What do I need to tow 5th wheel with RAM 2500 Megacab?

[Major_Dad]

I am entertaining the possibility (not a probability yet) of moving to a 5th wheel with my 2010 Ram 2500 CTD Megacab. I am not sure I am ready to go without using my truck bed; I am just entertaining the possibility at this point. My payload is 2,140 (max trailer weight 12,400), so I know to keep the pin weight way below that. I am thinking about something like THIS. I know nothing about 5th wheel hitches except that with my 6'4" box I probably need a sliding hitch, though I've never seen one in action. That is the extent of my knowledge. I've been towing travel trailers for years so I am not new to towing, but am totally uninformed about where to start as far as hitches go. I have read some of the threads but they tend to get more technical than I am ready for at this point. Any suggestions for my first baby steps in this direction?

[jmtandem]

Major Dad,
People take risks posting any questions on a public forum such as this. Questions such as which tow vehicle for a certain trailer, which trailer for a certain TV, which toilet paper, which propane grill, which RV dealership, which ____________ bring out the propensity of some to declare that their opinions are correct and all others are worthless. Be careful of all posts which recommend you jettison all your equipment and purchase what they have. You might pay attention to those posts made by folks who have successfully used the combination of equipment about which you are asking. Some here are adamant that one needs a Caterpillar D9 to pull a grocery cart... because that's what they use. Some here believe one can pull a Redwood with a Chevy Blazer.

I commend you for ignoring answers to questions you didn't ask (like which TV you could buy to replace your current TV) and for processing all this information with logic. Proceed.

Major Dad,

There are always folks on these forums that will try to tell you what you can get by with. Really? Who wants to just get by? Get the truck and fifth wheel combination that will allow you to have a stress free towing experience. If you don't care about gross weight considerations the megacab is essentially the same in tires, wheels and axles as the crew cab but for some reason they were rated lower by Dodge in their first years. The later model megacabs have payload numbers more in line with the same truck as the crew cab.

You asked some good questions, you got some good answers. The best way to determine where you are in the weight category is to go to the scales with the truck loaded for camping/towing and then weigh the pin on the fifth and see where you stand. Obviously because you brought your issue to the forum, you expected many responses. And you got them.

If gross weight is important to you, I would not tow the fifth; if tire, axle and wheel numbers are more important to you then you likely will be OK. Just because somebody else tows over gross and has never had a problem does not provide a lot of comfort. 'Comfort' in your case where you are likely marginal on the numbers is spelled more truck!

[jmtandem]

I have to wear this truck out first, and it only has 42K on it. If I do get one at that time, it would be most likely SRW.

Some of the Cummins have gone two million miles, many one million. You will be a long time wearing it out!

[rhagfo]

Here we go!
Even that "lite"
5er will likely put you over your max payload. Have you taken the Ram to a scales a lately, you might be surprised where you sit with avaiable payload.
Keep in mind EVERYTHING you put in that truck reduces your payload!
So that leaves you a choice, bigger TV or go by rear axle and tire rating. It isn't the best solution, but many do it, doesn't make it right or unsafe, yes I ment to say unsafe.
The decision to do this is yours and yours alone, looking at your numbers you would likely could be 300 to 400# over GVWR.

[jalichty]

I would suspect the lighter pin weight is due to the two slides in the rear of the trailer along with the furniture. I would think that added weight in the rear of the FW will take some weight off the pin. I know that, when I put my boat on the back of my FW, my hitch weight decreases due to the leverage of the boat trailer hitch weight on the back of the FW. At least that's my opinion. Jayco said that my hitch weight was supposed to be 1,365 pounds with a dry trailer weight of 7,272 or so. That's a little less than 20%. Loaded max is supposed to be 9,950 so using that ratio, the hitch weight if I fully loaded up would be about 1,865. Doubt that you will ever get that close to max weight.

[Greentreena]

Your choice of hitch depends on the profile of your 5th wheel. I have an auto slide and need it. With it fully slid back I can do a 90 degree turn with only an 1" to spare.

