New F250 bed height/clearance nightmare

436Blue

Member
Own a fantastic 2014 Landmark Monterey. Just purchased a new Ford F-250 Platinum as replacement tow vehicle and bed is way up in the air!! Went from 6-7 inches clearance to less than 1! Now I’m “inch shopping”. Has anyone flipped their axles on this or a similar model? I worry about adding height to an already tall trailer!!
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
Yep why I looked at the 2017's once and went on. JMHO but the 250 is not enough truck for the Landmark series.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Own a fantastic 2014 Landmark Monterey. Just purchased a new Ford F-250 Platinum as replacement tow vehicle and bed is way up in the air!! Went from 6-7 inches clearance to less than 1! Now I’m “inch shopping”. Has anyone flipped their axles on this or a similar model? I worry about adding height to an already tall trailer!!

Other areas you can adjust are:
- The Pin Box (lowering it raises the coach)
- The Hitch (raising it raises the coach)

Unsure about flipping the axles. I'd seriously check into MORryde Independent Suspension (IS) and give them your design goal of raising the coach 2". They then build a sub frame for the IS that is 2" taller than typical.
 

Dawnnira

New Jersey Chapter Leaders-Retired
Doesn't sound like enough truck, bed clearance might be secondary

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436Blue

Member
Have towed my 2014 Landmark Monterey all over the US and Canada... prob 30K+ miles with a 2013 F250 King Ranch with air ride.... NO problems whatsoever. New F250 has more HP, torque and the max capacity trailer tow package from the factory so even better equipped.... sorry for the stupid question re: axle flipping as I just checked and I have 7K Dexters already mounted under the leaf springs. Guess I'm going to spend some time with the guys at Ford to see about getting shorter leaf spring blocks.

Hopefully that combined with a hitch and pin box mod will do it. Anybody else towing a Landmark with a 2017 F250???

Thanks for the assist!
 
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436Blue

Member
Other areas you can adjust are:
- The Pin Box (lowering it raises the coach)
- The Hitch (raising it raises the coach)

Unsure about flipping the axles. I'd seriously check into MORryde Independent Suspension (IS) and give them your design goal of raising the coach 2". They then build a sub frame for the IS that is 2" taller than typical.


Thanks... I just need to stay under all those pesky bridges I seem to find while boondocking my way across America!
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Thanks... I just need to stay under all those pesky bridges I seem to find while boondocking my way across America!

I hear that. Once you arrive at your best configuration, go ahead and connect truck to RV, then on level ground, measure your max height. Put a label on your windshield with that height. To the extent practical, travel longer distances on Interstate Highways.
 

436Blue

Member
Several out there towing Landmarks with 2017 F350 and F450. Is the bed height different on the F250?

Not sure...... prior to air bag install I'm at 59 3/4 inches at the tailgate! Figure I'm going to be grabbing inches in lots of places... truck, pin box, hitch... just can't be dragging my tail down the road!
 

JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
On our previous 2013 Heartland Trail Runner TT we had upgraded both axles and all springs, plus had to go to larger tires and wheels.

We traded it in for our Prowler one week after getting all of that work done.

The dealership asked me if I had flipped the axles as it sat about five inches higher than it did before the axles were done, to which I replied that we didn't flip the axles.

They told me that had we flipped the axles they would not have accepted the Trail Runner in on trade . . .

Before and after . . .

AxleRepairBefore-P5090649.jpg AxleRepairAfter-P5090654.jpg
 

LBR

Well-known member
How many inches do you have between the coach's 2 tires?...taller tires would help some also, given you have enough clearances and you don't already have the SAFEST and tallest available tire known to man already installed.

Sorry, but I also agree that you should have stepped into at least a 3 series DRW truck. IMO, there are way too many TV sales driven by an intimidation factor (mostly by ladies, some by men) of a truck with hips and feel if they can stretch the latest factory specs to cover their application with a slimmer waistline pickup, they have a towing beast....surprise sidewinds don't read those spec catalogs....LOL.
 

Razorbackfan

USN Chief
I think the taller tire idea is a good one if there is enough space between them which on mine there seems to be quite a bit. mine is a Ram but lll measure my bedside as I think mine is 58-59" as well and I end up with 6" or better. I'll also take a pic of my pin box so you can see where it's set.
One thing you'll have to watch is the landmark is already at 13'4" so raising it up will put your ACs really high.

i just measured and I'm at 59" on the tailgate in normal ride height and 56" in alternate ride height (it was auto leveling) but I must squat more than you.

my pinbox is at the lowest setting

Another idea would be to change your rear to the kelderman air ride and drop it down to a reasonable height so you don't look like a 70s muscle car any more.
https://kelderman.com/shop/2017-ford-f-250-350-4x4-4-link-rear-air-suspension
 

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danemayer

Well-known member
Considering that most truck/RV combinations don't have this problem, rather than modifying the RV, and raising its center of gravity, which makes it easier to tip, maybe you should work on the truck.
 

Dawnnira

New Jersey Chapter Leaders-Retired
Preach on LBR, nothing like towing with a one ton DRW. Once you go DRW, you never go back

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Bookoo

Member
Considering that most truck/RV combinations don't have this problem, rather than modifying the RV, and raising its center of gravity, which makes it easier to tip, maybe you should work on the truck.

Dan, you are spot on. The new 2017 Fords are incredible with the highest rating HP and torque. But suspension is suspension. Get the right suspension instead of reinventing the wheel.

Not trying to be a negative Nellie, but safety can't be compromised.
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
Several years ago we camped next to a guy pulling a ~40' Cyclone with a F250. He was on his third transmission and couldn't figure out why.
 

carl.swoyer

Well-known member
Own a fantastic 2014 Landmark Monterey. Just purchased a new Ford F-250 Platinum as replacement tow vehicle and bed is way up in the air!! Went from 6-7 inches clearance to less than 1! Now I’m “inch shopping”. Has anyone flipped their axles on this or a similar model? I worry about adding height to an already tall trailer!!
Is this a factory original truck? Or has some one modified the suspension?

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carl.swoyer

Well-known member
Own a fantastic 2014 Landmark Monterey. Just purchased a new Ford F-250 Platinum as replacement tow vehicle and bed is way up in the air!! Went from 6-7 inches clearance to less than 1! Now I’m “inch shopping”. Has anyone flipped their axles on this or a similar model? I worry about adding height to an already tall trailer!!



Is this a factory original truck? Or has some one modified the suspension? My 2012 Landmark Rushmore has 16 inch tires. Possibly consider putting taller tires on the fifth wheel.

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