How can I reduce truck squat?

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Rob&Deryl

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Mar 27, 2017
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On the road from mid NH
I would like to reduce (eliminate?) the few inches the truck squats when the 5th wheel is hooked up.

The reason is to get the headlights aimed where they belong and not into every oncoming car.

I do know this is not about increasing payload. I am not over the trucks payload.

Suggestions?

Thank you!
 
I have scaled 4 times this summer. We have always been within specs. Sometimes heavier than others and the weights in different places as we experiment with where to carry stuff. The heavy weight was when we had a full fresh tank.

So, getting back to my question please? When I put the trailer on, the rear wheel well (where I measured) drops about 2.5” which raises the headlight beam. If it pointed at the sky, I wouldn’t worry about oncoming drivers because I would not be driving it 😀

The truck has a 3550 payload. Last 2 scaling had the trailer wheels under 11,000 (GVWR is just under 14k). I don’t remember the truck numbers right now.
 
I had a truck camper a few years ago and when loaded the truck would rock side to side. I purchased a Timbren Kit and that stopped all the rocking . I’ve since sold the camper but now when I hook up my 5er, the truck doesn’t squat as much like it did before I installed the kit. Just pop out the old solid rubber mount between the frame and the axle and pop in the new longer solid rubber Timbren Mount
 
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Without numbers its hard to say - but - the truck is built to drop when you add weight to hitch/ box that drop is normal my truck drops 4inches in the rear to make it level when towing
If you look at the truck before you load trailer the rear is always higher that rake is so that loaded its level
As you know airbags/timbrins dont change your payload capacity but can "level" you but actually will put more load on the rear axle by pushing it downward
 
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My truck, squated 2 1/2 to maybe 3” when I’m hooked to my 5th wheel. Of coarse immediately the “Weight Police” jumped all over me like one did you. Lol. First off as far as I’m concerned the hitch should of been an inch or two forwards of center of rear axel as opposed to dead center. This would of put a little more on the front axel however….
I I drove approx 15’ from garage door, noted the height the headlights shined on the door. Adjusted them down a couple inches or so. Since then I can still see after dark, even though slightly lower. I no longer have half of the oncoming traffic flashing me, especially with 5th wheel hooked up.
I since installed a set of timbrens which reduces the rear drop by an inch or so which is great without having any bearing on empty ride. However the ride with the trailer is not good and the affect on the trailer concerns me. I am not a huge fan of air bags but may be the only available alternative.
Before going thru all this I suggest lowering your lights a little
 
I have scaled 4 times this summer. We have always been within specs. Sometimes heavier than others and the weights in different places as we experiment with where to carry stuff. The heavy weight was when we had a full fresh tank.

So, getting back to my question please? When I put the trailer on, the rear wheel well (where I measured) drops about 2.5” which raises the headlight beam. If it pointed at the sky, I wouldn’t worry about oncoming drivers because I would not be driving it 😀

The truck has a 3550 payload. Last 2 scaling had the trailer wheels under 11,000 (GVWR is just under 14k). I don’t remember the truck numbers right now.
You say the GVWR on the trailer is 14000 x25% is 3500lbs add 200 hitch add 500 for people and gear you are now at 4200lbs on a payload of 3550.
The scaled trailer may be 11000 lbs on the axles but your missing your pin weight in that equation.
The reason your ights are high is because while you dont think your over your limits your truck it teling you otherwise
 
Without numbers its hard to say - but - the truck is built to drop when you add weight to hitch/ box that drop is normal my truck drops 4inches in the rear to make it level when towing
You say the GVWR on the trailer is 14000 x25% is 3500lbs add 200 hitch add 500 for people and gear you are now at 4200lbs on a payload of 3550.
The scaled trailer may be 11000 lbs on the axles but your missing your pin weight in that equation.
The reason your ights are high is because while you dont think your over your limits your truck it teling you otherwise
Would you stop with weight stuff!
I said I was not over! I just don’t have the scale docs at hand. I am very careful about weight! I am weighing every chance I get to be sure. Read some of my other posts.

The squat is the same as when I towed the empty trailer home. I have been careful about where we stowed things. Each weigh we do, we analyze what changed and what the resulting weights were. If you push down on the rear, the lights will aim a bit higher. I would like to not have to adjust my lights every time I hook up. Heck, I have only towed once at night and that was towing it home and that was when I noticed a difference in the lighting.
I asked here for suggestions , not a lecture on me doing it all wrong.
I am done here.
 
Glad to hear. You flat refuse of offer the information we need to make an educaed guess to help you, then get pissed we ask!
 
Its really quite simple the truck is meant to squat under normal loads if it squats too much and your lights are high you have to much weight on it. Its really not rocket science. The manufacturers design the trucks to be level when loaded not level too much load.
 
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Would you stop with weight stuff!
I said I was not over! I just don’t have the scale docs at hand. I am very careful about weight! I am weighing every chance I get to be sure. Read some of my other posts.

The squat is the same as when I towed the empty trailer home. I have been careful about where we stowed things. Each weigh we do, we analyze what changed and what the resulting weights were. If you push down on the rear, the lights will aim a bit higher. I would like to not have to adjust my lights every time I hook up. Heck, I have only towed once at night and that was towing it home and that was when I noticed a difference in the lighting.
I asked here for suggestions , not a lecture on me doing it all wrong.
I am done here.
Don’t leave! Simply put the “Weight Police” On ignore. There’s only 3-4 of them with the same crap every time anyone mentions anything remotely construed to have anything to do with weight! This really is a good forum.
 
Don’t leave! Simply put the “Weight Police” On ignore. There’s only 3-4 of them with the same crap every time anyone mentions anything remotely construed to have anything to do with weight! This really is a good forum.
Their not leaving. They’ be been members for over 4 years with over 1400 posts under their belt.
 
Their not leaving. They’ be been members for over 4 years with over 1400 posts under their belt.
Well that’s good, I fully understand their frustration! I’m also tired of every third post going to being over weight! I mean they said they were not overweight in their first post!!! They simply care about their lights not being in every ones eyes, seems to be a rarety.,
 
Have you considered aftermarket air bags or possibly air shocks? With either of them you could adjust when towing.
Good idea! I have had air shocks but couldn’t justify the cost of on board compressor. Recently installed Tombrebs on my F-250, does the job, has zero effect when not towing but on a tough road (I-95 in So. Carolina) the ride is terrible. I wonder if I over did it??
 
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