Hitch

[JCher]

I own a Ram 2500 cc with the Cummins engine, 3.73 rear end. I am currently towing a travel trailer and am starting researching moving to a fifth wheel. Would anyone know if the hitch for a fifth wheel is generally part of the purchase price? Thanks.

[Seattle_Lion]

Halmfamily wrote:
My dealer charged me $1000 for a Reese's 16K slider, rails and installation. Looking on internet that seemed to be a fare price. Just remember do your research and everything is negotiable. Spend the extra money and have a B&W Companion installed, more expensive but well worth the money. Had one installed on our new truck and wow what a difference.

I paid my dealer $1900 for B&W companion including the turnover ball. It took them over 7 hours and they also installed a Bed Saver that I had bought at no additional charge. Based on the prices I saw on the net, I got a fair deal.

[outwestbound]

oilslick wrote:
Air bags generally fit between the axle and the frame , between brackets or often right above the springs themselves, and can be inflated to pressures from 5psi to 100psi. The stock spring pack is designed to carry the GAWR of the rear axle but if loaded close to that the truck may be sitting a little low so the airbags could be used to correct that and level the truck and trailer. I think generally people install them so the can exceed the GAWR.

Yes, I think many folks exceed the GAWR, but that's their decision. For me, I won't do it. Your post helps me understand why a complete leaf spring pack could still benefit from air bags; namely, to reduce the squatting issue. Having both makes sense from that standpoint. Thanks.

[oilslick]

Air bags generally fit between the axle and the frame , between brackets or often right above the springs themselves, and can be inflated to pressures from 5psi to 100psi. The stock spring pack is designed to carry the GAWR of the rear axle but if loaded close to that the truck may be sitting a little low so the airbags could be used to correct that and level the truck and trailer. I think generally people install them so the can exceed the GAWR.

[outwestbound]

oilslick wrote:

outwestbound wrote:
Thanks everyone. I drove the RAM 3500 yesterday - nice ride. If I go with RAM, I'll wait (salesperson said May/June) and get one with the air bag option. The salesperson's current info says air bags (about $1500 more) will be available for both 2500 and 3500. I watched a video on that feature - looks great!

From what I've seen the 3500 with air bags will have a single rear leaf spring, that might make it ride nice when empty but I personally wouldn't want to have a problem on the road with the air bags or compressor if towing a trailer. I think the way to go would be aftermarket air bags with the regular spring pack.

Good point, especially given it's the first year RAM is rolling the air feature out. Could you help me understand how and aftermarket air bad works with leaf springs? Assuming that I have NO interest in overloading the trucks GVWR and that the stock leaf springs can handel the load with out air bags, what benefit(s) do air bags provide?

[oilslick]

outwestbound wrote:
Thanks everyone. I drove the RAM 3500 yesterday - nice ride. If I go with RAM, I'll wait (salesperson said May/June) and get one with the air bag option. The salesperson's current info says air bags (about $1500 more) will be available for both 2500 and 3500. I watched a video on that feature - looks great!

From what I've seen the 3500 with air bags will have a single rear leaf spring, that might make it ride nice when empty but I personally wouldn't want to have a problem on the road with the air bags or compressor if towing a trailer. I think the way to go would be aftermarket air bags with the regular spring pack.

[outwestbound]

Thanks everyone. I drove the RAM 3500 yesterday - nice ride. If I go with RAM, I'll wait (salesperson said May/June) and get one with the air bag option. The salesperson's current info says air bags (about $1500 more) will be available for both 2500 and 3500. I watched a video on that feature - looks great!

[laknox]

Just throwing in that I installed my B&W Turnover Ball on my own, by myself. Helped my brother do his on his F350. Only real issue I had with mine was nerving myself up to cut that 4" hole in the middle of my bed. Made little brother do his own so he couldn't blame me for any f-ups. 🙂

Lyle

[john_bet]

JCher wrote:
I own a Ram 2500 cc with the Cummins engine, 3.73 rear end. I am currently towing a travel trailer and am starting researching moving to a fifth wheel. Would anyone know if the hitch for a fifth wheel is generally part of the purchase price? Thanks.

We made it a part of the deal when we bought ours in '05. I had no desire to do it myself.

[beetle1]

I have had three different hitches over the years and my new B&W Companion turn-over ball deal (about $1600 bed wiring and all installed) is the best I have had. Food for thought.

[oilslick]

The B&W turnover ball is FAR superior to the factory set up for the 2013/14 trucks and you don't end up with 5 large holes in the bed.

[laknox]

outwestbound wrote:

jlscjs wrote:
I've had 2 Rams and on both of them I installed the 5th wheel hitch myself. If you have the tools, basically a good drill and some help it isn't that big of a deal. There are lots of people out there on this forum and would be happy to give you some pointers if you ask, that's how I done my first one, ask a lot of questions before starting. Good luck

jlscjs, I'm looking at factory ordering a new RAM 2014 3/4 ton truck now. Do you think I should include an available fifth-wheel/gooseneck towing prep group option to my order? I've read hereand other places that RAM's rollout of this feature was a complete debacle. Evidently, inventory was being delivered without required component parts that didn't initially even exists and had to be made. Equally troubling, it seems that at first at least, only RAM had a hitch unit that would fit their designed holes in the bed, but evidently another hitch manufacturer has produced one.

As a newbie, I just want a good quality hitch and a good quality application to my truck's bed without being manipulated by any manufacturer seeking profits via proprietary equipment configurations. Thoughts?

I believe that B&W is making mounts for their Companion hitches for all factory-installed FW hitch bases. Can't go wrong with a B&W product. I have, and use, both the Turnover Ball and the Companion. Great hitches.

Lyle

[outwestbound]

jlscjs wrote:
I've had 2 Rams and on both of them I installed the 5th wheel hitch myself. If you have the tools, basically a good drill and some help it isn't that big of a deal. There are lots of people out there on this forum and would be happy to give you some pointers if you ask, that's how I done my first one, ask a lot of questions before starting. Good luck

jlscjs, I'm looking at factory ordering a new RAM 2014 3/4 ton truck now. Do you think I should include an available fifth-wheel/gooseneck towing prep group option to my order? I've read hereand other places that RAM's rollout of this feature was a complete debacle. Evidently, inventory was being delivered without required component parts that didn't initially even exists and had to be made. Equally troubling, it seems that at first at least, only RAM had a hitch unit that would fit their designed holes in the bed, but evidently another hitch manufacturer has produced one.

As a newbie, I just want a good quality hitch and a good quality application to my truck's bed without being manipulated by any manufacturer seeking profits via proprietary equipment configurations. Thoughts?

[mileshuff]

Nothing is free as others have said. Every dealer I've dealt with seemed to have a lack of knowledge when it came to hitches. Their knowledge was limited to a couple different models they happen to carry, usually lower end models.

Instead I went to a local hitch shop. Thats all they do is hitches. Gave me by far the lowest prices on the hitch plus installation and they knew what they were doing.

[stargirl96]

When we bought our fifth wheel the cost of the hitch and installation was about $550. We were told the cost would have been double that if we hadn't purchased the RV from this dealer.