looking at new trucks and have a question about the Rams

[cgn9905]

Like the title says I am looking for a new truck. I do not own a truck camper yet, but I will buy one in the future. We currently have a large travel trailer, and I expect we will keep a camper for "luxury" camping and the TC for long trips out deep in the country.

I know I will purchase at least a 3500, but I like the 4500 cab chassis too.

Pro on the 4500's is the 19.5 wheels, the larger brakes, and the 75 gallons of diesel.
Negative the "detuned" engine, I can't find out if I can put a fifth wheel hitch on a flatbed without rails, and I can't find if you can use a "super hitch" like the double tube hitches I see.

Finally, some of the 3500's I am looking at have the Ram airbags. If I understand correctly, good for trailers but bad for truck campers correct.

Does anyone have some advice?

Oh by the way price is an issue. So please no million dollar custom setups.

 

[peculierboy]

I have a 2018 4500 and I have a Torklift Superhitch on it. I have the 6.4L Hemi. Big plus on the C/C trucks are the HD transmission options. I have a flatbed for my truck camper.

I am very very happy with the set up.

 

[Bayou Boy]

You need to pick your camper first and THEN pick the truck. The newest Ram 3500DRWs have serious payload capacity and you may not need the 4500. Also, most of us consider the 19.5s a negative due to the inability to air down.

 

[zb39]

I did have a 2016 3500 with factory air. I pulled a 5th wheel and hauled my TC. I didn't have any problems with the factory air either way. Loved it. That said, we sold the 5th wheel and will be going back to a DP MH. We will also be keeping the TC. I bought a 5500 for the TC. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can haul a 5th wheel also depending on your hitch setup, lots of options including goose neck. Many people have a super hitch on there flatbed 4500 or 5500. CM beds will mount the super hitch for you.
You will never regret the C/C. My 16 had all kinds of power, same for the 18 5500. There are tune boxes if you want more. I doubt you will.

 

[zb39]

You are correct about the 75 gal of fuel, VERY nice to have. Everything about this truck is heavy duty. I also added 6 storage boxes. Camper is set up for off grid. 6 house batteries and 4k inverter. I can run the AC on batteries, just not all night. I carry a 2k honda also.

 

[Buliwyf]

Why does everyone get hung up on the fact that the chassis cab work trucks are detuned? The Ford guys have a conniption fit over the same thing. The extra 50hp in the civvy trucks is to win reviews for momo's. It's not needed on the big trucks.

These things ain't race cars. They're detuned so you can hold full throttle longer going up hills before holes get melted in your pistons. It's about that simple. There's still plenty of power. If the detuned bit is your swing vote between either choice, then choose the bigger truck and select bigger gears to get some power back.

Personally, I'd just select a smaller camper.

 

[cgn9905]

Regarding airing down the 19.5's, I cannot see that as a problem because if I want to go that far out, I will do that on two wheels.

To answer the detuned question, it is more about the tow rating being lowered. I just don't understand that part. I Couldn't care less about the speed governor but I want to have a truck camper and a trailer and if someday a big 5th wheel toy hauler is in the cards then I want to tow it without buying another new truck.

 

[Buliwyf]

You might want to consider the Ford chassis cab trucks as well. Made in Sheffield Lake, Avon, Ohio area. Nice plant, I've seen it running, they're built right. Then you have 350,450, and 550 to pick from. One of those has to have the ratings you're after.

Get bigger axle gears if your worried about the engine derate. In my experience with the Fords, the tow rating is nearly infinite, it's the GVWR that limits the truck. If your trailers tongue wt added to the complete wt of the truck is within the GVWR, I've never ever had the trailer be over the tow rating.

Maybe dodge has differnt ratings, I wouldn't know.

 

[boxcar1]

I have never been a huge fan of diesels. Not new news to any one that knows me. Having first said that.I will not go into why I am not a fan but rather post an interesting link that explains why the world is becoming anti diesel.
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/apr/13/death-of-diesel-wonder-fuel-new-asbestos
Before investing nearly $100,000 in a rig that might soon be subject to some rather draconian regulations and exclusion zones. You might consider some of the new gas powered alternatives. Thing's they be a changing. Most of this is happening in Europe and like many Americans I rarely care about European regulations or opinions. Politically America is more and more using European standards as the new bench mark though. Agree or disagree , that's a simple fact. All I can advise is be careful
where and how you spend your money.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Regarding airing down the 19.5's, I cannot see that as a problem because if I want to go that far out, I will do that on two wheels.

To answer the detuned question, it is more about the tow rating being lowered. I just don't understand that part. I Couldn't care less about the speed governor but I want to have a truck camper and a trailer and if someday a big 5th wheel toy hauler is in the cards then I want to tow it without buying another new truck.

I even air down if I have a few dozen miles of dirt washboard coming up. It's got nothing to do with traction. It's about the ride and not shaking the camper apart.

My personal opinion is that the Cab/Chassis trucks have lower power and tow rating due to the expectation that they will spend the majority of their life with a load and the assumption is that the regular HD trucks are more for weekend warriors.

 

[wirenut]

I wouldn't worry about detuned or the tow rating. How much freakin' power do you need for Pete's sake? Even a new detuned C&C has way more power than anything made just a few years ago. Same for the tow rating. I'd feel better towing a big trailer with a C&C than a pick-up any day even if I was technically over the C&C rating and under the pick-up rating. The C&C truck is clearly bigger and stronger in every way than a pick-up for the task. The numbers are just to help the marketing department sell more pick-ups. If you're considering a big TC then certainly go for at least a 4500 C&C with a flatbed. TC get heavy fast. It's no fun counting every pound you load up.
I carried my camper on Chevy 3500 dually and I was at 13,100 on the truck axles with the boat hooked up. The truck's GVWR was 11,400. I never had any problems but I sure wished for a 4500.

 

[Explorerinil]

I have a 3500 with the high output option, with that you get the Aisin trans and 900 ft lbs of torque, now 930.it will out pull anything I want. I remember back to the days of my 555 lb of torque 5.9, it did fine also. A cc truck with the Aisin trans and get gear options to 4.44 will do anything you want, don’t worry about the 650 ft lbs of torque, it’s more than enough.

That said, my next truck witll be a 6.7 4x4 4500 cc with 4.44 gears, I will swap the drw out to singles with some 38 or 40 contintential tires, leave the suspension stock with aev front fender flares, arb or buckstop bumper and a utility bed with a ladder rack.

 

[Halligan]

Power is derated on the C/C to make the engine more reliable over time. Theory is a pickup truck will be empty 90% of the time so the added HP/TQ will not be shocking the driveline as hard. Manufacturers figure the guy/business that buy's a C/C will be working the truck harder and derate the the engine to more-than-adequate power levels so the vehicle is overall more reliable. Remember, all the hp/tq wars are just the big three airing out there Johnson's so suckers will go blow $70,000 plus on a freakin pickup truck.

Like the poster above, I had a 305hp/555tq Cummins in a Dodge 2500 with a lowly 4 speed automatic and pulled a fifth wheel camper no problem. Heck, I'm spec'ing a new Tandem axle ladder truck for my FD job and that engine will be in the 550hp range (1850tq though).