RE: [A/S] RE: Towing a 30' - 31' Airstream Classic

["Craig Eldridge" <craig_e@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Thanks for the information!  You're right...I'm sure the 1-ton with dual
rear wheels sits higher, but I'm surprised that even the 3/4-ton's hitch
height is so low (in comparison with the Airstream's hitch ball height). I'm
thinking that we won't have any problem at all, particularly considering the
rear end of the truck will come down once a camper is put in the back.<

Linda,
I want to clarify something here because there was something in your comment 
above that made me wonder if you had the whole picture.  I was using a Reese 
# R54932 adjustable hitch bar with my Reese raised platform.  It was a 14" 
length with a drop of 1" and rise of 5 3/4".  I needed 19 1/2" from top of 
the ball to the ground and I had more like 22 1/4" to the top of the ball at 
my lowest setting.  Take into consideration that I had slight tail end droop 
and a neutral axle angle which would cause the trailer to sit lower.  I took 
care of the problem by going to a Reese #R54995 hitch bar which gave me 3" 
more drop maximum and I only needed about 2 1/2" to get my required 19 1/2" 
to 19 3/4" ball hitch heigth.  That hitch bar has 6 3/4" total adjustment up 
and down.  My trailer had a 17 1/4" measurement from the ground to the edge 
of the trailer coupler (not inside the coupler) when sitting level.  When I 
put the coupler on the truck without the spring bars, this distance dropped 
to 16 3/4".  When I installed the spring bars, this distance was brought 
back up to 18".  This was all on a 1977 Excella 500 with full 40 lb. 
aluminum LPG tanks and a hitch weight just over 1,000 lbs. so take that into 
consideration.  I had to play around with the setup to get it right so that 
I did not drag the rear of the trailer when negotiating street to parking 
lot maneuvers.  Your trailer probably sits a little higher than mine but I 
wanted you to see what I experienced with my 2500hd and the two different 
Reese hitch bars.