Just hooked up the new 5vr and I have about 8" bed rail clearance. From a visual standpoint it looks level, but when I look at the level, it is slightly off sitting a little high in the front, by I'm guessing 2". I can drop the hitch in the bed down by one notch, would this sit the front of the 5vr too low or put too much weight in the bed? Is it best to have as much weight in the bed over the axles as possible while still maintaining levelness?

I guess the question would be a little high in front or a little lower in front, what is best if you can't get it exactly level?

Better too much bed clearance than not enough. I would leave it as is or lower it 1 notch, which should be 1 1/2". Changing the front height won't make a significant difference in your hitch weight. Just be sure to maintain 6" of bed clearance.

I keep mine as level as possible and keep 6" of bed rail clearance, seems to tow better that way.

Start over...park on flat ground. Using a measuring tape, determine if the 5er is level. Measure from frame to ground in the front and rear. If you can maintain 6+" of bedrail clearance, lower front of 5er by the hitch adjustment, or the pin box until level. In order to maintain 6" clearance, mine sits +2" front and it adds 400# to rear axle. That is the best I can do without modifying 5er axles, or truck height.

My experience has been 5er's do well at level and travel trailers do best "slightly" lower in the front for stability, no swaying! (Slightly means you have to look carefully to see it!) With a 5er it's worth the trouble of adjusting the pin box height or even the axle height to have it level and with sufficient bed clearance! Having it right gives peace of mind!

I am running about one inch hi in the front..after dropping axles..would still like to be perfectly level...have about 8 inches of clearance above bedrails..drop hitch height ???

If you can drop one set of holes (1.5 inches on my hitch), and still have more than 6 inches clearance to the bed rails, do it. 1.5 inches by 96 inches wide is 144 square inches or one square foot less frontal area sticking up above the truck. Is that significant? Try holding a 12 inch x 12 inch piece of cardboard out the window at 65 MPH.