Pin box puts trailer too low to the truck

[Stoker]

Now that I've invested in slider hitch, air bags, new truck, and oh, the Redwood trailer, I find that the vertical clearance between the top of the bed rails of the truck and the bottom of the RV is only 3.5". All the exprets say 5-6" is what I need. The PullRite 4400 slider has no vertical adjustment, so that's out. The Retrax bed cover adds 1" to the top of bedrail, netting me right at 3.5". Investigated dropping the pin box down (TrailAir Rotoflex 1621). No can do Tonto...Not enough holes to drop it down and have proper number of bolts to hold everything in place. Lippert says minimum of 5 per side, and to drop mine down, I would only have 4 per side. Baaad JuJu there Kemosabe... Options include: PullRite 3" lift kit under the hitch, another pin box, or roll the dice. Not much of a gambler, so going to the well of information once more to see if I'm the Lone Ranger with this issue or has anyone else been down this trail? 2015 GMC Denali 4x4 sits tall in back, and when I run 5# air in the bags and drop the rig onto the hitch, it doesn't sag but about 3". My fear is by going to the lift kit, I'm may ride too high in the front stressing rear axle bearings/tires, but did a "trial fit" today by raising the ride height 3" from the loaded/level height, just to see how much it changed the profile, and it was a bit high in front, but not much. Have to really look. So does anyone have knowledge of how much more height I will gain by going to a different pin box than what I have now? Buddy says MorRyde could be the answer. Looking for some validation of how much front end height I will see before spending yet more money. Sorry for the War and Peace novel....

[JerryL]

I've never had 5-6 inches clearance on any of my rigs. 3-4 is about where I'm at, if I'm understanding you question right.

[Stoker]

Hi Jerry....Interesting....with that kind of clearance between bed rail and bottom of your rig, have you never had any "touching" of the trailer to the truck when going from something like say....street level up to a parking lot of a fuel stop for instance? You know how there is a bit of a ramp to some of them....that's where I'm afraid I may hit....

[atom ant]

"Two fists" is what my Dealer on a prior rig said . Good thing he had bear paws

Be careful - my buddy has a short bed Dodge and a long bed dually he tows his Montana with. The clearance was the same on both and he thought he was fine, but his long bed extends further underneath and he just tore open his front clip after catching the bed underneath in a turn leaving a parking lot.

Find a place to check your theories before you settle on it being right.

[lwg]

Originally Posted by atom ant

"Two fists" is what my Dealer on a prior rig said . Good thing he had bear paws

Be careful - my buddy has a short bed Dodge and a long bed dually he tows his Montana with. The clearance was the same on both and he thought he was fine, but his long bed extends further underneath and he just tore open his front clip after catching the bed underneath in a turn leaving a parking lot.

Find a place to check your theories before you settle on it being right.

That's a really good point. Just another reason that Ford needs to bring back the short box dually!

[arcticman1957]

I am at 4 plus inches with my B&W COMPANION. No clearance issues yet. Even with off-set I set can't do a full 90 degree turn so I have to careful in that respect.

[JerryL]

Originally Posted by Stoker

Hi Jerry....Interesting....with that kind of clearance between bed rail and bottom of your rig, have you never had any "touching" of the trailer to the truck when going from something like say....street level up to a parking lot of a fuel stop for instance? You know how there is a bit of a ramp to some of them....that's where I'm afraid I may hit....

Sorry, I just saw this. No, I have never touched the top of my rails, and the bottom of the trailer at any time. I did however, during a pretty steep uphill, sharp left hand turn barely touch my trifold bed cover(2 1/2 inches folded up). I've never measured, but I think this new dually sits at about 4 inches. I could be wrong, it's been almost a year since it's been hooked up.

Edit: After going out, and folding my bedcover back, it measures 3 inches folded up. Apparently I've must have 4-5 inches clearance with the trailer.

