Wife and I have made our first step in preparing to go full time in a couple of years(shooting for 2018) when I will be able to retire. Picked this piece of the puzzle up yesterday. Next piece will be a Cedar Creek Silverback late next year.
D and M said
04:36 AM Jul 23, 2015
Nice truck....that should get you anywhere you want to go.
Sushidog said
03:46 PM Jul 23, 2015
D and M wrote:
Nice truck....that should get you anywhere you want to go.
Unless you want to go through some narrow drive thus and some car washes.
Seriously though, sweet truck. The cab looks so roomy that it makes the bed look tiny. Planning on a slider hitch?
Chip
TRAILERKING said
10:28 PM Jul 23, 2015
Nice truck................I just don't get the look of the wheel openings on those trucks. They look like need a bigger diameter tire.
Terry and Jo said
08:17 AM Jul 24, 2015
I think the F350 and F450 basically use the same "body shell," so in the case of an F450, they have the 19.5" wheels. They could be allowing for that size of wheel and tire in their design.
What I don't remember is whether the F350 comes with a short bed or not. I know the F450 is only a long bed truck. If that is the long bed in your truck, a sliding fifth wheel hitch won't be needed. If I'm wrong and the F350 can have a short bed, you will definitely want a sliding hitch. A guy here in the RV park where we are knocked out the rear window on the driver's side when he cut too sharp in getting into a site in the park.
Terry
el Rojo and Pam said
11:39 AM Jul 24, 2015
Nice truck!!!!
Lonney Wade said
12:00 PM Jul 24, 2015
Some of the new 5th wheels RVs have a longer neck, longer reach.
Lonney
Trabuco said
12:26 PM Jul 24, 2015
It's always nice to get something new! Nice looking truck.
dhshaw said
03:06 AM Jul 25, 2015
Thanks everyone. New experience as this is my first diesel with a lot of things to learn. The truck is a long bed, it is the angle I took the picture at that makes it look short.
Camr said
10:37 AM Jul 25, 2015
You made the right decision to go DRW. We purchased a 2011 F-250 SRW and ended up trading up to a DRW. I could have saved cash by doing it right the first time.
Keep an eye on the lower left corner of the rad. Ours started leaking ay 40K. Cost me $2000 and the service advisor remarked that it was a lot more common than Ford would like to admit. Terrific engine and interior.
hasanchez said
09:29 AM Aug 25, 2015
This is a nice looking truck. My wife and I are like you. We'll be launching off in 2018 as well. I have not purchased anything yet. However, I am going to Opt for the Allison Transmission on the Chevy Silverado Diesel DRW long bed. With all the research I have done to this point...........the message was clear..........it's ALL ABOUT the transmission (no matter how good looking the truck is). Anyway.......that's my personal starting point.
Good luck to you and enjoy!
Cummins12V98 said
10:07 AM Aug 25, 2015
hasanchez wrote:
This is a nice looking truck. My wife and I are like you. We'll be launching off in 2018 as well. I have not purchased anything yet. However, I am going to Opt for the Allison Transmission on the Chevy Silverado Diesel DRW long bed. With all the research I have done to this point...........the message was clear..........it's ALL ABOUT the transmission (no matter how good looking the truck is). Anyway.......that's my personal starting point.
Good luck to you and enjoy!
I would suggest you look into the Aisin transmission in the RAM trucks. It's a true medium duty trans and they are extremely durable and dependable. Bonus is you will get the true medium duty Cummins along with the trans!
So do your homework.
Cummins12V98 said
10:09 AM Aug 25, 2015
hasanchez wrote:
This is a nice looking truck. My wife and I are like you. We'll be launching off in 2018 as well. I have not purchased anything yet. However, I am going to Opt for the Allison Transmission on the Chevy Silverado Diesel DRW long bed. With all the research I have done to this point...........the message was clear..........it's ALL ABOUT the transmission (no matter how good looking the truck is). Anyway.......that's my personal starting point.
Good luck to you and enjoy!
I would suggest you look into the Aisin transmission in the RAM trucks. It's a true medium duty trans and they are extremely durable and dependable. Bonus is you will get the true medium duty Cummins along with the trans!
So do your homework.
MarkS said
01:44 PM Aug 25, 2015
Great choice. Diesel DRW will serve you well. The engines in those little pickups is so cute! Just sayin'
Sushidog said
02:41 PM Aug 25, 2015
Yep, so is the fuel bill. :)
Chip
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
04:01 PM Aug 25, 2015
MarkS wrote:
Great choice. Diesel DRW will serve you well. The engines in those little pickups is so cute! Just sayin'
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
04:03 PM Aug 25, 2015
Sushidog wrote:
Yep, so is the fuel bill. :)
Chip
I/we filled the truck today.... can we say 210gallons!
But we went 2400+ on that tank full, little over 10mpg
Sushidog said
09:38 PM Aug 25, 2015
Alie and Jims Carrilite wrote:
Sushidog wrote:
Yep, so is the fuel bill. :)
Chip
I/we filled the truck today.... can we say 210gallons!
But we went 2400+ on that tank full, little over 10mpg
Not bad at all, especially for a rig that big! I'm impressed.
I'll be lucky to get 12mpg towing 1/2 the weight with my little 3/4 ton.
Chip
MarkS said
12:46 AM Aug 26, 2015
Alie and Jims Carrilite wrote:
Sushidog wrote:
Yep, so is the fuel bill. :)
Chip
I/we filled the truck today.... can we say 210gallons!
