New Alliance 310RL just brought it home

[Jerry Burks]

Another observation regrading the nice no-step slides...
Make sure you sweep up all small pebbles and gravel pieces that come in in your shoe soles. If they get in under the slides they may make a gash in the floor.

[Pamnjess]

What capture plate did you get for the slider hitch? We are picking up same hitch tomorrow. Our 310RL is waiting to be picked up. its a 2021 and we have a Dodge Ram 3500 short bed srw.

[Pamnjess]

Originally Posted by Dlleno

Here's a couple of photos. I have a pullrite in the short bed. Definately agree on the transparency I've been in regular contact with curtis carlson and have the exact same experience...total transparency and commitment to the customers experience.

I'm thinking of a portable solar solution to get me by until I can do panels on the roof myself . Any suggestions? I have the base model prepped for solar with #10 wire

Hi there. I am new to the forum so just figuring out how to post. Excuse my lack of tecnology skills. Husband and I have just purchased the 310 and we have been having trouble getting a slider hitch for our shortbed ram 3500 to pick up our trailer. we now have found finally found the above hitch but need to know what size capture plate needed. Apparently there are 2 sizes. Do you know What size you have?

[Dlleno]

I don't have the capture plate part number, but I can tell you that I had some confusion on this topic even at the dealer -- they even got the capture plate wrong. But the best answer to this is to call PullRite. They know

you might get some clues from the attached photo. the right capture plate for this pinbox has this large set screw that climbs up over the top of the OE geometry there

I can also vouch for the fact that the pullrite superglide is wonderful. get the 24K flavor that hooks right up to the Ram puck system. Its heavy (~250 lbs0 but worth every pound imho. There's no way can get along without a slider -- on a 6' 4" bed, and a 101" wide-body trailer, not even the hitches that plant the pin waaaaay back behind the rear axle will do. I'm astonished at the number of "short bed" solutions that actually place the pin behind the axle and then claim everything is "properly placed". I just don't buy it. Of course, I'm aware that there are many short bed guys pulling fifthwheels with Andersens and other solutions that located the pin behind the axle. its just not for me because I want that pin over the axle

[Pamnjess]

Thank you. Just to be safe we have ordered both sizes of capture plate. While the dealer said one size, Pull Rite said another. We can always return one. I just dont want to get to the dealer to pick up the trailer and have them say oh no we made a mistake. We have the hitch you described and it is heavy but manageable. Glad you like it. Cant wait to get the trailer. Currently full timing in a 21' pull trailer. We bought the 310 May 21st. It has taken this long to get a hitch. Capture plate should arrive next week.

[Dlleno]

yay congratulations. we are loving the slider. takes a little getting used to but its just has none of the problems I have read about. examples

1. "its a WD40 mess". no its not--take a rag around the side of the way tubes as you are spraying (required daily if you are traveling) to catch overspray. problem solved.

2. "you can't unhitch at an angle". sure you can. if you get into a situation where the trailer is located where you want it, but the truck is at some angle, then simply remove the two pins holding the hitch "head" onto the hitch, and leave the hitch head attached to the trailer pin. Use the trailer to lift the hitch head off of the hitch. then drive away. you can then eject the hitch jaws while the hitch head is still attached to the pin, and then slide it off. probably takes two people, but its doable -- the head is not that heavy. Then put the hitch head back onto the hitch.


Its true that your truck has to be nearly parallel with the trailer to hitch up. So the only situation where this hitch will get in the way is when you truthfully cannot line up the truck straight with the trailer. The driveway to the campsite, for example, is curved and so you just can't do it. In this situation don't unhitch :-) If you know you can't line up the truck parallel to the trailer to hitch up again, then don't do the above trick (leaving the head on the trailer), as that would be a one-way street to utter frustration.

just from my experience -- the dealer's look-up tool is likely wrong on the capture plate. MorRyde changed their rotoflex pinbox design recently and it requires a different capture plate than the older look-up tools specify. Good call for ordering both!

[Bhidalgo]

Congrats on the RV. We’re a week or so away from ordering one ourself. Can’t wait to get started camping!!
Question? What truck do you use to haul it with? We’ve got a 2021 F250 with Max Tow and Camper packages. Cargo capacity of the truck is 2900 lbs. Based on truck and Ford specs I think we’ll be ok for towing a 5th wheel if camper comes in at the advertised weight of 15k. Just looking to see if we are making the right choice of a fifth wheel with the vehicle we have. Thanks in advance - Bill.

[Dlleno]

Originally Posted by Bhidalgo

Congrats on the RV. We’re a week or so away from ordering one ourself. Can’t wait to get started camping!!
Question? What truck do you use to haul it with? We’ve got a 2021 F250 with Max Tow and Camper packages. Cargo capacity of the truck is 2900 lbs. Based on truck and Ford specs I think we’ll be ok for towing a 5th wheel if camper comes in at the advertised weight of 15k. Just looking to see if we are making the right choice of a fifth wheel with the vehicle we have. Thanks in advance - Bill.

