Trailer height

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Have had a stock trailer fall from the sky. Non-adjustable hitch.

It's a bit older but is in pretty good shape. They had been restoring it. All it needs is lights (new wires ran already) and some tires. And a couple pieces of hardware and a couple crossmembers beefed up.

Trying to make it work with my early 99 ford truck. The ass-end of the truck sits high. 4 inch blocks in rear from factory. I could swap em for 2 inch blocks, but rather not do that if I can get around it. I like the height personally.

I'm leaning towards putting a set of 235/85 14 ply tires aired to 100 or 110psi to raise the trailer to a more acceptable height.

Also read about blocking the trailers suspension up. It is leaf sprung.

What's yalls opinion?

Also, any sense in worrying about getting a cover for the top? Be just fine without one right?

If anyone has a better idea I'm all ears.
 

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Raising the back of the trailer may make the cattle baulk, to step up into it. IMO

Unless there are modifications, dirt ramp, low spot for trailer, etc to load em.

Any adjustment in the hitch?
 
I would lean toward lowering the front of the trailer before raising the rear. Like mentioned, cattle may not load easy.
 
@ClinchValley86 , yes, you can get taller tires. People say that will make it too high in back for the cows to get on, but if you could lower the neck enough to get the trailer to sit level, the back end is gonna rise anyhow. Or, you can lower the suspension on your truck. Or, put a flat bed on it. How is your GN hitch mounted? Won't make but an inch or two difference. but you can cut out for it in the bed of the truck, and mount the GN hitch flat on the frame. Those are all things that you could do. Probably, what I myself would do, is just use it like it is. How many times a year do you think you will haul cows? And how far?
 
I have some experience with this. I purchased my 99 F350 in late 1998. I had a 20' aluminum Featherlite trailer. Those early 99 model 4wd f350's were made with a very high set on the rear. You looked down at the road when driving them. I think the intent was to make a taller truck than the dodge trucks at the time.

When I hooked up to my trailer, there was very little clearance between the top of the tailgate and the bottom of the trailer neck. Might have been ok for a paved road only, but too close for comfort for crossing terraces, ditches and rough terrain. Spacers between the trailer axles and the trailer body to raise the trailer could be an option, but makes loading and unloading more of an issue due to height of the trailer rear. And I had torsion axles which attach a little different than conventional spring and equalizer setup. Lowering the hitch tube on the neck will increase the clearance, but shifts more load onto the rear torsion axle and less on the front since they have very little movement with load. Trailers with torsion axles need to be set for a level trailer floor front to rear. No load equalizers on torsion axles.

Springs and equalizers are more forgiving of a higher front and lower rear on the trailer, but that setup is more likely to let the equalizer end of the rear springs "bottom out" against the trailer frame on rough ground.

Replacing the truck box with a flatbed is an option as was mentioned, but pretty expensive and not what I wanted. My solution was to buy a trailer with a higher neck on it.

A few months into 1999, Ford's customers with gooseneck trailers explained to them that they had messed up with the tall rear on those trucks. So, they came out with a no-cost replacement kit to lower the rear. 2" blocks between the truck axles and the springs instead of the 4" blocks as well as shorter rear shocks. I don't know if those parts are still available at no cost. The headlights will need to be adjusted as well. And they then made the 2" blocks standard on the dual rear wheel F350 trucks.

The shorter the trailer, the more of an issue the angle is. I replaced the trailer with a 24' with a little higher neck, but still a little close for comfort. So I had the lowering kit installed as well. But, sure cost me some money since I had bought the other trailer prior to the lowering kit being available.

Replace the blocks and shocks. Or remove the tailgate and only make turns on flat roads. :)
That 99 F350 now has almost 128k miles on it.
 
One other thing. The fella wouldn't price it to me. Just told me to get it out of his way and use it. I'm trying to trade him or get a price on it. A cheap price. Lol.

So I'm not trying to modify someone else's trailer. Although raising the neck would solve the issue. If I can make it mine that's what I'd do,and put an adjustable coupler.

I figure a set of 14 ply tires aired up to 100 or 110 psi would help. Right now the rear is just too dang low. Plus if he comes to get his trailer, I can keep the wheels/tires and not be out $800.

In case yall don't know, my 16' horse trailer w overhead box has already destroyed my truck bed. A flatbed is being sought after, for a deal, refuse to pay much for one to go on a farm Truck.
 
Kiefer can cut the hitch off and install an adjustable hitch .
Edit, if its not yours, take it back to him and repair your old trailer. Your gonna hate the butterfly doors when you load out. Plus without a top the floor is gonna have to be cleaned and even treated very often.
 
I have some experience with this. I purchased my 99 F350 in late 1998. I had a 20' aluminum Featherlite trailer. Those early 99 model 4wd f350's were made with a very high set on the rear. You looked down at the road when driving them. I think the intent was to make a taller truck than the dodge trucks at the time.

