Grrrr!! What are the big three trying to do????

[gitane59]

:M Why have all three of the big three made their trucks so bloody high?
My 2010 Ford F350 DRW 4x4 is 55 inches at the back of the bed and our 2014 Heartland Landmark with Mor-Ryde IS sit's perfect level with about 5 inches of clearance between 5ver and TV bed sides.
All three manufacturers now sit between 59 and 60 inches high and won't work with most fifthwheels. Seems like the manufacturers are only catering to redneck's that want jacked up off road bush trucks. I want to trade for a new 4x4 truck but won't accept a jacked up truck for the obvious non-negotiable reason's
1. I don't want to have to climb up higher to get into my truck
2. I don't want to have to have my Mor-ryde IS cutoff and riser's installed to raise my trailer.
3. I don't want a higher step up to get into my trailer if I had my trailer raised by doing step #2
4. I don't want to have to have new step's installed with 5 riser's installed onto my 5ver if I had step's 2 & 3 done.
5. I will not trade both truck and trailer at the same time to accommodate higher trucks. I will trade both for a class A before that happen's.

Hello Big three are you listening???

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Buy a RAM 3500 SRW or DRW. Mine sets 55" top of bed back corner loaded or not. Reason??? It's the Factory Rear Air Ride. Truck sets almost level ALL the time even with my 5,700# pin weight.

A DRW may be 55", but my SRW 3500 Ram is 59.5". Factory air ride may be different in the SRW, but standard leaf springs its 59.5" in a stock 2014 3500 Ram , doubtful anything has changed in the newer ones.

[Grit_dog]

^hahaha:B

[Cummins12V98]

"Of course you're not one of the complainers either."

I'm gonna show this to my wife!!! :B

[Scottiemom]

For 12 years we towed a Sport Trac behind our Class A. Loved the versatility of a small truck that functioned also as a car. When it was time to get a new toad, we looked at the Colorado and the Canyon, the only "smallish trucks" on the market. Both were bigger, higher, and much heavier than our Sport Trac, which is no longer made. We tried to find a late model used one of the older body style, but that would not work either. So we went a different route. We now tow a Ford Flex and love it, but miss having a pickup bed for hauling some stuff. Since we carry an unmounted spare tire for the motorhome in the back, it's the only SUV that could accommodate that.

Dale

[Grit_dog]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I only tow 23-25k. My Dually sets nearly level, NOT high in the rear. Actually not low in the front either.

Yeah, mostly the GM duallys are lower in front, but you wouldn't be hooking 25k up to an old truck. Of course you're not one of the complainers either.

[Cummins12V98]

I only tow 23-25k. My Dually sets nearly level, NOT high in the rear. Actually not low in the front either.

[Grit_dog]

Can’t believe this slipped to P2.....lol
This horse ain’t dead yet!
Have any of you stopped to think that this isn’t all “fashion” driven?
Everyone wants a more capable truck right? And don’t lie to me....even some of the crustiest old curmudgeons on here are rockin trucks that are towing around 20klb 5vrs.
What about bigger wheels = ability for higher capacity tires?
Then you want comfort with your capability, so now you get more spring travel or more progressive springs that need travel.
Now you got your generator, firewood, dog crates and whatever other stuff full timers weekend warriors and working men carry. That deeper bed is nice right? I like it, can have a deeper toolbox and a slip tank under it.
Some want to do some off-roading. Need some ground clearance.
Add up everyone’s wants and you get a new truck. Can’t make 8 differnet 1 ton chassis, not economical. So now you got a truck with enough power to tow 30k, ride like a Caddy, not get hung up on that trail and the only thing left to bitsch about is it’s too big....
Ever notice duallies are still low in front and little tires yet the back end is really high? That’s because the market wants a 3 ton payload cap in a 1 ton truck.
We all got what we want.......

[transamz9]

shepstone wrote:
I said something about this a few years ago and almost got blacklisted because of it. It’s not the people that use these trucks for work or hauling an RV, but the ones who like to comute to work in a truck that is all dressed up like a rainbow, and clog up the freeway with a monster of a truck and one person.... I own a construction company and my trucks do take up a lot of space and go through a lot of fuel I won’t deny that, but I don’t see the point of an empty monster comuter truck.

Maybe the work during the week to play on the weekends and can only afford 1 vehicle.

[shepstone]

I said something about this a few years ago and almost got blacklisted because of it. It’s not the people that use these trucks for work or hauling an RV, but the ones who like to comute to work in a truck that is all dressed up like a rainbow, and clog up the freeway with a monster of a truck and one person.... I own a construction company and my trucks do take up a lot of space and go through a lot of fuel I won’t deny that, but I don’t see the point of an empty monster comuter truck.

[BenK]

OEM's are making tons of money on Pickups/SUVs/etc...mainly from the Fashion Statement crowd who don't use their trucks as trucks...mainly as cars

Bigger is more capable in their eyes and ear-balls...

Several local half ton drivers always challenge my 1996 Suburban, but they can't take high speed curves like my 'short' 8.6GVWR can. They don't get GVWR/GAWR either...even after showing them the Suburban's door label...they still think theirs are more capable...

