Posted 2010-03-03 2:01 PM (#117213) Subject: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
New User
Posts: 4
Location: shapleigh, ME
hi. I found a trailer I liked, but there are only about four inches of clearance between the gooseneck and the bed rails of the truck which is kind of scary. The trailer is level this way and I don't want to have to do a lot of expensive and possibly unsafe adjustments. What kind of trailer would go with a Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 4-wheel drive? I'd rather just get a trailer that fits the truck if possible, but if they are all going to have this problem, I might as well try to fix this one....
Posted 2010-03-03 2:13 PM (#117215 - in reply to #117213) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
Veteran
Posts: 123 Location: Indiana
You are right in being concerned. You will want at least 5". What year is your truck? With all of the expert truck guys on this site information like that will get you a lot more helpful advise. You can put 2" blocks on the trailer safely and that will help some. Make sure you take it to a certified weld shop to do the work.
Posted 2010-03-03 2:26 PM (#117216 - in reply to #117213) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
Veteran
Posts: 229
rednapla, This strikes me as unusual. Chevy's are the lowest of the big three's if they haven't been modified. Has the truck been modified? Does the trailer have a drop nose? Provide more information and the guys on this forum will help you out.
Posted 2010-03-03 6:48 PM (#117224 - in reply to #117213) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
See if you can't just lower the Gooseneck coupler another couple of inches. yes this will raise the front of the from level. But give it a try and see just how far out level it really puts the trailer. Two - three inches on the coupler may not amount to a lot at the axles when you figure they are 24 feet behind the ball. It just depends on how long the trailer is, where the axles are positioned.
Ideally you would want to weigh each axle on a scale. You are trying to keep equal weight on both axles. By raising the front of a trailer too much, you reduce the weight on the front axle and increase the weight on the rear axle. Depending on how heavy your trailer is and what your tires are rated for, this could over load the tires on the rear axle.
The point is there are a lot of trailers going down the road with a slight incline to the front of the trailer. As long as you have not thrown the axles weights out of wack, it's tolerable.
Posted 2010-03-03 8:00 PM (#117226 - in reply to #117215) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
New User
Posts: 4
Location: shapleigh, ME
thank you for the responses. The truck is a 2007 and it does have the 4 wheel drive, but hasn't been modified as far as I know. The trailer is a 2005 model and in addition to the clearance being a problem, the cord for the brakes and lights does not plug into the outlet I have. Is it safe to just get an adapter for this or will something have to be changed on either the truck or trailer?
Posted 2010-03-03 9:38 PM (#117230 - in reply to #117213) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
Member
Posts: 35 Location: Ohio
Welcome to my world. I have the same problem except that I already had the trailer and bought a new truck. I've nicked the tailgate a couple of times but it was my husband who totally trashed it. Problem solved, sort of; it's much easier to hook up with no tailgate. Tall rails also mean that hooking up is a two step process because the tailgate is longer than the space between the truck bed and the bulkhead wall. Thus you have to close the tailgate before you can put the hitch over the ball.
One thing to watch out for - make sure that the trailer that you're looking at can have the axles blocked. I found out that I couldn't block the axles on my trailer per the local trailer repair shop, AND the manufacturer. I've run this way since Sept 2008 but I'm looking for a new trailer.
Posted 2010-03-04 5:45 AM (#117234 - in reply to #117213) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
Regular
Posts: 70 Location: PA
Rimrock, please advise what brand trailer you have. I have started to look for a trailer w/larger LQ preferably 23-24' on the box and have a Ford Diesel Dually but would like to know what brands to stay away from especially if you can't block it & fix the problem.
Posted 2010-03-06 1:44 PM (#117284 - in reply to #117213) Subject: RE: gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
Member
Posts: 35 Location: Ohio
Hi Zoe,
My trailer is a 1999 Cherokee Silver Cloud. I don't know if blocking isn't possible for all Cherokee trailers, but it is out of the question for my trailer.
gooseneck clearance for a tall truck