But we went 2400+ on that tank full, little over 10mpg
So Jim, I guess the tanks weren't empty?
We figure on buying fuel every three months or so.
Alie and Jims Carrilite said
02:46 PM Aug 26, 2015
Actually they were close. We only carry 225.... 75 under the driver and 150 on the passenger side. I do know where there is a 150 tank with the filler neck in the right place to swap the 75 with.
You gotta remember though, we have the baby Cummins M-11 Celect plus. Tuned to 450hp and 1450tq with a 2.94 rear. Gearing is everything!
Terry and Jo said
08:26 PM Aug 27, 2015
hasanchez wrote:
This is a nice looking truck. My wife and I are like you. We'll be launching off in 2018 as well. I have not purchased anything yet. However, I am going to Opt for the Allison Transmission on the Chevy Silverado Diesel DRW long bed. With all the research I have done to this point...........the message was clear..........it's ALL ABOUT the transmission (no matter how good looking the truck is). Anyway.......that's my personal starting point.
Good luck to you and enjoy!
With respect to the choices of trucks, there is one other factor to keep in mind. The newer Dodge and GM 3500 dually trucks have taller bed rails, leading to the real possibility of having less clearance between the underside of the fifth wheel's overhang and the top of the truck's bed rails. From what I've heard, Ford is the only one that hasn't raised their bed rails.
That has led to some needing to have alterations done to the fifth wheel to raise the entire thing at the frame. I know of at least a couple of DRV Suites owners that needed to do that, and I recently helped a guy in Denver with information on Mobile Suites. He has a 2014 GMC dually and is now looking at having to pull the fifth wheel to MorRyde's factory to have 2-inches lifted on the frame. Even with the highest "lift" on his TrailerSaver fifth wheel hitch, he doesn't have that much clearance.
Of course, raising the frame 2-inches also raises the whole RV up by that much, making the whole rig taller and susceptible to low clearance limbs and overpasses.
Terry
hasanchez said
01:37 PM Aug 31, 2015
Terry,
Thank you for your valuable advise. As you already know........I (we) are NEW to this entire life style.........which, we are eager to learn more and more about.. My comment above regarding the Allison Transmission, as opposed to what Ford & Dodge have to offer was based on what a heck of a lot of other RVers had recommended. Which, surprisingly included conversations at the Ford and Dodge dealerships.........saying words to the effect........"now it's not an Allison Transmission.......but you more than like would be ok with what we have to offer"......
I don't know a hill of beans between any of these transmissions except what people are recommending, based on long time experiences. To tell you the truth..........I drive on the Instate Highways frequently.......and, of course, I'm noticing trucks hauling 5th Wheel Trailers. More often than not..........the "majority" of the trucks that I have seen have been Chevy Silerado's and GMC Sierra trucks (as opposed to Ford or Dodge). I wonder why that is?
Henry
BiggarView said
05:44 PM Aug 31, 2015
Not wanting to throw gas (is that diesel) on the fire, any discusssion on which brand has a better tranny, is but part of an overall evaluation of trucks. I have heard the same arguments of the Allison/Aisin/Ford trannies and to my mind they are all decent... some better, some worse depending on your needs. One question I ask every mechanic I come across, every repair shop I visit... is "if you had to choose one of the three for your personal vehicle (diesel duallys) which would you have as your second choice?" The reasoning here is most people have "favorites" and emotion has a lot to do with that but so does practicality. By getting them to to pick a second, they subconsciously admit a strong alternative. From this I have discerned that GMC/Chevy and Dodge get my favorable attention. Also when asked why, the most common response is they are less expensive to maintain. A huge plus from a budget perspective. Now this is not to say that Fords are inferior or that any other is better. We each have our preferences. Ford dealers "fear" (if I can use that word) GM, GM fears Dodge and Dodge fears Ford.
I guess my point is try to take emotion out of the "truck" decision. All have their pros and cons. If we were going today, we are leaning to GM to fill our needs. YMMV as they say. To the OP, I'm sure you'll be very happy with you new truck.
FWIW, Brian
-- Edited by biggaRView on Tuesday 1st of September 2015 05:00:49 AM
JahRomo said
04:14 PM Sep 17, 2015
So I know everyone has their favorites, as clearly evidenced in this thread, for a variety of reasons. I have been managing light/medium vehicle fleets for many years and yes, some "technically" lead others in certain areas. But they have all truly evolved to a point where any of these 3 are practical options. We don't feel any one is light years ahead of the other.
Think of a grading system, a score of 98 is better than a 96, which is better than a 95, BUT they are all A's. But maybe in the next class the split is 94-97-98, and the next is 95-99-95. Who was the "best" becomes biased on exactly what subject you "believe" is more important. But still all were quality grades.
Was this always true? Absolutely not, in past years certain manufactures held very distinct and large advantages over others on specific issues. Comparing an A grade to a C, in keeping with the previous analogy. Because of this, many folks who were born and raised with Manufacture A has the best xxxx (which they were), will always feel Manufacture A have the best xxxx, in their mind. It really doesn't matter if they have advanced or regressed.
At the end of the day, it does truly come down to personal preference or what is specifically more important to you. And yes I have a certain brand bias because Dad always taught me X was better than Y or Z. So I generally use that as my starting point and if nothing repulses me, I would probably buy that brand. Thats human nature.
But brand bias doesn't suit a specific need you have (perceived or otherwise), you should have no problem moving on to the next one. For me personally it came down to which vehicle suited my ergonomic needs better than the others, while still mainlining the aesthetic needs of my DW. All three met my technical needs. Vehicle X might tow more than Y, but if I only need to to Y or less, X is not a big advantage.
