# Horse trailer, hitch and height issues



## dbazor (Feb 2, 2012)

I bought a 2011 dodge 1500 mega cab with the short bed this summer. At the time I was looking into bumper pull trailers. I came across a GN trailer that I couldn't pass up. I have been doing my homework and reading up on all views and aspects and could really use some help being that I am a single mom who has no knowledge of trailers and such.

The new trucks sit higher with the 20-21"wheels. My trailer is an older rounded gn with 15' wheels. My first issue is the height clearance of the trailer and the truck bed. What can I do to fix it? My second issue is my bed length. I have a turn over ball gn hitch to be installed and need to know if a 4" extention will help and will there be issues with the extension. I was looking at a 9" extension but was told that was too much. Someone help me please so I know I am doing the right thing.


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

I can't answer the hitch extension question, but when I was researching before I bought my current Dodge, I did learn that the 20" tires can reduce hauling capacity. 
This was both on the official Dodge site and on truck enthusiast sites. Since I happen to like Dodge trucks best but wanted to make sure it was the best choice for my farm needs, I looked at every nook and cranny/ins and outs of the Dodges and happen to discover that info quite by accident. I would have never known that on my own.

Anyway, when I bought my truck I had them switch out the 20" super flashy "upgrade" tires back to the standard tires- for which all the specs are written for anyway. Sometimes I haul some hefty loads for my class of truck and needed all the oomph I could get. I also searched long and hard for the sport model hemi because it is made with the better gear ratio for what I needed. My friend has a Dodge similar to mine, but with the larger tires and a different gear ratio. Those little differences give mine the ability to out haul and out perform her truck quite a bit. (Not that I ever rub it in her face or anything..... :wink
It also sits lower and holds trailers in a better position.

In addition to finding out the differences hauling a goose neck makes over a BP, it might be worth while to see if whatever upgrades many trucks have on them to look flashy haven't reduced your hauling and workability of the truck. Good thing to know before trying to haul something with your truck thinking it will work like the specs are written.


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Well can help a little bit, for your height problem you can get a height adjustable hitch. There easily capable of handling a horse trailer and are a little big but worth it.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

sell the gooseneck and buy one that is compatible with your truck. Or vice versa, You are gonna end up with more time and trouble trying to make something work. Your truck has alot of options that make it not so good for the task at hand. You need to get a trailer that is more suitable to your truck.
The hitch offsets are gonna farther reduce your safe towing load and make the front end lighter, which will effect handling. And there is not really anything you can do about the bed clearance. Raising the front of the trailer and your gonna end up lifting the trailers front axels, doubling the load on the rear axle leading to more problems. 
You got a great deal on the trailer, slap on a coat of paint and resell it, find something else.


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Lockwood said:


> I did learn that the 20" tires can reduce hauling capacity.
> 
> Anyway, when I bought my truck I had them switch out the 20" super flashy "upgrade" tires back to the standard tires- for which all the specs are written for anyway.


I can see why 20" tires can reduce hauling capacity. Those are small tires! What were the super flashy upgrade tires? Whitewall? Lol

Do you mean wheels? Tires are the rubber part while wheels are the metal.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

Unless you are talking oversized mud bogging tires, tires are always refereed to by the size of the hole in the middle.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Joe4d said:


> sell the gooseneck and buy one that is compatible with your truck. Or vice versa, You are gonna end up with more time and trouble trying to make something work. Your truck has alot of options that make it not so good for the task at hand. You need to get a trailer that is more suitable to your truck.
> The hitch offsets are gonna farther reduce your safe towing load and make the front end lighter, which will effect handling. And there is not really anything you can do about the bed clearance. Raising the front of the trailer and your gonna end up lifting the trailers front axels, doubling the load on the rear axle leading to more problems.
> You got a great deal on the trailer, slap on a coat of paint and resell it, find something else.


This is what I say also. You will cause more trouble than it is worth.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Bridgertrot said:


> I can see why 20" tires can reduce hauling capacity. Those are small tires! What were the super flashy upgrade tires? Whitewall? Lol
> 
> Do you mean wheels? Tires are the rubber part while wheels are the metal.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 20" is not small, standard on a 1/2 ton is 15" and a 3/4 ton is 16" 
Changing them shouldn't make a difference though as the smaller wheel will have a higher profile tire so the overall hieght might still be the same


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

dbazor said:


> My first issue is the height clearance of the trailer and the truck bed. What can I do to fix it?


Depends on the trailer. Many GNs have a hitch that are height adjustable. Or the existing one can be removed and a new one installed that fits. If it's not a backyard trailer job, a welder should be able to set that up in an hour or so for you. Maybe two max.



> My second issue is my bed length. I have a turn over ball gn hitch to be installed and need to know if a 4" extention will help and will there be issues with the extension. I was looking at a 9" extension but was told that was too much. Someone help me please so I know I am doing the right thing.


Measure the distance centre of hitch to outside on the trailer and centre of hitch to front of trailer. Measure distances from hitch location in truck bed to back of cab. That will give you your answer.

I haul a GN with my 2007 Chevy 4x4 with 20" wheels on the truck and 16" (I think, I'd have to verify to be sure) wheels on the trailer, no extension hitch and no mods needed to either. Can you post a pic of the GN hitch on the trailer and the truck & trailer lined up on a flat surface with the tailgate down?


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Ah 20" tires are a good size our Jeep Liberty '08 has 22" ones and we haul the boat with not height problem.


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## Lockwood (Nov 8, 2011)

Bridgertrot said:


> I can see why 20" tires can reduce hauling capacity. Those are small tires! What were the super flashy upgrade tires? Whitewall? Lol
> 
> Do you mean wheels? Tires are the rubber part while wheels are the metal.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 Um... yes. I meant wheels I guess. The big silvery metal part, not the rubbery part. (Mechanical things are not my strong point.) 

Where I live it is common on the Dodges for the standard wheels to be switched out with bigger ones to appeal more to the avareage buyer (again, in my area.) 
Switching wheel sizes can reduce hauling. Depending on the size, up to 1/2 ton is lost, according to the Dodge site. 
When I asked several different sales people why the wheels are switched like that when it reduces performance, I was told most folks prefer the way it looks with the special wheels/tires more than how it performs. 

My friend's Dodge I mentioned previously sits higher than mine. Her wheels/tires are also measurably bigger than mine. 
We both have hauled the exact same trailer before and it sits level on my truck and front high/tipped on her truck. We both have the same hitch bar on our trucks. 

As an aside, I remembered after my first post that I received conflicting info on using the Ram 1500 Quad cab/Mega cab short bed to haul a GN. The regular sales people where like ... "Sure, no problem." (of course)
The truck/trailer/specialty shop place said not to do it.


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

The problem with new trucks and old GN trailers is there isn't enough clearance between the GN and the side rails and tailgate on the truck. When you properly adjust the height of the neck to where the floor of the trailer is level, you might have as little a 1-2 inches of clearance. When you go up a steep driveway or go around a corner, the trailer can actually hit the truck. Ever wonder why you see alot of trucks with a big dent right on the top of the tailgate?


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## Bridgertrot (Dec 2, 2011)

Joe4d said:


> Unless you are talking oversized mud bogging tires, tires are always refereed to by the size of the hole in the middle.


Wrong. Let's have a lesson in tires:

There are two different measurement systems. One is metric and one is inches. Let's start with inches because it is more simple.

The form is as follows: tire height x tire width R wheel size.
For example many trucks will have a 31x12.5 R15 tire.

The metric form is more complicated. It begins with the width in millimeters, then the aspect ratio and finally the rim size. The aspect ratio is the complicated part. It is a percentage of the tire width that represents the height of the tire with the size of the wheel subtracted. For example a tall skinny tire with a small rim will have a very high aspect ratio. A short fat tire with a big wheel will have a very low aspect ratio. The form is as follows: tire width (mm)/aspect ratio R wheel size. For example, a common size is 235/75R16

The point is, the size of a wheel has nothing to do with the height and width of the tire. And no, I don't just mean "mud bogging" tires. For example many cars and trucks use a 15" wheel. But trucks generally have a larger tire with more sidewall on the very same sized wheel.

I understand that this is a horse forum that has nothing to do with anything automotive most of the time. But please, check your facts before spreading misinformation.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

check your facts and common usage, 31's are oversized mud bogging tires.

Look at any tire shop's tire listings, they are seperated by by the size of the hole, 14's, 15's 18's. the first thing you have to know is the size of the hole. Your 31's are meaningless info if you dont first know what size the hole is as you can get 31's in several different sizes.
I know exactly what the various numbers in tire sizing means you decided to be overly pedantic and try to point out errors in someones terminology, when every single person on this thread knew exactly what the poster meant by 20" tires.
SO get your facts straight before getting overly pedantic.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Bridgertrot said:


> For example many trucks will have a 31x12.5 *R15* tire.
> <snip>
> 
> tire width (mm)/aspect ratio R wheel size. For example, a common size is 235/75*R16 *




Bolded refers to the rim size / size of hole in tire.



> The point is, the size of a wheel has nothing to do with the height and width of the tire. And no, I don't just mean "mud bogging" tires. For example many cars and trucks use a 15" wheel. But trucks generally have a larger tire with more sidewall on the very same sized wheel.


Well, seeing as we are talking about a truck and a gn trailer here, we kinda already get that this is a truck tire... and since there are many "generalities" we can assume that a 15" tire on a truck is not going to be a low profile tire, as opposed to a 20" tire on a truck for 'dem 'dere city slickers that don't have to drive in mud and snow.

You also didn't mention anything about highway tractor tires which have another totally different measurement system. If you want that explanation, let me know and I'll get MDH to explain it to me again. I've forgotten over the years.

If you decided to go into all this detail because of the height relationship between the truck and the trailer, maybe you should have also asked about the suspension in both vehicles as well. :wink:


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Lockwood said:


> Um... yes. I meant wheels I guess. The big silvery metal part, not the rubbery part. (Mechanical things are not my strong point.)
> 
> Where I live it is common on the Dodges for the standard wheels to be switched out with bigger ones to appeal more to the avareage buyer (again, in my area.)
> Switching wheel sizes can reduce hauling. Depending on the size, up to 1/2 ton is lost, according to the Dodge site.
> ...


Two things have to be looked at for tires and rims. One is how much weight can a tire carry, that is stamped right on the side of your tire. Second is how much weight your rims are rated at, this can take a bit of research to find out. FYI, lots of larger rims are designed for looks and not carrying capacity so this is really important to find out.


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