lenr
Indianapolis, IN
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Joined: 04/12/2008
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My standard suggestions of a process to raise a fifth wheel trailer to level (assuming leaf springs—not torsion axles.)
I discourage the use of Correct Track due to my experience. I added bolt on Correct Track to raise the trailer 2”. In a panic stop a spring hanger ripped off ending up at a 45 degree angle. I attribute that to the extra leverage added by the Correct Track and weak welds from the factory.
1. Check that the springs are on the top of the axle tubes. If not have an axle shop install new tubes with spring perches on the top. They’re not that expensive.
2. On a flat paved area back the trailer up on to stacks of boards (same stack under each tire) until the trailer is parallel with the pavement surface. Check the truck bed clearance and trailer height clearance to see if adjustments are necessary. Measure the boards to see how much lift is needed.
3. Add a MORRyde SRE4000 rubberized equalizer. It will add 1.25” to the height at the axles, and you’ll be amazed how much it will smooth out the trailer ride. You need at least 3” of clearance above the tires before installation as the SRE4000 allows more axle movement. MORRyde also recommends their X-brace be used with the SRE4000.
4. See if taller tires could be used. Using 235/85-16 in place of 235/80-16 will raise about .5” but you need .5” more clearance above the tire. If moving from 15” then new wheels and more clearance is needed. I did this on a prior 27’ fifth wheel trailer ending up with about 1” clearance between the tires.
5. And the strongest solution: have a sub-frame welded on with new spring hangers. MORRyde welds on rectangular tubes to the bottom of the I-beams and no one complains about their work. However, a cross brace welded between the tubes would add strength.
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Cummins12V98
on the road
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Joined: 06/03/2012
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Too much VOO-DOO being called for!
Hook the darn thing up and see what it looks like.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"
"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600
2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable
2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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Grit dog wrote:And to dispell the typical rvnet rumors, new trucks haven’t gotten “so much taller.” Unless you’re comparing to, idk, 25-40 years ago models.
You probably weren’t trying to hook an old school 5ver to your bullnose F350 4x4 or 2nd gen Ram in the 80s or 90s or you wouldn’t be complaining like this is something new.
PS, you have a small 5ver with small wheels, marketed for a 1/2 ton. Did you expect it would have a Diesel Brothers off road makeover?
There's quite a jump in height from 2000 to 2015 on a Chevy 2500. Sold my Dad's old truck or I'd measure. Just firing from the hip, I'd say at least 6" difference. On his 2000, you could easily reach into the bed over the side. On his 2015, you can easily peer into the bed over the side, but you're not going to reach anything without opening the tailgate and climbing in. Both stock height.
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
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fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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mkirsch wrote:Grit dog wrote:And to dispell the typical rvnet rumors, new trucks haven’t gotten “so much taller.” Unless you’re comparing to, idk, 25-40 years ago models.
You probably weren’t trying to hook an old school 5ver to your bullnose F350 4x4 or 2nd gen Ram in the 80s or 90s or you wouldn’t be complaining like this is something new.
PS, you have a small 5ver with small wheels, marketed for a 1/2 ton. Did you expect it would have a Diesel Brothers off road makeover?
There's quite a jump in height from 2000 to 2015 on a Chevy 2500. Sold my Dad's old truck or I'd measure. Just firing from the hip, I'd say at least 6" difference. On his 2000, you could easily reach into the bed over the side. On his 2015, you can easily peer into the bed over the side, but you're not going to reach anything without opening the tailgate and climbing in. Both stock height. Well, it may be 17 years difference, but absolutely agree about the difference between my old 2001 Dodge dually, and my 2018 Ram dually. I could easily reach into the bed, but can't even see into the bed with the latest one. I could easily step into the old truck, but really need the grab handle and running boards with the new one. OTOH, I needed air bags to make the 2001 sit level with the trailer hooked up, and the new one sits level without any extra add-ons.
Howard and Peggy
"Don't Panic"
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MFL
Midwest
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Joined: 11/28/2012
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Obviously the truck beds are higher now, than as mentioned, a 2000 model. In the years that trucks moved from 16" wheels, to 17", then 18/20" wheels, with tall tires, some things had to change. Taller tires, required suspension spacers to allow fit, and room for squat when loaded. Add heavier, or extra springs, to allow for increasing RAWR.
DRW trucks stayed with smaller tires/wheels, so often times lower bed height than SRW. Some trucks have factory air suspension to keep bed level, and may allow for lower bed height.
The OP can raise the trailer, find a truck with similar height, or just tow more nose high. IMO, towing a small FW, up to 3"s nose high, would be acceptable, but not my personal choice.
