Is a long bed a requirement for pulling a 5th wheel?

[Retired_Sailor]

Looks like we're going to switch to a 5th wheel so I need to buy a truck. Do I need a long (8') bed or will a short (6'4") bed be sufficient. Im not worried about other cargo and the short bed would be easier for the wife to drive around town. Thanks

[noteven]

edited back on topic

Liked & like the 5 long bed pickups more than the one short bed we had for a short time.

[Cummins12V98]

Bought a 98 RAM 12V with about 50K drove it till 380 or so now the Son has it.

Bought a 98 12V a year ago with 313K now has over 340 no hesitation with the mileage and the truck has been great also.

11 RAM Dually HO towed 28-30K combined, great truck no issues 65K traded for 15 RAM so far tows 32,500# very well!

RAM Baby! Just look around the VAST majority of independent hotshotters and RV haulers drive RAM/Cummins.

OH yea, LONG bed for sure!!!!

[RustyJC]

laknox wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

laknox wrote:
FWIW, I can tell when a Cummins is approaching nearly every time. Sounds like an early turbo'd John Deere. 🙂

Lyle

Probably not a coincidence since the original Cummins 5.9 B-series diesel was a joint venture development between Cummins and Case back in the early 1980s for use in agricultural and construction equipment.

Rusty

They =are= very loud if someone has added an AM exhaust and/or programmer. I like the Cummins engines overall; my issue is that they're in a Dodge! 🙂

Lyle

To each his/her own, but I've been towing 5th wheels with long bed (to keep on topic) Ram 3500 duallies (V10 gas and Cummins diesels) since 1996 and have never been left on the side of the road yet. I've had fewer problems with my Rams than with most other vehicles that we've owned - exceptions being Hondas, Acuras and Toyotas, none of which ever required anything except routine service, batteries and tires.

Rusty

[laknox]

RustyJC wrote:

laknox wrote:
FWIW, I can tell when a Cummins is approaching nearly every time. Sounds like an early turbo'd John Deere. 🙂

Lyle

Probably not a coincidence since the original Cummins 5.9 B-series diesel was a joint venture development between Cummins and Case back in the early 1980s for use in agricultural and construction equipment.

Rusty

They =are= very loud if someone has added an AM exhaust and/or programmer. I like the Cummins engines overall; my issue is that they're in a Dodge! 🙂

Lyle

[larry_barnhart]

The best part of this story is the older Cummins powered trucks are being replaced for newer models and much less noise in the rv resort we stay in each winter. Had 2 on our street once. Of course it was the MH folks that complained and most of had the same noise but the MH was parked.

chevman

[RustyJC]

laknox wrote:
FWIW, I can tell when a Cummins is approaching nearly every time. Sounds like an early turbo'd John Deere. 🙂

Lyle

Probably not a coincidence since the original Cummins 5.9 B-series diesel was a joint venture development between Cummins and Case back in the early 1980s for use in agricultural and construction equipment.

Rusty

[cummins2014]

laknox wrote:
FWIW, I can tell when a Cummins is approaching nearly every time. Sounds like an early turbo'd John Deere. 🙂

Lyle

Then they do sound nice :). I'm really confused about this noise thing on the new Cummins, I guess after owning a 7.3 for nearly 16 years everything seems quiet. I actually enjoy the sound of the new Cummins even when they are idling .

[laknox]

FWIW, I can tell when a Cummins is approaching nearly every time. Sounds like an early turbo'd John Deere. 🙂

Lyle

[Cummins12V98]

LOFAT36 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

LOFAT36 wrote:
Ram diesels are to noisy, Ford ranks 2nd and my Duramax is the quietest. IMHOP

"Too noisy" Really?????

Seriously have you driven a 13 or newer RAM/Cummins towing a large RV?

My wife and I can carry on a normal conversation in our 15 Dually towing a combined 32K on 6% graders. If ya want any quitter just stay in the RV.

My oh my, aren't we testy ! As I stated earlier, it's just my humble opinion. No reason to get bent all out of shape over it.

Not getting bent at all. I was wondering what you based it on? I could see if you said the Cummins was noisy but you said "to noisy"

If you were talking 94-2002 I would agree they are "noisy"

Oh well, it's the internet can't always tell what someone is saying.

Here is the POST I took the partial quote from. "Ram diesels are to noisy, Ford ranks 2nd and my Duramax is the quietest. IMHOP"

[LOFAT36]

No harm, no foul.

[john_bet]

LOFAT36 wrote:
Ram diesels are to noisy, Ford ranks 2nd and my Duramax is the quietest. IMHOP

Respectfully disagree. I have an '04.5 Cummins. JMHO.:B

[LOFAT36]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

LOFAT36 wrote:
Ram diesels are to noisy, Ford ranks 2nd and my Duramax is the quietest. IMHOP

"Too noisy" Really?????

Seriously have you driven a 13 or newer RAM/Cummins towing a large RV?

My wife and I can carry on a normal conversation in our 15 Dually towing a combined 32K on 6% graders. If ya want any quitter just stay in the RV.

My oh my, aren't we testy ! As I stated earlier, it's just my humble opinion. No reason to get bent all out of shape over it.

[larry_barnhart]

I didn't like the older Cummins because of the noise but I think it was 2003 model of dodge that was much quieter and less noise ever since so that story of too much noise is nonsense.

chevman

[Cummins12V98]

LOFAT36 wrote:
Ram diesels are to noisy, Ford ranks 2nd and my Duramax is the quietest. IMHOP

"Too noisy" Really?????

Seriously have you driven a 13 or newer RAM/Cummins towing a large RV?

My wife and I can carry on a normal conversation in our 15 Dually towing a combined 32K on 6% graders. If ya want any quitter just stay in the RV.