Question re: your pickup bed height and gooseneck trailer

[Meshach1]

Used truck shopping here. Newer trucks are sitting up higher which can be problematic for gooseneck trailers. I was wondering if anyone knows what their pickup truck measurement from ground to top of bed is. I have called about a 2017 F-250 that they measured for me that is 57.5 inches from ground. Anyone have a truck that height that was a problem for your trailer? My old truck measured 55 inches which was fine.

I don’t want to do any nonsense to my Hawk trailer to accommodate a too tall truck. I want it to be as level as possible. TIA

[BraveSC]

I used my husbands 2017 F250 to haul my Gore gooseneck once and while it worked, it was a touch high and rode a bit unevenly. I ended up getting a 2017 f150 with the ecoboost and have LOVED it. good luck!

[Meshach1]

Thanks! I don’t suppose you know the height of your husband’s 250 from ground to top of bed rail? They seem to vary in size. If not, no biggie

[BraveSC]

I dont sadly but, the guy I bought the trailer from had a 2016 F250 and it wasnt as high as the 2017! I was scratching my head when I was truck shopping as well!

[NaturalSelection]

Out of curiosity, what year is your Hawk trailer?

[Meshach1]

I bought it in 2016 brand new but looking at the paperwork it’s marked as a 2017. Maybe that will be in my favor? I want to say that I read somewhere that the problems were with pre-2015 trailers?

[wsmoak]

Mine is 54 1/4 " – 2011 F250. I’m pretty sure we chose smaller tires to shave off a little height.

My Exiss has blocks on the axles and I still didn’t like how close it was to the truck bed rails. It’s also not a long bed, so this adapter has made things a lot better-- both a couple of inches taller and further back in the bed:

https://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Hitches-GNXA4085-Gooseneck-Extender/dp/B007F9FMSO

Result:
201115_7748 by Wendy, on Flickr

… and this, my friends, is why my next truck will be a plain white flatbed work truck!

[Meshach1]

Well, I called up the dealer who I bought my trailer from and she said “you need to measure from the ground to the bottom of your goosneck arm and then you can subtract from the height from the ground to the top of the bed rail” Why this didn’t occur to me before, I do not know …

She said I’d need at least 8 inches.

I’ve thought about a flat bed truck but we are always using the bed for hauling stuff, like to the dump or from home depot. I’d like those bed rails.

[NaturalSelection]

I think you could rig a flatbed to have removable sides. Of course it’s not pretty and my husband completely balked at the idea of the unconventional look so we shopped for an older model truck (2007).

[wsmoak]

You can still have bed rails on a flatbed, it’s usually called a “side kit” and they either flip down or attach/detach depending. Bonus, if you need them, you can get really tall sides and have more room in there than a regular truck bed.

Random example: https://www.stephenstrailers.com/eby-trailers-big-country-flatbed-truck-bed-9MKf|x5b.html

[Meshach1]

well that would certainly be impressive going down the road! something to think about, thanks all.

[Incantation]

I don’t know the measurements of mine, but I have a 2003 Hawk, and a 2018 F250. It is taller than my old (02) F250 so I was afraid it would be too tall, but I haven’t had a problem with it at all.

[Tarlo_Farm]

Check also to see if your gooseneck is adjustable. Mine was.

[rocky213]

if you dont mind doing nonsense to your truck, you can always lower the truck bed by a few inches. I bought a lowering kit for my truck and it lowered the bed by 2 inches which made a world of difference to my trailer. I wasnt smashing the bedrails into the neck of the gooseneck every time i went into a friends downwards drive way. I think the kit was about $100 and I paid a truck place to install it. It made the backend of the truck level with the front end when it was installed.

[Meshach1]

Good to know! I did end up buying a new truck that is higher than my old one. I get a hitch installed on Thursday then will take it from there.

[Nicki_s_Mom]

I have a 2012 Hawk and a 2018 2500 Chevrolet. I was also worried as the sides were much higher, but the Hawk gooseneck can extend and I put mine down a hole and it works great. Totally level and rides wonderfully.