The DW and I are getting ready to start looking for our retirement 5er and new TV. As I'm new to towing this type I was wondering whether I should look for long box or short. I've already narrowed the truck to a Ram 3500 diesel CC. Thanks :D

Looking at your profile, you are towing a 2008 Kodiak 25QS TT. For towing purposes you could go long bed or short bed. I don't think it will matter very much. What you need to ask yourself is, what other uses will you have for your truck?Myself, I do a lot of "armature" home remodeling and construction (my own house and property). Been doing this type of stuff all my life. I'm always remodeling or building something, so for me, the bed of the truck is VERY important, that I can lay down a 4x8 sheet of plywood without having to tilt it, or even worse, a 4x8 sheet of drywall, so it won't be on it's side, it lays down flat. I also have a 10 foot by 6 foot utility trailer for hauling 10 foot or longer materials and they lay down flat. Also, I take care of my mother's yard, so it's absolutely vital I have a trailer that will comfortably move a John Deer 730 series mower-tractor and in the winter with the attached snow blower. When camping, the long bed is great because all the extras fit with no problem. Firewood, dump tote, air compressor, hoses, sewer hoses, step ladder for the roof to clean off the slide roofs before retracting. I have a 7 foot ladder, it lays flat in the back of the truck. Short bed, ladder would be too small for me to be useful to fit the bed. Extra water jugs, extra lumber for leveling the camper (2x12x6 foot boards), and a bunch of other stuff.I'm currently now, in the process of harvesting a tree in the middle of a corn field for firewood. The 4 wheel drive, 6 wheels, pulling the utility trailer across a harvested field is priceless, especially when the ground is soft and the trailer is full of firewood.So you see, as far as towing your trailer, either long or short will work perfectly fine. But you REALLY need to ask yourself, what else will you use your truck for outside of towing and camping. If you REALLY want my opinion, get the long bed. You can NEVER have too much space or truck!

I like my CC long bed so I can carry quite a bit of stuff in the bed in front of the hitch and behind the hitch. But it is a l-o-n-g truck. A little harder to park and maneuver in tight areas. But I would buy another.All comes down to personal preference.

I've had 8', 12' and a 14' box on my trucks.....the best has been the 14' one. I vote LOOOOONG box. Oh what was the question again? frods vs chebbys vs dogde's vs yota.......4x4 vs 4x2...........take your pick, no right or wrong......Marty

If I were getting a 5er, I'd get a long bed. Can store more stuff in it and a bit better turn ratio on the hitch. Can't comment on slider hitches or short bed trucks, but I have CC LB and wouldn't trade it for anything. I just like having the extra room.

Take a look at the brand as not sure if this will apply...but, aside from more advantages with the long box, clincher for me going long box was the larger fuel tank.

Long box vs Short box | Good Sam Community

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Nov 29, 2014
Why limit your self? Buy a RAM 3500 LongHorn "standard longbed" you will be able to tow any 5er out there is style comfort and safety.

This is your retirement right? I have zero regrets with the truck in my sig. Full timed since 11/11.
cummins2014
Explorer
Nov 29, 2014
john&bet wrote:
Roger10378 wrote:
Just remember that the long bed weighs more than the short so that in itself takes away from your payload. All the stuff that some people say they carry in the bed won't leave much for pin weight. You say you are looking at retirement so I assume you will be traveling for a good portion of the year. That means taking the truck to the grocery store and any where else you want to go. A CC LB is a lot of truck to find a parking spot for.

It's your choice but these are a couple of other things to add to the equation.
A short bed will require a heavier slider hitch. So there goes the payload advantage. Just food for thought.

The newer fifth wheels with the round corners, a slider on a short bed is becoming a thing of the past.
john_bet
Explorer II
Nov 29, 2014
Roger10378 wrote:
Just remember that the long bed weighs more than the short so that in itself takes away from your payload. All the stuff that some people say they carry in the bed won't leave much for pin weight. You say you are looking at retirement so I assume you will be traveling for a good portion of the year. That means taking the truck to the grocery store and any where else you want to go. A CC LB is a lot of truck to find a parking spot for.

It's your choice but these are a couple of other things to add to the equation.
A short bed will require a heavier slider hitch. So there goes the payload advantage. Just food for thought.
coolbreeze01
Explorer
Nov 29, 2014
I think short beds are cute, but buy long beds for the space.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Nov 29, 2014
Full timing, no garage, get the Long bed!
Just realized my Quad cab 2001 Ram is as long as a F350 crew cab. I it handles great, and parking in lots, reverse is your best friend!! I back in 95% of the time, better view pulling out for sure. About the only time I don't, is when I can pull through to the other side.
blt2ski
Moderator
Nov 29, 2014
A CC long box must have what 200+" of WB?!?!?! my 14' long box has a 188" WB, and it out turns my 88 ext cab GM with a 155" wb, along with both the 96 and 05 dually with 168-172" WB's. Those had short 8' boxes. Just because you have a long box, does not mean it will not turn sharp. Get the one with a 55* wheel cut vs a 45*, and you can have an extra 36-45" of WB and still turn in a tighter circle than a short WB rig.....

Marty
goducks10
Explorer
Nov 29, 2014
I have a CC LB Ram that I tow a 5'er with. The best I like about it is the extra 1'6" of space in front of the 5th hitch. I can pit quite a bit of stuff there if needed.

The worst thing is probably getting into some really tight parking spots. But that only happens once in awhile.
RVhiker
Explorer
Nov 29, 2014
We went with a towed RV so we could use the tow vehicle for side trips - shopping, museum, various attractions, transport to a trail head, etc. Our Chevy 2500HD Crew Cab standard bed (ie, short) is VERY long to use in parking garages or other urban parking or on narrow roads with sketchy turn around locations. I would not want the truck to be any longer for those sorts of uses.

We have a Pullrite Superglide hitch which solves the problem of using a fifth wheel in a standard bed truck.
Roger10378
Explorer II
Nov 29, 2014
Just remember that the long bed weighs more than the short so that in itself takes away from your payload. All the stuff that some people say they carry in the bed won't leave much for pin weight. You say you are looking at retirement so I assume you will be traveling for a good portion of the year. That means taking the truck to the grocery store and any where else you want to go. A CC LB is a lot of truck to find a parking spot for.

It's your choice but these are a couple of other things to add to the equation.
valhalla360
Navigator
Nov 29, 2014
Unless you have to squeeze into a small garage, go with the long bed.

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