short or long bed to tow 29' Arctic Fox 27 5L?

[Tibbs54]

Our plan is to purchase a 2014 or 2015 Dodge Ram 3500 Cummins Diesel LB to tow our yet to be purchased Arctic Fox 27 5L 5th wheel. The Arctic Fox dealer, while giving us the tour, noted that the 5th wheel's front cap is angled back to allow for it to be towed with a short bed truck. A short bed would fit in my driveway/garage easier and would work for any other purpose we may have for the truck but I've read that you really should tow a 5th wheel with a Long Bed. What are your thoughts on short vs long bed? What are the issues? Plusses and minuses? Thanks for your help, thoughts and advice!

[Ram4Sam]

Which ever you choose, you can't go wrong. One thing to check for sure is if your choice of trailer is tall enough for these new trucks. The bed rail height is way up there, mine is 59". Many of the smaller fifth wheels are to low and getting the clearance required above the bedrails can be quite a battle sometimes.

Sam

[cummins2014]

Tibbs54 wrote:
Thanks all for the information. And, Bombero - I appreciate your thoughts, but I would never make my choice based on someone else's preferences - I've never owned either so I'm just gathering pros and cons from those that DO have a preference in order to evaluate and arrive at my decision. I'm leaning towards the Mega Cab. 🙂

You certainly won't be disappointed with the MegaCab, the biggest thing with the Ram is that cummins, it is a towing beast.

[Tibbs54]

Thanks all for the information. And, Bombero - I appreciate your thoughts, but I would never make my choice based on someone else's preferences - I've never owned either so I'm just gathering pros and cons from those that DO have a preference in order to evaluate and arrive at my decision. I'm leaning towards the Mega Cab. 🙂

[FlatBroke]

Yeah, and you can get short beds in pink! :W

[ol_Bombero-JC]

donn0128 wrote:
Longer turning radius less storage space in the bed need for a slider hitch are a few of the arguments. Personally I would not own a short bed truck. I use my truck for lots more than a trailer toter

Had both - 1T SRW long bed - and 1T SRW short bed trucks.
First was a (Ferd) crew cab long bed, current is a (Dodge) short bed quad cab.

After the long bed truck, personally I would not own another long bed truck (or a dually)..:(

And - I use my truck for *LOTS* (and lots) more than a trailer toter also..;)

It's been my daily driver since new in 2005 - and besides people, it's used to haul all kinds of "stuff" - from lumber to sacks of cement.

The trailer I "tote" is 34'

So OP, it's a matter of choice..:@

Don't make *YOUR* choice based on someone else's preferences!..:S

Whichever one fits *YOUR* needs best will work just fine..:W

BTW - A short bed *may* require either a manual or automatic slider hitch - although for many/some of the newer 5ths a slider is not necessary.

~

[cummins2014]

ChopperBill wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
The 6' 4" short bed Dodge/Ram Mega Cab will work fine for towing large trailers. Its the same 6' 4" bed as in the CC short bed trucks. Short bed trucks can have a bit more payload than the heavier long bed truck.

Any length of of bed with todays trucks with 140" wheel base and longer has no problems towing a trailer.
IMO too much is said about a long bed some how being superior for trailer towing duties as far as handling goes as today we have some short bed trucks with a longer wheel base than some long beds.

IMO it may come from years ago when long bed vs short bed made a difference as many short bed trucks had a 118"-120" wheelbase vs the long bed with a 130"+ wheelbase. So sure the long bed truck with the 130+ wheelbase was the better choice for towing larger trailers.

It's about the storage capacity. Have no idea how a shorty tows, never had one because they can't haul my needs. Guess they go pretty good in a garage but not what I bought a full size truck for.

Well the shorty megacab tows just fine. Its a mute point as to what one wants to haul, its a personal thing, Don't want a long bed, don't need a long bed. I have no limitations with my short bed, some will. If I need a dually I would still go with the Ram MegaCab 3500 instead of the SRW, both short beds.

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
If you want a grocery getter get the shorty. If you want to use your truck as a truck when not towing get the standard/long bed.

What does a long bed do that a shortbed won't. We all know you can't haul as long of material ,and still shut the tailgate, but what is there that a shortbed won't haul . It would help the OP to understand the limitations of a shortbed as you mentioned when NOT towing. I think we all know the limitations of the two when towing a fifth wheel for some. Personally for me I haul one small propane bottle for the BBQ ,and the electrical cord for the fifth wheel in the bed, so the shortbed is no factor there for me. Just curious as to what you meant , use your truck as a truck

[Cummins12V98]

If you want a grocery getter get the shorty. If you want to use your truck as a truck when not towing get the standard/long bed.

[FlatBroke]

JIMNLIN wrote:
The 6' 4" short bed Dodge/Ram Mega Cab will work fine for towing large trailers. Its the same 6' 4" bed as in the CC short bed trucks. Short bed trucks can have a bit more payload than the heavier long bed truck.

Any length of of bed with todays trucks with 140" wheel base and longer has no problems towing a trailer.
IMO too much is said about a long bed some how being superior for trailer towing duties as far as handling goes as today we have some short bed trucks with a longer wheel base than some long beds.

IMO it may come from years ago when long bed vs short bed made a difference as many short bed trucks had a 118"-120" wheelbase vs the long bed with a 130"+ wheelbase. So sure the long bed truck with the 130+ wheelbase was the better choice for towing larger trailers.

It's about the storage capacity. Have no idea how a shorty tows, never had one because they can't haul my needs. Guess they go pretty good in a garage but not what I bought a full size truck for.

[cummins2014]

garyp4951 wrote:
I haven't had a 8' long bed since trucks were just single cabs, and never missed them. If I need to haul stuff somewhere, thats what trailers are for, and btw to me the mega cabs look to much like a limo with a bed.
I have heard good reports on Artic Fox rv's.

And boy is that limo MegaCab nice, never looked back at the standard crew cab . Of course if you don't like the extra leg room in the back or the storage behind the rear seat, well then it really is of no importance.

[JIMNLIN]

The 6' 4" short bed Dodge/Ram Mega Cab will work fine for towing large trailers. Its the same 6' 4" bed as in the CC short bed trucks. Short bed trucks can have a bit more payload than the heavier long bed truck.

Any length of of bed with todays trucks with 140" wheel base and longer has no problems towing a trailer.
IMO too much is said about a long bed some how being superior for trailer towing duties as far as handling goes as today we have some short bed trucks with a longer wheel base than some long beds.

IMO it may come from years ago when long bed vs short bed made a difference as many short bed trucks had a 118"-120" wheelbase vs the long bed with a 130"+ wheelbase. So sure the long bed truck with the 130+ wheelbase was the better choice for towing larger trailers.

[FlatBroke]

Short bed is half a truck. Buy the whole truck. We own two whole trucks. Wife won't drive a car and even picked a long bed over half a truck.

[garyp4951]

I haven't had a 8' long bed since trucks were just single cabs, and never missed them. If I need to haul stuff somewhere, thats what trailers are for, and btw to me the mega cabs look to much like a limo with a bed.
I have heard good reports on Artic Fox rv's.

[GON2SKI]

I have always kept my trucks in the garage, boats in the garage and cars too. Less UV damage. Wife's 67 Cougar been garaged for 40yrs. Short bed gets my vote. No need for a slider hitch either with current nose design of the 27-5L. Enjoy and just do it! I am envious of the power you'll have on that new truck. No problems here with a 6' 5" short bed. Rock on!