You're asking the right questions, Bill and before I answer I have to tell you that this topic is not without its controversy, and that on that note I come down on the side of "respect all weight ratings". Not everyone shares that same approach, so you'll have to tackle a few questions to your own satisfaction.

To be honest, and recognizing the above, the pin weight of the 310RL Paradigm is going to be more than 2,900 lbs when the trailer is loaded. New trucks with cargo ratings now follow an SAE standard for towing performance, such that the truck manufacturer's own performance metrics (such as cargo capacity and maximum trailer weight) assume that the Truck's "Gross Vehicle Weight Rating" is not exceeded. if you look on the side of your door panel you will see the plated GVWR, which is in the 10,000 or 11,000 lbs region I think (don't quote me on that but do please tell us what it is). your actual cargo capacity is this:

GVWR minus actual truck weight (which includes fuel and passengers).

(keep in mind that diesel fuel weighs about 7 lbs per gallon, so a 35-gallon tank has over 200 lbs of fuel in it, when full)

If you can find a DOT or CAT scale -- go weigh your truck and you will find out what it actually weighs. for example if your GVWR is 11,000 lbs, and your truck weighs 8,500 lbs with a full tank of fuel and your wife in the driver's seat -- then you have 2,500 lbs of cargo capacity -- and thats still not enough for the paradigm 310RL because you will have at least 3,000 lbs on the pin plus the weight of your hitch - in the bed.

So the bottom line for 3/4 ton trucks is that most of them, respectfully stated of course, will exceed the plated Gross Vehicle Weight Rating when pulling a 15,000 lb fifth wheel, just because of the pin weight. You will probably see opinions to the contrary, most of them recognizing that there is no law requiring you to meet GVWR, and statements that the truck will be safe when doing so, and some even stating that GVWR is a marketing tool designed to get you to buy an F350. You'll have to decide for yourself -- my motivation in choosing a 1-ton SRW truck is that the performance standard that modern trucks (voluntarily) follow says that the truck has to meet GVWR in order to meet certain performance standards, such as how well the truck stays in its lane during an emergency stop.

I do recognize that, especially several years ago, the difference between a 3/4 ton and a 1-ton SRW truck was only the springs, and many guys would simply put on air bags or supplementary springs to support the weight in the back. But you'll need to go down a number of roads to validate that on your own truck. I am aware, however, that this similarity (between 3/4 and 1-ton trucks) is more common in Ford's trucks -- you'll have to scope this out for your F250. Mainly --- look at your rear axle ratings (plated value on the door panel) if you have a 7,000 lb. axle in the rear ,and a 6,000 lb. axle in the front, thats a good sign. If you have 10-ply E-rated tires, with cold inflation of 80 psi - thats also a good sign. I"m only saying that once you go above GVWR you have a lot of homework to do to see if you are comfortable with the rating or if you want to exceed it.

when I tackled this problem I promptly sold my 3/4 ton pickup and bought a single rear wheel 1-ton 3500. In other words, an F350 equivalent. I'm now driving a 2018 Ram 3500 Mega Cab, Single Rear Wheel truck. Its GVWR is 12,300 lbs and it weighs just under 9,000 lbs with people on board and fuel in the tank. So I have 3,300 lbs of pin weight capacity and I am right on the nose -- my weight ratings are maxed out when my trailer is fully loaded to 15,000 lbs -- and thats with 800 pounds of fresh water slightly behind the trailer' rear axles, which takes a small amount off of the pin.

I Have a hobby website that I spun up where I reviewed the 310RL with a bit more details than I've shared here. I hope its kosher to post that - I'm not selling anything just sharing info: rvdoug.com

[Bhidalgo]

Thanks for the info. I just do not want to go over safety limits - which is why I have this truck. Had a 2018 F-150 prior and it did not come close to being able to safely tow anything even close to the size of the 310RL.

What I have researched online:
https://www.fleet.ford.com/content/d...owingGuide.pdf

Page 24/46

-6.7L V8 Power Stroke Turbo Diesel
-3.31 Electronic Locking Axle
-Crew Cab
-4x4 159.8" WB
-6-3/4" Box
-19,100* Max Loaded Trailer Weight
--* Gooseneck tow rating shown. 5th-wheel tow rating limited to 5th-wheel hitch rating of 19,000 lbs.
--*This would supposidly give me a 2850 lbs max 5th wheel weight capacity (if I figured it out correclty)

Truck is also equipped with High Cap Trailer Tow package PTBA and Camper Package

What I have on the truck from stickers
Yellow door jamb sticker:
2,955 lbs. cargo capacity

White door jamb sticker:
10,800 lbs. GVWR Package
Front axle GAWR 5600 lbs.
Rear axle GAWR 6340 lbs.

