It's been awhile since I have been on the boards. Looking to move from the current lashup ('02 Suburban 2500 LT, 8.1l / '05 Jayco Eagle 29 BHS TT) to a Fiver and Truck.Settled on a Jayco Eagle Fiver 336FBOKUnloaded Vehicle Weight (lbs) 11,745Dry Pin Weight (lbs) 2,215GRVW (lbs) 13,750Total Exterior Length 39' 8"Exterior Travel Length (Pin box to bumper) 38' 9"Going with a 3500 Diesel, Club Cab.Questions:1. Long Bed or Short (6'4")?2. If short bed, sliding hitch -- Manual or automatic?3. DRW or SRW?3. Minimum Payload (The range has been 4,200 - 5,500 in my searching, only duallies so far)4. Minimum Towing Capacity? (Range has been 23k - 30k, so I'm OK there so far)5. Fuel Tank / In-Bed Aux Fuel. So far it's been 31 or 50 on the truck. Think I'll be OK with 50 and not have to add an In-Bed Aux Fuel.) Regarding slider hitch - RV Dealer told me most ppl never use it. (I assume they are not backing up at sharp angles and/or have tapered front on their fiver?)This will be the biggest (and likely last) RV as we are both now retired and plan to do extensive travelling and will be in the Rockies and other high elevations.Thanks in advance to all your input!

1 Long bed...it's going to be a big vehicle no matter what so no point short changing yourself.2 Irrelevant with long bed3 You might be able to get within ratings with a 1 ton SRW...it's the borderline where I would want to go DRW, so just bite the bullet and get the DRW. That way you won't be worried about pushing the limits.4 Tow rating shouldn't be an issue with a DRW.5 Not sure about new but in older trucks, the short bed gets you the small fuel tank.

In addition to what Valhalla posted, Titan tanks can likely get you the gallons you need inboard without taking up bed space, especially on a long bed. I think at the weight your looking at, either SRW or DRW would work. Nice to have the option either way.

That camper will easily pull behind any short bed 3/4 ton, on up truck. Personal preference as to dually vs srw is your real consideration. Half the people will say dually ,some will say srw. All will be “right.” The rest of the options are generally personal preference as well save for the possible necessity of a slider with a short bed. But that is either you need it or you don’t. Not a question of what others think. Sounds like you want someone to build your ultimate hauler for you...I’ll take a stab. Truck: CC dually GMC Duramax or Ram HO “when” they finally get a 8 speed. Tank, 40-60gal gravity fed slip tank/tool box combo. Hitch? I don’t know about those, but I’ll say B&W because that’s the best one according to 12V98! Lol. And some fuzzy dice!

If ordering NEW... I'd go with a long bed.. I have been in the short bed camp for a long time with no issues.. I switched over to a long bed last year and won't go back.Again... IF ordering new.. ANY of the big 3 New generation 1 ton SRW's will handle that weight of that fiver.If you go with the long bed, ford's standard is 48 gallon.. And Titan Fuel tanks are great and are available in many different configurations. and hitches... Like Grit said, B&W .. 12V98 wasn't lying when he said they are awesome..

Grit dog wrote:That camper will easily pull behind any short bed 3/4 ton, on up truck. Personal preference as to dually vs srw is your real consideration. Half the people will say dually ,some will say srw. All will be “right.” The rest of the options are generally personal preference as well save for the possible necessity of a slider with a short bed. But that is either you need it or you don’t. Not a question of what others think. This exactly. The only thing I'd add is get a diesel since you will be towing at elevation.I've had great luck with my 2015 CTD Ram. If I were buying a new truck today, I think I'd go Duramax for the non-CP4 injection pump and more gears in the transmission. Although I do think the 2021 Rams dropped the CP4 so I would still consider it and truthfully a 6 speed trans isn't exactly torture even if it's a bit of a drawback these days. Lots of guys love Powerstrokes and they're very capable trucks but diesel Fords aren't really my thing, just my opinion on that point based on my perception of track record.

Truck Shopping for Fiver | Good Sam Community

jdc1
Explorer II
Mar 19, 2021
Go drive that truck. DRW trucks are not easy to park in crowded areas. Take your wife....let her drive it on a freeway.
JAL_Camper
Explorer
Mar 19, 2021
Everyone: Thank you all so much for your responses! Super helpful!

Due to price, likely going with 2021 RAM Bighorn with some add ons. Mid $60's. Can't see going $10-$20k more for the Limited or Laramie. Since my current TV will no longer be a teenager this year, I think I'll be fine with what's in the Bighorn.