When I hooked up to my trailer, there was very little clearance between the top of the tailgate and the bottom of the trailer neck. Might have been ok for a paved road only, but too close for comfort for crossing terraces, ditches and rough terrain. Spacers between the trailer axles and the trailer body to raise the trailer could be an option, but makes loading and unloading more of an issue due to height of the trailer rear. And I had torsion axles which attach a little different than conventional spring and equalizer setup. Lowering the hitch tube on the neck will increase the clearance, but shifts more load onto the rear torsion axle and less on the front since they have very little movement with load. Trailers with torsion axles need to be set for a level trailer floor front to rear. No load equalizers on torsion axles.

Springs and equalizers are more forgiving of a higher front and lower rear on the trailer, but that setup is more likely to let the equalizer end of the rear springs "bottom out" against the trailer frame on rough ground.

Replacing the truck box with a flatbed is an option as was mentioned, but pretty expensive and not what I wanted. My solution was to buy a trailer with a higher neck on it.

A few months into 1999, Ford's customers with gooseneck trailers explained to them that they had messed up with the tall rear on those trucks. So, they came out with a no-cost replacement kit to lower the rear. 2" blocks between the truck axles and the springs instead of the 4" blocks as well as shorter rear shocks. I don't know if those parts are still available at no cost. The headlights will need to be adjusted as well. And they then made the 2" blocks standard on the dual rear wheel F350 trucks.

The shorter the trailer, the more of an issue the angle is. I replaced the trailer with a 24' with a little higher neck, but still a little close for comfort. So I had the lowering kit installed as well. But, sure cost me some money since I had bought the other trailer prior to the lowering kit being available.

Replace the blocks and shocks. Or remove the tailgate and only make turns on flat roads. :)
That 99 F350 now has almost 128k miles on it.
That's on my to do list for sure.
 
I would go look for a new set of springs. Springs sag alot over time. They have them with more or less leafs also. Being that it's a used trailer, going through the bushings, wheel bearings, etc would not be a bad idea.
About to go thru the whole thing before I use it. Was used to haul rodeo bulls all over. He claimed they'd have 6 to 8 of them in it. So it's be worked hard. Bur seems to be in pretty solid shape. Has an aluminum panel type floor out of a big truck stock trailer.

Your probably onto something with the sagging springs. I brought it home just last night and haven't got the chance to check it over too good it did pull smoothly.
 
@ClinchValley86 , yes, you can get taller tires. People say that will make it too high in back for the cows to get on, but if you could lower the neck enough to get the trailer to sit level, the back end is gonna rise anyhow. Or, you can lower the suspension on your truck. Or, put a flat bed on it. How is your GN hitch mounted? Won't make but an inch or two difference. but you can cut out for it in the bed of the truck, and mount the GN hitch flat on the frame. Those are all things that you could do. Probably, what I myself would do, is just use it like it is. How many times a year do you think you will haul cows? And how far?
I'd like to start hauling some for people to make a little extra coin on sale day.

Sometimes I'm having to haul 5 or 6 finished beefs at one time, hour or two one way depending where I'm going.

The ass is so low on it that I can see it getting hung up off road.

It needs tires, and they're removable, so that's probably where I'll start after the suspension Checks out.

My truck is damn high. Probably order some of those blocks here soon. Trailer or not. It's hard to climb up onto the tailgate.
 
I'd like to start hauling some for people to make a little extra coin on sale day.

Sometimes I'm having to haul 5 or 6 finished beefs at one time, hour or two one way depending where I'm going.

The ass is so low on it that I can see it getting hung up off road.

It needs tires, and they're removable, so that's probably where I'll start after the suspension Checks out.

My truck is damn high. Probably order some of those blocks here soon. Trailer or not. It's hard to climb up onto the tailgate.
I have a '02, 6-spd manual, sngl cab F350, cab & chasis, 4wd. that was a service truck for Ga Power. I pulled the bed off, cut the frame off at the end and put a wrecker bed on it. No boom of course, just the bed. GN plate is mounted to the frame. I can stand flat footed and hook up the GN hitch, lights etc. Got a lot more room between the trailer and the back of the truck now, too. I prefer single cabs these days, because I can look out the back window and see the GN ball when I back up to hitch up. With it being a 6-spd manual, and the very light weight bed, and my BullyDog programmer, I am getting 18+ mpg easily. You could look around and see if you could find a wrecker bed. You just have to get someone to weld in a piece of metal to fill the hole the boom used to come out of. This one, I just went up to where they make them, and ordered one without the cut out for the boom. I hate it when I have to use a pickup or flat bed now. Too hard for me to climb in and out of a truck bed, or lean over to hook the trailer up on a flat bed.
 
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That's on my to do list for sure.
I think this is the correct TSB for changing the blocks from 4" to 2". It has model numbers for the parts. Looks like maybe the mounting of the carrier bearing support may need some modification as well due to change of the angle of the drive shaft due to lowering. Might be helpful.
 

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Unpopular opinion here, but if you don't mind working it....I'd buy one that's a few years old and make it pay for itself. In the big picture trailers aren't that pricey and you can easily tie up a bunch of money in an old one trying to fix it.
Agreed, you can also buy one with the features you want rather than modify another one. I vote for torsion axles too as maintenance is far less than springs. We have the roads from he!! and have had both. Air bags under a trailer has made even less repairs.
 
From the picture the truck height looks to be the biggest problem, but tires on the trailer will help some.
 

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