New to RVing and to this forum, hope I'm doing this right. Have searched archives and sent multiple personal messages. Bought 2016 Ram 3500 4x4 SRW Cummins AISIN, tow puck option. Put $ down on Primetime Crusader 315RST 5er at RV show, waiting to take delivery. Looking closer now at Ram bed height, box rail height, distance from ground to underside of RV nose, to underside of pinbox tow plate and wondering if I'll have issues achieving level tow of RV and TV and maintain 6" clearance btw RV and pickup. TV has auto level air suspension in rear. GVWR of RV is about 12300, expect pin weight loaded to be in 2200 to 2300# range.Assuming 2" squat of TV, appears to me RV will still be nose up by 3 or 4 inches. Manufacturer says this is not OK, nor is adding lift kit to RV suspension.Anyone else have something similar, can provide info on how much squat to expect when hook up to RV, if/how they achieved level TV and RV, maintained 6" clearance without getting crosswires with RV manufacturer?ThanksMarv

Well #1 Ram air ride has about 0" of squat, Cummins12V98 run it on a 3500 DRW and about 4,500# of pin and states 1/2" difference.Need to get both home, and level the trailer and measure from bottom of the 5er to the ground and to the top rail of the TV.Then look at your options.First it to get to 6" of rail clearance. this is adjusting the hitch and pin box to get the 6", try to have the hitch head in the TV as high as possible.You may be better off than you think, or you may need to go down the sub-frame route.

You may be able to make an adjustment with your hitch. Not sure what kind of hitch you will use but you may be able to move the hitch head location. Also many times the pin box can be adjusted., We have a Ram 3500 dually but only 2 wheel drive. We were able to adjust our B&W Companion puck system hitch head to make the RV tow more level. These new pick ups are darned tall!

762namwobvram2043 wrote:Manufacturer says this is not OK, nor is adding lift kit to RV suspension.Gee thanks. That's not very helpful of them.

Thanks for replies. I like the B&W BWRVK3600 hitch but lowest it will go is 17". Reese 30160 will go down to 15.75" and appears this will leave 6" clearance so may go with it. But if no squat we'll still have RV nose up about 6". Primetime says with RV level, nose to ground is 59.375". My ruler shows top of tail gate at 58". This leaves only 1.375" inch clearance btw tailgate/bed rails and RV nose with RV and TV level. Looks like best we can do is nose up about 4.5 inches unless we eat into the 6" clearance. Did I miss something????Thanks again Marv

762namwobvram2043 wrote:Thanks for replies. I like the B&W BWRVK3600 hitch but lowest it will go is 17". Reese 30160 will go down to 15.75" and appears this will leave 6" clearance so may go with it. But if no squat we'll still have RV nose up about 6". Primetime says with RV level, nose to ground is 59.375". My ruler shows top of tail gate at 58". This leaves only 1.375" inch clearance btw tailgate/bed rails and RV nose with RV and TV level. Looks like best we can do is nose up about 4.5 inches unless we eat into the 6" clearance. Did I miss something????Thanks again MarvMarv, when you actually see your FW, make sure there are no suspension adjustments. Often times there may be extra holes in the spring hangars to drop the springs down. If the axles haven't been flipped (springs on top of axles), you can gain 3+ inches by doing so. If there are no holes and axles are already flipped, the only option you have is to add a sub-frame to provide the needed lift. Also, I believe that the RAMs may have a lift block that might be removed to lower the truck, but I could be wrong on that.Lyle

Achieving level tow with Ram 3500 | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

RVman3252
Explorer
Mar 18, 2016
I have a 2012 RAM 3500 SRW Crew LB w/ Cummins, and pull our 3252 KZ 5'er. I had to flip the axles on the trailer to keep from pulling nose-high. I have a 20K Pullrite hitch and maybe 5-1/2" clearance. After flipping the axles she is pretty level. Good Luck!

RVman / John
NC_Hauler
Explorer
Mar 18, 2016
BiggYella wrote:
Odd, we've owned two 5ers and towed or moved several for friends. Stock 2006 Dodge Ram Megacab with 4wd, no lift kit, no problems. If you have a lift kit, maybe you need to decide if you want to keep it...

The rear end, i.e., tail gate are higher on the newer stock trucks than years ago....OP doest't have a lift kit on his truck.
BiggYella
Explorer
Mar 18, 2016
Odd, we've owned two 5ers and towed or moved several for friends. Stock 2006 Dodge Ram Megacab with 4wd, no lift kit, no problems. If you have a lift kit, maybe you need to decide if you want to keep it...
NWKomfort350
Explorer
Mar 18, 2016
What about adding Correct track?

I haven't done much research on it yet. The little I have done, it seems to be an easy install and add up to 2 inches.

Does anyone know more about this?
laknox
Nomad
Mar 18, 2016
762namwobvram2043 wrote:
Thanks for replies. I like the B&W BWRVK3600 hitch but lowest it will go is 17". Reese 30160 will go down to 15.75" and appears this will leave 6" clearance so may go with it. But if no squat we'll still have RV nose up about 6". Primetime says with RV level, nose to ground is 59.375". My ruler shows top of tail gate at 58". This leaves only 1.375" inch clearance btw tailgate/bed rails and RV nose with RV and TV level. Looks like best we can do is nose up about 4.5 inches unless we eat into the 6" clearance. Did I miss something????

Thanks again

Marv

Marv, when you actually see your FW, make sure there are no suspension adjustments. Often times there may be extra holes in the spring hangars to drop the springs down. If the axles haven't been flipped (springs on top of axles), you can gain 3+ inches by doing so. If there are no holes and axles are already flipped, the only option you have is to add a sub-frame to provide the needed lift. Also, I believe that the RAMs may have a lift block that might be removed to lower the truck, but I could be wrong on that.

Lyle
762namwobvram20
Explorer
Mar 18, 2016
Thanks for replies. I like the B&W BWRVK3600 hitch but lowest it will go is 17". Reese 30160 will go down to 15.75" and appears this will leave 6" clearance so may go with it. But if no squat we'll still have RV nose up about 6". Primetime says with RV level, nose to ground is 59.375". My ruler shows top of tail gate at 58". This leaves only 1.375" inch clearance btw tailgate/bed rails and RV nose with RV and TV level. Looks like best we can do is nose up about 4.5 inches unless we eat into the 6" clearance. Did I miss something????

Thanks again

Marv
dedmiston
Moderator
Mar 18, 2016
762namwobvram2043 wrote:
Manufacturer says this is not OK, nor is adding lift kit to RV suspension.

Gee thanks. That's not very helpful of them.
jnharley
Explorer
Mar 18, 2016
You may be able to make an adjustment with your hitch. Not sure what kind of hitch you will use but you may be able to move the hitch head location. Also many times the pin box can be adjusted., We have a Ram 3500 dually but only 2 wheel drive. We were able to adjust our B&W Companion puck system hitch head to make the RV tow more level. These new pick ups are darned tall!
rhagfo
Explorer III
Mar 18, 2016
Well #1 Ram air ride has about 0" of squat, Cummins12V98 run it on a 3500 DRW and about 4,500# of pin and states 1/2" difference.

Need to get both home, and level the trailer and measure from bottom of the 5er to the ground and to the top rail of the TV.

Then look at your options.

First it to get to 6" of rail clearance. this is adjusting the hitch and pin box to get the 6", try to have the hitch head in the TV as high as possible.

You may be better off than you think, or you may need to go down the sub-frame route.

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Achieving level tow with Ram 3500

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