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Does Bed length/wheelbase matter?

cyberiankhatru
Explorer
Explorer
Looking at a short bed 2013 Crew Ram 2500 diesel. I remember reading somewhere about wheelbase effecting maximum length of trailer you should tow. Is there anything to that?
One day soon we want to get a bigger travel trailer or maybe even a 5'er.
22 REPLIES 22

larry_barnhart
Explorer
Explorer
We were in Lodi Ca 3 days ago and walking in the rv park I saw a very long 4 slide fifth and a 2500 short box GMC hooked up to it. Something about that look makes me think WHY would he want that? The year of the GMC was older than our 05.
chevman
chevman
2019 rockwood 34 ft fifth wheel sold
2005 3500 2wd duramax CC dually
prodigy



KSH 55 inbed fuel tank

scanguage II
TD-EOC
Induction Overhaul Kit
TST tire monitors
FMCA # F479110

64thunderbolt
Explorer II
Explorer II
A cc lb drw is best for towing if that works for you. I have my hitch mtd so the pin is 4" ahead of the axle center line. Rides like a dream. The wgt is distributed better. But when taking it shopping nowhere has spots long enough for it. Park in the back 40 taking 2 spota @ an angle. I usually take the compact car for those runs though. My truck is just for towing so it works for me.
Glen
04 Tail gator XT 34' 5th wheel garage model
200w solar 2 GC2's 800w inv
Truma tankless WH
99 F350 CC DRW 7.3 ais intake, adrenaline hpop, JW valve body,
cooling mist water inj, DP tunes, 4" exh sys
trucool trans cooler added
2011 RZR 900xp

coolbreeze01
Explorer
Explorer
catfishmontana wrote:
Just buy the man size and be done with it.


No kidding.........
2008 Ram 3500 With a Really Strong Tractor Motor...........
LB, SRW, 4X4, 6-Speed Auto, 3.73, Prodigy P3, Blue Ox Sway Pro........
2014 Sandsport 26FBSL

dadwolf2
Explorer
Explorer
catfishmontana wrote:
Just buy the man size and be done with it.


Really?? :R
2005 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD,4X4,NV5600
2014 Adventurer 86FB

Norskeman
Explorer
Explorer
It is all about what you use the truck for.

Like the full size box - 8 foot. More storage and I don't need a 'slider" hitch.

A few times a year I take an generator (4000 watt Yamaha). I need the room for the generator and wood I bring along.

We have 12 foot kayaks that I haul on top of the truck - longer bed works good for us.

Picture of truck and our previous fifth wheel.

2017 Keystone Avalanche 320RS
TV - 2011 Chevy Silverado 3500HD LTZ CCLB Duramax SRW 4X4

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
catfishmontana wrote:
Just buy the man size and be done with it.


HAHAHA!!! Too Funny.....
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

goducks10
Explorer
Explorer
12 Ram CC LB 169" WB here, plenty of room in front of the hitch for all the stuff that won't go in the 5'er. Not sure it handles any better towing the 5'er as I never towed with a short bed. Parking can have it's issues whether towing or empty. Backing up with a LB can get tricky as it won't react the same as a SB. Also when backing up with the 5'er and your in some CG's with narrow tighter roads you need more room as the LB is 20" longer than the SB. I have never been in a predicament that I couldn't take care of with the LB, but may not of been in it with the SB. With all that being said, I would never go back to a short bed even if the ride was the same. I just like the extra room the bed has.

john_bet
Explorer II
Explorer II
cyberiankhatru wrote:
Looking at a short bed 2013 Crew Ram 2500 diesel. I remember reading somewhere about wheelbase effecting maximum length of trailer you should tow. Is there anything to that?
One day soon we want to get a bigger travel trailer or maybe even a 5'er.
This truck should have the same wheel base as my Quad cab long bed of 160.5", maybe a little shorter. The cc long bed I think has a 169" or so wheel base. I like my Q/C long bed.
2018 Ram 3500 SRW CC LB 6.7L Cummins Auto 3.42 gears
2018 Grand Design 337RLS

catfishmontana
Explorer
Explorer
Just buy the man size and be done with it.
2016 F350 Platinum Dually, CC
2014 Cyclone 3800 toyhauler
B&W Companion 20K

transamz9
Explorer
Explorer
tsetsaf wrote:
4x4ord wrote:
If you are buying the truck for a fiver make sure it has enough payload to handle your pin weight. I wouldn't bother with a 3/4 ton, go to a one ton SRW unless you're planning on getting a huge 5'ver (over 3000 lbs pin weight) in which case a dually might be better. My personal preference is a short box SRW without a sliding hitch.


I agree with the above except for slider hitch. You will need the ability to 90 degree the trailer at some point in time; why worry about it. We found our superglide new used for 400 on craigslist.


At some point you are going to have to learn to back your trailer. You should never have to get 90* with these trailers. If you want to tear up your stuff then do it but don't say you have to get 90* because it simply just ain't true.:S
2016 Ram 3500 Mega Cab Limited/2013 Ram 3500 SRW Cummins(sold)/2005 RAM 2500 Cummins/2011 Sandpiper 345 RET (sold) 2015 Sanibel 3601/2008 Nitro Z9 Mercury 250 PRO XS the best motor made.

Sport45
Explorer II
Explorer II
I find it to be a lot easier to back a long trailer with a short vehicle than it is to back a short trailer with a long vehicle. Going forward it seems the trailer will follow the vehicle no matter which one is longer.
โ€™19 F350 SRW CCLB PSD Fx4
'00 F250, CC SWB 4x2, V-10 3.73LS. (sold)
'83 F100 SWB 4x2, 302 AOD 3.55. (parked)
'05 GMC Envoy 4x2 4.2 3.73L.
'12 Edge 2.0 Ecoboost
'15 Cherokee Trailhawk

buffalobore
Explorer
Explorer
Titan doesn't make a replacement fuel tank for the 2013+ Ram diesel due to the def tank taking up the extra space. You have to go in the bed or they make a tank that replaces your spare.

wintersun
Explorer II
Explorer II
Check to verify but with Titan fuel tanks, should you decide to upgrade the stock fuel tank, are going to be available for the long bed trucks but often are not made for the short bed ones. But for the fuel tank limitation I prefer the much smaller turning radius of the short bed trucks. The long bed for my model has a wheel base that is a full two feet greater than with the short bed.

coolbreeze01
Explorer
Explorer
I always haul a quad or a RZR, so I enjoy the long bed.
2008 Ram 3500 With a Really Strong Tractor Motor...........
LB, SRW, 4X4, 6-Speed Auto, 3.73, Prodigy P3, Blue Ox Sway Pro........
2014 Sandsport 26FBSL