just got the new mortgage on wheels.. and started installing the hitch/air ride/tonnue cover radios..etc.. and after having everything done.. stood back and looked at the truck height...

hooked up the trailer.. and looked once more.. @#$%^&^%$#@ gotta drop this one too... trailer is NOSE up.. dramatically.. did the dry scale wheel weights.. tongue weight.. and trailer wheel weights..

i have had to do this to my last 5 350`s.. 2002/03/05/07 swap the 4.5 inch rear axle blocks.. for the 2 inch outta an f 250.. usually no biggy.. 75 bucks from the dealer.. loosen the u bolts..jack up one side.. swap tighten.. cut off the excess u bolt thread ( a must here).. repeat on the other side.. but here is the kicker..

i went from a super cab.. back to the crew cab.. and it has 2 piece drive shaft.. the rear shaft being the shortest... 2.5 inch drop DOES changes the u-joint angle significantly...

ford DOES NOT recommend this.. but..lmao according to my dealer does market a "kit" for this..includes a longer.. ( i thought it would be shorter) rear diff yolk, and an adjusted.. shaft carrier bearing mount.. 2 new u joints

my question for the pro`s out there... i never used the kits.. or anything else other than swappin the axle blocks on my other crew cabs.. with the 2 piece drive shaft.. yes i know the angles have changed.. but why the rear yolk???? i can understand the carrier bearing move.. and height extension/drop.. but not the yolk part..

i have already.. for my last few trucks dropped the trailer axles to the last notch on the frame mounts/shackles.. flipping axles is NOT an option..(centre of gravity issues)

basically i need to get 3 inches or more of drop on the truck.. to get enough pin weight back.. and to not crush the box when entering a parking lot/campground/hill climbing.. currently there is 1 inch between the trailer and truck box..

from the 2007 f350.. which i swapped blocks on, this new ride sits almost 7 inches taller at the rear box top i have the moryde 10 inch hitch extension on the trailer.. which i can drop into the box.. but i can`t get my hitch to sit any lower.. 13 inch from box bottom to top of the king pin plate.. the extra 1 inch for the tonnue cover adds to my dilema

 

Can you raise the trailer? If your trailer axle is above the springs you can swap them to mount under the springs. If they are under the springs already, then you could go with blocks there. I would contact your trailer manufacturer or dealer first, though.

 

Sorry, just re read your post. Guess flippin aint happnin. My bad. don't know how lowering the truck would affect the driveshaft.

 

ok.. here`s an update... after 4 VERY bumpy/jerky tows.. and a lot of thought and many visits to 4 different dealers.. and 5 different hitch installers.. i have come to the conclusion..#$%^&^%$# gotta re raise the truck to stock... and look for a new unit. sadly i must say.... thanks for nothin ford..


after lowering the rear end of my 2012 f 350 4x4.. i have experienced many miles of a constant vibration.. to the point of the boss (wife) complaining about it and now after our last trip heading to the doctor because of bruise/inflamed kidneys due to the excess shaking from hours of driving in a vibrating truck. And yes.. it shakes bad enough to vibrate even the steering wheel/sunvisors/mirrors/dogs/water bottles and anything else that is not physically bolted to the truck even then the dash squeeks/ and rattlez almost..lol keep in tune

1. we swapped axle blocks from stock 5.39 inches for that out of a f250 4x4..(as per ford tsb).. part numbers verified

2 added shimms to the carrier bearing (kit from ford) (as per tsb)'part numbers verified

3 swapped rear yolk and collar (kit from ford) (as per tsb).part numbers verified

4 sent the current drive shaft out to local driveline company to checked for trueness and balance.. (2 new u joints) even though the truck has less than 3500 kms on it.. ( it came back with 100% true (round ness).. and required 2 1/8 oz weights in place of the 3/16 weight on the front yolk for full individual,, and 2 piece balance.

5 re balanced the tires..again..

6 turned all 4 rotors.. again (3x now)... ( to check for true ness.. ) as per ford request now i have 4 brake rotors 3500 kms on them).. that cannot be turned again and must be replaced at the first sign of a brake job being needed..$$$$$ thanks..

7 broke down all 4 tires/ turned them 90 degrees on the rim to verify there was no flat spots.. and re-balanced them for the 6th time.. as per ford request

8 sent the drive shaft out for the second time to a different drive line shop ( hd truck specialist). 2 new ujoints and a full balance only to verify everything is 100% a ok as per ford request

all this on my dime.. $3900 so far

dealer was.... working with me dilligently.. was..lol.. until i have repeatedly complaind about the vibrations... starts out small the resonates quite badly at times.. 40kms.. and up 75-95kms (25 mph 50-55 mph for the americans here..)) is the worst yes the head service advisor.. and several techs have driven the truck and have felt it.. but aside from ford`s official tsb repair/remedy.. they are at a loss.. and since i required to do this adjustment to get under my carriage fifth wheel trailer.. it is a modification that is not covered under any warranty.. and thuss i have been told directly by the area ford rep that is DOES fully void ..100% any and all future warranty items/claim.. WTF?? even for engine/turbos/injectors/body/paint etc..?????????