[Stoker]

Thanks for all the feedback. Installing pull rite lift kit Tuesday wil see how she looks. Not sure if I'm allowed to use this as a springboard, but couple other things I wonder about. My main cabin slide out looks a little low when extended. Also would like suggestions on what you guys do for towel racks in bath
Thanks in advance,
Signed learning quickly and at some expense.
(I may have an idea for a book titled everything you should know before buying a 5th wheel and didn't think to ask)

[Oriana]

We have an FL and hang a towel rack on the door to the kitchen

[johnboytoo]

Over the door 'fancy' bronzed leaf motif rack over the inside of the bath door so when opened it is hanging in the bath hall of the 38gk

[Amishco]

Wife put suction hooks on outside glass of shower for the hand towels. works great. also bought 3 chamber shampoo, soap, conditioner dispenser from CW and mounted it on shower wall. replaced shower head with a body spa head also from CW. She has long hair and says this made a big difference.

[ksaltman]

Two towel rods over the long mirror in front of the bedroom door. If we need the mirror (which is rare) we take the towels away.

[Joezilla]

Originally Posted by JerryL

Sorry, I just saw this. No, I have never touched the top of my rails, and the bottom of the trailer at any time. I did however, during a pretty steep uphill, sharp left hand turn barely touch my trifold bed cover(2 1/2 inches folded up). I've never measured, but I think this new dually sits at about 4 inches. I could be wrong, it's been almost a year since it's been hooked up.

Edit: After going out, and folding my bedcover back, it measures 3 inches folded up. Apparently I've must have 4-5 inches clearance with the trailer.

Jerry,
I noticed you have a 2013 Dodge Ram. How many inches from the bed hitch flat part to the top of the truck bed sides? Or how many inches from the flat part of the bed hitch to the bed itself?

I have a new 2014 Dodge Ram dually and am trying to figure out how to adjust my hitch before reinstalling it. On my old truck, a Ram dually 2012, my flat hitch part was 17" from the bed itself. I am not sure if the 2014 truck sides are taller now than in 2012.

Joe

[mstan]

Stoker, thanks for your thread. I just purchased my 38 GK. i have the same problem. I have a airhitch frome airhitch Technology. I do have some adjustment on my hitch. However the other concern is the ground clearance on the front landing gear. I have towed with several different RV's never had this much of a problem. How much ground clearance should one have? I know the rule of thumb on bed rail clearance is min 9 inches. But front ground cleance is another problem.
Mark

[Shane Wood]

Originally Posted by Stoker

Now that I've invested in slider hitch, air bags, new truck, and oh, the Redwood trailer, I find that the vertical clearance between the top of the bed rails of the truck and the bottom of the RV is only 3.5". All the exprets say 5-6" is what I need. The PullRite 4400 slider has no vertical adjustment, so that's out. The Retrax bed cover adds 1" to the top of bedrail, netting me right at 3.5". Investigated dropping the pin box down (TrailAir Rotoflex 1621). No can do Tonto...Not enough holes to drop it down and have proper number of bolts to hold everything in place. Lippert says minimum of 5 per side, and to drop mine down, I would only have 4 per side. Baaad JuJu there Kemosabe... Options include: PullRite 3" lift kit under the hitch, another pin box, or roll the dice. Not much of a gambler, so going to the well of information once more to see if I'm the Lone Ranger with this issue or has anyone else been down this trail? 2015 GMC Denali 4x4 sits tall in back, and when I run 5# air in the bags and drop the rig onto the hitch, it doesn't sag but about 3". My fear is by going to the lift kit, I'm may ride too high in the front stressing rear axle bearings/tires, but did a "trial fit" today by raising the ride height 3" from the loaded/level height, just to see how much it changed the profile, and it was a bit high in front, but not much. Have to really look. So does anyone have knowledge of how much more height I will gain by going to a different pin box than what I have now? Buddy says MorRyde could be the answer. Looking for some validation of how much front end height I will see before spending yet more money. Sorry for the War and Peace novel....

Stoker
If my mind serves me correctly. On one of the 2 forums it is mentioned that the new trail air pin box makes the trailer sit higher when hooked up. You can go to Lippert and get the specs on both