5th Wheel towing with the 2014 Ram 2500 6.7

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My 2010 3500 SRW just got totaled. I wanted to hear from any members who tow with the 2014 and how your experiences have been with the rear suspension. And what size/weight your pulling.

I have a 32ft bunkhouse 2 slides around 12,000 lbs. Since its so new all I have been reading is either Rams press release or people casting doubt on this platform. Took a test drive was impressed with the system it is very robust. i just placed an order and want to be sure I made the right move. The 3500 SRW Aisin seem to be on restriction forever.

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Fowl-Play wrote:
Recently, I purchased a 2014 RAM 3500SRW Mega Cab Diesel pickup and purchased the necessary adapter for the 5th wheel hitch mounting couplers built into the frame/bed. The truck does not have airbags which can be ordered on one. After having owned a 2004 Ford F350 6.0 liter with aftermarket airbags and towing a 2008 Bighorn 3600RL, there is no comparison for towing the same trailer. The trailer has close to 2000lbs pin weight and the trailer weighs in about 12,500lbs empty. The handling, braking, ride, and mileage are very impressive and the engine brake is AWESOME! The RAM is superior for towing hands-down. Why I did not get rid of my Ford sooner deserves ridicule but the 2014 RAM keeps me smiling!

The late model RAMs are really great platforms. Glad it's working out for you, sounds like an awesome truck!

[cummins2014]

Fowl-Play wrote:
Recently, I purchased a 2014 RAM 3500SRW Mega Cab Diesel pickup and purchased the necessary adapter for the 5th wheel hitch mounting couplers built into the frame/bed. The truck does not have airbags which can be ordered on one. After having owned a 2004 Ford F350 6.0 liter with aftermarket airbags and towing a 2008 Bighorn 3600RL, there is no comparison for towing the same trailer. The trailer has close to 2000lbs pin weight and the trailer weighs in about 12,500lbs empty. The handling, braking, ride, and mileage are very impressive and the engine brake is AWESOME! The RAM is superior for towing hands-down. Why I did not get rid of my Ford sooner deserves ridicule but the 2014 RAM keeps me smiling!

Towing the same weight with the same truck, you are correct I am all smiles also. The Rams are a very impressive truck. Can't say I have towed with the other two, but IMO I can't imagine them doing any better job mileage, power , handling, and the Rams exhaust brake is second to none. Never had an idea what I was missing with an exhaust brake, would never go back.

[Fowl-Play]

Recently, I purchased a 2014 RAM 3500SRW Mega Cab Diesel pickup and purchased the necessary adapter for the 5th wheel hitch mounting couplers built into the frame/bed. The truck does not have airbags which can be ordered on one. After having owned a 2004 Ford F350 6.0 liter with aftermarket airbags and towing a 2008 Bighorn 3600RL, there is no comparison for towing the same trailer. The trailer has close to 2000lbs pin weight and the trailer weighs in about 12,500lbs empty. The handling, braking, ride, and mileage are very impressive and the engine brake is AWESOME! The RAM is superior for towing hands-down. Why I did not get rid of my Ford sooner deserves ridicule but the 2014 RAM keeps me smiling!

[NC_Hauler]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Gunship Guy wrote:
NCHauler, that's a nice gift to get from your dealer. Hope you never have to use it though.

Easy to give something that will never be used! He will be joining me on a group buy this fall for a new 15 LongHorn Dually with rear air suspension! 😉

Not this time.....I've been married "almost" 44 years...want to make sure I make it there:) I've got all the truck I need/or want and two months after I purchased the truck, the dealership/Chrysler gave me this extended warranty...figure it was "meant to be"...so it made this truck even more desirable....so I'll stick with the 13' and all my buddies can get the 14's and the 15's 🙂

[Cummins12V98]

Gunship Guy wrote:
NCHauler, that's a nice gift to get from your dealer. Hope you never have to use it though.

Easy to give something that will never be used! He will be joining me on a group buy this fall for a new 15 LongHorn Dually with rear air suspension! 😉

[cummins2014]

NC Hauler wrote:

Gunship Guy wrote:
NCHauler, that's a nice gift to get from your dealer. Hope you never have to use it though.

