Crew Cab or Regular Cab

[JPF59]

I'am looking to get a New Ram 3500 dully to put ( most likely ) a Arctic Fox 990 TC, I wood like the shorter wheel base of the reg. cab plus it's $4000 less then the CC cab. I know they look odd with the over hang, but is there any drawl backs to the regular cab ? How are they in the rain or snow ? The CC cab is nice put I'am by myself an don't need all that much room, the back seat is mostly a junk collector, that's what the one I have now is. But if the CC cab handlers the camper better I will go with it. Thanks for your help.:)

[Johnnybgood]

We have a CC and put a shower rod up in the back seat to hang extra clothes. Going to make some form of drawer/storage system to put back there for extra fold up clothes/food/maybe extra water.

[RamTC]

JPF59 wrote:
I'am looking to get a New Ram 3500 dully to put ( most likely ) a Arctic Fox 990 TC, I wood like the shorter wheel base of the reg. cab plus it's $4000 less then the CC cab. I know they look odd with the over hang, but is there any drawl backs to the regular cab ? How are they in the rain or snow ? The CC cab is nice put I'am by myself an don't need all that much room, the back seat is mostly a junk collector, that's what the one I have now is. But if the CC cab handlers the camper better I will go with it. Thanks for your help.:)

I have the CC with the 990, it's great for the family. If you don't need the added room, get the reg cab.

[Medic91]

Having a regular cab truck, A super cab would be nice & CC would be nicer for storage. Traveling and Camping over time, we take along only what we actually use. Wonder, Is a garage ever big enough once you start putting things in it?

[_DJ_1]

One thing I learned while I owned my dually. When parking in close to other cars (seems like parking lots are designed for tiny cars)I would back in. I'm sure it saved my "hips" from being hit from others trying to park beside me.

[bb_94401]

We went with a reg cab, 4x4, dually, long bed diesel. It handles the 10'8" camper well (4,200 lbs; ready for camping with gear). Shorter turning radius than crew cab, makes for less issues with sharp switchbacks or multi-point turns when you need to turn around on a forest service or BLM roads. Can also barely fit into a normal parking space when the camper is off.

Camper doesn't over load the front axle at all and reg cab has more payload capacity. Specs 12,200 GVWR; FAWR 5,200; RAWR 9,350; Payload 5,052. Dodge curb weight doesn't use a full tank ... 😞 With the two of us, full fuel tank and full water tank in camper, still 280 lbs under GVWR. Added weight to the front axle is 365 lbs (still 560 lbs until axle rating, even more to tire rating). Added weight to the rear axle is 4,408 lbs (still 2,070 lbs to axle rating and even more to tire rating)

Overhang, while it looks funny at first, quickly looks normal. Not an issue for visibility of traffic lights. Actually is more like a large sun visor. Keeps the dash shaded and cooler in summer. Minimal frost on the front windshield in the morning during fall and winter. No issues with GPS on the front of the dash.

While a crew cab gives you move storage, we haven't found the need for more of it, for the type of year round camping we do. Only thing that doesn't fit inside the camper is the 20" chain saw that fits behind the seat in the truck to deal with beetle killed trees after a storm which block our way out of less traveled forest service roads.

[trailgranny50]

We travel with three small/medium sized dogs, take the front jacks off for visibility and throw lots of additional stuff and traveling food in cab so our crew cab is a must. It started as a work truck hauling 4/5 guys to and from work, hauling tractors and tool trailers before starting it's second life doing what it was built for, hauling our camper. Yes, the long bed dually is sometimes a bit of a challenge in some parking lots but we just pick where we park and fuel up more carefully. Haven't run into or over anything yet. Well, except for the Ford Taurus that pulled in front of DH couple weeks ago but camper was safely home in the barn. The long bed on our truck is the reason we were able to get our camper reasonable as soon in law had a Dodge 2500 short bed and trailer he hauled got too close for comfort on right corners. We haven't towed anything with it yet but max extension will be 24", probably closer to 18" since the two trailers we have are already equipped with longer tongues and don't have much hitch weight. Horse only weighs 1200# and trailer is a tandem axle antique one horse, boat a 900# 10'John boat. We're good.