Honestly, I would be proud to take any of these 350/3500 DRW's down the road.
btw, OP, a very beautiful truck.
CK2018 said
09:03 PM Nov 22, 2015
Jahromo, I really appreciated your post regarding selecting a truck. Just like the original poster in this thread, we will be retiring in 2018, will full time, have an RV in mind and will be looking for the right truck. I am a firm believer in talking to diesel mechanics...they know which brands are the most reliable, least expensive to maintain etc...I also agree that all of the big three have come a long way, and most likely any of them would work. It may simply come down to ergonomics and price, assuming all three have the specs I need.
I don't like the idea of being the pioneer when someone makes big changes. I would rather buy a product that has been on the road for 3-4 years, and has proven itself. Not saying I want a 4 years old truck, just a proven product. The Duramax/Allison combo has been around for awhile, but the Aisin is somewhat new. The Ford 6.0, older Dodge Tranny's and Chevy Injectors are just three that come to mind...all three were awesome when they first came out, but turned out to be night-mares, for lots of people. I will continue to watch these forums, in addition to the Ford, Chevy and Dodge forums, looking for info and trends.
I thought the height of bedrails was an interesting little perl. Wonder if that applies to both 2WD and 4WD?
We will begin test driving, comparing specs, warrantees, prices etc over the next few months. I honestly don't have any bias. I have owned all three, and currently have a 06 Duramax, which has been extremely reliable. Can't wait to see what I end up with!
PD CFK said
04:26 AM Nov 23, 2015
Your truck is a beauty! Congrats.
Jim and Barb said
09:37 AM Nov 23, 2015
Beautiful truck, what an exciting step! What type of hitch are you thinking of getting? With respect to the bedrail heights, when we bought our '13 GMC we did not know anything about the heights. When we are level it is tight, throw in a few bumps and it comes really close or even touches the bedrails. We have never had any damage but we watch it close.
Neil and Connie said
12:19 PM Nov 23, 2015
Terry and Jo wrote:
From what I've heard, Ford is the only one that hasn't raised their bed rails
We've got a 2012 F450 and banged up the bed sides a bit this summer due to inadequate clearance. That's one of the reasons we have a RAM 5500HD with hauler bed on order from Classy Chassis.
Cummins12V98 said
09:33 AM Nov 24, 2015
Maintain a minimum of 6" bed clearance and all should be fine unless you are traveling off the beaten path.
Bobc said
10:05 AM Nov 24, 2015
Neil & Connie
just picked up my Ram 5500 HD from CC
your going to love it!!!!!!!!!!!!
CC does a great Job
Neil and Connie said
02:23 PM Nov 24, 2015
Bobc wrote:
Neil & Connie just picked up my Ram 5500 HD from CC
your going to love it!!!!!!!!!!!! CC does a great Job
Thanks Bob. Gotta question for ya since you got yours already.
Did you get the fancier wheels that come with the higher end trim (the ones with more smaller holes than the standard wheels)? If so…can you check the clearance on the rear inner wheels for both getting an air hose to them and getting a PressurePro sensor on them? The latter is cylindrical about 3/4 of an inch high and in diameter. I looked at a RAM 3500 HD on a dealer lot and i think it has the same wheels. I couldn't decide whether I would be able to get a sensor on/off the inside wheel as well as getting an air hose to them. PressurePro has some flexible extenders that screw onto the inner stem and then have a bracket that goes underneath one of the lug nuts. The end with the bracket has two valve stems on it…one for the sensor and one for the hose (although you still have to remove the sensor to reset the alarm set point when you put air into the tires…so I'm not sure why they bothered with the dual stems at all).
I won't know for sure obviously until I pick up our new truck…but if you have sensors and were able to get them on/off then that's at least a data point.
What was your time frame from "let's do this" to Donnie to arrival of the truck at CC and then again from arrival of truck to delivery? I ordered mine Nov 10 and based on Bill Napier's truck arrival date am expecting mine to arrive shortly before Christmas. Their current lead time is about 90-95 days from truck arrival to delivery. That puts it past my desired delivery date of March 10…which means I'll leave FL April 1 with the old truck and not take delivery on the new one until about May 1…not what I wanted in a perfect world but I understand build/delivery lead times. May 1 would be about 120 days for the build/install the bed portion and that's what I'm currently working into our travel plans for the spring…just trying to get a feel for whether May 1 will be do-able based on best guesses…CC doesn't like to (and I don't blame them) commit to unreasonable delivery schedules but I don't like to have to change plans/reservations/whatnot either.
Bill and Linda said
02:40 PM Nov 24, 2015
Neil and Connie wrote:
Terry and Jo wrote:
From what I've heard, Ford is the only one that hasn't raised their bed rails
We've got a 2012 F450 and banged up the bed sides a bit this summer due to inadequate clearance. That's one of the reasons we have a RAM 5500HD with hauler bed on order from Classy Chassis.
As previously commented – I’ve measure all the Big 3’s bed rails and they are all higher beginning in 2011.The beaten path can sometimes be a ramp going on an interstate in a turn.Just saying.I know of people who “bumped” their bedrails into their trailer, an F-450, and they were not off the beaten path.It just is what it is.All of them can hit.That’s why we raised our last two trailers when they were built to compensate for truck bed rails. The other two options, assuming you have enough rear axle weight capacity, is a hauler bed or a trip to MOR/ryde to have the trailer lifted correctly.
Edited to correct "compensative." LOL How in the world did I type compensative?
