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Bed rail height? Is 59" too tall?

Cummins360
Explorer
Explorer
Bought a 14 Ram 2500 Diesel with Ramboxes installed. I would like to tow a fifth wheel and have done quite a bit of research. I measured some 5ers at the dealership and found aywhere from 58 to 62.5 inches of clearance as they sat on landing gear. My bed is at 39" and rails at 59". With the rambox option the B&W Companion looks like a nice setup with a Reese 5th Airborne pinbox. Anybody using this setup or have any insight on my height? I'm concerned that if I find a used 5er that I like how can I be sure I can tow it once I go to pick it up? Seems to be a lot of parameters here....
8 REPLIES 8

Durb
Explorer
Explorer
Cummins360 wrote:
Bought a 14 Ram 2500 Diesel with Ramboxes installed. I would like to tow a fifth wheel and have done quite a bit of research. I measured some 5ers at the dealership and found aywhere from 58 to 62.5 inches of clearance as they sat on landing gear. My bed is at 39" and rails at 59". With the rambox option the B&W Companion looks like a nice setup with a Reese 5th Airborne pinbox. Anybody using this setup or have any insight on my height? I'm concerned that if I find a used 5er that I like how can I be sure I can tow it once I go to pick it up? Seems to be a lot of parameters here....


The good thing is you are aware of the height and bed issues and are doing your homework. If you tried to pick up my trailer with your truck you would be towing 8 inches nose high on a 31 ft. trailer. Plus, there are no options to address the problem. Kinda limits the pool of future buyers should I ever decide to sell.

Cummins360
Explorer
Explorer
Yep, I know about the sidewinder. Moves my pivot back 22". Was going to get the 5th Airborne sidewinder.

Dayle1
Explorer II
Explorer II
mikeh449 wrote:
you are still going to need sidewinder pin box

That is right, the Rambox only has 50 inches width between the sides. Any extended pin box will be longer than 25 inches from king pin to back of the pin box, which will then hit the truck sides.

My utility bed is also 50 inches wide but it is low enough that the pin box swings above the sides. With a 59 inch height, you don't have that option.
Larry Day
Texas Baptist Men-Retiree Builders since '01
'13 Silverado 3500HD LT 2wd CCSB SRW, custom RKI bed
'19 Starcraft Telluride 292RLS
Rig Photos

mikeh449
Explorer
Explorer
you are still going to need sidewinder pin box

Cummins360
Explorer
Explorer
I was going to use the B&W Companion,but saw last night it's not compatible with the sidewinder (too much torque on connection point). Have to use the Patriot with rails.

RustyJC
Explorer
Explorer
See signature below for our configuration. With the Trailair TriGlide pinbox and B&W RVK3600 hitch on its lowest setting, our truck sits level when hitched up with the 5th wheel slightly nose high. There's really nothing more that I can do about the 5th wheel without some major changes as it has MorRyde independent suspension with no adjustment available, the Trailair pinbox extension is already at its highest setting, and I'm at 13'6" high with the factory installed 3" risers between the frame and suspension.

I can't comment on the difficulties your Rambox equipped truck may encounter as our dually doesn't have them.

On Edit: I just went out and measured and it's 58-7/8" to the top of my truck's tailgate.

Rusty
2014.5 DRV Mobile Suites 38RSSA #6972

2016 Ram 3500 Dually Longhorn Crew Cab Long Bed, 4x4, 385/900 Cummins, Aisin AS69RC, 4.10, 39K+ GCWR, 30K+ trailer tow rating, 14K GVWR

B&W RVK3600

Toolguy5
Explorer II
Explorer II
I had the same issue when I purchased my 2015 Sierra. As the 5er sat level in driveway. Measuring the truck bed rails. Thought I sat to high and the 5er would have to have some adjustment made to it. After installing the hitch and hooking 5er to it at the lowest setting of the B&W hitch I had 5 inches of clearance on bed rails and 5er was level. I raised the hitch to middle position and now have 6 icnches of clearance and the 5er sits about a 1/2 inch or so nose high.

So really can not tell until you hitch everything up.
Dan & Patty
Miss Pickles the Pomeranian Princess Rainbow Bridge 8/8/2023
2020 GMC 3500 Sierra Denali 6.6 Duramax / Allison tranny
2021 Jayco Eagle 319MLOK
BWRVK 3710 companion
Maddy the Pampered Pom @ Rainbow Bridge 12-3-2013

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
With Ram boxes, you will need to use a Reese Revolution AKA Sidewinder pin box. The ram boxes make the bed too narrow for a standard extended pin box.

Your bed rail height and distance are not that far off, with a little squat you will likely be just a bit pin high.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"