What is Towing "Level" and Does It Matter?

[rideandfly]

7 hours ago, Tideline77 said:

I had understood our 2018 F150 with the factory tow package came with upgraded shocks ( better than stock shocks on F150s without the factory tow package ) but this truck squat is extreme when we lower the bulldog on the ball

 

We had a 2024 F-150 5.0L that did not have the maximum tow package, when connecting Ollie had too much rear end TV sag. I installed the Timbren Rear Suspension enhancement system and got rid of the sag with Ollie connected, but it was a firm ride with Ollie connected. Installed rear differential airbags on two tow vehicles and really liked that system when towing Ollie, small adjustments can be made with air pressure adjusting rear end sag. 

Edited Sunday at 03:21 AM by rideandfly

[Chris Scarff]

Yeah, my 2016 #110 is also smaller to fit in the housing.  No biggy to me.  Except if I don't have room to put the bad tire.  Hmmm.

[Ronbrink]

18 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Thanks for the flowers.  Just for clarity my post of "Use 40 PSI on Paved Roads and 25 - 30 off road" is for the trailer tire pressures on/off good paved roads.  In reality, I do go off road on occarions where the road is graded and pretty well maintained with tires at 40 PSI.  But usually I am going less than 20 MPH.  If I need to go real slow, or go into 4WD in  locker engaged with low range and gears 1 or 2, then I for sure air down to the 25 PSI.  Easy to do with my 20V Dewaly air compressor.     

Understood, I was actually making reference to your previous statement: “we have found that a pair of Bilstein 5100's shocks and air bags on the rear axle have made a wonderful improvement in our driving experiences.” My air bag pressures are the 25 and 35 psi preferences for non- and towing instances. Since we don’t off-road, the trailer tires are currently maintained at 55 psi, but giving thought to lowering them to 50 psi; still hesitant to go any lower even though you and others do 40-45 psi on paved roads. 

[jd1923]

52 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:

Since we don’t off-road, the trailer tires are currently maintained at 55 psi, but giving thought to lowering them to 50 psi; still hesitant to go any lower even though you and others do 40-45 psi on paved roads.

Just topped off the air for our trip to Quartzsite next week. Pressure was low since the weather got cold. 55 PSI with Alcan Springs would be jarring! Now all 4 tires are set right at 46 PSI. I like this number! 😎

[Mike and Carol]

22 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

Just topped off the air for our trip to Quartzsite next week.

I hope everyone has good weather and a good time at Q this winter.  Would love to be there!

[Ronbrink]

On 1/10/2026 at 4:05 PM, jd1923 said:

Including the spare tire? Ron, please verify size. According to what Bill @topgun2 wrote, that wouldn’t be possible.

And thanks to our other Bill @rideandfly for the link to the spare tire thread. I have 5 identical 16” wheels so I’ll replace my spare tire with the same LT215/70R16 size I have or something very close to the smaller diameter.

I went to the Cow Barn today to “verify size” and obtain photo documentation to add credence to my former statement: “My 2020 OLEll tires are all the same, Cooper Discoverer HT3  LT225/75R16.” Upon physical inspection my findings are conclusive, the four trailer tires and spare tire are the same size; something I already knew, but compelled to check as part of the verification process. However, I can’t explain away the spare tire housing discrepancy!

[jd1923]

23 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:

I went to the Cow Barn today to “verify size” and obtain photo documentation to add credence to my former statement: “My 2020 OLEll tires are all the same, Cooper Discoverer HT3  LT225/75R16.”

Thanks Ron, I appreciate your effort!

Next couple of days I’m working on mud flaps for the Oliver. I’m going to mount mine in front of the stabilizer jacks (others have gone behind). I was thinking the task of custom cutting the mud flaps to fit into the wheel well would be easier with the rear axle wheel off.

So while doing so, I’m going to remove the spare and see if my LT225/75R16 tires fit. If yours do and they haven’t changed the hull molds…

[Ronbrink]

11 hours ago, jd1923 said:

So while doing so, I’m going to remove the spare and see if my LT225/75R16 tires fit. If yours do and they haven’t changed the hull molds…

Hope it works out well for you! My spare is part of the routine wheel rotation and thus, kept at the same pressure as the running tires. If fitment in the spare tire housing is an issue, deflating to a lower pressure may help. 

[rideandfly]

12 hours ago, jd1923 said:

So while doing so, I’m going to remove the spare and see if my LT225/75R16 tires fit. If yours do and they haven’t changed the hull molds…

It will be helpful to learn your findings on your 2016 LE2.

From what I have learned some 2016 LE2 had 215X70RX16 spare tires and our 2015 LE2 had a 215X60RX16 spare tire. @CRM 2010 LE2 #45 was equipped with 15" tires from Oliver, if I remember correctly.

When I contacted Oliver during 2024 they said the Goodyear ST225X75RX15 would fit our 2015 LE2 fiberglass spare tire housing, but LT225X75RX16 will not fit. Our spare tire housing inside diameter measurement is about 28 7/8", don't remember where the measurement was taken on the outer, middle, or inner portion of the housing. Cooper's LT225X75RX16 Tire height is 29.28'' with a Section Width: 8.86'' and Goodyear's ST225X75RX15 Tire Height is 28.28'' with a Section Width: 8.86''.

 

Edited yesterday at 01:47 PM by rideandfly

[CRM]

24 minutes ago, rideandfly said:

From what I have learned some 2016 LE2 had 215X70RX16 spare tires and our 2015 LE2 had a 215X60RX16 spare tire. @CRM 2010 LE2 #45 was equipped with 15" tires from Oliver, if I remember correctly.

Yes, Hull 45 came with 225/75R15  tires and the inside width of the cover is 28 5/8. I'm guessing that the mold was changed at some point since @Ronbrinkhas a 225/75R16 tire spare which has a 29.21" diameter. 

[jd1923]

3 hours ago, rideandfly said:

Our spare tire housing inside diameter measurement is about 28 7/8", don't remember where the measurement was taken on the outer, middle, or inner portion of the housing. Cooper's LT225X75RX16 Tire height is 29.28...''

The AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE LT225/75R16 tires on our Oliver have a spec dia of 29.3". They list the Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16 at 29.2".

They must have changed the molds, the question in when. I'll measure the ID of the fiberglass spare housing and soon we'll know for hull #113 too.

[rideandfly]

5 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

The AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE LT225/75R16 tires on our Oliver have a spec dia of 29.3". They list the Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16 at 29.2".

They must have changed the molds, the question in when. I'll measure the ID of the fiberglass spare housing and soon we'll know for hull #113 too.

I'm guessing around 2017, that's what I came up with in 2024, but I should have asked Oliver when I talked to them about the fiberglass spare tire cover.

 

[jd1923]

4 hours ago, Ronbrink said:

Hope it works out well for you! My spare is part of the routine wheel rotation and thus, kept at the same pressure as the running tires. If fitment in the spare tire housing is an issue, deflating to a lower pressure may help. 

Thanks Ron. BTW, reducing tire pressure will change ride height some due to the weight of the vehicle. Change in diameter of a deflated tire without weight applied would be negligible. Some tires might even be taller when deflated, and with air pressure making them a little wider instead.