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Clearance

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Last activity 2019-09-06 10:34 AM
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RollinPonies
Reg. Nov 2004
Posted 2019-08-30 6:42 PM (#172671)
Subject: Clearance


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Posts: 190
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Location: Texas
I’ll be changing trucks soon.
Currently drive a 2005 Sierra 2500 HD SRW 2WD CREW CAB short bed. I pull a 2002 Sundowner 777 2-horse straight gooseneck. Many new trucks, especially 4x4, are several inches higher than the old
2005 Sierra. I’m especially interested in a 2019 f250 shortbed crew cab ‘FX4’

How much clearance, in inches, do I need between the bottom of the upper part of the trailer and the truck bed rails/tailgate?

Thanks in advance for your information. (The Blue Moon isn’t involved since they are infinitely adjustable,of course)

Roll on!
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RTSmith
Reg. Nov 2003
Posted 2019-08-31 7:26 AM (#172673 - in reply to #172671)
Subject: RE: Clearance


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Posts: 784
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Location: Tenn/Ala.
I personally will typically place my 2 fists on top of each other and see if they will fit between the bed and gn frame rail. So that is probably about 8-9". One other item you may run into is that if the trailer is not level, the axles aren't evenly distributed weight wise. Then the rear axle tends to bend, and the trailer is bouncy. But a lot of the Valulites in that era had axles that were bolted on, so inserting a spacer block with using longer bolts is not overly complex and will raise the back of the trailer so you can keep it level and have bed clearance. And all of this is even more important with a short length trailer like yours. Good luck!

You know, I was at a trade show with a Ford "truck expert" the other day. And he seemed clueless that GN and 5th wheel folks were having trouble as the new trucks keep getting taller. Makes you wonder just how much they study what these trucks are actually used for.
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ThreeCW
Reg. Apr 2014
Posted 2019-08-31 8:58 AM (#172674 - in reply to #172671)
Subject: RE: Clearance


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Posts: 124
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Location: Calgary, Canada
RTSmith - I like your two fist rule ... except my two fists only measure 6.5" stacked on top of each other ... you must have huge fists . I want you on my side if we get into a bar fight.

RollinPonies
The amount of clearance you need depends on where you will be driving. If your are staying on flat paved or gravel roads, the two fist measure should be adequate ... but you still need to be careful. How much clearance do you currently have with your present truck and trailer? If you are driving through pastures or uneven roads, with only two fists, you risk bumping your rails and collapsing your box or tail gate. A friend with a taller truck runs only about 1 fist of clearance and has trouble even entering a gas station with his trailer.

If you are considering that 2019 F250, I would do a test fit with your trailer. Put a rubber mat in the box to protect the floor and a wide plank to distribute the weight. Then lower the pin of your gooseneck down with full weight onto the truck and check the actual clearance and the angle of your trailer. Adjust the hitch height as required to level (or close to level) the trailer. That should give you a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with that new truck.
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RollinPonies
Reg. Nov 2004
Posted 2019-08-31 2:21 PM (#172675 - in reply to #172671)
Subject: RE: Clearance


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Posts: 190
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Location: Texas
Thank you so much for your replies. They are very helpful. The “two fist” rule is an excellent starting point and probably will be my deciding factor. Blocking the trailer is not an option for me because the ramp would be far too steep.
In the past 15 years the trailer has always been on paved or gravel roads and I won’t be trailering “off road’ in the future with the horse trailer. (My wife’s hobby/passion is dressage.)
I know, of course, anything is possible and I could encounter a large paved mound in a road within a week of trailer in with the new combination. That’s the way the real world goes. I’ll be back in a week or so with how it all works out. ( I could just sell /trade the trailer but it is virtually like a new one. We’ve been meticulous about cleaning and maintenance and we really prefer pulling a gooseneck instead of a bumper-pull)


Off topic but related:
the reason I’m changing trucks is because the 2005 Sierra 2500 HD Duramax (LLY) decided to blow head gaskets at 150,500 miles. The truck was immaculate inside and out. Had never been chipped, never overheated. I love that truck and hoped to drive it to to 300,000 but that was not to be.

Roll on!

Edited by RollinPonies 2019-08-31 2:32 PM
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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2019-09-01 6:52 AM (#172676 - in reply to #172671)
Subject: RE: Clearance


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Location: North Carolina
R P … You might want to reconsider that NEW truck. EPA required Diesel pollution measures such as exhaust filters, DEF and more importantly... the various sensors and plumbing seem to be problematic.

New head gaskets are a lot less money than a new truck. (although not as much fun )

I'm considering a new utility tractor. A tractor that would be run in spurts as I do the various farm tasks. The short run times are bad for the exhaust filter... I might HAVE to bush hog the pastures to keep it clear.
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calamityj
Reg. Jun 2005
Posted 2019-09-01 8:15 AM (#172677 - in reply to #172671)
Subject: RE: Clearance


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Posts: 690
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Location: missouri
Do you mean a utility tractor like a Kubota? or a truck (tractor) to pull your trailer? We decided to get a small road tractor (Kenworth) a few years back after our F-350  brakes failed us 3 times (loaded with dogs/horses/family)..then again with me pulling big bales on a flatbed trailer... DONE with all the weenie pick up trucks. Now we have air on board, can haul 300 gallons of water with a pump, have braking power in the steep climbs and desents, and feel like we can pull our giant LQ safely.  
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RollinPonies
Reg. Nov 2004
Posted 2019-09-06 10:34 AM (#172683 - in reply to #172671)
Subject: RE: Clearance


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Posts: 190
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Location: Texas
Thanks for the advice about clearance. It seems my concerns were unfounded. There’s plenty of clearance with my new 2019 f250 shortbed crew cab ‘FX4’
I made a minor leveling adjustment on the coupler.

Roll on!
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