LT275/70R18E 125/122R tires on truck
60 psi on front tires
65 psi on rear tires

[Dlleno]

ok those are pretty nice numbers for a 3/4 ton, for sure and I have great respect for the superduty trucks for sure. Also -- there's no question that these trucks can pull a 15,000 lb trailer. The question is will the suspension and other components support an emergency stop while staying within a (I forget how wide) lane , and will the manufacturer state to NHTSA that the truck meets applicable safety standards. Those two questions are what GVWR answers and what you will need to decide is/is not important.

how did you calculate 2,850 lbs total cargo capacity?

So, with great respect intended, I'm afraid you're going to be over GVWR -- by how much we can only know by weighing your truck, and if that amount is important will be up to you. There are are great many 3/4 ton truck pulling 15,000 or 16,000 lb. fifth wheels for sure and lots of guys who sincerely don't believe GVWR is important. So I don't want to stir anything up here; just giving you the numbers as I see them, so that you can make the decision.

Are you able to weigh your truck's (front and rear) axles? that will tell us a lot (find a CAT scale that professional truck drivers use). or a DOT scale "weigh station" -- you can pull up to those too, and ask them to give you a print out. and its free.


on edit: I see you have a short box, as do I (only your box is like 5 inches longer I think). anyway another factor you're up against is the weight of the hitch. you could save yourself a couple hundred pounds by choosing an Andersen or PullRite gooseneck type hitch that locates the pin behind the rear axle (by several inches). you might get by with that -- I couldn't, because these trailers are 101" wide-body designs and when in a "close to 90 deg turn" I had no choice but to slide mine back as much as 18" (which the PullRite SuperGlide does, at 90 degrees). I'm not a fan of locating the pin behind the axle but that's a compromise you might consider with your bed. Still, I think your biggest hurdle is going to be the truck's 10,800 GVWR. thats 1,500 pounds less than mine and so I worry that you will be substantially over GVWR in actual weights -- cause I'm right at my 12,300 lb limit. we just need to know how much your truck weighs, so we can go from there. the F250 doesn't weigh nearly as much as the ram 3500 -- so that will be in your favor. In other words, you don't have a 1,500lb. problem, thats for sure.

best -- Doug
rvdoug.com

[Bhidalgo]

I fat-fingured the 5th wheel max cargo capacity. Based off of a 15K trailer it would be roughly 15000/5 = 3K pin weight. But off the 19K max Tow capacity the truck is supposed to be capable of hauling, pin weight would be roughly 19000/5 = 3800.

I agree that the capacities and capabilities of the truck are great but being able to stop in an emergency or react accordingly is something I am keeping in mind with all this. I do not want to stir a hornet's nest with this either. I just want my wife and I to be safe in the end.

I will try to get the truck weighed this weekend. We hava a TA truck center just up the road with a Cat scale I'll use.

[Dlleno]

yea I don't think that calculation is valid, but I am not that familiar with Ford's way of thinking and their towing guides, so Ill gracefully bow out there :-). You'll find that the actual weight on the pin is more than 20% -- thats the rub. So instead of multiplying by 20% (1/5) its going to be more like 23% -- if you load it carefully.

Still, if your truck weighs 8,000 lbs that leaves you 2,800 lbs of cargo capacity -- and that has to include passengers and fuel. so at 150 lbs std "per person" rule of thumb you've got 500 pounds of cargo, just in people and fuel. and that brings your available pin weight down to 2,300 lbs when you will actually see 1000 lbs more than that.

But I'll quit speculating and wait for your numbers! your truck may weigh less than 8,000 pounds so you might have more wiggle room than I think

[Dlleno]

first thing to do when you have the actual per-axle weights on your truck (make sure you have fuel on board and passengers with you): Add the axle weights together to get the actual curb weight of your truck (lets say its 7,800 lbs) Then your actual pin weight capacity will be 10,800 minus 7,800 which equals 3,000. Thats your available capacity for pin and hitch.

[Jerry Burks]

Originally Posted by Jerry Burks

Congratulations!

We bought the same trailer in February and so far, we are really happy..........
...............Next improvements are:
- racks for 2 folding e-bikes in said drawer
- one 200W solar panel added to the one that came with the trailer
- a bigger 200 or 300 Ah lithium battery (came with two 65Ah flooded lead ones)
- modify the LCI Solid Step stairs with easy-to-adjust floor legs
- maybe kick out the dining chairs and get dinette benches
- opaque film for the entrance door window
- magnetic catch for the entrance door to hold open when windy

Update on my old improvement list post in this thread: everything done including the dinette (from RecPro). Final job was the Solid Step leg latches. These ball detent pins drove me nuts...