Jerry
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cummins2014
Utah
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Joined: 02/20/2008
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MFL wrote:Obviously the truck beds are higher now, than as mentioned, a 2000 model. In the years that trucks moved from 16" wheels, to 17", then 18/20" wheels, with tall tires, some things had to change. Taller tires, required suspension spacers to allow fit, and room for squat when loaded. Add heavier, or extra springs, to allow for increasing RAWR.
DRW trucks stayed with smaller tires/wheels, so often times lower bed height than SRW. Some trucks have factory air suspension to keep bed level, and may allow for lower bed height.
The OP can raise the trailer, find a truck with similar height, or just tow more nose high. IMO, towing a small FW, up to 3"s nose high, would be acceptable, but not my personal choice.
Jerry
My sons new 2022 Ford 350 , and new 2022 fifth wheel runs a bit nose high ,he is as low as he can get on the bedrails. It's either lower the truck or raise the fifth wheel .
My 1999 Ford Superduty 350, and my 2008 Montana fifth wheel was pretty close to level. Same fifth wheel behind my 2014 Ram 3500 was a bit nose high . My present fifth wheel is a bit better ,but still slightly nose high . I was okay with them all. I would not of wanted to be any higher .
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Joined: 05/06/2013
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mkirsch wrote:Grit dog wrote:And to dispell the typical rvnet rumors, new trucks haven’t gotten “so much taller.” Unless you’re comparing to, idk, 25-40 years ago models.
You probably weren’t trying to hook an old school 5ver to your bullnose F350 4x4 or 2nd gen Ram in the 80s or 90s or you wouldn’t be complaining like this is something new.
PS, you have a small 5ver with small wheels, marketed for a 1/2 ton. Did you expect it would have a Diesel Brothers off road makeover?
There's quite a jump in height from 2000 to 2015 on a Chevy 2500. Sold my Dad's old truck or I'd measure. Just firing from the hip, I'd say at least 6" difference. On his 2000, you could easily reach into the bed over the side. On his 2015, you can easily peer into the bed over the side, but you're not going to reach anything without opening the tailgate and climbing in. Both stock height.
4wd Chebbys were typically “shorter” than their F and D counterparts thru the 70s-90s. So since you cherry picked the 2000 model year, 1 year before the GMT 800 chassis started for the HDs, you’d be 100% correct.
I can’t count how many times people asked if my wife’s bone stock 02 Duramax had a lift kit. Why? Because they got appreciably taller in 2001.
But GMs of the GMT 400 and earlier vintage aside, the height hasn’t grown much.
Remember @rhfago post comparing his 2nd gen srw to 4th gen dually? I recall same height. That 2nd gen chassis started in ‘94 and the trucks haven’t gained appreciable height since then.
Old OBS and bullnose F350s and even the 250s were tall as fck. Even the bump side and dent side Fords, aka the Highboy era weren’t short.
Bet @spectra truck is close to new 3/4ton 4x4s.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Btw, complaining aboot this is akin to complaining that your 4wd 1 ton need a drop hitch to pull a uHaul trailer.
OP has a purpose built “1/2 ton” towable 5ver. It only stands to reason it may be a little short for a big boy truck….
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rhagfo
Portland, OR
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Joined: 07/06/2012
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MFL wrote:Obviously the truck beds are higher now, than as mentioned, a 2000 model. In the years that trucks moved from 16" wheels, to 17", then 18/20" wheels, with tall tires, some things had to change. Taller tires, required suspension spacers to allow fit, and room for squat when loaded. Add heavier, or extra springs, to allow for increasing RAWR.
DRW trucks stayed with smaller tires/wheels, so often times lower bed height than SRW. Some trucks have factory air suspension to keep bed level, and may allow for lower bed height.
The OP can raise the trailer, find a truck with similar height, or just tow more nose high. IMO, towing a small FW, up to 3"s nose high, would be acceptable, but not my personal choice.
Jerry
There might be some truth to the SRW and DRW difference in height. When we bought our 2016 Ram 3500 4X4,Laramie, DRW,CTD the last day of 2018, we traded our car and kept our 2001 Ram 2500, 4X4, CTD to sell as felt it would sell quicker. So I had the opportunity to compare size a bit, and I was a bit surprised!
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/5d9lSOM.jpg)
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/yixDBC2.jpg)
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/EyUB1tD.jpg)
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#
"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"
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fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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After looking at the photos I can see why they are the same height. The amount of distance from the rear tire to the fender on the 2001 is huge, compared to my 2001 2WD dually. My fenders barely gave me enough room to reach in to pull the handle for the turnover ball release. Those are easily 8-10 inches more than mine.
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