-- Edited by Bill and Linda on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 05:55:29 PM
Bill and Linda said
02:49 PM Nov 24, 2015
Neil and Connie wrote:
Bobc wrote:
Neil & Connie just picked up my Ram 5500 HD from CC
your going to love it!!!!!!!!!!!! CC does a great Job
What was your time frame from "let's do this" to Donnie to arrival of the truck at CC and then again from arrival of truck to delivery? I ordered mine Nov 10 and based on Bill Napier's truck arrival date am expecting mine to arrive shortly before Christmas. Their current lead time is about 90-95 days from truck arrival to delivery. That puts it past my desired delivery date of March 10…which means I'll leave FL April 1 with the old truck and not take delivery on the new one until about May 1…not what I wanted in a perfect world but I understand build/delivery lead times. May 1 would be about 120 days for the build/install the bed portion and that's what I'm currently working into our travel plans for the spring…just trying to get a feel for whether May 1 will be do-able based on best guesses…CC doesn't like to (and I don't blame them) commit to unreasonable delivery schedules but I don't like to have to change plans/reservations/whatnot either.
For those reading along – One of the reasons for Classy’s build time, including a backlog of sales, is they build the beds specific to your truck.Not an F-450 or a RAM5500HD – the specific truck you’re purchasing – so they fit exactly and correctly.Pre-build beds can be “OK.”But totally custom to your truck will be “more OK” IMO. As much as I would like it "now," based on personal experience the custom service was worth the wait and they are very upfront as to delivery. They don't promise what can't be done. This will our second one from Classy and we are very pleased with the first. Just nice people to deal with.
Bobc said
03:51 PM Nov 24, 2015
once CC had the truck it took about 10 weeks for delivery.
Talk to Donnie about the aftermarket TMS.
he said he preferred not to use them as they tend to leak.
So i just plan to find some Valve extensions to use and get into the habit of checking them all the time.
I am not sure let Put i also think the truck may have a factory TMS built in.
Donnie from CC and Bill above may be more help on this as i just picked mine up Saturday and have not had time to check everything out Yet.
Bill from above was a huge help to me in spec. the truck.
He has done the research and really knows his stuff.
Cummins12V98 said
06:10 PM Nov 24, 2015
Bobc wrote:
Neil & Connie just picked up my Ram 5500 HD from CC
your going to love it!!!!!!!!!!!! CC does a great Job
Where are the pictures???????
JonRV said
06:29 PM Nov 25, 2015
Nice truck! How roomy is the cab? Looking to replace our 150 for more room/power.
Cummins12V98 said
09:06 AM Nov 26, 2015
JonRV wrote:
Nice truck! How roomy is the cab? Looking to replace our 150 for more room/power.
You can look at any F250/350 crew cab from 1999 to 2016 and they all have the exact same cab.
RonC said
06:10 PM Apr 20, 2016
$$$$$$
Diana and Jim said
04:54 AM Apr 21, 2016
We were just at MORryde having our rubber springs replaced. There was a woman there having the 2" lift kit put on her DRV to compensate for the GMC bed rails. From what she said, DRV is now offering to install those right at the factory. So if you are having a DRV built, be sure to tell them what you will be hauling it with.
Jim
Cummins12V98 said
08:36 AM Apr 21, 2016
When you place an order with DRV there is an option for the 2" riser. If chosen Lippert welds them on at their factory. I will be having the 2" risers added at MorRyde next month.
Bill and Linda said
09:22 AM Apr 23, 2016
I would advise anyone purchasing a new 5th wheel IF you are not getting a hauler bed and have a pickup 2011 or newer to get a 2 or 3 inch lift.
All new pickups have higher bed rails and you will need the lift for adequate truck bed rail to trailer clearance. Also this will make the trailer run level thus equalizing the load on the trailer axles. This is very important. If you are choosing to upgrade the suspension and put on a MORryde Independent Suspension this lift can be done for little cost at the time of the suspension upgrade.
Some say they will "be careful" and not run the truck bed rails into the trailer. Those are the people we chat with at MORryde getting their trailer raised after the "event."
BTW, we observed a lot of DRV's at MORryde last week getting axle and lift work done on them. Never seen MORryde as busy. They were running "wide open" with work on both brand new OEM trailers and after market customer work.
carolinakids said
07:51 AM Apr 25, 2016
We were setting around and a commercial come on local TV station about the Ford Commercial truck dealership. They had 15 F-350's DRW and they were listed at $39,999. Called them and found out why they were so low. Its a deal gone wrong and Ford let them go for this price. We hauled buggy to dealership and they were plain commercial grade trucks and so we purchased one. She has been nicknamed W/A for the wide wheel base. Drove 18000 miles in her around America and it tows our 280 RLS Cougar with ease. We feel so lucky to have found it when we did.
We had planned a retirement trip around America. We had a 2005 F-250 6.0 which we bought from Ma account it was her and Pops tow vehicle. Pops passed in Oct. 2013 so we got it and at the time truck had 89000 miles only. We had several issues after we bought it so we spent $12000 on upgrades to everything but a paint job. A whole bunch of things which made it like a new truck. We made a date and when it arrived we had cleaned out house and off we went. 15 minutes later after we left house it broke down. How depressed we were, after all we had done to it and this happens. July 4th was days away and the only location to get truck fixed was booked up for a week. After a week they finally called and we were looking at another week or more.
