Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.
We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!
In preparation of going full time this year, I’m in the market for a new RAM 3500, crew cab, 8’ bed, 4x4, dually with the Cummins, Aisin transmission, 5th wheel prep, etc. in either a Big Horn, Lone Star or Laramie. I don’t mind traveling out of state (Colorado) as long as it is a good deal and not too far. Does anyone have any dealer recommendations?
The last two of you didn't say where you are. I'm pretty sure NC is too far for Mike, but we got a really good deal in Dec, 2011, at Kernersville Dodge in Kernersville, NC.
We've got a beautiful root bear brown/gold one we picked up for a steal last year. We traveled form CA to IL to get it! Great people, did the whole deal over the phone and e-mail. Crazy! Douglas Dodge in Clinton, Ill.
Kev and Vi....this is off topic but I just looked at your website name...We Must Getaway....Love it!!!!!! Us too....The "For Sale" sign went up last night!!!!! Can't wait to join you because we need to get away too!!!!
Second the vote for Kernersville Dodge in Kernersville, NC. We bought our 3500 Dodge Ram from them. Check their website, they have really good prices, and they delivered the truck to Indianapolis for free. If nothing else, it will give you a point of reference. We just got the tradesman model because we didn't want or need a lot of extras.
Dave Smith and Dennis Dilloin in Idaho. Bought my 11 at DS. AutoNation in Seattle killed DS on trade in so I bought my 15 RAM Dually LongHorn Crew from them.
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-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Friday 15th of May 2015 06:10:07 PM
Any of ya'll Veterans? If so, join USAA - their truck buying service is a no-haggle $300 over TRUE invoice deal. Sweet! You go into their car/truck buying service, deck your truck out like YOU like and USAA gives you the TrueCar price and a list of dealers close to you (you define close). Go to the dealer and, of course the dealer cannot find a truck with your options (our dealer said the closest match was over 2K miles away) sooooo, they have to honor the price and factory build it for you! Dealer says our truck would be delivered in 6-8 weeks. We are going over this weekend or next to pull the trigger
3500 Western Brown-Pearl two-tone Longhorn Laramie, Crew Cab 4x4 Long Bed dually with the Cummings-Asin powertrain. Every option except the snow plow
Question though....would the fleet sales "group purchase" be even better? I'm willing to bet that our dealer (Champion in Decatur AL) would be willing to broker...and I would be interested if we had to choose a more central dealership to accommodate all the forum members! I have a couple weeks before we put our order in so let's all speak up!
"3500 Western Brown-Pearl two-tone Longhorn Laramie, Crew Cab 4x4 Long Bed dually with the Cummings-Asin powertrain. Every option except the snow plow"
I would advise against the cargo camera because it places the backup camera in the rear view instead of the Nav. The cargo viewing is not good enough in my opinion to hook up with.
I would advise to go with the rear air ride, I really like mine.
I would advise to go with the 4:10's.
This is is mine with rear air. Just over 5K sitting on the truck in pic. Will look like that up to the rear axle rating.
i.imgur.com/eZVTXfOl.jpg">
-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Wednesday 10th of June 2015 07:07:51 PM
-- Edited by Cummins12V98 on Wednesday 10th of June 2015 07:10:33 PM
Finally found a truck with all the options except one, the auto-level rear air suspension. That option is rare to find on the lot. Yes, I used USAA pricing (as a starting point) and actually got the truck below USAA pricing. Really wanted the rear air suspension but looked at after market options and it looks like Air Lift makes a good set up and with 10% off, being retired military, at the dealer it's about the same price or less than the factory option. I will have that installed if and when I think I need it.
2015 RAM 3500, Laramie, CC, 4x4, Long Bed, Cummins, Aisin, 5th Wheel Prep, etc., etc., etc.
"3500 Western Brown-Pearl two-tone Longhorn Laramie, Crew Cab 4x4 Long Bed dually with the Cummings-Asin powertrain. Every option except the snow plow"
I would advise against the cargo camera because it places the backup camera in the rear view instead of the Nav. The cargo viewing is not good enough in my opinion to hook up with.
I would advise to go with the rear air ride, I really like mine.
I would advise to go with the 4:10's.
This is is mine with rear air. Just over 5K sitting on the truck in pic. Will look like that up to the rear axle rating."
Thanks for the advise Cummins!
That's disappointing to hear about cargo camera :( I was really counting on it as a hitching solution...what would you recommend?
Air ride was a definite add on our build as well. We are also opting for the 3 additional switches for any other components we add aftermarket.
4:10 noted. What type of mileage are you getting? Towing? Not towing?
Love the Bike mod on your kingpin! Our Cardinal comes with a Class 2 Hitch...but still, tell me about your mod so I can pass it on to others in our RV club who are struggling without the factory hitch!
