Don't crank down landing gear all the way !! Please !!

The simple truth is, there is no simple answer to this question. The lowest riding trucks run on 255 rubber, and highboys are sitting on tall 24.5s. I run tall 24.5s and come in at about a 52-inch fifth wheel height. What this means, the lowest I can drop a trailer without skidding my tires still sets it a little high for LP22.5 rubber.

The same can be said about the guys running low-pro 22.5 rubber. I've backed up to numerous trailers I've had to manually crank up (you think it's a pain in the ### cranking a loaded trailer down? Try cranking one up).

I was out at the Love's in Salina, UT one day, swapping trailers. I had picked up a sweet power-only run taking a load of concert equipment out to Salina, and swapping trailers with a driver loaded with other concert equipment right back to where I came from.

When I arrived, the driver was, well, rather obviously, not all that experienced. I noticed he was running on low-pro 22.5s and had a low fifth wheel height. I dropped low without scraping my fenders or tires, he didn't even take note, just dropped and pulled out from under.

I backed up to the trailer and stopped. He had dropped so low that about 2-inches of my tires sat above the rail of the dry-van. I kicked the landing gear into low gear to see how well it would crank when I heard something, "You're going to have to give me a hand."

He had just backed up without paying attention and jumped the kingpin. Luckily, he was low enough I tipped the plate and he made it out. After making sure he didn't #### up again backing in I went back to my truck and got out some blocks I keep with me and proceeded to put them between the trailer and my frame and aired up. I did this twice before getting it high enough to barely get under the trailer.

It's a pain, I hate cranking trailers, everyone does, but, tire sizes vary so widely that there's no ideal height to drop a trailer at.

If you drop according to your method, I can't get under the trailer. If I drop according to your method, I'm still setting it high for some trucks.

Plain and simple, watch, pay attention, get out and check and get a little physical exercise if need be.