We were setting around in a panic account we had reservation at East Glacier less than 7 days and we were in Eastern N.C. with no truck. After a lot of prayers, low and behold the commercial came over the tube. Well as the clique goes all good things come to those that wait and pray. Ya'll take Care Happy Trails to all
Dave and Denise said
06:45 PM May 3, 2016
Bill and Linda wrote:
I would advise anyone purchasing a new 5th wheel IF you are not getting a hauler bed and have a pickup 2011 or newer to get a 2 or 3 inch lift.
All new pickups have higher bed rails and you will need the lift for adequate truck bed rail to trailer clearance. Also this will make the trailer run level thus equalizing the load on the trailer axles. This is very important. If you are choosing to upgrade the suspension and put on a MORryde Independent Suspension this lift can be done for little cost at the time of the suspension upgrade.
Some say they will "be careful" and not run the truck bed rails into the trailer. Those are the people we chat with at MORryde getting their trailer raised after the "event."
BTW, we observed a lot of DRV's at MORryde last week getting axle and lift work done on them. Never seen MORryde as busy. They were running "wide open" with work on both brand new OEM trailers and after market customer work.
Well now all of a sudden I am very concerned. After doing significant due diligence we ordered a new 2016 F-450 and a new 2016 Arctic Fox 32-5M fifth wheel. We have the truck and expect to mate it with the trailer early June. FYI, the trailer is 1200 miles away from our truck right now. I had asked about this truck/trailer combination and also our B&W Companion hitch on several different forums and our dealer and was told that should be a really nice set up without any problems. Now I am understanding the F-450 bed rails are so high that I potentially could have a serious issue and need to have the trailer lifted 2 or 3 inches? Just when I thought I could take a breath during this whole (new to us) process this surfaces. Can anyone explain how I can determine if this is in fact an issue and need the lift package given we can't mate it up with the trailer until we go to pick it up from the dealer?
-- Edited by Dave and Denise on Tuesday 3rd of May 2016 06:46:45 PM
-- Edited by Dave and Denise on Wednesday 4th of May 2016 05:27:42 AM
Bill and Linda said
07:34 AM May 5, 2016
Dave and Denise wrote:
Bill and Linda wrote:
I would advise anyone purchasing a new 5th wheel IF you are not getting a hauler bed and have a pickup 2011 or newer to get a 2 or 3 inch lift.
All new pickups have higher bed rails and you will need the lift for adequate truck bed rail to trailer clearance. Also this will make the trailer run level thus equalizing the load on the trailer axles. This is very important. If you are choosing to upgrade the suspension and put on a MORryde Independent Suspension this lift can be done for little cost at the time of the suspension upgrade.
Some say they will "be careful" and not run the truck bed rails into the trailer. Those are the people we chat with at MORryde getting their trailer raised after the "event."
BTW, we observed a lot of DRV's at MORryde last week getting axle and lift work done on them. Never seen MORryde as busy. They were running "wide open" with work on both brand new OEM trailers and after market customer work.
Well now all of a sudden I am very concerned. After doing significant due diligence we ordered a new 2016 F-450 and a new 2016 Arctic Fox 32-5M fifth wheel. We have the truck and expect to mate it with the trailer early June. FYI, the trailer is 1200 miles away from our truck right now. I had asked about this truck/trailer combination and also our B&W Companion hitch on several different forums and our dealer and was told that should be a really nice set up without any problems. Now I am understanding the F-450 bed rails are so high that I potentially could have a serious issue and need to have the trailer lifted 2 or 3 inches? Just when I thought I could take a breath during this whole (new to us) process this surfaces. Can anyone explain how I can determine if this is in fact an issue and need the lift package given we can't mate it up with the trailer until we go to pick it up from the dealer?
IMO, the only sure way is to have the specific truck and trailer, connect and then measure as I know of no trailer OEM's that give a "level ride" height number for the trailer overhang. That said, one can go measure a level trailer of specific like kind on the dealer's lot and use that number vs. the F-450 bed rail height measurement. But that assumes your trailer is the exact same height as the one on the lot. An assumption.
One of the issues is the trailer "riding / towing level." That is, yes, the hitch in the truck can (sometimes) be raised to give more bed rail clearance. But if that is done the trailer is no longer level and it puts more weight on the rear trailer axle than the front. That's not a good situation especially for the tires and bearings.
Worst case at delivery is to raise the hitch in the truck and then take the trailer for the lift. Sometimes one just has to do what one has to do and this is not overly dangerous, IMO, but is not recommended with a fully loaded trailer as a normal operating condition.
OEM's and dealers know this bed-rail issue can be a problem but they are busy selling and don't like to "complicate things."
Sometimes people comment, "Don't scare people." No one is trying to cause others stress. The other alternative is to withhold information. Then when people have an issue they say, "Why didn't someone tell me about this?"
Cummins12V98 said
11:15 AM May 7, 2016
Dave and Denise
You should be fine. The Fords ride much lower than the GM or RAM's do. 2017 the Fords will be just as high as the other two.
-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Saturday 7th of May 2016 11:15:43 AM
Dave and Denise said
01:09 PM May 7, 2016
I hope so! Thanks!
RonC said
08:23 PM May 7, 2016
This is very truck/trailer specific (the hitch plays a part also) .... but for what it's worth, we tow a 41 foot 5th wheel with a Ford F-350 4x4 CC long bed and have a Hensley BD-3 air hitch and it's like they were made for each other. Truck squats about two inches when the trailer is connected, the BD-3 compresses about 2 inches and the whole rig rides perfectly flat with about six inches of bed rail to trailer clearance.
This was not the result of careful planning ... more like pure luck ... none the less, it works out perfectly for us. I hope you have a similar experience with your rig.
