight distribution, get both vehicles as level as you can.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by kohai

I have a new 2015 GMC 2500HD and a new 2014 Crusader 296bhs. I just got both of them. I'm really surprised that my stock setup has a nose high problem. I would think that Prime Time would be manufacturing for heights of the current stock trucks.

I measured the trailer frame at the front (below the battery compartment) to the ground and then measured the frame at the back of the trailer to the ground. It's about a 6" difference.

The clearance from the bed rails to the bottom of the bedroom area is currently 7". While the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection does have one lower setting for the hitch, it would put me under 6" clearance. I'm already concerned about the pinbox potentially hitting the side bed rails on turns (I need to get out and test whether this is a real concern or not.)

So, for my sanity check, is this the correct way to measure how out of whack the level is currently?

Picture attached.

I have found that lowering my Andersen Ultimate 5th wheel connection ball height to the lowest level puts my trailer's king pin mounting metal too close to my bed rails when turning hard.

The Andersen hitch puts the pivot point back 5.25" from the normal pivot point. That means the length of the pin box is several inches longer -- which means it can hit the bed rails easily. When towing forward, I have plenty of room to the tailgate, but when turning hard I run the risk of hitting my be drails with the back side of my pin box.

I think this is a problem for Andersen because whether the hitch will work or not is dependent on the trailer and the box you have. There's no way to know really without measuring it. (I didn't have my trailer when I ordered my hitch.)

Anyway, if I remember I'll post a picture for the archive just in case somebody in the future is looking at this with a Crusader 296BHS.

I see a Crusader across the way here at the RV park, maybe I'll walk by and see what hitch he is using.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by kohai

I have found that lowering my Andersen Ultimate 5th wheel connection ball height to the lowest level puts my trailer's king pin mounting metal too close to my bed rails when turning hard.

The Andersen hitch puts the pivot point back 5.25" from the normal pivot point. That means the length of the pin box is several inches longer -- which means it can hit the bed rails easily. When towing forward, I have plenty of room to the tailgate, but when turning hard I run the risk of hitting my be drails with the back side of my pin box.

I think this is a problem for Andersen because whether the hitch will work or not is dependent on the trailer and the box you have. There's no way to know really without measuring it. (I didn't have my trailer when I ordered my hitch.)

Anyway, if I remember I'll post a picture for the archive just in case somebody in the future is looking at this with a Crusader 296BHS.

I see a Crusader across the way here at the RV park, maybe I'll walk by and see what hitch he is using.

I flipped my king pin/ball adapter on the Andersen hitch and have more wiggle room. I can turn tighter now and the risk is more the cap hitting the truck cab instead of the king in hitting the rails. I'm new to this so I'm still nervous about hitting the truck.

[blkcorvair]

I installed the 1" Lift Blocks from Mor/Ryde and 1 X-factor between the center perches. Yesterday. Parts all worked well and I gained 2-1/2" to 2-3/4" additional height at the bumper. This will surely level me out much nicer! I would definatally reccomend this, and if anyone is thinking of ordering a new 296bhs I would suggest they order it with the 16" wheel option as that may help to avoid this.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by blkcorvair

I installed the 1" Lift Blocks from Mor/Ryde and 1 X-factor between the center perches. Yesterday. Parts all worked well and I gained 2-1/2" to 2-3/4" additional height at the bumper. This will surely level me out much nicer! I would definatally reccomend this, and if anyone is thinking of ordering a new 296bhs I would suggest they order it with the 16" wheel option as that may help to avoid this.

Great! I'm going to have to look into this. Do you happen to have the part numbers you ordered from Mor/Ryde? I'll need to have someone more mechanically inclined install these. Does this require welding? I bet the place that installed my turnover ball would do it.

[blkcorvair]

All Bolt on. I didnt get any part numbers, but if you call them up, tell them you have a Crusader 5W and need a 1" Lift and they will recommend at least one Xfactor.

[kohai]

Originally Posted by blkcorvair

All Bolt on. I didnt get any part numbers, but if you call them up, tell them you have a Crusader 5W and need a 1" Lift and they will recommend at least one Xfactor.

I thought I would post my saga on my lift questions:

I called Mor/Ryde and the customer service person I talked to was unfamiliar with the lift. I emailed Prime Time and got some serious run around from them.

I originally emailed them asking them for what their recommended parts were for a lift so that I didn't do anything to my Crusader that they thought was a bad idea. They accidentally emailed me on their internal conversation about my question. One of the employees instructed the others to NOT make any recommendations or provide any information and to tell me to call Mor/Ryde.

I responded that I didn't appreciate them refusing to help me and that Mor/Ryde wasn't aware of the info I wanted.

After quite a few back and forth emails with PT customer service, the bottom line was that they do not think PT has the expertise about their frames, lifts, cross-members, etc, to provide any guidance on the best way to do a lift. They said when they needed to do the lift that they simply asked Mor/Ryde what they should do and relied entirely on Mor/Ryde's guidance.

After pushing them pretty hard, all I got them to say was that they did use the Mor/Ryde x-factor cross member with the lift, but only because Mor/Ryde suggested it and not because they did any engineering to determine if it was needed.

They definitely were not going to say anything that anybody would rely on that might ever have a chance at coming back to them if something went wrong. Very sad that they were so aggressive and intentional about being unhelpful.

Maybe some day I'll do a blog article about poor customer service based on poor corporate policies.

[kohai]

As a follow up for the archive, I did a 1.5" lift with the Mor/Ryde x-factor in the center. I'm still a little nose high, but not as bad as I was. I'll try to take a picture when I find ground that is a little more level than the street in front of my house.

[blkcorvair]

Originally Posted by kohai

As a follow up for the archive, I did a 1.5" lift with the Mor/Ryde x-factor in the center. I'm still a little nose high, but not as bad as I was. I'll try to take a picture when I find ground that is a little more level than the street in front of my house.

Glad you finally got that worked out. I am still a little nose high too, but no where near where I was. I actually took some of the srping out of my helpers on the truck to squat the back doan a little too. That also helped.

Sorry I didnt get back to you right away. When I called Mor/Ryde, I asked what lift kit they were installing in the 26 Warranty 315rst units that Prime Time was lifting. They sold me those parts and the cross member. They were a little hard to get a hold of but I did get all the parts pretty quickly.

[kohai]

Here is a picture after a 1.5" lift. Truck is stock height (2015 gmc 2500HD denali).

I towed it this past weekend and it did tow more smoothly.