Hope I never have to use it either, but it'll be there, Just in case. I've been dealing with them since 96' and between me, family and friends I've sent them, they know me pretty well....great gift and a great dealership:)

Hope I can say this about my Ram dealership, so far so good. Time will tell. Have bought two new vehicles in the past year, and have been mildly surprised seems the high pressure thing has changed .

[NC_Hauler]

Gunship Guy wrote:
NCHauler, that's a nice gift to get from your dealer. Hope you never have to use it though.

Hope I never have to use it either, but it'll be there, Just in case. I've been dealing with them since 96' and between me, family and friends I've sent them, they know me pretty well....great gift and a great dealership:)

[Gunship_Guy]

NCHauler, that's a nice gift to get from your dealer. Hope you never have to use it though.

[NC_Hauler]

Gunship Guy wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:
...it won't be hard to sell the picture frame adapter and at that time...

I sold my picture frame adapter on Craigslist within 1 day of posting. It was new, in the box. I had no intention of using it since I was going the Andersen route. Dealer had given it to me for free.

Didn't get mine free, paid $300 for it in July, BUT, because of the imposition of not being able to tow from the time I got the truck in May until second week in July, Chrysler, through my dealership, in July, gave me a 7 year, 100,000 mile Chrysler Car Care extended warranty with zero deductible FREE:B...was hard to be mad after that. Feel like I came out WAY ahead on that deal:)

I came within a hair of pulling the trigger on the Andersen hitch, but really wanted to use my perfectly fine Reese 20K Signature hitch....my 5er was at my camp, so it was ok at the time.

[Gunship_Guy]

NC Hauler wrote:
...it won't be hard to sell the picture frame adapter and at that time...

I sold my picture frame adapter on Craigslist within 1 day of posting. It was new, in the box. I had no intention of using it since I was going the Andersen route. Dealer had given it to me for free.

[NC_Hauler]

up2nogood wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

gtsum wrote:
I recently went through this with thoughts on going the fiver route and I quickly noticed how easy it would be to overload the 2500 truck with payload (I got burned on this on my 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie). I ended up ordering a 2014 3500 CTD SRW Laramie 2 weeks ago....this will be my daily driver and I expect a bit rougher ride than the 2500 with the new suspension, but that is the trade off to be made I guess. Also, Reese, Mopar, and Pullrite all make adapters to fit the factory fifth wheel prep package now...you can then install most hitches on those adapters. Other options would be Curt or B&W now make hitches that drop straight into the factory pucks (non sliding though). I will go with an adapter and a pullrite superglide hitch on my 6'4" bed

You may be surprised with how well the truck will ride. My dually is my daily driver and yeah, it's a 1 ton crew cab/long bed/4X4 dually, but REALLY rides pretty doggone nice for what it is. My wife and I have driven it from Asheville NC to our camp in WV several times while not towing and the ride is far more comfortable than one might think. As far as getting around in the snow, Never been an issue, and I've driven it in the snow in the mountains of WV, TN, NC and VA...Grew up in WV and learned at an early age how to drive in the white stuff:)

If I were purchasing a picture frame adapter now to fit the prep package, I'd go with the cheapest price because the adapters are identical.....or go the other route where you purchase one of the hitches that come's with the legs that fit into the prep package. I went with picture frame adapter because My Reese 20K Signature hitch is in excellent condition and I wanted to still use it.

Jim, It sounds like he is going the same route as you and I, I will try my old 18K reese manual slider, and if I don't like how close I am getting to the cab I will go with the Superglide 18K automatic, never had a problem with the ford ,but it had a 6 inch longer bed then the Ram.

It's possibly the "cheapest" route to go IF you have the 5er/GN prep package and want to use a pre-existing hitch....I did...one thing about it, "IF" I decide to go another route, it won't be hard to sell the picture frame adapter and at that time, if I opted to go that route, odds are, they'll be more and more options for this set up with each passing month.