Wife and I have made our first step in preparing to go full time in a couple of years(shooting for 2018) when I will be able to retire. Picked this piece of the puzzle up yesterday. Next piece will be a Cedar Creek Silverback late next year.
Unless you want to go through some narrow drive thus and some car washes.
Seriously though, sweet truck. The cab looks so roomy that it makes the bed look tiny. Planning on a slider hitch?
Chip
I think the F350 and F450 basically use the same "body shell," so in the case of an F450, they have the 19.5" wheels. They could be allowing for that size of wheel and tire in their design.
What I don't remember is whether the F350 comes with a short bed or not. I know the F450 is only a long bed truck. If that is the long bed in your truck, a sliding fifth wheel hitch won't be needed. If I'm wrong and the F350 can have a short bed, you will definitely want a sliding hitch. A guy here in the RV park where we are knocked out the rear window on the driver's side when he cut too sharp in getting into a site in the park.
Terry
Some of the new 5th wheels RVs have a longer neck, longer reach.
Lonney
Keep an eye on the lower left corner of the rad. Ours started leaking ay 40K. Cost me $2000 and the service advisor remarked that it was a lot more common than Ford would like to admit. Terrific engine and interior.
This is a nice looking truck. My wife and I are like you. We'll be launching off in 2018 as well. I have not purchased anything yet. However, I am going to Opt for the Allison Transmission on the Chevy Silverado Diesel DRW long bed. With all the research I have done to this point...........the message was clear..........it's ALL ABOUT the transmission (no matter how good looking the truck is). Anyway.......that's my personal starting point.
Good luck to you and enjoy!
I would suggest you look into the Aisin transmission in the RAM trucks. It's a true medium duty trans and they are extremely durable and dependable. Bonus is you will get the true medium duty Cummins along with the trans!
So do your homework.
I would suggest you look into the Aisin transmission in the RAM trucks. It's a true medium duty trans and they are extremely durable and dependable. Bonus is you will get the true medium duty Cummins along with the trans!
So do your homework.
Yep, so is the fuel bill. :)
Chip
I/we filled the truck today.... can we say 210gallons!
But we went 2400+ on that tank full, little over 10mpg
Not bad at all, especially for a rig that big! I'm impressed.
I'll be lucky to get 12mpg towing 1/2 the weight with my little 3/4 ton.
Chip
So Jim, I guess the tanks weren't empty?
We figure on buying fuel every three months or so.
You gotta remember though, we have the baby Cummins M-11 Celect plus. Tuned to 450hp and 1450tq with a 2.94 rear. Gearing is everything!
With respect to the choices of trucks, there is one other factor to keep in mind. The newer Dodge and GM 3500 dually trucks have taller bed rails, leading to the real possibility of having less clearance between the underside of the fifth wheel's overhang and the top of the truck's bed rails. From what I've heard, Ford is the only one that hasn't raised their bed rails.
That has led to some needing to have alterations done to the fifth wheel to raise the entire thing at the frame. I know of at least a couple of DRV Suites owners that needed to do that, and I recently helped a guy in Denver with information on Mobile Suites. He has a 2014 GMC dually and is now looking at having to pull the fifth wheel to MorRyde's factory to have 2-inches lifted on the frame. Even with the highest "lift" on his TrailerSaver fifth wheel hitch, he doesn't have that much clearance.
Of course, raising the frame 2-inches also raises the whole RV up by that much, making the whole rig taller and susceptible to low clearance limbs and overpasses.
Terry
Terry,
Thank you for your valuable advise. As you already know........I (we) are NEW to this entire life style.........which, we are eager to learn more and more about.. My comment above regarding the Allison Transmission, as opposed to what Ford & Dodge have to offer was based on what a heck of a lot of other RVers had recommended. Which, surprisingly included conversations at the Ford and Dodge dealerships.........saying words to the effect........"now it's not an Allison Transmission.......but you more than like would be ok with what we have to offer"......
I don't know a hill of beans between any of these transmissions except what people are recommending, based on long time experiences. To tell you the truth..........I drive on the Instate Highways frequently.......and, of course, I'm noticing trucks hauling 5th Wheel Trailers. More often than not..........the "majority" of the trucks that I have seen have been Chevy Silerado's and GMC Sierra trucks (as opposed to Ford or Dodge). I wonder why that is?
Henry
Not wanting to throw gas (is that diesel) on the fire, any discusssion on which brand has a better tranny, is but part of an overall evaluation of trucks. I have heard the same arguments of the Allison/Aisin/Ford trannies and to my mind they are all decent... some better, some worse depending on your needs. One question I ask every mechanic I come across, every repair shop I visit... is "if you had to choose one of the three for your personal vehicle (diesel duallys) which would you have as your second choice?" The reasoning here is most people have "favorites" and emotion has a lot to do with that but so does practicality. By getting them to to pick a second, they subconsciously admit a strong alternative. From this I have discerned that GMC/Chevy and Dodge get my favorable attention. Also when asked why, the most common response is they are less expensive to maintain. A huge plus from a budget perspective. Now this is not to say that Fords are inferior or that any other is better. We each have our preferences. Ford dealers "fear" (if I can use that word) GM, GM fears Dodge and Dodge fears Ford.
I guess my point is try to take emotion out of the "truck" decision. All have their pros and cons. If we were going today, we are leaning to GM to fill our needs. YMMV as they say. To the OP, I'm sure you'll be very happy with you new truck.