To answer a few questions that came up:
Diesel -- Yes going with that (was in original post)
Fuel Tank -- It's my understanding that RAM standard tank size is 31-32 gallons. It's a $295 option to go with the 50 gal. Seems like it's about half and half what out there. I'm looking more for convenience (stretching and walking at a rest area instead of fuel stop) and driving past higher fuel prices.
I've only seen 6 speed tranny in the RAMs I've come across. Current TV has 4 speed, so the 6 will seem nice.

Further Questions:
Seems like the 4.10 gears get you 30k towing while the 3.42 seems to be at 24k, more than enough for us. How much will fuel economy (or lack there of) differ in these two?

Thanks, again!
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Mar 19, 2021
Get the AISIN Trans, Factory Rear air Ride and 4.10's. You WILL thank me!!!

The AISIN is in many Medium Duty applications and is truly bullet proof.

Get the larger fuel tank as it WILL bring you more than $295 on future sale.

I don't think RAM offers the 3.42's any longer.
ACZL
Explorer
Mar 20, 2021
^^^^^^^^^ What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^
4x4ord
Explorer III
Mar 20, 2021
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Get the AISIN Trans, Factory Rear air Ride and 4.10's. You WILL thank me!!!

The AISIN is in many Medium Duty applications and is truly bullet proof.

Get the larger fuel tank as it WILL bring you more than $295 on future sale.

I don't think RAM offers the 3.42's any longer.

Why 4.10 gears? You’ve got 4.10 gears pulling your rig with only 865 lbft of torque and it likely works fine. With 1075 lbft of torque 3.73 would work very well for towing. At 1800 rpm the Cummins is capable of making 368 hp ..... you certainly don’t need to be running at 1800 rpm while towing a 16000 lb fiver down the highway. 3.73s would put the engine at 1550 rpm at 65 mph vs 1700 rpm with 4.10 gears.
alboy
Explorer
Mar 20, 2021
I had 3.42 in our 2015 ram Dually pulling 17500 lbs, the sweet spot is 1700 -1900 rpm towing,empty loved the 3.42 lots of power
4x4ord
Explorer III
Mar 20, 2021
Your 2015 was capable of making 285 hp at 1800 rpm. On the level at 65 mph you probably used about 140 hp towing your 17500 lb rv so you had plenty of reserve power available to take on modest hills without downshifting. The 2015 Cummins needs to be turning about 2550 rpm before it can make the kind of power that the 2021 makes at 1800 rpm. I believe the new engine would be even more comfortable towing at 1500 rpm than your 2015 was at 1800.
cummins2014
Explorer
Mar 20, 2021
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Get the AISIN Trans, Factory Rear air Ride and 4.10's. You WILL thank me!!!

The AISIN is in many Medium Duty applications and is truly bullet proof.

Get the larger fuel tank as it WILL bring you more than $295 on future sale.

I don't think RAM offers the 3.42's any longer.

Yet your previous truck had 3:42's , and if not mistaken you said it did a great job. I too have 3:42, and although the Asian is a great transmission, the 68RFE does a great job for me towing a 13,500- 14000 fifth wheel. If I was going with a new Ram, yes the Aisin .

As far as 3;42's no idea if it is offered now, but with the torque ,and HP of the new Rams, I would still stay with 3:42 if offered , unless I was hooked up to that fifth wheel everyday, then I might go 3:73. Knowing what I know on how well 3:42's are with what I tow with a 2014 Cummins, no way in the world would I go 4:10's with my weight or what the OP is towing, 13,750 GVWR .
cummins2014
Explorer
Mar 20, 2021
alboy wrote:
I had 3.42 in our 2015 ram Dually pulling 17500 lbs, the sweet spot is 1700 -1900 rpm towing,empty loved the 3.42 lots of power

No way in the world would 4:10's be needed for the OP's weight, especially with the Aisin , and the lower first two gears then the 68RFE that I tow with .
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Mar 20, 2021
4x4ord wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Get the AISIN Trans, Factory Rear air Ride and 4.10's. You WILL thank me!!!

The AISIN is in many Medium Duty applications and is truly bullet proof.

Get the larger fuel tank as it WILL bring you more than $295 on future sale.

I don't think RAM offers the 3.42's any longer.

Why 4.10 gears? You’ve got 4.10 gears pulling your rig with only 865 lbft of torque and it likely works fine. With 1075 lbft of torque 3.73 would work very well for towing. At 1800 rpm the Cummins is capable of making 368 hp ..... you certainly don’t need to be running at 1800 rpm while towing a 16000 lb fiver down the highway. 3.73s would put the engine at 1550 rpm at 65 mph vs 1700 rpm with 4.10 gears.

WHY??? Because the 3.42's are no longer available. 3.42's with AISIN are AWESOME with the lower starting gears and then locking in 5th at 60 turning 1,750 rpm the same as my 4,10's in 6th.

I tow a lot at 60 so 3.73's would be too low of RPM.

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