Have taken them to local down town parking garages via challenge...go into them without stopping...whereas they have to stop and crawl up to the height bar...to have to back out their "half ton" pickups trying to follow a higher rated, 22 year old SUV...



This writer for Jalopnik agrees...

My Hot Take Of The Day Is That Big Pickup Trucks Are A Plague And Should Not Be Sold For Daily Drivi...

Listen. I didn’t want to have to be the one to say this, but I’m going to be the one to say it. Big pickup trucks should not be allowed on the roads as a casual everyday driving vehicle.

We have a problem in America. A plague, if you will. We have an obsession with big, beastly trucks. They’ve spread through our streets like a poison, taken over our cities by storm, and now that they’re here, we can’t get rid of them.

There’s a good chance you’ve been there. You’ve had a rough day at work, and you’re just trying to find a parking space for your small, city-friendly, fuel-efficient vehicle at the grocery store—and suddenly, across the lot, you find it. An empty space, so close to the front that you might as well just be able to open the car door and step right into the store. You hustle over, praising the gods of the work week for taking pity on your poor soul, only to find—that spot you scoped out? It’s sandwiched between two trucks. They’ve made an attempt at fitting between the yellow lines, but unfortunately, they’re just too large to squeeze your own car through.

Or maybe, there you are, driving through the tight, downtown city streets. It’s bad enough that you’re already dodging antsy pedestrians and public transport—but then, a truck pulls up next to you. Shiny, brand new, it’s almost twice the size of your own soccer mom SUV, and it’s one hair’s breadth away from slipping into your lane.

Or, how about you roll out of the airport after seven hours of flights, half-asleep and entirely exhausted. You wait for your luggage, wait for three rounds of the bus before you finally get escorted out to the parking lot, and you can’t find it. You were one hundred percent certain you parked in this row of this lot. You even saved the location in your phone this time. But you’re looking down the aisle and you can’t see a **** thing… because your car is hidden between two massive trucks. Which then makes it impossible to see anything when you back up.

It is, without a doubt, one of the most truly terrible experiences in the entire world.

So therefore the only reasonable option is to make big, huge trucks legal only if you are using them for work purposes. Because there is literally no reason why anyone would need one of these beastly machines for their everyday driving—and definitely not in the city.

It just seems absurd. Why do you, A Single Human Being With Just One Suitcase For Work, need a jacked up pickup to go about your daily business. What are you hauling, friend? When you’re driving from suburbia to the city for your desk job and back to suburbia, what purpose does it serve? You, my friend, are a hazard. You are too big. The rest of us cannot see over you. The only answer is for me to buy a bigger vehicle, which only makes this problem worse!

Pickups have their purpose. They are certainly important for transporting construction items or pieces of furniture or honestly just a whole lot of accoutrements when you’re out camping. And that’s fine. Please, feel free to drive them in those cases—you’re certainly one-upping the carrying capacity of my Mazda 2.

And I’m sure there are plenty of reasonable, responsible, everyday pickup drivers who aren’t big buttheads and don’t purchase cars that are far too big for any form of daily existence. You aren’t the problem, of course—but there are enough of your truck driving compatriots who make things so difficult for the rest of us that they’ve gone ahead and ruined things for everyone.

But there is no reason why it should be your everyday transport vehicle. It is inefficient. It is obnoxious. It makes life painful for the rest of us in our reasonably sized vehicles, who respect that a lane is a lane and a parking spot is a parking spot: that these clearly defined lines are clearly defined for a reason, for just one vehicle at a time. Parking, driving, seeing, changing lanes, merging, just existing in general… it would be so much easier without the plague of big pickup trucks on the road.

You are welcome to prove me wrong. Bring your best defense of these beasts and try to change my mind—but I’m warning you, I’m pretty set in my ways

This one from our forum member Turtle...

Just an observation about trucks 2011 thread

benk wrote:
Yup and is the basis for referring to how our trucks are more car like
mainly due to the masses now into our types of trucks....call them the
"Fashion Statement Crowd"

They generally have no clue, and/or care for the actual usage of these
trucks. More of how they look and the bigger the better. Often ride
quality is way up there on their 'have to have' list and the functionality
some times not even on that list.

Marketing verbiage plays this game and so often confirmed here on these
types of forums where someone only refers to their 'half ton' and
can tow a mountain. Even one member who posts often who only referred to
his 'half ton' in advice to everyone. I've had several PMs and one
guy burned up his diff and asked why this guy can and he couldn't.

Not all 'half ton' are the same and why suggest just using their GVWR's

These folks think a taller truck is more capable than a higher GVWR,
but shorter truck.

Remember when the low riders were going to 19"..even 20" wheels?
Laughable, but more and more trucks now come stock with them. Fashion
statement driven.

Clueless, but they are the mass that OEM marketing ID groups pay
more attention to...as when they order, they check off every option
on the list.

