I'm not going to fifth wheel for a 19 boat...

 

Install the air bags.

I hope you (and everyone else here who has installed a levelling kit) have already adjusted your headlights down to compensate, or else you are already blinding other drivers before you even hook up to the boat.

Even if you remove the levelling kit, if your headlights are set to the manufacturer's set position, you will be blinding people with the boat hooked up. Out of courtesy to other drivers you should always turn your headlights down any time you have much weight on the back of the truck. It's easier to use air bags than to keep adjusting your lights every time.

Some people don't think it's a big deal, but it is.. I drive 100-125,000 miles a year and at least half of that is in the dark (winter time). People blinding me with their headlights while towing really irks me off, because it happens so often and on the roads I travel on (twisty 2-lane highway) it can easily cause an accident. A little consideration for other drivers goes a long way and it definitely does not go unappreciated by us that spend a lot of time out on the highway.

I installed Air Lift Super Duty airbags to my '03 silverado 2500HD and it was a breeze.. They make a nice kit and IMHO the design is nicer than Firestone's..
The Load Controller in-cab gauge and onboard compressor is very nice to use also but it definitely lengthens the installation time. It is nice to be able to pump up or deflate your air bags at the press of a b utton though, not to mention being able to monitor the air pressure!

 

I've got the perfect solution. Take the leveling kit off and throw 500 lbs of sand in the back. Then, when you tow, take the sand out. It's level all the time!

 

Good idear...

 

I realigned my lights after leveling (now if I can just figure out how to realign my fogs). Thanks for the Air Lift lead... I am looking for them now...

 

Let me know if you find a good deal on them, I may end up buying a set too. Usually the most weight I have in the back is a couple of dirtbikes but with camping and/or riding gear, tool boxes etc. I can max out my payload pretty easily.

 

I run the airlift 2000# air bags and absolutely love them. Cost under $200 and theres no drilling of the chassis to install, I installed the kit in less than 1.5 hrs with no special tools. I have a 2.5" leveling kit, tow a 7500 lb fifth wheel trailer and have zero ride height or stability problems.

 

Just a couple of comments..as to the longevity of the leveling kits...what do you think that does as far as wear to you cv joints due to to the increased angle......hmmmmm Now as to the oiginal post there are a couple of options to you. pogressive helpers that get stiffer as your load increases. These not only maintain your stock ride hight but also help with sagging of the rear and sway control. Summit sells standard leaf helpers ( 40.00 )as well as pogressive coil helpers.( 150.00 )

 

See, it took almost a whole day to get to the real issue... Let's discuss this a bit more. How do others feel about CV joint damage? Myth? Cold reality? What concerns should be taken into account for someone with vehicle longetivity in mind?

 

The Distribution hitch is the way to go! It works perfectly with my 24' travel trailer. Very stable and it looks level!

 

Said before, and I'll say it again... I would rather pay for air bags than a distribution hitch... If CV joint damage is not an issue with the spacers, then getting air bags is the clear choice...

 

Minus 13,
I would recommend the bags to help you out.

But, is your trailer is a steel welded together trailer or a galvanized bolt together trailer?? The reason I ask is that if its a galvanized trailer, the axles can (normally) be moved along the frame. A friend of mine bought a boat and it was real bumper heavy on his truck. So I was looking at the trailer and noticed that the axles could be moved along the frame to compensate for different boats. We loosened the bolts that held the leaf spings and moved them about 6 inches forward. This allowed his truck to sit almost perfectly level by giving him less tongue weight. Dont go crazy with this, because too little tongue weight is way worse than not enough, but it might give you the weight transfer you are looking for.

 

Interesting.... I hadn't thought of that... Generally speaking, how far back should the axle be from the tongue? 60%? What's the best way to determine the appropriate distance of axle from tongue? Thanks for the great tip...

 

There are a couple of formulas that people use when deciding axle placement. We build trailer from time to time and we use a certain formula that works out great. You go to the exact middle of the bed length of the trailer, not including the tongue. Then you go back one inch for every foot of trailer lenght. So on a 10 foot trailer, it would be 10 inches back from center. Some people use the 60/40 and its pretty close, but this is the one we use.

Boat trailers dont use this formula for two reasons. First, most of the weight of the boat is at the very rear and second, the tongues on boat trailer are alot longer then regular trailers.

Is the axle on your trailer capable of being moved?? On his we only moved it like 5-6 inches and it made a huge difference.

 

I don't know if it is capable of being moved or not, but as soon as I get the chance, I am going to check it out. This is all very new to me, so I am asking questions only to be better informed. I will respond accordingly once I know dimensions and trailer capability.