DarrenW
Stony Plain
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Joined: 07/21/2012
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I'm new to the site but have been lurking for along time. Learned lots, have sold my bumper pull and now looking at a Cyclone 3010.
Question for those with levelled or lifted trucks and fifth wheels, what is your bed rail height? My truck is a 2007 Dodge 3500 SRW with a small spacer in the back which gives me a 60" bed rail height.
Dealer claims they clear 6" lifts all the time no problem but that could be just a sales pitch. I'm sure I have seen a couple levelled Dodges on here pulling Cyclone's, if so would you be able to check your height and advise if you had to lift the trailer?
Thanks
Darren
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Old-Biscuit
Across the USA
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Joined: 06/20/2009
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Just for reference.....
I have a 2007 RAM SRW 2wd stock........at top of tailgate is 54"
I tow a 5th wheel and in order to get it level and have 6" of bed rail clearance I had to lift trailer. Easy for me to do as my leaf spring shackles have 3 adjustment holes.
I would suspect you will need to flip axles, install blocks on spring perches or add blocks to frame and reposition shackles plus make adjustments to hitch & pin box in order to get level towing with adequate bed rail clearance (6" min).
2007 RAM 3500 QC LB SRW 5.9L CTD 48re 4:10 4K in bed 'quiet genny'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
Hit the Road Free & Clear April '07
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Dave&Monica
Ontario
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Joined: 09/22/2007
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Go to the dealer with the measuring tape. I think that you'll find that a lot of 5th wheels are about 60" to the ground when level measured at the overhang. Thats the part of the camper that's to be 6" above your truck's bed rails.
Dave
2010 Rockwood 8280WS
2008 F250 CC Lariat SB 6.8L V10
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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Leveling kits normally lift only the front of the truck, to try to level the normally lower front height with the normally taller rear height when the truck is empty. If you have extra lift blocks in the rear, sounds like you don't have a leveling kit, you have a rear end lift kit. I would just remove the extra blocks under the truck's rear springs and return it back to stock height.
05E350 6.0PSD
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92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6
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DarrenW
Stony Plain
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My truck actually has Thuren coils instead of the typical levelling kits. Gives about 3" of height vs. 2", so to keep from looking tail low I have 2" blocks in the rear. May have to pull them but that'll only get me to 58".
I tried the tape measure at the dealer but that was a bit of a******shoot - the ground wasn't exactly level. Nor could I get a good look at the side profile of the trailer to see how level it was. They had their trailers packed tight and 2 to 3 deep.
Might try calling Heartland on Monday and see if they can give me an accurate height.
Darren
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rhagfo
Portland, OR
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My 01 Dodge 2500 4X4 sits stock at 60" at the back of the bed. I may need to lift my trailer about 2".
Russ & Paula
The Beagles Hedwig and Precious.
Portland, OR.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS
2001 Dodge 2500 4X4, 5.9 Cummins 5 speed, 3.55 gears, Pacbrake, Power Puck, 258K
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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Sounds like you're going to have to lift the trailer at the axles then. Add a sub frame below the trailer frame that spaces the spring hangers down by whatever height you need to level with the truck. A good local welding shop that has the room and ability to lift the trailer off the axles should be able build the sub frame and install it on the trailer for you.
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DarrenW
Stony Plain
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Thanks guys.
If I go ahead with the Cyclone I would be picking it up about 10 hours from home. They already have the axles under the springs from the factory and are running 235/85 16 tires. Don't recall noticing any other adjustment holes on the hangers like my bumper pull had. Figure I just might pull the blocks out of the truck and be back to stock other than a little height from the tires.
Out of curiousity I stopped by a couple of dealers when I went to town today. A new Ram 3500 SRW 4x4 was 59" to bed rail and a new GM 3500 SRW 4x4 was 58". Both trucks bone stock. Guess the trailer manufacturer's may have to take this into consideration or maybe they already are. No blocks on the new trucks to remove and not everyone buys 2wd.
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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Yep, they keep making the trucks taller and taller. My all-stock F350DRW 4wd is almost as tall as my old '77 3/4-ton Chevy 4wd that had 6" suspension lift and 3" body lift. These newer 4wd trucks come factory stock with about 6 inches of lift built-in, compared to the trucks of years past.
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