[niftypkg]

Ford is apparently not offering short/long bed trucks in any configuration. You may want to find out what size bed is offered in the Ram reg.cab. I like my Ford Diesel F-250 super cab/8'bed. I built a platform in the back at window level so my lab could look out Keeps the DW at home too. I also like the convenience of having that critical gizmo handy in the rear without opening up the TC. Not much room in my Pop-up TC either.

[JPF59]

DJ I like the looks of your rig in the photo, it's kind of what I'am looking for. Compact an easy to get into an out of small parking & camping spaces. Does any one know if the over hangs are all the same length whit the N-S beds ? It's hard to till just from some photos. I know you loose storage in a reg. Cab but like DJ was saying the Ram's have more room behind the seat then the other brands. Just how much stuff do I really need ? I'm putting on a 9.5 foot camper on it . I thur hiked the A-T an my backpack was only 22 lb. without food an water. Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this.

[deltabravo]

nycsteve wrote:
Crew for added storage in the back seat. Also resale and trade in values will be better.

Ditto.

I am single, and travel alone, and have a crew cab dually. I wouldn't have it any other way (truck size)

The back seat mostly stays stowed, and I haul a cooler back there, camera bag and the like.

In fact, I have TWO crew cab trucks. One is a camper hauler, the other is my part time daily driver.

The other part time daily driver is an old school 84 K20 4x4 standard cab long bed.

[JIMNLIN]

A std cab was very common years ago as a extended cab or the older crew cabs were rare.
The worst mistake I made was going to a crew cab truck from a std cab truck with a 11.5' truck camper. I had the 11 footer on a std cab but wife says we need the crew cab for more room.

Holy krapz.

With my old one ton DRW std cab the front and rear suspension came to play for a smooth no body roll ride.
After mounting the 11 footer on the crew cab truck the front suspension was no help at all. Now the trucks rear suspension carried all the weight. I tried all sizes of sway bars and two different brands of the biggest shocks on the market and even more rear spring power. I still had a swaying bucking rig.
Well a tornado gave us a visit and turned the 11 footer to match sticks. The only thing we found of it was three of the hyd post jacks (bent like pretzels) and one LP tank and a thousand small 3"-4" pieces of the odd grey color interior paneling scattered along a 1/4 mile long path.

I would get the cab type I like or need.

[mbloof]

In my area Regular and Super cab's are rather rare - almost all the used and new inventory are "crew" offerings.

Presently I have a super cab model. Rarely (if ever) is there room for anyone to actually sit in the rear seat as I have the seat (and the floor) filled with larger truck and camping items that I'd rather not find room for in the camper.

While a 'crew' cab might offer even more inside storage space, personally I have a 'mental block' in considering one over a super cab as I already have enough storage space (the DW says we bring ENOUGH stuff with us) and we really have no need for more cab space to fit more people.

We already have to park our rig in the "north 40" because of turning radius so I cringe on the thought of getting something WORSE.

YMMV: with all the stuff we have packed in the rear of the super cab, I'd never consider getting a regular cab.

[_DJ_1]

I had this rig for 5 years. It worked very well. Very agile, for a dually, and no sight issues with traffic lights. In fact I had to lean down to see the camper thru the top of the WS. It had the queen N/S bed too. The radio and GPS on top of dash worked fine although I did not have satellite radio.

This was an 05 model and had a surprisingly amount of storage behind the seat. IIRC it had compartments and cargo nets back there. CRS is bad anymore!!!

Now I have a Super Cab just to haul round the tools and recovery equipment for off road.

If I had it to do all over again I would still have this truck and my Jeep. The TC would be a 12' side entry. Oh well!!!

[brooksee]

We like having the crew cab for storage in the back. We don't like to plan too far ahead where we will stop and like having some stuff close at hand in the truck. And, since the truck is most often used as our second vehicle, we like having a four door one with a comfortable back seat.

[old_guy]

if your back seat is a trash can for you, guess what, the right seat will be your new trash can.

[homefor2]

We carry folding tables, chairs, tools, bbq and lots of small items in the back so could not imagine having a regular cab.