FWIW, Brian
-- Edited by biggaRView on Tuesday 1st of September 2015 05:00:49 AM
So I know everyone has their favorites, as clearly evidenced in this thread, for a variety of reasons. I have been managing light/medium vehicle fleets for many years and yes, some "technically" lead others in certain areas. But they have all truly evolved to a point where any of these 3 are practical options. We don't feel any one is light years ahead of the other.
Think of a grading system, a score of 98 is better than a 96, which is better than a 95, BUT they are all A's. But maybe in the next class the split is 94-97-98, and the next is 95-99-95. Who was the "best" becomes biased on exactly what subject you "believe" is more important. But still all were quality grades.
Was this always true? Absolutely not, in past years certain manufactures held very distinct and large advantages over others on specific issues. Comparing an A grade to a C, in keeping with the previous analogy. Because of this, many folks who were born and raised with Manufacture A has the best xxxx (which they were), will always feel Manufacture A have the best xxxx, in their mind. It really doesn't matter if they have advanced or regressed.
At the end of the day, it does truly come down to personal preference or what is specifically more important to you. And yes I have a certain brand bias because Dad always taught me X was better than Y or Z. So I generally use that as my starting point and if nothing repulses me, I would probably buy that brand. Thats human nature.
But brand bias doesn't suit a specific need you have (perceived or otherwise), you should have no problem moving on to the next one. For me personally it came down to which vehicle suited my ergonomic needs better than the others, while still mainlining the aesthetic needs of my DW. All three met my technical needs. Vehicle X might tow more than Y, but if I only need to to Y or less, X is not a big advantage.
Honestly, I would be proud to take any of these 350/3500 DRW's down the road.
btw, OP, a very beautiful truck.
Jahromo, I really appreciated your post regarding selecting a truck. Just like the original poster in this thread, we will be retiring in 2018, will full time, have an RV in mind and will be looking for the right truck. I am a firm believer in talking to diesel mechanics...they know which brands are the most reliable, least expensive to maintain etc...I also agree that all of the big three have come a long way, and most likely any of them would work. It may simply come down to ergonomics and price, assuming all three have the specs I need.
I don't like the idea of being the pioneer when someone makes big changes. I would rather buy a product that has been on the road for 3-4 years, and has proven itself. Not saying I want a 4 years old truck, just a proven product. The Duramax/Allison combo has been around for awhile, but the Aisin is somewhat new. The Ford 6.0, older Dodge Tranny's and Chevy Injectors are just three that come to mind...all three were awesome when they first came out, but turned out to be night-mares, for lots of people. I will continue to watch these forums, in addition to the Ford, Chevy and Dodge forums, looking for info and trends.
I thought the height of bedrails was an interesting little perl. Wonder if that applies to both 2WD and 4WD?
We will begin test driving, comparing specs, warrantees, prices etc over the next few months. I honestly don't have any bias. I have owned all three, and currently have a 06 Duramax, which has been extremely reliable. Can't wait to see what I end up with!
We've got a 2012 F450 and banged up the bed sides a bit this summer due to inadequate clearance. That's one of the reasons we have a RAM 5500HD with hauler bed on order from Classy Chassis.
just picked up my Ram 5500 HD from CC
your going to love it!!!!!!!!!!!!
CC does a great Job
Thanks Bob. Gotta question for ya since you got yours already.
Did you get the fancier wheels that come with the higher end trim (the ones with more smaller holes than the standard wheels)? If so…can you check the clearance on the rear inner wheels for both getting an air hose to them and getting a PressurePro sensor on them? The latter is cylindrical about 3/4 of an inch high and in diameter. I looked at a RAM 3500 HD on a dealer lot and i think it has the same wheels. I couldn't decide whether I would be able to get a sensor on/off the inside wheel as well as getting an air hose to them. PressurePro has some flexible extenders that screw onto the inner stem and then have a bracket that goes underneath one of the lug nuts. The end with the bracket has two valve stems on it…one for the sensor and one for the hose (although you still have to remove the sensor to reset the alarm set point when you put air into the tires…so I'm not sure why they bothered with the dual stems at all).
I won't know for sure obviously until I pick up our new truck…but if you have sensors and were able to get them on/off then that's at least a data point.
What was your time frame from "let's do this" to Donnie to arrival of the truck at CC and then again from arrival of truck to delivery? I ordered mine Nov 10 and based on Bill Napier's truck arrival date am expecting mine to arrive shortly before Christmas. Their current lead time is about 90-95 days from truck arrival to delivery. That puts it past my desired delivery date of March 10…which means I'll leave FL April 1 with the old truck and not take delivery on the new one until about May 1…not what I wanted in a perfect world but I understand build/delivery lead times. May 1 would be about 120 days for the build/install the bed portion and that's what I'm currently working into our travel plans for the spring…just trying to get a feel for whether May 1 will be do-able based on best guesses…CC doesn't like to (and I don't blame them) commit to unreasonable delivery schedules but I don't like to have to change plans/reservations/whatnot either.
As previously commented – I’ve measure all the Big 3’s bed rails and they are all higher beginning in 2011. The beaten path can sometimes be a ramp going on an interstate in a turn. Just saying. I know of people who “bumped” their bedrails into their trailer, an F-450, and they were not off the beaten path. It just is what it is. All of them can hit. That’s why we raised our last two trailers when they were built to compensate for truck bed rails. The other two options, assuming you have enough rear axle weight capacity, is a hauler bed or a trip to MOR/ryde to have the trailer lifted correctly.
Edited to correct "compensative." LOL How in the world did I type compensative?
