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10-01-2018, 04:48 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Chester
Posts: 30
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Half Ton Fifth Wheel with 3/4 Ton Truck
Hi Everyone,
I am looking to make my first time jump from a travel trailer to a fifth wheel. The model I am looking at is the Keystone Cougar Half Ton 32BHS. My tow vehicle is a 2017 Ram 2500 Tradesmen Crew Cab with Rambox. The truck has no aftermarket lifts. The ground to the top of my trucks tailgate is just under 58 inches.
I am already aware that I will need to get some kind of rotating hitch to work with the Ramboxes (i.e. Reese Sidewinder).
My question is has anyone had any issues with getting the Cougar Half Ton Fifth wheels to ride level or had any bed rail clearance issues with a 3/4 (2500, 250,) truck? The Cougar Half Ton Fifth Wheels appear to only be available with 15 inch wheels and I did not see any height adjustment on the suspension.
Any advice or pictures of your setup would be very helpful.
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10-01-2018, 05:15 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: South Jordan, Utah
Posts: 2,228
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A couple of things. You don't mention if your Ram has 4wd. Ours is and we ride a little nose high. We've lowered the hitch and raised the pin box to where we have the minimal clearance to the bed rails. (Sorry can't dig up any photos of the Cougar connected to the Ram) The only leveling adjustment readily available on a 5th wheel is the pin box and the hitch height. I'd suggest having the dealer's service department (I'm guessing they'd do the hitch install) verify the ability to level the trailer to your truck prior to purchase. They can do that with measurements and shouldn't need to actually install everything.
Finally, that's a lot of 5th wheel for a 2500. Be sure to verify your payload and towing capacities from the federal sticker on the driver's door post. You're looking at around 2300 pounds of loaded hitch weight. Could put you over your payload limit.
__________________
2017 Cougar 279RKSWE
2007.5 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 Cummins
Retirement Training Completed
I think the little voices in my head have started a chat group.
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10-01-2018, 05:36 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Pike Road
Posts: 130
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My Laredo rides a little nose high on my Ram 2500. I have 2250 lbs of payload and am probably 300-400lbs over payload on my truck to give you an idea about the pin weight of these “lite” 5th wheels(that what I was over last time to the CAT scales). I think pin weight was right around 1800lbs. With all that said, my Ram handles the Laredo with 0 issues
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10-01-2018, 05:55 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Chester
Posts: 30
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More Specs
Sorry, I forgot to give you the rest of the specs. It is a 4X4 and it is the 6.4 Hemi with 3.73 rear end. My payload rating is over 3,000 lbs so I think I should be fine there.
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10-01-2018, 06:16 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Pike Road
Posts: 130
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Quote:
Originally Posted by traynoral
Sorry, I forgot to give you the rest of the specs. It is a 4X4 and it is the 6.4 Hemi with 3.73 rear end. My payload rating is over 3,000 lbs so I think I should be fine there.
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Lucky dog... somehow that 6.4L gets you an extra 1,000lbs of payload even though we have the same exact suspension. Nice marketing Ram. I think you will be towing a little noise high but not a big deal.
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10-01-2018, 07:13 AM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Chester
Posts: 30
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Thanks guys. I am also going to post the question about anyone's experience with using the Rambox with a fifth wheel
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10-01-2018, 01:01 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Danville
Posts: 6
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Here is our 32BHS hitched to our Dodge 3500 4x4. It sits very slightly nose high, but is actually better than I thought it would sit. I have 1 more notch that I could lower my Andersen hitch and probably get it almost perfectly level but I like the clearance that I currently have between bed and camper. On a side note, I would hate to see the Half-Ton someone tried to use to tow this camper.
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10-01-2018, 01:05 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Danville
Posts: 6
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Well, not sure why my pic did not come through???
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10-01-2018, 01:16 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Chester
Posts: 30
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No, it did not come through. Can you send a link?
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10-01-2018, 01:16 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Danville
Posts: 6
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Let me try one more time.
[IMG] [/IMG]
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10-01-2018, 01:44 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Chester
Posts: 30
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You're right. That looks great. So you did not have to make any modifications to the trailer to make this work, correct? Do you happen to know the height of the top of your tailgate to the ground with the truck unloaded? Mine is about 58 inches. Just want to make sure I have the right comparison.
