Posted 2010-04-02 3:39 PM (#118384) Subject: Need to lower nose, but won't block axles
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
We have a '09 Cimarron 4H with 12' SW that we pull with a '06 4500 2wd hauler bed Chevy. We have plenty of ground clearance but the trailer runs uphill. I know everyone states to block the axles as to get it level. I really don't want to due to not needing the ground clearance, cost, and the increased ride/load height it will cause.
Questions-Has anyone come across a low profile hitch? The air hitches I looked at appears that they would increase the height.
How about an air, lowered ball platform?
Or has anyone changed the factory Bulldog hitch? One could notch out the bracket that holds the pin 2" and it let the nose slide down another 2" and the hitch pin would still have >2" of support on the bracket. There appears plenty of room for the stem to go up before it bottoms out. Has anyone tried this with good results?
Any other ideas? With the hugh variation of pulling units out there, maybe this would be a great idea for some manufacturer to develop an adjustable hitch with more adjustment.
Posted 2010-04-02 4:33 PM (#118385 - in reply to #118384) Subject: RE: Need to lower nose, but won't block axles
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399 Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350
If your hitch still has room before bottoming out, AND you have the clearance on your side rails yet; simply remove the pin and loosen the set screw ant move the coupler tube until it bottoms out. That should help level you out. If your still runnng uphill after that; your just about going to have to black axles, or change the hitch in your truck to a flatbed type "well" hitch (if possible).
Posted 2010-04-03 9:34 PM (#118420 - in reply to #118384) Subject: RE: Need to lower nose, but won't block axles
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
The bulldog hitch is all the way up and the outside pipe (the one welded on the trailer) is hitting the bracket on the bulldog hitch that holds the pin that locks the trailer on the ball. This is the bracket I would like to cut a 2" notch in to allow the trailer to drop.
I think adding to the problem is that the nose was built 3" lower and the whole trailer is 6" taller to allow more headroom in the nose.
The puller has a flatbed and the well is already lowered 7". Lowering it anymore would take a lot of welding.
Posted 2010-04-03 10:36 PM (#118421 - in reply to #118384) Subject: RE: Need to lower nose, but won't block axles
Veteran
Posts: 188 Location: Ingalls, Ks
I bought an M2 a while back and I went ahead and built a drop box to put inside of the existing drop box. Just guessing from the time and materials I would guess it would cost about 300-400 to have someone build it. The only reason I did this, is because I didn't want to give up my sphitch and I pull other trailers for people from time to time. It's dropped to the point that when I drop the airbags I have 1/2" clearance underneath. If you don't want to go the route I went you can actually remove the locking mechanism from the bulldog and fabicate a different lock pin, possibly cut the stem off some, and get your trailer level that way. That just wasn't the route I chose, but some people have done it that way. My total drop is 12.5" from the top of the flatbed to the base of the ball. It's 33.5" from the ground to the base of the ball.
Posted 2010-04-05 1:16 PM (#118464 - in reply to #118384) Subject: RE: Need to lower nose, but won't block axles
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
There are a few replacement hitches that are available that will allow you to raise it a little higher. That will usually only have a 20k rating though. Most people will block the axles to accomplish the leveling.
Sorry, I can't help you with any of the names on the hitches. Most of them that will are either a remote relase or a quick latch coupler though.
Need to lower nose, but won't block axles