[gtsum]

up2nogood wrote:

gtsum wrote:
I recently went through this with thoughts on going the fiver route and I quickly noticed how easy it would be to overload the 2500 truck with payload (I got burned on this on my 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie). I ended up ordering a 2014 3500 CTD SRW Laramie 2 weeks ago....this will be my daily driver and I expect a bit rougher ride than the 2500 with the new suspension, but that is the trade off to be made I guess. Also, Reese, Mopar, and Pullrite all make adapters to fit the factory fifth wheel prep package now...you can then install most hitches on those adapters. Other options would be Curt or B&W now make hitches that drop straight into the factory pucks (non sliding though). I will go with an adapter and a pullrite superglide hitch on my 6'4" bed

FYI ordered the Reese 30154 picture frame adapter from RedTrailers.com cost was 325.54 plus 1.00 processing fee ,free shipping total 326.54. Should have mine in the next 4-6 days. Best price I could find.

Good to know! Thanks!

[cummins2014]

NC Hauler wrote:

gtsum wrote:
I recently went through this with thoughts on going the fiver route and I quickly noticed how easy it would be to overload the 2500 truck with payload (I got burned on this on my 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie). I ended up ordering a 2014 3500 CTD SRW Laramie 2 weeks ago....this will be my daily driver and I expect a bit rougher ride than the 2500 with the new suspension, but that is the trade off to be made I guess. Also, Reese, Mopar, and Pullrite all make adapters to fit the factory fifth wheel prep package now...you can then install most hitches on those adapters. Other options would be Curt or B&W now make hitches that drop straight into the factory pucks (non sliding though). I will go with an adapter and a pullrite superglide hitch on my 6'4" bed

You may be surprised with how well the truck will ride. My dually is my daily driver and yeah, it's a 1 ton crew cab/long bed/4X4 dually, but REALLY rides pretty doggone nice for what it is. My wife and I have driven it from Asheville NC to our camp in WV several times while not towing and the ride is far more comfortable than one might think. As far as getting around in the snow, Never been an issue, and I've driven it in the snow in the mountains of WV, TN, NC and VA...Grew up in WV and learned at an early age how to drive in the white stuff:)

If I were purchasing a picture frame adapter now to fit the prep package, I'd go with the cheapest price because the adapters are identical.....or go the other route where you purchase one of the hitches that come's with the legs that fit into the prep package. I went with picture frame adapter because My Reese 20K Signature hitch is in excellent condition and I wanted to still use it.

Jim, It sounds like he is going the same route as you and I, I will try my old 18K reese manual slider, and if I don't like how close I am getting to the cab I will go with the Superglide 18K automatic, never had a problem with the ford ,but it had a 6 inch longer bed then the Ram.

[NC_Hauler]

gtsum wrote:
I recently went through this with thoughts on going the fiver route and I quickly noticed how easy it would be to overload the 2500 truck with payload (I got burned on this on my 2013 Ram 1500 Laramie). I ended up ordering a 2014 3500 CTD SRW Laramie 2 weeks ago....this will be my daily driver and I expect a bit rougher ride than the 2500 with the new suspension, but that is the trade off to be made I guess. Also, Reese, Mopar, and Pullrite all make adapters to fit the factory fifth wheel prep package now...you can then install most hitches on those adapters. Other options would be Curt or B&W now make hitches that drop straight into the factory pucks (non sliding though). I will go with an adapter and a pullrite superglide hitch on my 6'4" bed

You may be surprised with how well the truck will ride. My dually is my daily driver and yeah, it's a 1 ton crew cab/long bed/4X4 dually, but REALLY rides pretty doggone nice for what it is. My wife and I have driven it from Asheville NC to our camp in WV several times while not towing and the ride is far more comfortable than one might think. As far as getting around in the snow, Never been an issue, and I've driven it in the snow in the mountains of WV, TN, NC and VA...Grew up in WV and learned at an early age how to drive in the white stuff:)

If I were purchasing a picture frame adapter now to fit the prep package, I'd go with the cheapest price because the adapters are identical.....or go the other route where you purchase one of the hitches that come's with the legs that fit into the prep package. I went with picture frame adapter because My Reese 20K Signature hitch is in excellent condition and I wanted to still use it.