Nose down towing

Hello all. I'm getting to work on a trailer with a frame, roof top tent and all the other goodies that go along with it. My M1101 is tall, like really tall. When hooked up to the truck with my Gen-Y hitch set as high as it will go, I'm still fairly nose down. In doing some research, I'm reading that some nose down is reasonable, or even desired to achieve better tongue weight and stability; Level towing is good and nose up is bad.

When hitched empty, the truck squats around 1/4". With my buddy standing on the Gen-y with the trailer hitched simulating another 300lbs of tongue weight, I only squat another 1/4". I don't think this is a weight thing.

Using a level on level ground, the pitch is 1 inch per 2 feet, or about 2.8 degrees

TLDR question: How much nose down is too much on a light single axle trailer?

The truck is a stock 2016 TRD pro with 275/70/18s.

I've already swapped out the stock 37" tires for some 275/70/18s (33"). I do not want to lower the trailer by raising the axle on the trailer, nor do I want to mess with adjusted/lowering the pintle mount.

I'm looking at suspension mods to get myself a little more level and have found the following:

Blocks: no
AAL: Cheap, will work, but for how long and what effect on the ride
New leaf packs: Best option and configured for a little more constant weight, like +300lbs or so. With a lift coming from springs, will the TRD Pro shocks still be okay?
Shackles: Cheap enough, relatively easy, but not quite enough lift to get the trailer level(CB +3 is 1.75" lift).
Airbags: Cheap enough, a little extra maintenance, rough ride when not loaded and are they more to prevent sag then actually lift the rear end?

I hooked the trailer up and used my spare jack to raise the back of the truck to level out the trailer on level ground. Pics and measurements below:

Trailer interface:
Ground to trailer lunette ring: 27"
Ground to Geny-Y/Lunette ring contact point: 24.5"

Truck:
Ground to bottom of hitch receiver with trailer connected: 14"
Ground to bottom of hitch receiver with trailer connnected and leveled with jack: 16.5"

Trailer connected without jack for leveling:

Trailer connected with jack for leveling (and I think the truck looks better with the 2.5" lift on the rear):



It looks very much like I need to raise the back end of the truck 2.5". Given that the truck is 8 years old with 125k miles, I'm wondering if replacing the springs is the way to go just due to age.

Thanks for reading and curious to hear thoughts on any of this.

 

I did, but that looked to me more like a "prevent the squat" solution rather than a raise the rear end solution. I don't think the max 300lb tongue weight is the issue.

 

Thanks, that info either wasn't there or expressed clearly on their website.

 

I’d tow it nose down and not think about it. What are you worried about with it like that?

 

Mostly just inexperience towing and it looks kind of funky. I tend to overthink and over-research everything. Didn't know if being that nose down would contribute to instability of the trailer or get me a "local man kills 5 on the highway when his trailer flips" news segment.

 

First off, that’s a pretty sweet trailer. I’d be tempted to relocate the hitch coupler on the trailer so that it isn’t so high up in the air. The reason being is that you’re going to get a fair amount of shock load play with a hitch riser like that. The second and possibly more important reason is that when you go to open the tailgate, is it going to slam against the top of the trailer tongue?

And i’m more of an airbag fan for leveling out the back ends of my trucks.

 

How much is the trailer suspension going to droop when the trailer is loaded, possibly leveling the tongue a little.?

 

Are you using the brakes on the trailer at all? Or do you plan to?
I almost bought a military trailer with identical lunette and surge system. My plan was to just completely
remove the entire lunette and brake system on top of the reach. I was just going to fabricate a bracket
below with a standard ball hitch, it would allow the trailer to sit level and attach to the truck in a more
conventional way.
I'd look at airbags with a lift out back. Trailers tow best, IMO, when they are level. Under braking you want
it level keeping forces even along the truck. Not tending to go up or down

 

Keep in mind that when you brake, your rear goes up which will bring the trailer up and to level. If you are level to start, your rear brings the trailer up and pointing nose up. It’s why a lot of dual axles put the brakes on the rear axles. Weight transfers to that axle and thus optimal braking.