when i got this unit.. i said to my self FINALLY i have a new ford truck that does not need to have wheels/driveshaft/wheel disks rebalanced.. (FROM NEW) as all my other new ford trucks have required.. pardon the expression... it rode like a caddilac.. 0-140 kms not so much as a wiggle.. daddy was.... happy lotsa power.. a few new useless trinkets in the dash.. but still.. new


as an adendum.. we had to REMOVE THE BOX from the truck and remove the factory fifth hitch pre kit (mounts and hardware $$$$ useless spent money on a useless option unless you have a long box and want... rotflmao to spend 1800 on a reese hitch) to be able to re-install my hijacker 16 double pivot manual slider non of the factory hardware will work for this.. also required for this was no hole...(lol) installation kit.. which still requires you to drill new holes in the bed floor (6) to accomodate the hitch.. and still leaves you with 5 !!!!! huges holes in the bed from the factory hardware...

even with a tonnue cover.. these holes will suck up all the road debris/water/dust it can.. one heck of a mess to clean weekly..


i was going to install the 18 auto slide hitch from hijacker to assist in the 2 inches of bed loss ( at the front of the box) from 2007 vs 2012 but that hitch and ford adapter plate (for stock instalations) has yet to be released for sale due to a few design flaws. i have had this hitch/adapter plate/ mount kit on order since dec 18th 2011


enough is enough...

so starting on monday morning, out comes the hitch, off comes the box, off comes the air ride assist, train horns/ compressor/ arctic snowplow/ cb radios etc etc...


so who wants to make me an offer????

 

I guess I'm dense as there are MANY, MANY people towing with ford's without all the drama ....
did u say it's a trailer ? but u speak of holes in the bed ?

Maybe it's your trailer that's the problem ? ever consider getting rid of it ?

 

no ure not dense, and nope the trailer is 100% a.ok.. (we just ordered a new elite suites 40d4rlq on the weekend.. )

as with all of my past super duty trucks.. i have had to swap out the axle blocks to gain enough clearance between to box and bottom of the trailer. even with our 2007 teton experience (with swapped axles-- below the springs) i have had to do this to either keep the pin weight heavy enough to prevent chucking, or just to get enough clearance between the truck and trailer... scary as all heck to pull when you change the center of gravity by 5 inches...lol

the vibration problem (after swapping the axle blocks) apparently has arisen with the 2011 superdutys and has continued with the 2012`s and is widely known to ford canada and in the usa.

ford has issued 2 tsb`s reguarding the box height issue and gooseneck/fifth wheel towing.

ford has also issued 3 corrective solutions for these tsb`s

i have performed all 3!!!! swap the axle blocks, shimmed the drive shaft,(with the ford approved kit) had the rear end/whole truck re-aligned for trueness and drive shaft angles (as per ford part numbers and procedures)

as per fords tsb`s if a vibration is detected/reported corrective measures are to be taken.. I HAVE done the suggested remedys "ALL" several times. ( as per ford`s own directives).

the vibrations remain... and here is the kicker..(in the gut)

while speaking withe southwestern ontario dealer service rep.. in person while he was visiting our dealer here in town... lo and behold... even after following ford`s own tsb`s and corrective measures for the tsb`s... i was told.. directly to my face in front of the dealership owner!! and (his son) the head tech and service advisor...!!!!! that unless my truck was returned to stock height/ride with the factory.. not ford (tsb recommended/approved) parts !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i had ZERO warranty coverage.. nada zip zilch.. this is ford`s OFFICIAL statement, even though it is NOT a modifaction????


(all work has been performed by qualified ford techs at a ford certified dealership)

WTF?????? only 3700 kms on it as of this morning..

after working for ford for 35+++ years, owning over 60!!!!! ford trucks and other vehicles.... this has ahem.. let a sour taste in my mouth... (nice way of putting it)

please don`t get me wrong.. i like my truck.. but if this is the line they have drawn in the sand.... it`s time for me to move on..

after calling the 1800 ( i don`t give a crap number) i received the identical response

as for the holes in the bed.. to install any (non reese hitch) all the factory hardware (through bed mounts) and the plastic covers and frame hardware must be removed to install any other hitch. even with the reese in bed adapter bracket 95% of all other hitches will not mount because of the (factory ordered) hardware is specifically designed for only a hand full of reese hitches. when doing this 5 large holes remain in the bed.. 4 @ 3.77 inches, and one (gooeneck) @ 5.66 inches. I can speak from experience that these un-covered holes will suck up every ounce of dust and road debris that you could ever imagine.. way worse when it is raining/snowing.

so unless you are ordering a LONG box and... have a reese hitch that will mount using the factory pin placements/adapter bracket ... DO NOT ORDER THE FIFTH/GOOSENECK.. in bed mounts!!!!!!

pure and simple.. just want to retire in peace and travel. but don`t want to BOUNCE down the road..

not a rant.. just the truth..