That then gets into the folks coming in here wondering why their 4x4
is making funny noises. Ask if they drive on pavement while in 4x4.
Yes and why not. Then others will chime in saying it is perfectly ok
as they do it all the time. The then got dash mounted 4x4 buttons as
the floor mounted levers were both confusing and not convenient for them...

This type of stuff goes in circles and boils down to this type of buyer
(as a general thing...not all of course)

[ugeesta]

I'm finding this topic to be frustrating too. After a couple trips with our new trailer, I have been considering upgrading to a new truck as well. The old GMC can handle the trailer but you can tell the truck is at its limits. So, this has me looking at 1 ton SRA trucks.



I looked at new Fords today and they are demonstrably larger than my old 2500HD. The bed is a good 3" higher and the bed rails are 2" higher than the GMC.





My current hitch is set up at its lowest setting and the kingpin is as high as I can set it and my trailer is still 2" nose high and the top of the AC sits at 13'-6". I did change the original pin out with a Reese 5th Airborne for the Lippert 1621HD pin box.

I don't want to lift the trailer because the trailer is already high enough and I'm concerned about low hanging cables and bridges. My 2500HD squats about 3" when loading the traier on. Do these new trucks squat more than that?

[Travlingman]

gitane59 wrote:

Travlingman wrote:

gitane59 wrote:
As the OP could I please ask someone with a 2017/2018 Ford Superduty F350 4x4 DRW please tell me how high the bed rail is at the tailgate with 3200lbs sitting directly over the rear axle?
I keep reading and hear about of this suspension squat underload due to progressive rate springs installed in this trucks to soften the unloaded ride.
My beds rails sit at 55 inches off the ground loaded or unload thanks to my air bags and my 5ver overhang is about 61 inches off the ground with the trailer level. And no it's not 15 year old.
I can't imagine the new truck squatting 5 inches under a load of 3200 lb's but anything's possible I guess.
I just know that I'm not raising a perfectly towing trailer to fit a truck designed for off road busk escursion's. Speaking of that who in their right mind takes a dually offroad onto bush trail's. Dually are made for hauling heavy loads not trail driving

As I posted earlier, I have the exact same trailer as you and a 2017 F-350 dually. I have around 8" clearance, camper runs level when hooked up and my rig is stock. Unless you changed from factory height when you did the IS, yours should run the same as mine.

When we had the IS installed at Mor-ryde they installed it to be level with sufficient clearance with the stock 2010 F350 4X4 DRW truck.
I remember the installer offering to add an extra 2 inch riser between my trailer axles and my frame even though it was not necessary for level tow with sufficient clearance. I decline for stability and drag reason's.
I suggest even if I had gone ahead with 2 inch riser's unless there is a huge amount of squat in your suspension I would still be minus almost 3 inches of clearance.
I would really appreciate if next time when you are hooking up could you please give me fifthwheel overhang to ground dimension when level and bed rail to ground height at tailgate please when hitched.

From tailgate to ground when hooked up a little over 54 1/2". Overhang to ground about 63 1/2", but the parking lot I was in the pavement was in pretty bad shape. Measured bed rail clearance and it was a little over 7" not 8" like I first said.

[Cummins12V98]

"I remember the installer offering to add an extra 2 inch riser between my trailer axles and my frame even though it was not necessary for level tow with sufficient clearance. I decline for stability and drag reason's."


They most likely offered it because if you bought a RAM, GM or 17 and newer Ford you would need the extra 2".

My DRV has 3" risers to get level, there are no stability issues.

[gitane59]

Travlingman wrote:

gitane59 wrote:
As the OP could I please ask someone with a 2017/2018 Ford Superduty F350 4x4 DRW please tell me how high the bed rail is at the tailgate with 3200lbs sitting directly over the rear axle?
I keep reading and hear about of this suspension squat underload due to progressive rate springs installed in this trucks to soften the unloaded ride.
My beds rails sit at 55 inches off the ground loaded or unload thanks to my air bags and my 5ver overhang is about 61 inches off the ground with the trailer level. And no it's not 15 year old.
I can't imagine the new truck squatting 5 inches under a load of 3200 lb's but anything's possible I guess.
I just know that I'm not raising a perfectly towing trailer to fit a truck designed for off road busk escursion's. Speaking of that who in their right mind takes a dually offroad onto bush trail's. Dually are made for hauling heavy loads not trail driving

As I posted earlier, I have the exact same trailer as you and a 2017 F-350 dually. I have around 8" clearance, camper runs level when hooked up and my rig is stock. Unless you changed from factory height when you did the IS, yours should run the same as mine.

When we had the IS installed at Mor-ryde they installed it to be level with sufficient clearance with the stock 2010 F350 4X4 DRW truck.
I remember the installer offering to add an extra 2 inch riser between my trailer axles and my frame even though it was not necessary for level tow with sufficient clearance. I decline for stability and drag reason's.
I suggest even if I had gone ahead with 2 inch riser's unless there is a huge amount of squat in your suspension I would still be minus almost 3 inches of clearance.
I would really appreciate if next time when you are hooking up could you please give me fifthwheel overhang to ground dimension when level and bed rail to ground height at tailgate please when hitched.