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Goosenecks
bewing: 3" isn't much---have you looked at the ajustability aspect of the gooseneck itself (the hitch tube usually slides inside the main tube and is secured with (2) large setscrews. You might also consider the actual ball height too--maybe a shorter one.
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Having wrecked a truck (Chevy K5) with a 3" body lift, my advise would be:
"Loose the Body Lift."
Especially if you are going to haul with it.
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The problem is it is not a suspension lift but body from the frame. I bought the truck this way and the original factory bolts are gone. I had someone look at it and they wanted upwards to $500 to remove the lift. I take it the body lift contributed to your accident. Were you pulling a trailer when it happened?
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AV8R: What's the connection to the body lift and the accident?
bewing: I've done body and suspension lifts on my Jeeps and helped buddies with pickups do body lifts. $500, if that includes parts (new bolts, new OEM rubber spacers AKA hockey pucks, possibly the fan shroud which was likely chopped to accept the fan), that's a fair price, considering it's probably a 4-6 hour job if the linkages have to be put back to original.
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Well I did not ever get a firm price. The guy kinda looked at it and I got the impression he didn't really want to lower it back down. He mentioned the lack of bolts and told me I should take my truck to a welding shop to have the gooseneck welded to my frame since he couldn't mount the b and w hitch. What started this is I found a good deal on a 18' gooseneck for $1200.00 with 3500lb axles. I have a 94 chevy 1500 Z71 4X4 350 gas burner that I would use to pull it. I thought the gooseneck weould be easier pulling than bumper a bumper hitch and would be a good idea. The lift is what has me stumped but I am leaning to use it over the bumper for better weight distribution. I need to pull my tractor B 7500, dixie chopper mower, and a bobcat. The bobcat would be pulled just local and not very often. Just trying to get the best and most economical.
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Earthworks
Lifts raise the Center of Gravity of the vehicle doing the towing. A Gooseneck or a Fifth wheel carry about 20 - 30 percent of the total GTW (Gross trailer Weight) over the center of the axles of the truck. If the truck has been lifted and you add 3500 to 4000 pounds and even more to the top back of that truck. You are going to have unstability, big time and when you go around a corner and down hill it will be very dangerous.
Dualies are best designed for Goose necks and Fifth wheels, they have the EXTRA rubber on the road to support the added weight and to keep the truck in the direction of desired travel when cornering.
Lift kits and towing are a very bad mix.
It alsoshould be noted, that nobody I have eve known has gone to a set of CAT SCALES to see if they are properly loaded. Nope! they hook up their trailer and as long as that is with in the GTWR they feel fine, then they pack in the supplies, the wardrobes, the tools, the hay, the whatever and pile in the family. By te time they are done they are well over their Manufacturer GCVWR. Like te folks who put on a 2 -3 yard dump body on a 1 ton and then haul WET Soil.
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wingwiper: A 3" lift in and of itself does not raise the center of gravity an appreciable amount because the frame with drivetrain has not moved, only the body has. You would have to perform a center of gravity test to do that. However, a lift with different/taller/wider tires, wider wheels and different offset might. Certain combinations aforementioned might even offer better stability if done properly. Even specialized shocks like the Rancho 9000 which are adjustable on the fly can be a benefit.
bewing: Using a 1/2 ton IMHO is where you are going astray. I wouldn't consider anything less than a 3/4 ton. I know guys who do that and they end up spending big money repairing rearends, u-joints, bearings, brakes, trannys, etc. Not to mention that the frames aren't up to the task. And never weld a hitch to the frame---that causes brittleness and that combined with a lower rated frame could be costly if not catastrophic if it breaks. I use an '03 Ram (4x4, quad cab, HO, auto, diesel) to pull my 15,000 bobcat-loaded-with-other-stuff trailer. I really should be using a 1 ton. The hitch is the weak point on my set up.
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How do you plan on mounting the 5th wheel to the frame if you are 3 inches higher? that will put the load bearing 3 inches higher as well.
As far as you and youru 03 QC, 2500, Diesel, Auto is concerned, you are a quite bit over loaded.
The MAXIUM Trailer weight for any of the 03 2500 Rams, Quad Cabs, Auto, Diesel, Long bed or short bed, is 13,150 lbs, so if your Bobcat wieghs 15000 lbs and you have not added in the trailer or the cargo on the trailer, you are several thousands pounds over the Max Limit and hope you don't need any warranty work on the suspension, bearings etc. If you also have an accident and you are overloaded, you may find the Insurance Company will NOT cover your loss.
I would suggest you trade in for a 3500 and be SAFE. If you have a passenger and they get hurt while you are OVERLOADED, the responsibility will levied onto you alone. Inusrance companies are lookinghard for reasons not for them to have to pay or settle. Good luck.
My reference is page 44 & 45 of the 2003 Dodge Truck Job Rating Charts. Printed by Dodge.
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bewing: 3500 lb. axles is not going to work for you regardless if it's a gooser or not. Your rated capacity is 7,000, subtract 2,000-2,500 for the trailer which is around 5,000 or less. What does your bobcat, bucket and tools weigh? Over 5,000 and you are overloaded. Find a decent 8-lug trailer which will give you about 10,000 lb. of weight capacity. I bought my 20' bed, drop-axle bobcat trailer three years ago for $3200. It is relativley light weight in that it is made of 6x6 angle and 8x2 channel. It doesn't twist and flex like other taller trailers which weigh more, and the deck height is very low (14" versus double that for a regular trailer. Even at 20' for the bed and another 4.5' feet for the tongue, I can manuever it through the tightest streets (like winding through the French Quarter in New Orleans as my buddies tried unsuccessfully to get me hung up on street corner bumper posts)
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The 3" body lift did not "cause" the accident, the dumb f** kid that turned left in front of me did.
The body lift caused the ENTIRE body to deperate from the drivetrain because of the leverage on the bodymounts that the spacers put on them. (it was assembled with grade 8 hardware and aluminum spacers)
I like a well engineered suspension lift and big tire conversion, but, I do not like body lifts (my opinion). The chassis to body twisting (especially off road) will cause fatigue cracking and a serious loss of integrity to the entire vehicle.
Now, add a heavy gooseneck trailer and you can geometrically increase these forces. You realise you'd have to "lift" your goose neck plate too, right? More spacers and flex. (not a good idea IMO.)
Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.
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