truck & 5th wheel clearence

[Sagebrush]

We will be driving up to Elkhart wiithin the next month to pick up our Rockwood 8285ws. My TV is an o8 Chevy 2500HD with a standard bed. The top of the tailgate sits at 57 1/2". My concern is if there is enough clearance between truck and trailer without some kind of modification to either one. I know I can adjust the pin and/or the hitch,but will I be able to get 6" of clearance doing that. The lady on the phone said "no problem". Anyone have a similiar set -up? Any problems?

[kvtaylor]

You didn't say if your had the standard bed or an 8 ft bed truck. We have a 2005 2500HD GMC crew cab with the standard bed and you will need a slider with the 5th wheel hitch. There is not enough room between the cab and the 5th wheel for the turning radius when turned at a 90 degree angle. There should be enough side clearance, as there was on our then 2005 Montana. Most 5th wheel hitches have adjustments for the height adjustments. Depending on how high your truck is, sometimes the tandum axles on the trailer have to be adjusted higher due to the height of the truck. Ours was a standard 2500 4 x 4 and no adjustment had to be made.

[Sagebrush]

Thank you,but we are getting a Sidewinder hitch that will take care of the turning clearance. The 08 Chevy sits higher,and I'm concerned with the clearance top of truck rails to bottom of trailer. Anyone have a similiar set-up?

[Dave_Monica]

The king pin plate measures 47 1/4" from the ground when the camper is level on our 8280WS. You can assume about 2 inches of suspension compression so your hitch needs to be about 49 1/4" from the ground to be level when hitched.

The overhang of the 5th wheel is 58 1/2" to the ground when level. Our TV is 2WD and I have about 6 1/2" clearance above the bed rails. I'm guessing that you'll have to be nose up on the camper by a couple of inches to have some reasonable bed rail clearance.

If you want to tow level with decent bed rail clearance, you may have to raise the camper or lower the truck.

Dave

[Sagebrush]

Thanks Dave, not what I wanted to hear,but what I expected. Anybody raised their Rockwood? Recommend anyone in the Elkhart area?

[Dave_Monica]

Sagebrush, I'd try to get it home if I were you. Hard to know the change required without hooking it up. There's lots to campers I've seen towing nose up of level. The newer 4 x 4 trucks sit too high IMO unless you're planning to do any off-roading. I'd seriously look at lowering the truck. There's usually a spacer block mounted between the leaf spring and axle housing that could be replaced with a smaller spacer. If you want to lower the truck at all 4 corners, you could replace the rear spacer and the front coils with pieces from a 2WD...your GM dealer should be able to help you out.

The Rockwoods have Al-ko torsion axles. If you wish to raise them you have to fabricate spacer blocks to mount between the frame and the axle mounting. I've seen a thread recently dealing with this, complete with photos but was unable to find it.


Good luck with your decision.


Dave

[Sagebrush]

Thanks again Dave, I found the site w/the pics, posted byKanyonkitty. Raising the trailer looks like quite an operation. I'll touch base w/my GM dealer on Monday

[bsmall]

I would first try the raising the hitch head, its the easiest. You might find thats all you will have to do and not worry anymore. I had to raise mine 1 inch and still have another inch if I need it. When I raised it that inch that gave me almost 6 inches clearence between the top of the bed rail and the trailer.

[Sagebrush]

Thanks for your reply Bill, is your truck tailgate height about 58" and does your trailer ride relativley level?

[bsmall]

Originally Posted by Sagebrush

Thanks for your reply Bill, is your truck tailgate height about 58" and does your trailer ride relativley level?

Yes sir its about 58", and yes my trailer rides fairly level. Its level enough now that if I decided to raise it that last inch, I feel it would still be level enough for towing with a nose a little higher. From what I have heard and read on the trailer web sites, having the nose of the trailer raised slightly above level makes for better towing....

Hope this helps....

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by bsmall

Yes sir its about 58", and yes my trailer rides fairly level

What's the height of your camper under the nose...I bet it more than 58 1/2". Does the Wildcat have 16" E tires and leaf springs?

