Short bed or long bed?

[DelCamper]

I'm looking at a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 non dully with a 6.4 ft bed to tow a 2013 5th wheel Keystone cougar 327 RES.

Do I need the long bed? What do I loose if I have the short bed?

My previous experience was with a TT and a 5th wheel is a new world for me.

[Mile_High]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Mile High wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
A truck is supposed to be used as a truck as in hauling things when not towing.

Not my pretty short bed tow motor, I use my neighbors junk Dodge for hauling things 🙂

Proves my point you need a real truck bed to do real hauling.

Ya, kind of like the tennis shoes you mow the lawn in, you leave them outside in the rain because you really dont care what happens to them.

[Cummins12V98]

DelCamper wrote:
"The only way the front will "rise" is if you set the centerline of the kingpin attaching point behind the centerline of the rear axle."


Does anyone know if the centerline of the kingpin will mount behind the rear axle of a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 2x4 crew cab short bed if set up for a Keystone 2013 Cougar 327RES?

With a B&W hitch you can adjust from ahead to behind centerline of rear axle.

[DelCamper]

retispcs

We're now in your neck of the woods in Cape Coral.

Pretty much settled on a 2014 Ram 3500 Single Tire crew cab long bed 4x4. Going to sleep on it tonight (toss and turn). Its overkill for 1550 pin weight and 12000 lbs of 5th wheel but rather have too much. Need the exercise anyway of walking more so I will park in the far corner of the Publix.

[retispcsi]

My first pick me up was a 2003 ram crew 3/4 ton short bed no slider and I pulled a Cedar Creek fiver. One dark night in Tn. I had to turn around on a dark road. As I made my wide turn I did not see that the right side or passenger side of the road crown or rose above the center portion. I realized that when my rear window exploded. Got a new window. The second time I was backing up a slight incline and hit a dip and guess what the window cracked this time. It was kind of neat in slow motion and then it just fell apart. After that I got a king pin extender. Cheaper then a slider and never had an issue again. The extender is made for the pin box you have and is ok'd by Kippers. By the way remove you tail gate. Then I got real smart and I bought 3500 dually crew cab Ram. I have jacked knife my fiver and guess what never even got close to my cab. You may not need a dually but seriously look at the long beds. That extra 2 feet is really useful. I run a aux fuel tank and I have a B & W hitch. You can hang bikes off the pin if you want or just enjoy the security of a long bed. The choice is yours. Good luck

[bobx2]

Dave H M wrote:
Del, this is a long bed site or else the long bedders are the most boisterous. :h

I been towing with a short bed for right at 20 years now with nary a problem.

I think that after reading all the long bed talk you will be a strong willed dude if you don't cave to peer pressure. :B

Haha, after reading this thread, you are right. I didn't realize this was such a point of contention. I'm guessing there is a very small percentage of people on here who ever even pull the hitch out of their bed, so all the extra length they brag on really means nothing. Slider hitches enable one to pull and do anything that a long bed can do, and if getting out to pull the handle is too much effort, it makes me wonder who has to come and unhitch for you, and set up your camp...
Anyhow, I imagine most spend more time driving without the rv attached, and a short box is tons better in that situation.
I don't need no stink'n long bed. :B

[ckwizard777]

Allworth wrote:
Long bed rides better. Long bed pulls anything without slider worries. Long bed is a PITA to park or U-turn!

I will put up with it and never go back to short bed.

Completely Agree!!!

[DelCamper]

"The only way the front will "rise" is if you set the centerline of the kingpin attaching point behind the centerline of the rear axle."


Does anyone know if the centerline of the kingpin will mount behind the rear axle of a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 2x4 crew cab short bed if set up for a Keystone 2013 Cougar 327RES?

[Allworth]

Long bed rides better. Long bed pulls anything without slider worries. Long bed is a PITA to park or U-turn!

I will put up with it and never go back to short bed.

[Too_Young_to_Re]

I have the short bed with the Pullrite hitch. Great truck. Try to park that longbed at the grocery store. Long bed is overkill.

[Cummins12V98]

DelCamper wrote:
I was told that the front end of a Dodge Ram Crew Cab single tire short bed tends to rise when hooked up to a 5th Wheel. I'm looking a a 2014 Rem 3500 2x4 crew cab, short bed and the 5th Wheel has a Pin (hitch?) weight of 1545 lbs. The 5th Wheel maxed out is 12,000 lbs.

My thought is no way will a one ton raise up under the above conditions? Thoughts??

The only way the front will "rise" is if you set the centerline of the kingpin attaching point behind the centerline of the rear axle.

[Cummins12V98]

Mile High wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
A truck is supposed to be used as a truck as in hauling things when not towing.

Not my pretty short bed tow motor, I use my neighbors junk Dodge for hauling things 🙂

Proves my point you need a real truck bed to do real hauling.

[Dayle1]

rhagfo wrote:

Bamaman1 wrote:


Most of the time, I still take up two parking places as I'm too lazy to go forward and reverse 5-6 times to get it straight.

Try backing into the parking spot in lots!! Works wonders. Much easier!!!

Any parking lot with angled spaces (which are most) are not designed for back-in parking. If the drive is setup for two way traffic, you have to block opposite traffic while backing in. And if the drive is one way, then you enter and exit driving the wrong way which seems rude and somewhat dangerous.

[kennethwooster]

I've always had a SB and used the 'super glide. We knew we needed a DRW to get the trailer we wanted in the future. Went ahead and bought a F350 DRW. I cannot believe the difference. First of all So much bed space is available when we are hooked to 5th. Gives me a lot of room, even with end bed tool box chest. Drove the truck to Memphis Tenn. from Texas to break it in and see DW's parents. I was shocked how it would make a U turn, and park in the mall. It also rides better. I was always for SRW as I was a farmer, but now realize that the DRW get around better then I expected.

[DelCamper]

I was told that the front end of a Dodge Ram Crew Cab single tire short bed tends to rise when hooked up to a 5th Wheel. I'm looking a a 2014 Rem 3500 2x4 crew cab, short bed and the 5th Wheel has a Pin (hitch?) weight of 1545 lbs. The 5th Wheel maxed out is 12,000 lbs.

My thought is no way will a one ton raise up under the above conditions? Thoughts??

[goducks10]

rhagfo wrote:

Bamaman1 wrote:
The problem with a long bed truck is if it's mounted on a crew cab chassis. At 22' long, maneuvering such a long wheelbase vehicle is very slow and awkward.

I tow with a F250 crew cab with 6.5' box, and it's certainly long enough of a vehicle for me. I had my 24' boat in my driveway this weekend, and the whole rig was about 50' long.

Most of the time, I still take up two parking places as I'm too lazy to go forward and reverse 5-6 times to get it straight.

My SWB crew cab is long enough for me. Trick is buying a fifth wheel trailer that is designed for SWB vehicles. Most of the new designs will turn 77 degrees.

Try backing into the parking spot in lots!! Works wonders. Much easier!!!

x2