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10-01-2018, 02:24 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Danville
Posts: 6
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No modifications to the trailer. I will have to remeasure to the top of the tailgate, as I cannot remember what the measurement came out to. We were originally using a flatbed truck to tow the camper with, and when I first looked at the Dodge I was really concerned about the bed height. I was pleasantly surprised when we got everything hooked up.
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10-01-2018, 03:12 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Oregon
Posts: 247
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Quote:
Originally Posted by traynoral
Thanks guys. I am also going to post the question about anyone's experience with using the Rambox with a fifth wheel
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It doesn't work
I know a guy personally who tried and have seen countless threads of people also trying and traditional hitches won't work with the Rambox option. I believe there is a specialty hitch (I think it's called a "Sidewinder") that might work.
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10-01-2018, 06:09 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Danville
Posts: 6
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Measured at the tailgate, and I'm showing between 59 and 59.5 at the top of the tailgate protector. With the Andersen hitch set in the middle hole I have almost 7.5 inches of bed clearance to the camper underside.
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10-01-2018, 07:05 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Illinois
Posts: 581
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Gas versus diesel capacity
Quote:
Originally Posted by KHBama
Lucky dog... somehow that 6.4L gets you an extra 1,000lbs of payload even though we have the same exact suspension. Nice marketing Ram. I think you will be towing a little noise high but not a big deal.
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The 6.4L gas engine weighs about 1000 less than the Cummins diesel, which is where that difference comes from in the 2500. Now, if it would just have the same torque as the diesel, I'd be happy!
__________________
Ed & Mary
2017 Cougar 333MKS
2015 RAM 3500 HD with 6.4L
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10-01-2018, 07:11 PM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,695
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pmedic4
The 6.4L gas engine weighs about 1000 less than the Cummins diesel, which is where that difference comes from in the 2500. Now, if it would just have the same torque as the diesel, I'd be happy!
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The 6.4 is a great engine for towing with the proper axle ratio and pulling a weight that it is rated for. With the 3.73 it is rated for 12.5k. That's too much IMO. When above 10k you just need to move to the diesel IMO and get the one ton because a diesel in a 3/4 ton drops the payload far below the 6.4 gas.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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10-02-2018, 03:08 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Pike Road
Posts: 130
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pmedic4
The 6.4L gas engine weighs about 1000 less than the Cummins diesel, which is where that difference comes from in the 2500. Now, if it would just have the same torque as the diesel, I'd be happy!
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I was talking about the 1,000lb payload difference between a 5.7 and 6.4, which makes no sense.The question has been asked 100 times on the Ram forums I read and the general consensus is its a marketing tool for Ram to push the 6.4L as a more heavy duty truck. There are going to be people with passionate opinions. I loaded my 5er up and went to the CAT Scales and I was well below my tire and axle ratings, so I consider myself good to go
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10-02-2018, 05:48 AM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Chester
Posts: 30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinnie1972
Measured at the tailgate, and I'm showing between 59 and 59.5 at the top of the tailgate protector. With the Andersen hitch set in the middle hole I have almost 7.5 inches of bed clearance to the camper underside.
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Perfect. That is exactly the info I was looking for. Thanks!
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10-03-2018, 07:52 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinnie1972
Here is our 32BHS hitched to our Dodge 3500 4x4. It sits very slightly nose high, but is actually better than I thought it would sit. I have 1 more notch that I could lower my Andersen hitch and probably get it almost perfectly level but I like the clearance that I currently have between bed and camper. On a side note, I would hate to see the Half-Ton someone tried to use to tow this camper.
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To the highlighted statement, I am surprised that you chose a 1/2 Ton 5er, with a 3500 DRW TV. I find it interesting also that the shower is located near the BH rather the Master Bedroom.
__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
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10-04-2018, 02:48 AM
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#20
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sugar Hill
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pmedic4
The 6.4L gas engine weighs about 1000 less than the Cummins diesel, which is where that difference comes from in the 2500. Now, if it would just have the same torque as the diesel, I'd be happy!
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The 6.7L Cummins weighs in around 1100# plus fluids.
The 6.4L gas engine must be a flyweight. Actually it is just at 500# dry.
This misconception has been around for years.
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