Future Truck purchase

[smiller]

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Originally Posted by Cat320 My comments were in response to your statement regarding 20% of a 12k 5th wheel...they apply as stated.

Fair enough. Probably why it's best to consider actual weights over some worst case rule of thumb.

[SmokeyWren]

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Originally Posted by gcmxray So what kind of truck do we need? I am looking at either a Chevy 2500 or a 3500.

You need a truck that can tow a 15,500 pound trailer with a 3,100 pound hitch weight without being overloaded over either the GCWR or GVWR of the truck.

I'll use Ford numbers because I'm familiar with them, but I'm sure GM and RAM make competitive trucks. And I'll assume the normal CrewCab diesel 4x4 as the starting point.

The GVWR would be your limiter on a pickup with single rear wheels (SRW).

F-350 SRW CrewCab diesel 4x4 has a GVWR of 11,500 pounds, and will weigh about 9,000 pounds before you back up to the trailer. That leaves 2,500 pounds for max hitch weight. Not enough for your new trailer. The hitch weight of that wet and loaded trailer will probably be between about 2,800 and 3,100. So don't consider the SRW pickup as your tow vehicle.

The F-350 DRW has a GVWR of 13,300 and will weigh about 9,500 when wet and loaded for the road without the trailer. That leaves 3,800 pounds for hitch weight, which is more than enough for your trailer.

So the next step is to be sure you have enough pulling power, as measured by the GCWR of the tow vehicle.

The new diesel dually has a GCWR of 30,000 pounds. Even if you load the pickup to 10,000 pounds before you tie onto the trailer, that leaves you 20,000 pounds for max trailer weight. More than enough for your trailer.

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But my question is long bed or short bed?

Way back when, Ford made a shorty dually. But no more. So only the long bed is available.

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I understand the turning radius etc but which is best for overall performance and gas mileage?

No significant difference in performance or fuel mileage between the long bed and the shorty. The long bed SRW weigh about 150 pounds more than the shorty, so that's the primary reason for a very slight difference.

[ALSAN]

A longer wheel base truck ie: 4 dr crew with 8 ft box will give you a better ride(smoother)

[derald1961]

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Originally Posted by gcmxray We currently have a 26' travel trailer and are looking to the future to purchase a 39' 5th wheel. We have looked at and picked out an Dutchmen Infinity with a front end living room. So what kind of truck do we need? I am looking at either a Chevy 2500 or a 3500. But my question is long bed or short bed? I understand the turning radius etc but which is best for overall performance and gas mileage? Help............

Gcmxray I thank you for posting a question I too was interested in. I was getting some very useful information from the responses right up to the point that it turned into a 1st amendment/civil liberties argument between conflicting personalities. Geez, first day belonging to this forum and I run into this. I hope this is not par for the course or this will be a short lived relationship for me. Thanks again gcmxray for posing the question

[oldbeek]

Don't be concerned, it's just the weight police. They always get agitated. I can get them really agitated when I talk about our first tow vehicle in 1949. It was the newest thing out after the war. A 1948 Sterling, 185 hp cummins ( largest available), 5speed with 3 speed splitter. Emergency brake, a 15 in drum on back of 5 speed. Haul 2 23ft trailers, doubles, max weight 79,000lb. It's all relative! Getting to the topic, having owned a dual wheel and sw tow vehicle. Comparing the sw super single wheel and tire as supplied on new vehicles to the duals there is not detectable diffrence in handleing unless it is between your ears. In CA we run super singles on transit mixers rather than duals. Now there is a top heavy load. The width means nothing when parking in a lot. You still need room to open your doors. RV's have always had a problem of not enough brakes. That would be my concern.

[chaunclm]

To tow a 39 foot fiver one has to have at least a dual rear wheel 3500HD with a diesel engine. If it is a heavy rig then you will need something bigger.

[mhs4771]

Go with a Diesel Dually and not have anything to worry about. If you're like most of us, you can use the extra walk into Wally World. Better to have more TV than you need rather than too little.

[DpDave]

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Originally Posted by gcmxray Thank you to everyone in regards to help with our truck purchase. All the information has helped me in which way we are looking. Probably toward a dually. My only concern is parking the dually in a regular spot when are out camping, like at a grocery store etc. but that is something we will have to get used to. So back to my big question.. long bed vs short bed? Anymore input.. Thank you again for all your input...

GCM, have no worries, you will quickly get used to driving around with training wheels.

To get back to the original question; long bed for sure. Ask anybody who has driven a 5er through their back window.

Good luck!

[JIMNLIN]

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Originally Posted by DpDave GCM, have no worries, you will quickly get used to driving around with training wheels. To get back to the original question; long bed for sure. Ask anybody who has driven a 5er through their back window. Good luck!

I towed with a short bed truck before a sliding hitch was available and had the 5ers cornor crack the truck cabs rear glass. No biggie. Replaced the glass and just in time the proper equipment (sliding hitch) came out that eliminates 5er contact with the short bed truck. Pretty simple fix.

Currently I have a long and short bed truck. The lond bed truck sits in the tractor barn and the crew cab short bed I use most of the time fits in my heated garage.

Get the truck with the bed length/cab configuration you need. Many 5ers front cornor profile eliminates the need for a sliding hitch.