Ground Clearance Concern for Hitch Installed on Terry Resort 5th Wheel Travel Trailer

Question:

We bought a Curt 13703 for our 1992 Terry Resort so we can tow our boat behind. It does not have much ground clearance, do you know if there is a minimum for ground clearance. We are in Michigan.

asked by: Frederick T

Expert Reply:

My research did not confirm any minimum trailer hitch ground clearance requirement in Michigan (or elsewhere) but a good place to check further is your local Highway Patrol. Those folks should be able to advise if any local, county or state laws include any such clearance requirement. I tend to doubt it.

If your 1992 Terry Resort 5th wheel sits low enough that hitch clearance is a concern you might want to have a trailer shop check out the suspension to make sure your leaf springs are not worn out. After many years and miles they can start to sag, which will reduce ground clearance. We offer a wide range of leaf springs you can view on the linked page.

If your springs are good then you could consider an axle over-under kit. An axle over-under kit like # K71-384-00 (for 2-3/8-inch axles) or # K71-385-00 (for 3-inch axles) will give you increased height at the trailer frame, by roughly the axle diameter. These kits move the leaf springs from the bottoms of your axles to the tops, giving you a gain in height. Two of the appropriate kit would give you additional ground clearance that just might get you enough clearance for towing your boat trailer. But do also note that raising a trailer's height can lead to more sway since you are raising its center of gravity.

In some states it is not legal to tow a trailer with a trailer so you'll want to make sure that the locations where you'll be traveling do not prohibit such a set-up.

expert reply by: Adam R