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Old 05-19-2014, 08:02 AM   #1
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should 5vr be level when towing?

It's camping season and the TT are out in force. I've seen the odd idiot now and then, but this year...seems to be more and more of then.

AFAIK a trailer should sit level when towing, be it a 5vr or traditional trailer.

I saw a new-ish pickup pulling an old (late 70s maybe early 80s) fifth wheel and OMG..it was so pin-high I'm not sure the front axle was carrying any load.
then yesterday I saw a newer rig, truck and 5th wheel, again very pin high - I'd guess 8" or more, on a level road.

I suppose this reduces pin weight, overloads the read axle/tires and in general is a bad idea.
Never having pulled a 5vr but lots of trailers, I'd think this would be evil to drive, handling wise.

Is it trucks today are taller than 30 years ago, or people lift their trucks and don't think about the pin height or what?
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Old 05-19-2014, 08:08 AM   #2
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Then they complain that their Chinabombs blow out.


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Old 05-19-2014, 08:27 AM   #3
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I have noticed that for quite some time with transport companies that we pass on the road.
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Old 05-19-2014, 08:52 AM   #4
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Our truck is pretty tall and it is stock. But, given that we like the refrigerator to actually work, going down the road AND the refrigerator needs to be pretty darn level to work efficiently...

We adjusted the pin box and hitch to have the coach sit as level as we could and still proved about 6.5" bed clearance.



And we configured our previous RV, a TT, the same way by adjusting the hitch height and load leveling bars.

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Old 05-19-2014, 09:40 AM   #5
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Dutch, that looks about right to me.
It's in every set of instructions i've ever seen wiht a hitch, trariler or vehicle..but I guess 'when all fails then read the instructions' is all too popular.

since we don't see 1 in 10 in a ditch there must be a lot of flexibility in 'the rules'.
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Old 05-19-2014, 11:51 AM   #6
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Just how level does it need to be. This is my first trailer (that I've owned; others were borrowed). I just eyeballed it on a level road. It looked pretty close to level, but my old Mark I sighting apparatus ain't exactly new . . . I haven't measured it, but would not be surprised if I was an inch or two nose high.

Would a few degrees make that much of a difference? Depends on how far I'm going and what my plans are as to whether I run the fridge while towing. I usually don't run the fridge until I get to my destination right now. I will be running it constantly when I finally start full-timing.
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Old 05-19-2014, 12:47 PM   #7
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My experience with the fridge (Dometic) has been it needed to be within about 2* - 3* of level. We always fire ours up two days before heading out and travel with it stocked. It's good to have a cold beer after setting up at our camp.
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Old 05-19-2014, 06:29 PM   #8
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The trailer does not need to be level for the fridge while towing. The bouncing of the camper will prevent the ammonia in the system from pooling. Once stopped and set up of course it should be as level as you can get it. There are other reasons to have it level while towing but not the fridge.
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Old 05-19-2014, 08:08 PM   #9
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as close to level as possible is important to have equal load on all 4 tires. I'm a tad high in the front, but need to be for ample bed clearance and my truck is stock.
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