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Old 08-01-2017, 10:38 AM   #1
Jeepshots
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Well, we did it. New tow vehicle...

When we bought our camper back in March, I searched for the model that was towable by my 2012 Dodge Durango Citadel AWD w/V8 Hemi. Found the Bullet 243BHS would fit the towing parameters of the Durango. And it would tow it all day long. Like others on this forum found out though, just because it would tow it, there was still some discomfort in doing so. The trailer would catch wind and move us around quite a bit, the porpoising on some of the freeways wasn't fun, and the restrictive weight limits required us moving most everything from the Durango into the camper.

I'm no longer hampered by such restrictions.

My new tow vehicle is a 2014 Ram 3500 Laramie Crew Cab with the 6.4 Hemi. Cargo sticker shows 3760lb capacity, and a 12K towing capacity. I didn't need the diesel since we're not towing anything stupid heavy, nor are we towing it every week. This truck has to be our daily driver, so I stuck with the gas burners. Picked it up just south of Cleveland, Ohio and drove it back to Arkansas. Figured that'd be a good get-to-know-the-truck session. Ordered a hitch sleeve so my existing 2" receiver would work in the truck's class V 2.5" receiver. Then noticed that I'm going to need a new shank for the WDH. So ordered a big drop shank. I looked all over the web for a 2.5" sized shank, but only found one, and it didn't drop enough. For those with the class V hitches, what do you do for your WDH? Do you have a 2.5" shank, or are you using the sleeve adapter as well?

Waiting on the new shank, and sleeve, before I can hook up and adjust the WDH... Already planning on a tonneau cover and carpet bed liner for the truck.

Looking forward to the first time out with the camper - in 18 days we load up and head out to St Joseph, MO for the eclipse!
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Old 08-01-2017, 11:30 AM   #2
jonnyaiks
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Congrats! I'm a recent convert to Ram HD's, and I've been very happy.

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Old 08-01-2017, 01:00 PM   #3
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Congrats! It looks like an awesome ride! I'm sure you will be so happy when you hook up and go for your first trip towing with it. It's going to be like night and day! Best of luck with it!
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Old 08-01-2017, 01:57 PM   #4
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Good choice in trucks. I bought my 2017 2500 megacab a few months ago and it pulls nicely. It's night and day with ride comfort though compared to my Yukon XL Denali. Congrats again. You're little Bullet will be no match for the new RAM.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:10 PM   #5
weaselz
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I have used both when we towed a bumper pull camper. Started out with the sleeve. But felt more comfortable with the 2.5 shank, etrailer.com was a real help.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:19 PM   #6
TAZ23
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Unless things have changed since I bought mine in 2015 The 2" adapter should have been included with the truck. Check under the rear seat cargo cover. And congratulations on the new ram.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:37 PM   #7
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Missed the part about the sleeve - I used it for the wdh when i had theTT

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Old 08-01-2017, 03:22 PM   #8
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I use a sleeve but one of these days I'll purchase a new shank. Maybe at a camping show, I've looked on-line but I'd rather see something like this before I buy it!
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Old 08-01-2017, 04:07 PM   #9
the sodfather
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Quote:
Originally Posted by weaselz View Post
I have used both when we towed a bumper pull camper. Started out with the sleeve. But felt more comfortable with the 2.5 shank, etrailer.com was a real help.
Yes. Exactly. My truck has the 2.5". It was too rattley for me with the sleeve. Got the 2.5" shank from etrailer.com for my Equalizer hitch. Much better.
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Old 08-01-2017, 04:16 PM   #10
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Very nice truck! Now you can tow ANYTHING!!!!! ;-)


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Old 08-02-2017, 03:35 AM   #11
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Nice truck! That's got a healthy payload for a SRW without a diesel drivetrain weighing it down.
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Old 08-02-2017, 05:13 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by busterbrown View Post
Good choice in trucks. I bought my 2017 2500 megacab a few months ago and it pulls nicely. It's night and day with ride comfort though compared to my Yukon XL Denali. Congrats again. You're little Bullet will be no match for the new RAM.
I was really wanting a megacab with the ram box, but that combo turned my truck search in to a unicorn hunt. They just didn't exist, especially at my desired price point. With the quadcab, it just means the kids can't lean their seats back. They'll deal with it.
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Old 08-02-2017, 05:17 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by TAZ23 View Post
Unless things have changed since I bought mine in 2015 The 2" adapter should have been included with the truck. Check under the rear seat cargo cover. And congratulations on the new ram.
I looked all over the truck. Storage area under the rear seat on the driver side is empty. No storage area under the passenger side rear seat - taken up by the subwoofer. Under floor storage bins were empty as well. I'm now thinking the boys at the dealership took it - it had a factory tri-fold tonneau cover, and that went missing at the dealership as well...
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Old 08-02-2017, 08:51 AM   #14
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Congrats on the new truck! You are going to be nicely surprised at the difference in the towing experience. I love mine when towing. It is a little rough unloaded, and that's one of the reasons I was reluctant to get a bigger truck (2500 HD, 6.4, payload 3190), but I've pretty much gotten used to it. The new HD trucks ride SO much better than the old versions. Your new truck will give you a night and day towing experience.

Mine had the 2.5" insert and I had to get a longer drop hitch for it from CW (should have gone to etrailer or Equalizer/Progressive Ind). I would ask the dealer about the insert.
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Old 08-02-2017, 03:00 PM   #15
Jeepshots
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I was looking at both 2500's and 3500's. Happen to find the 3500 at my price point first. And I'm okay with it. Ride's a bit bumpy unloaded, but we'll live with it.
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Old 08-02-2017, 03:22 PM   #16
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You should get the sleeve adapter and the wiring harness for the upfitter switches. Both were in the driver side passenger rear floor storage.

Here a video on the switches and shows the wiring harness:
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Old 08-02-2017, 04:18 PM   #17
Jeepshots
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I got the up-fitters wiring kit. But that was all of the extras I got. Somebody kept the sleeve, the tonneau cover, the engine cover, and one of the buckets out of the under-floor storage in the back.
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~ In your darkest hour when the demons come, call on me brother and we will fight them together! ~
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Old 08-02-2017, 05:52 PM   #18
sourdough
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I got the up-fitters wiring kit. But that was all of the extras I got. Somebody kept the sleeve, the tonneau cover, the engine cover, and one of the buckets out of the under-floor storage in the back.

I would be in the middle of the dealer about that stuff. I bought a new truck in 2012 and it was missing several little things. When I found out I called them, told them I wanted them and I was driving the 75 miles back to them to get them. When I got there they went to a room and they had piled owners manuals, floormats, wiring harness adapters and I don't know what else in there. For some reason they took all that stuff out of new trucks and just threw it in there. Stupid; and it took us almost 2 hours to find the items I was missing - (not a receiver sleeve or tonneau cover).
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Old 08-02-2017, 06:58 PM   #19
Jeepshots
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This was a used car dealership. They couldn't locate the tonneau cover - and claimed they didn't know if it came in with it or not. I didn't know if the sleeve would be part of the truck or not. Just stuff I didn't see/notice. I had driven 16 hours straight to get there - was a bit brain-fuzzed.

Yes, if it was a new truck, there better be everything on it from the factory.
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Old 08-04-2017, 05:47 PM   #20
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Great looking truck...congrats!!
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