Towing capacity

[deezler]

Around 2" is just right for my 2500HD also. 5-6" would be ridiculous and have my headlights aiming into people's faces. Note, if you have a 1500 pickup, you might need a 5" drop to have safe tongue weight.

 

[TMGT]

I disagree. 5" or 6" is way too much. 2"-3" is enough. If my new Ram 2500 dropped 5" it would be on the axle/frame stops.

Note the gap in the front/rear fender wells, I am down in the rear about 2.5", truck is maxed out. If the rear went down another 3" it would be ugly.

View attachment 713323

Agreed, the manufacturer actually puts most trucks a about 2-3in high in the rear and they should be about level when loaded.

If you look at the front "leveling" kits for p-ups they typically add about 2-2.5in of lift.

If you're truck is dropping 5-6in either you are overloaded for your specs or your springs are worn out. I added air bags to raise my 3/4t capacity to a 1t.

 

[Egon]

When towing a bumper hitch trailer the rear of the truck should remain at the same level as when unloaded. This is what the wheel alignment is set up for. Adjustments come with the load leveller ( an item required for the heavier loads over 5000 pounds ?? ) or air bags.

 

[JWR]

When towing a bumper hitch trailer the rear of the truck should remain at the same level as when unloaded. This is what the wheel alignment is set up for. Adjustments come with the load leveller ( an item required for the heavier loads over 5000 pounds ?? ) or air bags.

Nope. Not physically possible. You need tongue weight (obviously) and springs do go down as weight is added by definition of what a spring is. Wheel alignment is unrelated . If you have some auxiliary load leveling system that overcomes the normal drop, that is tangential to this discussion but understood.

 

[JWR]

Agreed, the manufacturer actually puts most trucks a about 2-3in high in the rear and they should be about level when loaded.

If you look at the front "leveling" kits for p-ups they typically add about 2-2.5in of lift.

If you're truck is dropping 5-6in either you are overloaded for your specs or your springs are worn out. I added air bags to raise my 3/4t capacity to a 1t.

Not true. I am not at all overloaded and my springs are in great shape. A five to 6" drop of course is exactly proportional to the weight placed on the rear of the truck. 2-3" is NOT enough for medium range , say 8000 lb GVWR , load hauling (not enough tongue weight.) I'm talking using a half ton 4WD pickup. F-150. A 5" drop in the rear of a pickup is not all that much. NO, that does not point the headlights up in the air as one suggested. Does not really change the overall angle of the frame of the truck very much. Most of the talkers are not measuring, they are using their impression eyeballs (just as I often do myself.)

 

[JWR]

Around 2" is just right for my 2500HD also. 5-6" would be ridiculous and have my headlights aiming into people's faces. Note, if you have a 1500 pickup, you might need a 5" drop to have safe tongue weight.

With a 5th wheel towing arrangement you are in a totally different circumstance. The exact same load on an identical trailer (but one with a hitch ball tow arrangement for a receiver hitch instead of a 5th wheel pad) WOULD lower your rear bumper by a lot more than 2-3 inches.

 

[deezler]

With a 5th wheel towing arrangement you are in a totally different circumstance. The exact same load on an identical trailer (but one with a hitch ball tow arrangement for a receiver hitch instead of a 5th wheel pad) WOULD lower your rear bumper by a lot more than 2-3 inches.

I don't have a 5th wheel... I only bumper tow. My '03 2500HD has ~3200 lbs payload capacity, so 1000 lbs of tongue weight doesn't slam it down very far. With all due respect please don't assume you know more than someone else's experience without understanding their towing setup whatsoever.

 

[JWR]

I don't have a 5th wheel... I only bumper tow. My '03 2500HD has ~3200 lbs payload capacity, so 1000 lbs of tongue weight doesn't slam it down very far. With all due respect please don't assume you know more than someone else's experience without understanding their towing setup whatsoever.

My apologies -- I mistook you for the #111 post guy who shows a photo of the 5th wheel he is using. Don't assume what I assume, with all due respect...

 

[timswi]

Agreed, the manufacturer actually puts most trucks a about 2-3in high in the rear and they should be about level when loaded.

If you look at the front "leveling" kits for p-ups they typically add about 2-2.5in of lift.

If you're truck is dropping 5-6in either you are overloaded for your specs or your springs are worn out. I added air bags to raise my 3/4t capacity to a 1t.

I agree. My 19 2500 GMC Tows my 10k TT perfectly with apx 2" rake taken out with tongue weight making the truck level. My buddy leveled his F250 and when he tows, the front is higher than the rear due to toungue weight. This is why I won't level my truck and I'm not adding airbags just for appearances. I'm no engineer but it seems that the 2" drop comes on pretty fast then rapidly stiffens up...My 1500's acted the same way although under lighter toungue loads obviously.

 

[TMGT]

Not true. I am not at all overloaded and my springs are in great shape. A five to 6" drop of course is exactly proportional to the weight placed on the rear of the truck. 2-3" is NOT enough for medium range , say 8000 lb GVWR , load hauling (not enough tongue weight.) I'm talking using a half ton 4WD pickup. F-150. A 5" drop in the rear of a pickup is not all that much. NO, that does not point the headlights up in the air as one suggested. Does not really change the overall angle of the frame of the truck very much. Most of the talkers are not measuring, they are using their impression eyeballs (just as I often do myself.)

If you're getting 5-6in of drop and are within your load limit then you might want to look into getting better springs or helpers. As for headlights, I can tell you from experience (former VA state safety inspector) if your headlights are aimed correctly when unloaded then they are too high when the rear drops 6in.

As for weight, I tow a couple bumper pulls, one grosses about 16k and has close to 2k tongue weight so I'm familiar with heavier loads on a pickup. My truck will sit level with its rated cargo capacity (2-2.5" drop).

Just blanket telling people they need 5-6in of drop to be loaded correctly is spreading poor information.