My truck sits at 55 1/2" unloaded with 10 psi in the air bags. The camper rides level when hitched with about 6 1/2" of clearance over the bed rails. The TV is dropping about 3 1/2" measured at the tailgate.

I say raise the hitchhead as needed to get some reasonable clearance to get it home and take the time to assess it with the TV and camper in the driveway.

Dave

[bsmall]

Originally Posted by Dave_Monica

What's the height of your camper under the nose...I bet it more than 58 1/2". Does the Wildcat have 16" E tires and leaf springs?

Originally Posted by Dave_Monica

My truck sits at 55 1/2" unloaded with 10 psi in the air bags. The camper rides level when hitched with about 6 1/2" of clearance over the bed rails. The TV is dropping about 3 1/2" measured at the tailgate.

I say raise the hitchhead as needed to get some reasonable clearance to get it home and take the time to assess it with the TV and camper in the driveway.

Dave

Dave, my Wildcat does have leaf springs, and 16" tires. I have not measured the camper height hooked up to the truck, I was mainly concerned with getting about 6 inches between the trailer and bed rails...
Next time I hook up to the trailer I will check and see what the drop is in height from the ground to the top of the tailgate, and distance between the ground the bottom of the 5th wheel overhang..

[Sagebrush]

Thanks everyone for your input. I feel better prepared for whatever happens on the day we pick the rig up. I at least know I have some good options. Thanks again, this is a great site !

[guy]

I have the same promblem. I am looking at raising my trailer .I have 6 inches diffenrence between the front and back with the front being higher.I looked for some info on the net with no result. I also have 2008 gmc 2500hd with a 28 foot 5th wheel. Any idea with solution would be appreciated. I cannot lower my my hitch on the truck any lower.

[Sagebrush]

Fortunately, all my concerns were for nothing.
We picked up the rig, and had just at 6" of clearence, front to back tilt is just about 1 1/4" Think we are good to go,thanks again to everyone who answered. I had fewer sleepless nights because of your help!

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by guy

I have the same promblem. I am looking at raising my trailer .I have 6 inches diffenrence between the front and back with the front being higher.I looked for some info on the net with no result. I also have 2008 gmc 2500hd with a 28 foot 5th wheel. Any idea with solution would be appreciated. I cannot lower my my hitch on the truck any lower.

Welcome to the Forum!

What type of suspension do you have on the camper...torsion axles or conventional axles with leaf springs?

By your measurement, you need to increase the height of your camper (or reduce the ride height of your tow vehicle) by 3 inches. You may be able to remount the camper's axles to the underside of the leaf springs (called flipping the axles) to gain about 2 to 3 inches. You can also add spacer blocks were the leaf springs mount to the frame. If the camper is a torsion axle set-up, you'd have to add a 3 inch spacer between the camper frame and the axle mount.

Personally, I never like the idea of raising the camper...more wind resistance, higher center of gravity, etc. I'd be looking at reducing the ride height of the tow vehicle.

Dave

[Mr. Black]

Originally Posted by bsmall

From what I have heard and read on the trailer web sites, having the nose of the trailer raised slightly above level makes for better towing

This goes against everything I have ever heard.

Level to nose down an inch or so is supposed to tow best but most people get obsessed with the looks of nose down and make a bunch of adjustments.

Also nose up can promote chucking in a 5th wheel trailer from what I hear.


Like I said, not saying right, wrong, or indifferent, it just is not what I have heard.

[guy]

My trailer has torsion axle. The problem when towing is quite a bit of chucking. I just want to know if anybody has ever changed the shackels on the truck which will lower it by about 2 inches and where did you buy them, My truck is 2008 2500HD 4x4 short box

[Dave_Monica]

There should also be spacer blocks between the rear springs and the axle housing...you could replace the block with ones from a 2WD to drop the ride height. If you change the front coil springs with the ones for a 2WD, you'll have the same ride height front and rear as the 2WD 2500. Check with your dealership.

Are you trying to reduce the ride height of the truck to level the camper when hooked up?

Dave

[guy]

Yes .like I said when hookep up the front of the 5th wheel is about 6 in higher than the rear.