5.0 towing - how far 'off level'?

[Centex]

The Escape 5.0 Towing Compatibility Guidelines state on pages 2 and 3:

The "trailer can be safely run within 1" of level as measured from belly-band to ground."

I'm assuming that's at the most forward end of the 'belly-band', at the front of the bedroom loft nearest the kingpin (please comment if you suggest different!). Also taking it as a given that we do that measurement when all hitched and loaded for travel, parked on level pavement.

Obviously different truck/hitch combinations afford different height adjustment ranges and increments. So the question for those of real-world experience with this trailer ....

• Do you run with the trailer nose-low at all, or is that a bright-line you avoid?
• How many inches nose-high do you allow before you start looking at adjusting things to bring down the nose of the trailer?

The question goes to ensuring that the particular combination of hitch (with it's adjustment range), lift kit (or not), and pinbox configuration will work well for my particular truck insofar as the attitude (level-ness) of the trailer.

[davidmurphy02]

I'm sure ETI's recommendation is based on most hitches having several height adjustments, usually 1-1/2" or so apart, so you can make general adjustments but not necessarily fine tune it - it should be possible to get within <1" of level for just about any hitch.

Spot-on would be ideal, and mine just happened to work out that way, but if I had to choose between slightly nose high or nose low I'd go nose low. A nose high setup could lend itself to more bouncing/bucking. A nose low setup would put more weight on the hitch, but as long as you have plenty of payload capacity that shouldn't matter.

You won't know for sure exactly how much your truck will settle until you hitch up a fully loaded trailer so it's hard to be super precise in advance, but if you know the overall measurements of your truck, hitch and trailer you can guesstimate how much your truck will settle and come pretty close - when I hitched up the first time with what I thought would be the correct hitch height setting, the trailer was very level and my height was within 1/4" of what I had calculated.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

I'm sure ETI's recommendation is based on most hitches having several height adjustments, usually 1-1/2" or so apart, so you can make general adjustments but not necessarily fine tune it - it should be possible to get within <1" of level for just about any hitch.

Spot-on would be ideal, and mine just happened to work out that way, but if I had to choose between slightly nose high or nose low I'd go nose low. A nose high setup could lend itself to more bouncing/bucking. A nose low setup would put more weight on the hitch, but as long as you have plenty of payload capacity that shouldn't matter.

You won't know for sure exactly how much your truck will settle until you hitch up a fully loaded trailer so it's hard to be super precise in advance, but if you know the overall measurements of your truck, hitch and trailer you can guesstimate how much your truck will settle and come pretty close - when I hitched up the first time with what I thought would be the correct hitch height setting, the trailer was very level and my height was within 1/4" of what I had calculated.

Hi: davidmurphy02... When we picked up our 5.0TA the closest we could get it was 1/2" nose low. When we got home the truck needed new tires and the combo came out spot on!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[AK snowbiker]

We run about a half an inch nose high to pretty level depending on how the truck and trailer is loaded.

This is with the pin box raised one hole from the stock position. Our bed rail height is 58” giving us around 7” of clearance. The trailer has the high lift option, with the early leaf spring suspension.


I like bikes!

[davidmurphy02]

Of course, everyone with a 5.0 tends to walk around a little "nose high" just from pride....

[marsman]

AMEN David ... so proud

[Fox hunt]

I thought the rule was never low but slightly high was ok ? But maybe I got it wrong or maybe that's for a bumper pull not a fifth wheel. Mine is slightly high maybe half inch - but really pretty level.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

I'm sure ETI's recommendation is based on most hitches having several height adjustments, usually 1-1/2" or so apart, so you can make general adjustments but not necessarily fine tune it - it should be possible to get within <1" of level for just about any hitch.

I agree. If you can get within one inch over the whole length of the trailer, you are doing very well - you certainly don't need to be closer, and it probably won't be physically possible to get closer given the adjustment increments of the pin box and hitch.

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Spot-on would be ideal, and mine just happened to work out that way, but if I had to choose between slightly nose high or nose low I'd go nose low. A nose high setup could lend itself to more bouncing/bucking. A nose low setup would put more weight on the hitch, but as long as you have plenty of payload capacity that shouldn't matter.

That's backwards for a tandem-axle trailer: lowering the nose of a tandem will reduce the hitch weight, which is a reflection of load transferring from the trailer's trailing axle to the trailer's leading axle, moving the effective axle centre forward. This is bad for stability.

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

I thought the rule was never low but slightly high was ok ? But maybe I got it wrong or maybe that's for a bumper pull not a fifth wheel.

That's correct. There is no difference in this respect between a "bumper pull" and a trailer hitched over the truck's bed (whether fifth-wheel or ball hitch).

With a tandem, you want level or slightly nose-high; with a single-axle trailer, you want level or slightly nose-low. Either way the idea is to vary from level only in the direction of higher hitch load.

[AK snowbiker]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Of course, everyone with a 5.0 tends to walk around a little "nose high" just from pride....

Right on David, after six and half years of ownership we still love the 5.0 TA.

This last summer we looked long and hard at the Winnie Navion and the Lazy Daze 27 mid bath Class C’s and the realization that the 5.0 is still the best fit for us.

I like bikes!