-- Edited by Bill and Linda on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 05:55:29 PM
For those reading along – One of the reasons for Classy’s build time, including a backlog of sales, is they build the beds specific to your truck. Not an F-450 or a RAM5500HD – the specific truck you’re purchasing – so they fit exactly and correctly. Pre-build beds can be “OK.” But totally custom to your truck will be “more OK” IMO. As much as I would like it "now," based on personal experience the custom service was worth the wait and they are very upfront as to delivery. They don't promise what can't be done. This will our second one from Classy and we are very pleased with the first. Just nice people to deal with.
Talk to Donnie about the aftermarket TMS.
he said he preferred not to use them as they tend to leak.
So i just plan to find some Valve extensions to use and get into the habit of checking them all the time.
I am not sure let Put i also think the truck may have a factory TMS built in.
Donnie from CC and Bill above may be more help on this as i just picked mine up Saturday and have not had time to check everything out Yet.
Bill from above was a huge help to me in spec. the truck.
He has done the research and really knows his stuff.
Where are the pictures???????
You can look at any F250/350 crew cab from 1999 to 2016 and they all have the exact same cab.
$$$$$$
Jim
I would advise anyone purchasing a new 5th wheel IF you are not getting a hauler bed and have a pickup 2011 or newer to get a 2 or 3 inch lift.
All new pickups have higher bed rails and you will need the lift for adequate truck bed rail to trailer clearance. Also this will make the trailer run level thus equalizing the load on the trailer axles. This is very important. If you are choosing to upgrade the suspension and put on a MORryde Independent Suspension this lift can be done for little cost at the time of the suspension upgrade.
Some say they will "be careful" and not run the truck bed rails into the trailer. Those are the people we chat with at MORryde getting their trailer raised after the "event."
BTW, we observed a lot of DRV's at MORryde last week getting axle and lift work done on them. Never seen MORryde as busy. They were running "wide open" with work on both brand new OEM trailers and after market customer work.
We had planned a retirement trip around America. We had a 2005 F-250 6.0 which we bought from Ma account it was her and Pops tow vehicle. Pops passed in Oct. 2013 so we got it and at the time truck had 89000 miles only. We had several issues after we bought it so we spent $12000 on upgrades to everything but a paint job. A whole bunch of things which made it like a new truck. We made a date and when it arrived we had cleaned out house and off we went. 15 minutes later after we left house it broke down. How depressed we were, after all we had done to it and this happens. July 4th was days away and the only location to get truck fixed was booked up for a week. After a week they finally called and we were looking at another week or more.
We were setting around in a panic account we had reservation at East Glacier less than 7 days and we were in Eastern N.C. with no truck. After a lot of prayers, low and behold the commercial came over the tube. Well as the clique goes all good things come to those that wait and pray. Ya'll take Care Happy Trails to all
Well now all of a sudden I am very concerned. After doing significant due diligence we ordered a new 2016 F-450 and a new 2016 Arctic Fox 32-5M fifth wheel. We have the truck and expect to mate it with the trailer early June. FYI, the trailer is 1200 miles away from our truck right now. I had asked about this truck/trailer combination and also our B&W Companion hitch on several different forums and our dealer and was told that should be a really nice set up without any problems. Now I am understanding the F-450 bed rails are so high that I potentially could have a serious issue and need to have the trailer lifted 2 or 3 inches? Just when I thought I could take a breath during this whole (new to us) process this surfaces. Can anyone explain how I can determine if this is in fact an issue and need the lift package given we can't mate it up with the trailer until we go to pick it up from the dealer?
-- Edited by Dave and Denise on Tuesday 3rd of May 2016 06:46:45 PM
-- Edited by Dave and Denise on Wednesday 4th of May 2016 05:27:42 AM
IMO, the only sure way is to have the specific truck and trailer, connect and then measure as I know of no trailer OEM's that give a "level ride" height number for the trailer overhang. That said, one can go measure a level trailer of specific like kind on the dealer's lot and use that number vs. the F-450 bed rail height measurement. But that assumes your trailer is the exact same height as the one on the lot. An assumption.
One of the issues is the trailer "riding / towing level." That is, yes, the hitch in the truck can (sometimes) be raised to give more bed rail clearance. But if that is done the trailer is no longer level and it puts more weight on the rear trailer axle than the front. That's not a good situation especially for the tires and bearings.
Worst case at delivery is to raise the hitch in the truck and then take the trailer for the lift. Sometimes one just has to do what one has to do and this is not overly dangerous, IMO, but is not recommended with a fully loaded trailer as a normal operating condition.
OEM's and dealers know this bed-rail issue can be a problem but they are busy selling and don't like to "complicate things."
Sometimes people comment, "Don't scare people." No one is trying to cause others stress. The other alternative is to withhold information. Then when people have an issue they say, "Why didn't someone tell me about this?"
Dave and Denise
You should be fine. The Fords ride much lower than the GM or RAM's do. 2017 the Fords will be just as high as the other two.
-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Saturday 7th of May 2016 11:15:43 AM
I hope so! Thanks!
This is very truck/trailer specific (the hitch plays a part also) .... but for what it's worth, we tow a 41 foot 5th wheel with a Ford F-350 4x4 CC long bed and have a Hensley BD-3 air hitch and it's like they were made for each other. Truck squats about two inches when the trailer is connected, the BD-3 compresses about 2 inches and the whole rig rides perfectly flat with about six inches of bed rail to trailer clearance.
This was not the result of careful planning ... more like pure luck ... none the less, it works out perfectly for us. I hope you have a similar experience with your rig.