Can't decide if the V-Box 5th Wheel tool box with lids or the Goosneck toolbox would be best.
My thinking is the box with lids would be completely inaccessible when hooked up & the gooseneck box would let you access all the compartments even when hooked up.
Finally...would you STILL want to have a tailgate with the 5th wheel toolbox? I would imagine that the only reason would be so your backup camera would still function.
If tailgate, anyone have experience with this one?
"3500 Western Brown-Pearl two-tone Longhorn Laramie, Crew Cab 4x4 Long Bed dually with the Cummings-Asin powertrain. Every option except the snow plow"
I would advise against the cargo camera because it places the backup camera in the rear view instead of the Nav. The cargo viewing is not good enough in my opinion to hook up with.
I would advise to go with the rear air ride, I really like mine.
I would advise to go with the 4:10's.
This is is mine with rear air. Just over 5K sitting on the truck in pic. Will look like that up to the rear axle rating."
Thanks for the advise Cummins!
That's disappointing to hear about cargo camera :( I was really counting on it as a hitching solution...what would you recommend?
Air ride was a definite add on our build as well. We are also opting for the 3 additional switches for any other components we add aftermarket.
4:10 noted. What type of mileage are you getting? Towing? Not towing?
Love the Bike mod on your kingpin! Our Cardinal comes with a Class 2 Hitch...but still, tell me about your mod so I can pass it on to others in our RV club who are struggling without the factory hitch!
I would advise against the toolbox at the back of the truck. My Dad had one and he sold it saying it was hard to get into when hitched.Leave the factory tailgate. You don't want to be without the backup camera!
I am getting just under 14 with city/freeway. I can see at 70 freeway I would get 16 and at 60 18mpg. I have not towed enough with it to know towing mileage.
Unfortunately I can't use my bike rack hitch I made on our new 39TKSB3 MS because the front of the rV overhangs the kingpin now.
I had a vee box and liked the convenience of having my tool box at the back of the bed. It is very easy to hook up the fifth wheel, but if you have a fuel tank in front of the hitch and the tool box behind it, you will have almost no place to store anything in the bed.
When I bought my new truck I put a tool box on top of the L-shaped fuel tank and freed up the bed for storage.
BamaBob, I like the idea of a dedicated hauler bed for all the available storage but not the cost and how it limits the potential uses for the truck. The rear V box with the two doored compartments would provide quite a bit of accessible storage for dirty setup stuff (landing pads, hoses, cord) as well as some space for some tools.
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~ Tom Warfield
living in: 2014 Montana 3900FB fifth wheel
camping & traveling in: 2008 Chalet a-frame hard side pop up
"full timing" since December, 2008
currently in a fixed location in SW Washington State but that could change
For us at least, the truck is a means to pull the 5er (A Forest River Cardinal 3450RL). It won't be a "working" truck, so having storage space for the items I would rather not have in the basement is an attractive option.
I did some measurements and with the 8' bed and the fuelbox + tailgate toolbox installed there will be just over 4' of "cargo" space with the hitch removed. Ya'll are correct though - with the hitch installed it will either be store it in the toolboxes or someplace else
Since I really want my Traeger Tailgater grill to tag along on the long trips I am rethinking the tailgate toolbox.
Now...next question: Anybody here use the Husky 5th wheel tailgate? It's got a feature where you can transfer your OEM tailgate camera to the Husky - that sounds like the best of both worlds! Anyone have any experience with this?
Cummings - you were right about the Bed camera. I went to our Dodge dealer this weekend and had the chance to test drive a 3500 Dually with the bed camera in it. You are absolutely right that having your backup camera transferred to the rearview mirror makes it almost worthless!
Here's my solution: Ditch the factory installed cargo camera and instead buy the optional wireless camera for our Garmin RV760GPS. Mount the camera above the bed light and wire it in. Then, whenever I put the truck in reverse the Garmin will be the bed camera and I will still have my tailgate camera on the Truck's 8" display - best of both worlds!
I am probably different from others, but I don't really see much of an advantage to the "V" type tailgates. The one exception is to have the expanded metal that would allow air to flow through and "maybe" save some fuel. In our case, I'm 69 years old and the tailgate on my F450 has the "man-step" that comes out and has a handle that raises that allows me a lot easier access to getting into the bed of the truck. I'll never give up that step.
As for hooking up, I also use G-O-A-L (Get Out And Look) philosophy when performing that duty. Even when I drove 18-wheelers, I double checked my fifth wheel connections before moving the truck. I also did a pull test (with the front landing gear close to fully extended.
Terry
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Terry and Jo
2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3 2008 Ford F450 2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout