Trailer Ride Height

Travel trailers should ride level when being towed.  This maintains the right weight distribution for better handling, proper tire wear, better air flow, and may help minimize fuel consumption.  A trailer that sits too low in front or too high in back exposes part of the bottom or the top of the trailer to frontal winds effectively increasing total frontal area and increasing drag.  In addition, a trailer that sits too high in front may get extra wind underneath the trailer, which could have a tendency to lift some of the weight off the hitch and the tires, causing handling problems.  One that is too low in front may transfer a disproportionate amount of weight to the hitch.  Improper hitch weight can affect handling and safety.  I'm sure we've all seen a little trailer behind a big truck or motorhome with its tongue angled up sharply.  Not only does it look strange, it is probably somewhat unsafe because it alters the hitch weight and the geometry of the connection between the trailer and the tow vehicle.  A hitch that is angled on the ball, either up or down, instead of flat will put extra stress on the ball and the hitch and could cause premature failure (either slipping off the ball or breaking the ball or the hitch). When the hitch is level the ball should be gripped all around near the bottom to keep it in place.  Angling the hitch puts the "grip"  on a wider part of the ball instead of under it, weakening the connection.

Trailer height is sometimes affected by worn or inadequate vehicle suspension.  If the weight of the trailer makes the vehicle squat like a cat in a litter box, either the trailer is overloaded or the vehicle suspension needs help.   Overloading a trailer is likely to cause both handling problems and premature wear and tear.  If you have an overloaded trailer, go through it and cut down what you are carrying.  If you MUST carry that much stuff you many need a bigger trailer.   If the trailer isn't overloaded but it still squats, the suspension needs work.  The springs may need to be replaced or "helper" springs added to compensate for normal wear over time.  Worn springs can sometimes be re-arced and/or have leafs added to restore function.  Or you can replace the springs or add helper springs.   Be sure to check the Combined Vehicle Gross Weight of the tow vehicle to make sure you aren't overloading the vehicle beyond its rating before adding helper springs.  Leaf springs can be re-arced and one or more leafs added to restore or increase capacity.  Air bags are sometimes suggested as a way to lift sagging suspension, but there can be undesirable side effects.  I've seen motorhome frames bent by airbags because they become the primary load point and unless the frame has been reinforced at the attachment point, it may not be strong enough to hold all the weight of the vehicle.  The original leaf springs distribute the weight to at least two mounting points which are usually located on a stronger part of the frame.  The truck frames many motorhomes are built on narrow down where they curve up and over the rear axle, creating a weak spot.  Adding an air bag at this point can make it the single primary point of weight distribution, something the frame was not designed to handle.  If the vehicle doesn't sag but the trailer tongue is angled up or down, you will need to adjust the height of the connection between the trailer and the tow vehicle.  Some but not all trailers have shock absorbers.  Those that do can sometimes benefit from the installation of shocks with a heavier rating or eve load-sharing shocks.

The easiest way to make a trailer ride level is to adjust the hitch height by using a drop hitch.  They are available with different drop heights and some are even adjustable to fine tune the height.  Most drop hitches can be flipped over if you need to raise the tongue instead of lowering it to match the hitch on the tow vehicle. Basically, if the hitch height when the trailer is level is lower than the hitch on the tow vehicle, you need a drop hitch to bring the ball down to the level of the trailer tongue.  If the tongue is higher, you need to use an inverted drop hitch to lift the ball to match the trailer tongue.Here is a link for how to Measure for Rise or Drop.

Sometimes you may want to raise the overall ride height of the trailer, and not just change the height of the connection between the trailer and the tow vehicle.   Trailers that are used off-road may need extra ground clearance or if you have trouble with dragging the tail going in and out of driveways your trailer might benefit from raising the body.  This requires modification of the suspension.  On trailers with double-eye leaf springs you may be able to install longer spring hangers to easily and inexpensively gain an inch or so.  Another approach is to relocate the springs.  The springs are normally suspended beneath the axle.  By moving them so they sit on top of the axle you gain the height of the axle and the thickness of the center of the springs.  This is not a trivial task as it may require welding new spring perches to the top of the axle.  Why can't you just turn the axle over?  Some are "drop axles" that carry the weight of the trailer below the center of the wheels so they aren't designed to be flipped over but even straight axles usually have a slight curve so the weight of the trailer straightens them out instead of making them sag.  If you flip them over you risk screwing up the angle of the wheels.  Sometimes you can upgrade the springs so they don't flatten out as much to gain a little height, but this will also stiffen the ride and may cause the trailer to bounce more on rough roads.  Raising trailer height merely so it rides level behind your tow vehicle isn't usually a good idea.  You should only result to suspension modifications to raise the height if you need more ground clearance or additional load capacity.  And remember, you won't increase axle clearance but you will get the body higher so it doesn't tail drag as easily going over obstacles and having the springs on top of the axle instead of below means you don't have the springs and U-bolts that hold them on hanging down below the axle where they can drag sooner.  If you need more axle clearance you might consider larger wheels and tires -- if there is enough clearance in the wheel well for them.  In extreme situations it may require a different axle to gain the necessary ground clearance.  I was able to successfully raise my Smuggler dirt bike trailer by moving the springs on top of the axle, giving it a better ride height for the pickup I towed it with and a little extra ground clearance on desert roads and off road.

If the trailer isn't level from side to side, it may have a weak or broken spring on one side.   I once had one that looked like one side was missing a leaf .  When I removed the springs to replace them, the one that was low came out in pieces,  Every leaf except the main one was broken in the middle and at least one was missing an entire half of the leaf.  You should always replace springs in pairs to maintain equal suspension and performance, even if only one is damaged.  Sometimes you can gain a little ride height by using heavier/stronger springs.  Just replacing worn, tired springs with new ones of the same number of leaves might add a little lift.  Going to springs with more leaves will usually add some height, but it makes the ride stiffer.  If the springs are too stiff for the load, it will be almost like there are no springs at all, just a solid connection, which means the contents will bounce more, there will be more vibration (which could affect trailer components and contents), and the trailer may transfer more road shocks to the tow vehicle.  Sometimes it is possible to have leaf springs re-arced to regain some of the original height and load capacity.

Many trailers lack shock absorbers.   Because people don't usually ride in trailers, manufacturers save weight and money by not installing shock absorbers.  If yours doesn't have shocks, you might be able to add them, but it can be a difficult and sometimes expensive process.  There are bolt on kits available to fit some trailers but in many cases you will have to have shock mounts fabricated and welded on.  Why add shocks?  Adding shocks will help reduce bouncing of the wheels, which can reduce tire wear and extend tire life.  Reduced bouncing also minimizes shifting of contents inside. I've seen trailers that bounced so much all the stuff on the shelves or in the cabinets ended up piled on the floor by the time they arrived in camp.  Shocks can improve trailer handling too.  By resisting tilting they help maintain the trailer on the level and avoid lateral stress on the hitch and tow vehicle.  If you can add shocks inexpensively it might be worthwhile but if you have to fork out big bucks to have them installed, it may be cost prohibitive.

Air shock absorbers on some vehicles are used to raise the body height, but since they are not designed as a primary support system doing so isn't really a good idea, so I wouldn't try to use shocks to raise a trailer or tow vehicle height.  When you do the air shocks take all the load all the time, not  just some of the load when the wheel bounces.  Shifting the primary load from two ends of a leaf spring to the single top of an air shock may seriously change loading and could bend the frame.  I have seen that happen.

Ride right!