I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?

Hotel California wrote:I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?I wonder if the OEM Fifth Wheel package, and the picture frame for the pucks will give you a couple of inches off the bed floor?

For some reason, all the manufacturers keep making the bed rails higher all the time.Your going to have to lift the trailer up higher off its axles. I've seen people weld 2X3 steel square stock between the spring mounts and the frame to do this. Some times it takes 2 or three of them.

ScottG wrote:Your going to have to lift the trailer...Either that or order it with no bed and put a flatbed on it.

on my boys 2013 F150 and a pullrite we purchase a kit that raised the 5th wheel hitch 3" and matched my 99 dodge clearance. we were going to make the lift kit but it was actually reasonable a I think $100.

Ed9824v wrote:on my boys 2013 F150 and a pullrite we purchase a kit that raised the 5th wheel hitch 3" and matched my 99 dodge clearance. we were going to make the lift kit but it was actually reasonable a I think $100.right but that solves a problem and creates another.Trailer will be too nose high.

Clearance Between Bed Rails and Fiver. Yikes! | Good Sam Community

45Ricochet
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
hmknightnc wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:

Probably an optical contusion but your RV looks low in the front in your pic. It won't hurt a thing to be a bit high in the front. The RAM's have a lot of spring travel. I bet you would be fine. Do you have spring hanger adjustments on your RV?

I agree. Your signature picture looks like you are towing at least 2" nose down. With the trailer actually level I suspect you will be fine. Especially since you have an '14 FW it should also be built already for today's higher trucks.

X3

Not sure about 2013 MY but mine will squat 4" when hitched. Top of my tailgate is 58" with no load. Sure does help getting the nose down.
hoopers
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
Hotel California wrote:
john&bet wrote:
Two things not to forget is that the truck will settle about 2 inches or more when hooked up. Now you have 2 more inches than you thought would. Also if you raise the trailer don't exceed a height of 13'6".

The settling of the truck won't change the bed rail clearance, will it? It's a solid connection between the hitch and pin box so the fifth wheel and the truck should drop the same amount it seems. The settling would help the nose up attitude by those 2 inches though.

It means the nose of the fifth wheel will settle the same 2 inches as the truck settles. In turn, the nose of the fifth wheel will be 2 inches lower. In other words, the fifth wheel wont be level anymore, but tilting to the front.
To compensate, you can raise the hitch up 2 inches. I had the same thing happen on my chevy/Bighorn combo. It was more than 2 inches too. Without this compensation, I would have had a big issue on my clearances too.
Dutch___Di
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
Welcome to our world. We ordered our 2014 2 wheel drive single cab Ram 3500 Ram dually in July 2013 before anyone realized how much higher it would be when it actually showed up in October. Yikes. We had to have step installed on the truck just to climb into the darned thing and we're NOT short. Then we realized your dilemma when we turned into a fuel station and almost hit the bed rail on the truck with the 5'er. Double Yikes!! We headed to Vegas and found a shop who could lower our 5th wheel we were able to use another set of bolt holes that were in our Mor/Ryde suspenion. They also dropped the pin box so we have a very good amount of clearance now-thank goodness.
Hotel California wrote:
I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.
Our truck now has a slight nose up attitude but nothing offensive. We did not need air bags with the heavy duty suspension that this truck has which is a good thing because that would have made us higher yet and less clearance. Hope this helps. Hugs, Di

Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!

I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.

Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?
j2catfish
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
Some manufacturers state (in their owners manual) that it is OK to tow slightly nose up. I'd check that first for a cost saving method of correcting your problem. The second thing I would do (or did do)is install the drop shackles like some one else stated. That should give you probably enough clearance. YMMV.
Catfish
goukcats
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
I don't know about the dully but I found on my 2011 Ram 2500 the top part of the springs were a little softer than my previous 08 GMC 2500 TV. This meant with a load the Ram went down the first couple of inches a little quicker. I also flipped the spacers from below my rear leaf springs to above & this lowered the bed about 1 & 1/2 inches without effecting the suspension at all. I am not sure if the dully has the same type of leaf spring, but if so it is an easy task that takes about an hour & half time.

(I'd like to take credit for the idea but someone else shared it with me, & I'm sorry I can't remember their name at this time.)
Hotel_Californi
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
john&bet wrote:
Two things not to forget is that the truck will settle about 2 inches or more when hooked up. Now you have 2 more inches than you thought would. Also if you raise the trailer don't exceed a height of 13'6".

The settling of the truck won't change the bed rail clearance, will it? It's a solid connection between the hitch and pin box so the fifth wheel and the truck should drop the same amount it seems. The settling would help the nose up attitude by those 2 inches though.
john_bet
Explorer II
Feb 12, 2014
Two things not to forget is that the truck will settle about 2 inches or more when hooked up. Now you have 2 more inches than you thought would. Also if you raise the trailer don't exceed a height of 13'6".
hmknightnc
Explorer
Feb 12, 2014
Cummins12V98 wrote:

Probably an optical contusion but your RV looks low in the front in your pic. It won't hurt a thing to be a bit high in the front. The RAM's have a lot of spring travel. I bet you would be fine. Do you have spring hanger adjustments on your RV?

I agree. Your signature picture looks like you are towing at least 2" nose down. With the trailer actually level I suspect you will be fine. Especially since you have an '14 FW it should also be built already for today's higher trucks.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Feb 11, 2014
Hotel California wrote:
I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.

Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!

I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.

Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?

Probably an optical contusion but your RV looks low in the front in your pic. It won't hurt a thing to be a bit high in the front. The RAM's have a lot of spring travel. I bet you would be fine. Do you have spring hanger adjustments on your RV?
filthy_beast
Explorer
Feb 11, 2014
I don't own a Dodge, but on my Chevy, the bedrail clearance was not a much as I would be comfortable with. After searching around, I decided that the back of my truck sits higher than the front. I purchased some lowering shackles and had them installed today. It has lowered the rear of the truck by two inches. I know it isn't the 4.5 you would like to have but it is a start. My truck now sits much closer to level and the air bags will keep it level when towing.

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