Which truck?

[jdeputy1]

Hi everybody,

I am looking to retire in a few years and will be in the market for a fifth wheel. The floor plan that we are looking at is around 41feet long with a GVWR of 20,000 lbs. I am thinking that a properly equipped one ton dually will do the trick. My question is:


Long bed vs Short bed, what are the advantages or disadvantages of each.


Thank you for your input.

[rhagfo]

N-Trouble wrote:
Dually = long bed. Not sure what the OP is looking fir here.

Not necessarily, Ram Mega cab only comes comes with SB!

[azdryheat]

20,000 is only 1,000 more than my toy hauler, which my dually handles with ease.

[N-Trouble]

Dually = long bed. Not sure what the OP is looking fir here.

[cummins2014]

jdeputy1 wrote:
Hi everybody,

I am looking to retire in a few years and will be in the market for a fifth wheel. The floor plan that we are looking at is around 41feet long with a GVWR of 20,000 lbs. I am thinking that a properly equipped one ton dually will do the trick. My question is:


Long bed vs Short bed, what are the advantages or disadvantages of each.


Thank you for your input.

The only 1 ton dually you are going to find in a short bed is the Ram Megacab . So there is no sense discussing the advantages or disadvantages of short or long bed unless you decide on the Ram Megacab.

[Lwiddis]

Forty-one feet will certainly limit your camping options both by the rules and practically.

[archbarb]

No doubt on a 41' 20,000lbs fifthwheel a dually will be the truck to get. From my experience, a long bed is what you want. The negative is when you go to parking lots you will need to take 2 spots. My truck is a 4 door long bed and it measures 21 ft, front to rear. The positive is when towing it seems to make a better ride, and backing, you will not need a slider hitch.

[MFL]

IMO, if you need a DRW truck, to tow a large FW, you also need a long bed. You are likely going to carry more things with, after retiring, and going longer distances. More bed space is good, and the truck will be big either way. You will have more hitch options, not having to worry about a slider, although the rounded front of most new FWs has made that less of an issue. The longer bed will work better with add on equipment like tool boxes, or fuel tanks.

Be sure to get the FW prep option (puck system).

Welcome to the forum!

Jerry

[2oldman]

This post in Tow Vehicles should help.

For a rig that big, I'd rather see you in something like this:


First post. No profile. Hope this isn't a bait post.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

Try a search.

Use current 12 months - and "archives" - threads over 12 months old.

Gazillion threads -and replies - (or at least ten, ROTFL) with the same question.