Will Towing Nose High Degrade the Trailer or Do I Need to Lift It

Published 08/17/2018

Question:

I just purchased a new Ram 3500 4x4 crewcab long bed truck with the max tow package and rear air leveling suspension which included a factory 30k hitch in the bed to replace my 2009 Ford F450 after the 6.4 diesel starting costing more than the truck was worth to keep running. I got home all excited to try it out with our 2015 Keystone Carbon 5th wheel and was dismayed to see I only have 4.5inch of bed clearance with everything sitting very close to level all hitched up. I can the hitch box to gain 2-3, but that will put me nose up on the trailer. It came from the factory with the axles already mounted under the springs, plus as a large toy hauler it is already very close to or right at 13-6inch tall at the highest point, so raising the trailer further does not seem like a viable option. Since I cannot afford to replace this new truck or trailer, it seems my only option is towing nose high. Is this safe or will it put more stress on the rear axle and tires? I know setting up each time we park will suck because Ill have to disconnect every time and lower the trailer, then raise it way back up to re-hitch, but I do not know what else I can do. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

asked by: Anthony

Expert Reply:

The options you have are as follows; lower the tow vehicle, raise the trailer, or tow nose high. The best option would be to lower the truck a few inches so you can tow the trailer level without raising it more. However, this is going to be the most expensive option and I am not certain that they even make a bolt-on lowering kit for a 2018 Ram 3500 4x4 with auto level so I will proceed with the other two options below.

Towing with the trailer nose high by a few inches is not the end of the world. There may be a bit more stress on the axles but nothing too great. The main issue with towing nose high is trailer sway. Therefore, I recommend adjusting the pin box/hitch so that you have at least 6" of clearance between your trailer and besides and then taking it out on the highway to see how the trailer feels. If you feel the sway is manageable then I would call it good and just tow as is.

However, if the trailer experiences too much sway then you are going to need to raise the trailer a few more inches or so as this is the final option you have.

expert reply by: Conner L