How to Increase Ride Height of Fifth Wheel Trailer

Question

Question:

I would like to raise my 5th wheel height about 2-3 inches. I can flip the shackles but how do I lift the other end of spring where it boots to the frame without putting new brackets on? Do you have bracket extensions? TY

asked by: John H

0

Expert Reply:

There are two ways of raising the height of your fifth wheel. You can use taller spring hangers than what you currently have. Keep in mind that due to the movement allowed by the shackle links as well as the fact that a spring will flatten when compressed, using a 3 inch taller spring hanger/equalizer would not gain you a full 3 inches of increased height.

If your axle is currently OVER your leaf springs, and you have a 2-3/8 inch or 3 inch diameter axle, you can do an axle flip so that the leaf springs are on top of the axle. This will gain you a few inches of height as well. For a 2-3/8 inch axle, use part # K71-384-00 or # K71-385-00 for a 3 inch diameter axle.

Keep in mind that raising the height of your fifth wheel changes the frame geometry, which can change its towing characteristics. The trailer might become top-heavy or be more susceptible to sway.

expert reply by: Mike L

0

Answer 1

I do not recommend using a leaf spring spacer (lift block) on your trailer. The reason for this is because they can cause the trailer to become extremely bouncy and rough which is just going to put more stress on your suspension and wear out the…

view full answer...

Answer 2

You will want to remove your spring hangers and then weld them in a position that allows the shackles to hang properly. On a spring that is 26 inches eye to eye on center and a single axle trailer you will want the hangers to be up to 1/2 inch less…

view full answer...

Answer 3

The Curt 16027 which we offer as part #C88KR adapter provides industry standard bed rails that are compatible with Reese, Curt, Demco, B&W, Valley and Husky 5th wheel hitches, among others.

view full answer...

Answer 4

To determine the measurements you were looking for, I went into our warehouse and measured the Stromberg Carlson Scissor Jack #JSC-24-IND. The spacing of the small, circular holes on the outer edge is 1-1/2 inches. The diameter of the hole is 5/8…

view full answer...

Answer 5

Changing your equalizer height by two inches will gain you a slight height increase, but because all the pieces of the suspension (springs and shackles) all move together, you will not get the full 2 inch height increase. The equalizer will be a bit…

view full answer...

Answer 6

The U-bolts of the U-Bolt Kit part #SP01-080 are Grade 5.

view full answer...

Answer 7

Increasing the tire and wheel size can increase the height of the trailer but it's usually quite minimal. Before you do anything else you should see if the pin box can be adjusted. Although you have to be careful here since This will lower the…

view full answer...

Answer 8

To drop the front of the pin box and thus lower the front of the fifth wheel, you'd need to RAISE the pin box, not lower it. Lowering the pin box would raise the height of the fifth wheel at the front. If you have an available set of holes at the…

view full answer...

Answer 9

Trailer leaf springs come in many different lengths and some may have the same capacity but different measurements and/or number of leaves. This is due to different configurations of trailers, axle spacing, and tire size. Ideally you would use the…

view full answer...

Answer 10

Good question, and what happens is that leaf springs elongate over time, and since you mentioned you got measurements of 25-1/2 inches from center eye to center eye and 26 inches under partial load, the best option for leaf springs really is the…

view full answer...

Answer 11

I'm assuming that you mean that when you drop the Goosebox by 2-3 inches it will raise the front height of the trailer, leaving it a bit high in the front. You want to raise the rear of the trailer so the underside of the loft won't hit the…

view full answer...