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10-31-2015, 01:59 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kerrville, TX
Posts: 320
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B&W vs Curt Hitch
I have a 2016 3500 Ram Dually with the factory 5th wheel package and air leveling. Not sure which hitch to buy because there is a difference in the height spec's between the hitches. The B&W will adjust in height from 17" to 19" and the Curt will adjust in height from 13" to 17". The unit I am buying is a DRV 36RSSB3 with the 2" riser on the frame. The Curt hitch is rated for 24K and the B&W is rated for 25K and both will fit the Ram factory holes.
How high will the hitch need to go to get the DRV level and have at least 6" between the top of the truck bedrail and the bottom of the nose on the 5th wheel? Has anyone measured the height of a level DRV unit from the ground to the underside king pin plate on a DRV with the 2" riser option? Does anyone have a DRV on a relatively new 3500 Ram with air leveling that can tell me how high they had to adjust the height of the hitch in the bed.
Appreciate any comments.
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10-31-2015, 02:26 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Rock Springs, Wyoming
Posts: 368
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I don't have factory bags on my 2015 Ram, but I'll provide details anyway and measurements possibly on Monday. I'm sure 12V98 will chime in soon.
Our 2016 DRV 41RSSB4 has the 2" riser with the IS suspension and a Mor-Ryde pinbox. With this setup and a B&W RVK3600 (like the one in question, we dropped the hitch down to its lowest setting and have decent clearance between bedrails and trailer. The trailer still sits slightly nose-high with a pin weight of 4940# and with 15-20 psi in the manually inflated bags.
__________________
2015 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn CC LB Dually. Cummins, Aisin, 4X4, 4.10 gears. Max towing-28,750. Max payload-5,436. 2016 DRV Mobile Suites 41RSSB4
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10-31-2015, 02:26 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,597
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Do you have the 2" riser on the axles factory installed? Without this we can't accurately answer. You will not need the lower settings of the Curt. Your bed sides will interfere, unless you install a hauler bed as I did.
__________________
2003 Teton Grand Freedom. 2006 Freightliner Century 120 with Detroit 14L and Ultrashift.2016 Smartcar carry on deck. Full time going from job to job. Building and maintaining plants across the USA. Sold 2006 Mobile Suites 32TK3
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10-31-2015, 02:54 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kerrville, TX
Posts: 320
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glennwest
Do you have the 2" riser on the axles factory installed? Without this we can't accurately answer. You will not need the lower settings of the Curt. Your bed sides will interfere, unless you install a hauler bed as I did.
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Yes, the DRV has factory installed 2" riser.
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10-31-2015, 03:16 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,597
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rorr1821
Yes, the DRV has factory installed 2" riser.
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You should be fine with either hitch then. Again you don't need the low setting. I feel the B&W is the better hitch.
__________________
2003 Teton Grand Freedom. 2006 Freightliner Century 120 with Detroit 14L and Ultrashift.2016 Smartcar carry on deck. Full time going from job to job. Building and maintaining plants across the USA. Sold 2006 Mobile Suites 32TK3
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10-31-2015, 03:35 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Spicewood Texas (West of Austin)
Posts: 4,514
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I can't speak for the Curt, but I have had two B&W's. 1st was a Companion and turnover ball. 2nd was a OEM Ford Companion that matched the factory prep. If I were to buy another 5th wheel hitch, it would be a B&W again. I like seeing the locking jaws and arm with the keeper pin. It's all right there in front of you.
__________________
Scotty and Kristen, Airedales Dagny and Wyatt
2007 Newmar Mountain Aire 4528, 450 HP ISM, Allison 4000, 8 Lifeline AGM's
2019 F250 King Ranch 4x4 Powerstroke - SOLD
2022 F350 DRW King Ranch 4 x 4
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10-31-2015, 03:35 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 7S5
Posts: 658
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When I was looking for a hitch I spent literally months on line, talking to owners, RV hitch installers and RV sales people. I ended up getting the B&W Companion and have never been disappointed with it in the almost 6 years I've owned it. Things may be different today, do lots of homework. All the info and reviews are out there.
__________________
2004.5 GMC SLT CCLB, Ride Rites, Turbo brake, EFI Live
2012 Arctic Fox 29 5T 5th Airborne, B&W, Prodigy
Papillon navigators Lily, Buddy and Willow
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11-01-2015, 05:35 PM
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,346
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My DRV should have had the 2" risers and I will be adding them. Once I do that my RAM with rear air will ride level.
B&W is by far the superior hitch. Just look at them side by side, another thing that should help you decide is ALL Curt 5th wheel hitches are now made in China!
 
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11-02-2015, 05:04 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kerrville, TX
Posts: 320
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cummins12V98
My DRV should have had the 2" risers and I will be adding them. Once I do that my RAM with rear air will ride level.
B&W is by far the superior hitch. Just look at them side by side, another thing that should help you decide is ALL Curt 5th wheel hitches are now made in China!
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How many inches do you have between the top of the bed rails and the bottom of the DRV front nose? Are you on the lower height adjustment hole on the B&W which should make your hitch 17" high?
Did not know that Curt was made in China. If that be correct I will definitely no longer consider them an option.
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11-02-2015, 09:10 AM
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rorr1821
How many inches do you have between the top of the bed rails and the bottom of the DRV front nose? Are you on the lower height adjustment hole on the B&W which should make your hitch 17" high?
Did not know that Curt was made in China. If that be correct I will definitely no longer consider them an option.
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About 7" at the tailgate. Just give Curt a call they will confirm. Many if not all REESE are made in Mexico. PullRite as far as I know is US Made.
Get the risers and the B&W your RV will ride nice and level. I am on the lowest height setting and full forward. Rock solid no popping or snapping.
You will love the rear air ride. I have near 6K sitting on the truck in pic and the truck site nice and level and rides really well.
This pic shows the truck in Alt Ride and the ride height is similar with the RV sitting on the truck.
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11-02-2015, 08:01 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Rock Springs, Wyoming
Posts: 368
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5000# pin weight. The truck is about an inch lower than normal ride height. There is four inches of clearance at the back of the bed, and about at the front of the trailer. I have manual air bags, and the hitch is in the lowest position. This trailer does have the two inch lift.
Hope this helps!
__________________
2015 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn CC LB Dually. Cummins, Aisin, 4X4, 4.10 gears. Max towing-28,750. Max payload-5,436. 2016 DRV Mobile Suites 41RSSB4
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11-03-2015, 10:17 AM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JBurg
5000# pin weight. The truck is about an inch lower than normal ride height. There is four inches of clearance at the back of the bed, and about at the front of the trailer. I have manual air bags, and the hitch is in the lowest position. This trailer does have the two inch lift.
Hope this helps!
Attachment 111046 |
What PSI are in the bags when LOADED?
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11-03-2015, 10:42 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Rock Springs, Wyoming
Posts: 368
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I had ~65 psi in them yesterday when the measurements and picture were taken.
__________________
2015 Ram 3500 Laramie Longhorn CC LB Dually. Cummins, Aisin, 4X4, 4.10 gears. Max towing-28,750. Max payload-5,436. 2016 DRV Mobile Suites 41RSSB4
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11-03-2015, 06:32 PM
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JBurg
I had ~65 psi in them yesterday when the measurements and picture were taken.
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IMHO that is a LOT of pressure. I used to run 30psi in my bags on my 11 HO Dually and I had 4K pin. It rode really well and sat a bit lower than yours in the rear.
The only reason I had bags was to improve the ride. At 30 psi the loaded ride height was not much higher than without the bags.
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