[Major_Dad]

Winged One wrote:

Major Dad wrote:
I am using the Ram towing guide, and it is 2140 for my vehicle.

Does it actually say 2140 on the sticker in your truck? They can be different sometimes.

Yes. Also have the printout from the Ram online handbook since they didn't give me a paper copy (grrr!).

[Ark235B]

I think your Ram will pull that 5th wheel better than it does a TT. I wouldn't hesitate to pull what you have selected with the truck you have.

[slomark]

My 08 CTD MC, with a fixed Reese hitch, pulls the 9k# 30' Sundance XLT 5er with a pin of 1,425 just fine. The addition of air bags smoothed out the ride, and after five years, I would do nothing different.

[JIMNLIN]

Dodge only made the 6' 4" beds for all the short bed trucks in question. They never made a 5' 8" bed for these trucks.

All 2500 Dodge trucks in question have the same 6000 RAWR. The Mega weighs about 165 lbs more on the rear axle than my quad cab so it has a bit less payload.
Regardless of how you figure how much load a truck can carry you need to first weigh the trucks front and rear axles separately with full fuel, hitch and ready to pull.
Our 2500 trucks can have a rear unladin weight in the 2800-3000 lb range all depending on how much "stuff" the operator carries and truck selections. Now your left with approx a 3000 lb payload.
My 2500 Dodge/Cummins quad cab weighs 2860 lbs on the rear axle which leaves me with around 3100 lb for its payload. I keep a front and rear axle scale ticket in all of my trucks for reference.

The Mega like the quad/standard cab/crew cab is a very capably truck to carry loads not exceeding axle/tire capacities. Or you can be ultra conservative and figure loads on the axles by using GVWR or use the payload number from the tire placard or the brochure payload number or any other number RV folks use to figure how much payload their trucks can carry.

[Winged_One]

Major Dad wrote:
I am using the Ram towing guide, and it is 2140 for my vehicle.

Does it actually say 2140 on the sticker in your truck? They can be different sometimes.

[Mr__Dan]

jmtandem wrote:
Again, if you love the megacab and I cannot see why anybody would not, get the 3500 dually and you will be just fine.

Major Dad,
People take risks posting any questions on a public forum such as this. Questions such as which tow vehicle for a certain trailer, which trailer for a certain TV, which toilet paper, which propane grill, which RV dealership, which ____________ bring out the propensity of some to declare that their opinions are correct and all others are worthless. Be careful of all posts which recommend you jettison all your equipment and purchase what they have. You might pay attention to those posts made by folks who have successfully used the combination of equipment about which you are asking. Some here are adamant that one needs a Caterpillar D9 to pull a grocery cart... because that's what they use. Some here believe one can pull a Redwood with a Chevy Blazer.

I commend you for ignoring answers to questions you didn't ask (like which TV you could buy to replace your current TV) and for processing all this information with logic. Proceed.

[jeepman71]

I think you are getting into the class 7 medium duty truck on that rig.:S

[Krease]

I "have" a slider for my Mega, and I've never used it for my Monty. Can go almost to 90 degrees if need be (which is more than enough). My Monty came with a MorRyde pin box. I have used the slider when I moved an older 5er, and needed it. But I'm in the transportation business and have used it only to move older 5ers, never the newer ones with cut corners/extended pin boxes.

[mileshuff]

Don't have a MegaCab but do have a 2007 Dodge Ram 6.5' bed. I opted for the SuperGlide hitch. More expensive but worth it. I got the rails that mount under the bed to the frame. The entire hitch assembly is held in with pins. This allows me to very quickly remove the hitch and have a clean bed with no rails when needed.

You'll need to measure the 5'ers height over the trucks bed rails and to see how much height is available for the hitch you purchase. The SuperGlide can be increased in height but not decreased.

[riflegunbuilder]

I have 11 Mega Cab C/D 2500. Open Range 367 BHS. I have a Sidewinder. Pulls good and does a good job.