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Veteran
Posts: 119
Location: 99320 | Will a Ford F350 4x4 ride too high for a gooseneck trailer? How do I calculate the proper height, and what do people do to make the ride level?Thanks! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420
Location: Iowa | You never mentioned the years of the truck & trailer. |
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Veteran
Posts: 114
Location: Home of the WNFR at Christmas | No you should be fine mine is lifted 4 inched and I have no real issues
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Expert
Posts: 5870
  
Location: western PA | Most SDs squat a bit under a load. Once the truck is weighted, the trailer's hitch tube can be height adjusted for a level or slightly nose high attitude. Timbrens or air bags can be used to maintain that height, regardless of any additional loading. The Ford single leaf overload spring, only offers an additional few hundred extra pounds of support. The air bags and Timbrens afford much more bracing, and are more effective in maintaining a level ride with various loadings. You should have no problems with a 4 X 4 SD pulling a level trailer. Gard
Edited by gard 2009-06-06 10:49 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 119
Location: 99320 | The truck is a 99 F350 4x4, regular size bed. I have not purchased the trailer yet, but someone mentioned axle stress in relation to the angle the trailer rides, so I started wondering...
I guess I thought all the goose neck trailers were set up for the same height.
My truck is not lifted or lowered, so I hope it will work out okay. Thank you all for your replies. |
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Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Arkansas | We use a 2000 F350 4x4 dually, pull several goosenecks with it, no issues.....you should be fine, really. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420
Location: Florida | We also have an F350 Dually and it lowers @ 3 inches when fully loaded. I do not consider that an issue at all. Rail height vs. gooseneck clearance seems to be very comfortable. The ride is solid and strong. The trailer travels level. |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Kansas | I pull with a 99 4x4 F350 Reg. cab. This truck sits higher than our 4x4 F250's (99 and 2000). Rail clearance ect can be an issue with a short trailer. I had a 2 H slant.. 16 ft box. It was tough to get that tailer level. I upsized to a 3 H slant.. 21 ft box. Much easier to level. Rail clearance will depend somewhat on the brand of trailer. Just my opinion..I have pulled several different brands with this truck, some have more clearance than others even after adjusting the neck.
Edited by trailridngal 2009-06-08 10:11 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | We have two F350, 4x4, Crew Cab, SRW's. One Long and one short box. I have never had a problem with any of my gooseneck trailers as far as box height. But I did have some worries about a friends trailer we borrowed once. It was a steel frame alum body trailer. His support rails under the goose were in such a position that when you turned and going over a slight rise after a dip, the frame rails almost hit my box. We were hauling a horse we sold to Texas and stopped for fuel in Kansas and switched drivers. As my wife pulled out of the station I looked back and YELLED "stop". The rail was 1/4" from the top of the box. Got lucky that time. I would put the truck under the trailer to make sure. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 802
Location: Tenn/Ala. | Remember, the first few months production of the then "2009 all new Super Duty" had 4" spacer blocks in between the spring and axle mount. Those owners that complained early on got theirs swapped for 2" at no charge (I believe Ford also changed the shock & brake line). This only continued for a year or so however and wasn't very well publicized. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 736
Location: Western WA | Different years/models of F350's have different bed/rail heights too. My 2001 SRW F350 was 3-4" taller than my 2003 DRW F350. Neither had any suspension/frame modifications (lifting, lowering, etc) and I ran stock tires and wheels. Oh yeah, running bigger tire/wheel combos with a larger diameter will affect bed/rail height too. |
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 New User
Posts: 3
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This is my daughter's current trailer and truck problem. The truck is a 1989 Ford F350 4X4 Lariat with a goose neck hitch. The hitch when the trailer is level sits 4 3/4 inches below the truck bed. The top of the ball is 6 1/4 inches above the truck bed. That is a total of 11 inches of course. The trailer female hitch is not adjustable to my knowledge. The truck is "stock" height as per original owner. We need to take into account the load and allow for a slight incline. I do not know what that effect would be. Any ideas besides cutting down the female end of the trailer hitch 11' or less inches and welding a re-inforcement sleeve on? That would give just 2 inch clearance over the box.
Edited by steelhorsecowboy 2009-06-21 11:54 AM
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Regular
Posts: 70
Location: Temecula, CA | Pictures speak volumes. My suggestion would be to have your trailer hitch cut and welded. This would be the least expensive avenue to go without having to make any modifications to your truck. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420
Location: Florida | NICE TRUCK! The frame of the trailer looks to be an issue in regards tot he trucks rail height if you cut the traler hitch down. May be the way it is sitting. I would measure both while in that very postion. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
Location: Vermont | I think I hear FLATBED...in her future... Aluminum or Steel your call... http://www.hillsboroindustries.com/Products/AluminumTruckbeds.aspx http://www.hillsboroindustries.com/Products/SteelTruckbeds.aspx
Edited by PaulChristenson 2009-06-22 12:48 AM
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New User
Posts: 3
| Originally written by BlazingCreekBar on 2009-06-21 5:06 PM
NICE TRUCK! The frame of the trailer looks to be an issue in regards tot he trucks rail height if you cut the traler hitch down. May be the way it is sitting. I would measure both while in that very postion. Thanks, There is 2-3 inches of clearance. |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Originally written by steelhorsecowboy on 2009-06-22 2:54 AM Originally written by BlazingCreekBar on 2009-06-21 5:06 PM
NICE TRUCK! The frame of the trailer looks to be an issue in regards tot he trucks rail height if you cut the traler hitch down. May be the way it is sitting. I would measure both while in that very postion. Thanks, There is 2-3 inches of clearance. Not enough clearance there. I would get with a service shop about blocking the axles. It will raise the height of the floor, but will give you the bed clearance that is needed...unless you heed Paul's recommendation of a flatbed. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | Even with a flat bed, a new hitch would be needed to put the ball down between the frame rails. Just taking the box off, won't lower the ball. It looks to me like lifting the axles of the trailer is the only option. |
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Expert
Posts: 2957
Location: North Carolina | This might be less of a problem than we think. What kind of axles does the trailer have? Tandem axles with an equilizer can travel with a significant slant without harm. Also, can the axles be flipped to ride under the springs? This will increase the trailer's lift height too. |
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New User
Posts: 3
| Originally written by hosspuller on 2009-06-22 10:14 AM
This might be less of a problem than we think. What kind of axles does the trailer have? Tandem axles with an equilizer can travel with a significant slant without harm. Also, can the axles be flipped to ride under the springs? This will increase the trailer's lift height too. I'll have to check that out. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | This is what you need http://trailertoad.com/ |
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4x4 truck and gooseneck
