Option to Lift Trailer Suspension to Allow More Clearance between Bedrails and Trailer Overhang

Question:

I have read some of the answers on here. But here goes again... I have 5” clearance between the top of my tailgate and bottom of my fifth wheel gooseneck. Im a LITTLE nose high towing this way. Problem is my bulldog gooseneck tube has 2” adjustments, so if I raise the nose up, it’ll be 7” instead of 5. I know 6” is a good rule of thimb, but I also dont know if that extra 2” will put too much stress on my rear axle. I have a shortbed truck. There is no way I can see to raise my trailer a bit without voiding my warranty.

asked by: Tracy W

Expert Reply:

You really need to have your trailer sitting as level as possible with 4-6 inches of clearance between the overhang and bed rails. 6 inches is really ideal but 4 inches works for a lot of people as well. I can't recommend raising the nose of your trailer anymore as that will put it out of level. Ideally you raise the suspension of the trailer and you'll be able to tow the trailer level and have more clearance.

You can do this by moving the axles from being above the leaf springs to below the leaf springs.

The diameter of your trailer axle will determine the size of the parts that you will need to order. If your axle is 3 inches diameter, the Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Conversion Kit, # K71-385-00, would be a great choice and if your axle is 2-3/8 inch diameter you could use the Over-Under Kit, # K71-384-00. These kits can be installed without welding but the manufacturer strongly recommends having the new spring seat tacked in place on the other side of the trailer axle.

Some refer to this process as "flipping the axles," but since axle has a slight bow to it you can't just flip them and reinstall them under the springs using the same spring seats. You have to install new spring seats on the opposite side of the axle so that it can be moved below the spring.

expert reply by: Jameson C