? For the Trailer Gurus

[Bigboyskioti]

I have a double axle 7000 pound trailer it's 16' with a 2' dovetail for a total of 18'. My truck is an '01 Dodge 2500 that sits pretty high. Now here's the problem. The trailer sits to low, even with a drop hitch the dovetail sits about 3" above the ground. I'm thimking of lifting it. The axles sit on top of the springs and I'm wanting to flip them to the bottom. I know this can be done I just want some in put from you guys. Thanks Mitch

 

[LoneCowboy]

How much of a drop hitch?
I had a 95 Ram 2500 (same basic truck as yours) and I had to use a 6" drop to get my trailer level.
Adjust the hitch (and you'll have to go seriously heavy duty on the hitch, because you lose carrying capacity with big drops like that)
Don't flip the springs until absolutely last resort.

 

[RollTideRam]

I had a trailer that had 4" drop axles. Does your trailer? I also have a 4x4 2500 Ram that is an 01. I use an ajustable mount from Putnam that is solid steel and rated for 10k. It drops 10 inches. I sold my last trailer mainly because of dragging the dove tail. They are nice for loading cars, but I still drug it on many streets. JC

 

[Egon]

I have the same problem. The equalizing hitch is at the lowest setting and the trailer axles are also mounted above the axles. I am also considering having the axles mounted below the springs.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Do as the others say and get a hitch with a good drop to match. I have used as much as a 12" drop with my F-350. I used to pull a trailer that weighed 15,600# with a F-250, it was a tri-axle trailer, and it squatted the truck bad. It keep blowing front trailer tires due to a good majority of the weight being on the front trailer axle. Get the right truck, hitch, and trailer or you will have problems like I did.

Chris

 

[tillerkiller]

Dexter makes a kit to put your axles underneath your springs without any welding. There is more than one kit because there are different sized axles. By the way, don't just flip the axles over because they are typically bowed in the middle, even if you can't see it, so that only one way is up.

 

[Bigboyskioti]

Replacing the truck, and trailer isn't going to happen.....
I'm running with an 8" drop now. This is something that has been a problem for awhile now and I need to do something to correct it. I've laid a straight edge on the axles and still don't see a bow. Any more ideas? I even thought about replacing spring shakels. I'm not knocking what some of you have said I'm just trying to find the best way to do this.

 

[MrJimi]

Standard hitch ball height is around 16 to 18 inches from ground and all springs are built with a spring saddle and pin, if you put axle over spring you will have to add saddles, how high is your truck? do you have pictures? and you do want your trailer sitting level loaded and if you turn axles around to have seats on top, your brakes will not work properley

 

[InlineDieselFan]

Just to be clear, when using your 8" drop hitch is the trailer level? Or is it nose up so that the dovetail is now only 3" off of the ground?

I would get a longer drop hitch until the trailer is level, if the trailer is level and you still only have 3" of clearance under the dovetail. Then I would look to see if there was some sort of spacer available to help 'raise' the trailer.

steve

 

[Bigboyskioti]

The trailer is nose up when using the 8" drop. I have a couple options that I have been thinking about. One is flipping the axles, another is longer shackels, I could cut the dovetail and just raise it a couple inches, the last thing I can think of is taller tires. I just thought it would be easier to flip the axles. The one problem with getting a longer drop is the fact that you lose some capacity with every 2" of drop.