Hi all.......new to the forum. Glad to be here. ;D

I just got hired by a tow away company to haul trailers around the country. ( 5th wheels mostly) Without doing a lot of research I went out and bought a slightly used 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 dually. It has a lot of options it seems including tow package AND camper package.

I just went out and mesured the bed rails at the back of the truck and they are right at 58".

Am I going to have problems hooking to the trailers because of the height?

I know I should have bought a 2wd now but I am going to have to keep this thing for a year I feel or will be upside down for trading in. :'(

Please.....any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome, Others that have a 4x4 can most likely help you more. But unless your truck has aftermarket lift kit or extra tall tires I don’t think you will have a problem. You may have to be careful on ruff roads or when turning sharp but other than that I see no problem.

 

I doubt it will be much of a problem, but if you are concerned about it, you might consider buying a high quality 12 volt air compressor.

That way you can let a little air out of the tires when and if you do encounter a trailer that is an inch too short, and after hooking up, pump the tires back up

I would think it wouldn't take too much air to drop that inch if needed.

Just a thought, but a tube of glue, pack of tire plugs and a compressor, would probably be a great thing to carry along on all those miles anyway

 

Thanks guys.......

Anyone out there have a 3500 4x4 that can give me some more info? I was really sweating bullits. :'(

Any recomendations for the best 5th wheel hitch?

REALLY appreciate the help everyone. 8)

 

warbird:

You might want to check with the company that hired you, some of them have a height restriction on the box of your truck. You can get lowering kits that have smaller blocks for the rear axles that will bring you down up to 4 inches or so. My 3500 4x2 is 54 inches at the tailgate. As for 5th wheel hitches, there are lots of good companies out there, Hidden Hitch and Reese to name a couple. Make sure you get one that is rated heavy enough for the trailers you will be hauling, I would recommend 16 to 20k rating.

Hope that this helps a little.

DeWain

 

Thanks DeWain.........I sure hope I didn't buy the wrong truck. Gonna be doing a lot of northwestern driving ( which I have done LOT'S of with tractor trailer ) and the big Dodge looked like it would fit the bill nicely. Unfortunetly I don't have much RV towing experience so I am trying to learn in a hurry. :-[

 

Just use your TT years and scale it down to size and you’ll be fine. I’ve found them to be actually easier to pull than the big rigs. Plus most of the time the ride is better. If your going to be running west and north I would suggest chains for the truck and a set of 15” plus a set of 16” for the RV. This is due to the fact that you will be pulling both tire sizes. good luck

 

Most RV Manufacturers want you to have at least 6 inches between rails and trailer. You should be OK with most 5ers if you use lowering blocks on rear axle of truck. Most new 5ers are high profile.

 

[quote author=warbird link=board=11;threadid=23713;start=0#msg223458 date=1071445501]
Thanks guys.......

Anyone out there have a 3500 4x4 that can give me some more info? I was really sweating bullits. :'(

Any recomendations for the best 5th wheel hitch?

REALLY appreciate the help everyone. 8)
[/quote]

I really like the Pullrite Superfifth hitch. Very well made and heavy duty. Ingenious latching mechanism and positive locking. I have a friend with an older Pullrite and it is 15 years old and on its third truck. Still works like new. They have a website. FWIW

Casey

 

You should have no problem pulling most 5vr's. Once you set the 5VR down on the truck it will set down about 3 inches or so. So don't let it scare you.

 

B & W Turnover ball It is a Gooseneck when you want it to be, then you can add a Companion Fifthwheel or if you want you can have a flatbed with a pull of a lever turn the ball over and its a flat bed in side of your truck.

 

Thanks Fella's 8) Thanks for all the reply's. Real nice bunch here.