Best 5th Wheel?

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Dodgetk81

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My wife and I are in the market for a new 5er. We have been researching for about a year. Finally decided on a grand design. It's a newer company started by 3 gentlemen from keystone I believe. Awesome floor plans and even better customer service. We will be picking ours up in the spring. Not sure if we are going with the reflection 303 or 337.
 

stoney

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I think the only trailers that have really good resale are pop up's!

Seem to get the best bang on your current unit if you trade in/up.

When we were shopping a few years ago we found the higher priced units still had the cheaply built quality issues as the lower priced units, but just with less or more bells.
If you wanted to get away from the cheap quality issues, you had to go into the really high priced units.
Already stated, but I think there is like two families that basically own the trailer world of manufacturing in NA, just slap a different name on them.
Doesn't the Buffett family still own a major market share?
 
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Klaus96

Klaus96

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Gonna look at a Wildcat. Has 2 full baths and second entry door. 41-45k
 

Skrap

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Klaus have you checked the height of your bed? looks like you may have quite a bit of lift and stock Rams tend to be real close to having a bed that is too tall to have 5ers tow level.
 
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Klaus96

Klaus96

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Klaus have you checked the height of your bed? looks like you may have quite a bit of lift and stock Rams tend to be real close to having a bed that is too tall to have 5ers tow level.

No I haven't, I'm new to this whole 5th wheel thing. I've been doing a lot of research, though....damn...
Do you know what height is too high?
 

BossHogg

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No I haven't, I'm new to this whole 5th wheel thing. I've been doing a lot of research, though....damn...
Do you know what height is too high?

I don't know if there is a standard (formal or otherwise) of pin box height from the ground when the RV is siting level, that would be a question for an RV dealer.

I can tell you this, my pin box (Montana 3790RD) has three positions, the center position works well for a hitch height (from the bed) of 17 inches. The upper pin box position is ideal for a hitch at 19 inches. Both settings/hitch heights provide needed clearances between the bed rail (RAM 3500 SRW) and the RV (yet another dimension to worry about).

When I went through this, fixed hitches were 17 to 19 inches from the bed and auto-sliders were 19 inches from the bed. When shopping for a hitch, this is an important number to look for and often difficult to find in the specifications.
 
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Klaus96

Klaus96

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We're going to the dealer today so I can show the wife the different floorplans. I'll take a tape and do some pin measuring if they seem level. I'll also get my truck on level ground and measure bed and rail height then post back here.
They have a number of them in an indoor showroom so they should be spot on level...lol
 
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Klaus96

Klaus96

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Bed is 39
Top of rails 59
 

Skrap

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Bed is 39
Top of rails 59

I know I'm the one who brought this up but those numbers don't help me. YOu really should join up over at IRV2.com and post what truck you have, the size of lift and tires and the numbers above and ask what other more experience say.

I am on IRV2 and know they should be able to help. Tons of great info over there. Not matter your height I'm sure your truck will hitch up to the 5er but just how bad will it sit on the lifted Ram?

What is your lift height, BTW? It sure is a nice looking truck.
 
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Klaus96

Klaus96

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I know I'm the one who brought this up but those numbers don't help me. YOu really should join up over at IRV2.com and post what truck you have, the size of lift and tires and the numbers above and ask what other more experience say.

I am on IRV2 and know they should be able to help. Tons of great info over there. Not matter your height I'm sure your truck will hitch up to the 5er but just how bad will it sit on the lifted Ram?

What is your lift height, BTW? It sure is a nice looking truck.

It's not lifted. Leveled in front only. I do have 35" tires though, but small 35's, like 34.7
Seems the rambox option puts hard plastic cap on rails giving a slight amount of vertical takeup. I was at the rv dealer today and did some measuring. Some of them are too low and some are 2.5" over my 59" rails. Dealer thinks it's not a problem, but who knows if he REALLY knows, ya know (sorry couldn't resist )
 

mowin

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It's not lifted. Leveled in front only. I do have 35" tires though, but small 35's, like 34.7
Seems the rambox option puts hard plastic cap on rails giving a slight amount of vertical takeup. I was at the rv dealer today and did some measuring. Some of them are too low and some are 2.5" over my 59" rails. Dealer thinks it's not a problem, but who knows if he REALLY knows, ya know (sorry couldn't resist )

You could run into issues with clearance. Good rule of thumb is 6" between bed rails and 5er.
My 2014 Laredo has 7" and sits level. I think the manufacturers are building them with more clearance as the trucks are getting taller and taller. Yrs ago I could reach into the box of my truck and touch the bed. Now..... not even close.

Some flip the axles to gain a couple inches. ( if the axle is above the spring, remove and reinstall under the spring) However some 5ers are coming from the factory with them under.

The other option is to have a sub frame fabricated and place between the axles and Springs.
 

mtofell

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Yep - newer 5th and newer truck result in generally good clearance (unless the truck is lifted, of course). Newer 5th and older truck will usually result in great clearance. Newer truck with older 5th wheel is a challenge. I've seen many driving around with the nose of the 5th wheel ridiculously high and about the clip the back corners of the truck bed.

I have a 2014 Ram 2500 and a 2016 Keystone 5th wheel and ended up with about 8" of clearance which is more than enough.
 

mowin

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Yep - newer 5th and newer truck result in generally good clearance (unless the truck is lifted, of course). Newer 5th and older truck will usually result in great clearance. Newer truck with older 5th wheel is a challenge. I've seen many driving around with the nose of the 5th wheel ridiculously high and about the clip the back corners of the truck bed.

I have a 2014 Ram 2500 and a 2016 Keystone 5th wheel and ended up with about 8" of clearance which is more than enough.

LOL, ya I've seen a few of those new truck older 5th combos.

I would have about 8" of clearance, but I've got a tonneau cover and it's rails are around a inch higher than the bed rails.

We must have gone to different schools together. Lol. 2014 3500 and a keystone 5th..
 
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Klaus96

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Yep - newer 5th and newer truck result in generally good clearance (unless the truck is lifted, of course). Newer 5th and older truck will usually result in great clearance. Newer truck with older 5th wheel is a challenge. I've seen many driving around with the nose of the 5th wheel ridiculously high and about the clip the back corners of the truck bed.

I have a 2014 Ram 2500 and a 2016 Keystone 5th wheel and ended up with about 8" of clearance which is more than enough.

May I ask the height of your bed rails?
 

mtofell

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May I ask the height of your bed rails?

My truck sits at a bit of a side-to-side slope in my driveway. One side measured at 57" and the other at 59" right at the center line of the wheels. So, I suppose we can assume about 58" when sitting level? The back is a couple inches higher due to the rake of the truck but that pretty much levels out with the weight of the 5th.

I remember going through the measuring process of my truck and 5th wheel before they were attached and ended up with a few more inches than I had expected, likely due to the truck sagging a few inches under the load.
 
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Klaus96

Klaus96

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My truck sits at a bit of a side-to-side slope in my driveway. One side measured at 57" and the other at 59" right at the center line of the wheels. So, I suppose we can assume about 58" when sitting level? The back is a couple inches higher due to the rake of the truck but that pretty much levels out with the weight of the 5th.

I remember going through the measuring process of my truck and 5th wheel before they were attached and ended up with a few more inches than I had expected, likely due to the truck sagging a few inches under the load.

Thanks! Sounds similar to mine. Finally arrived at a hitch decision I believe. B&W Patriot. I wanted the companion, but found out its not compatible with the sidewinder. Sidewinder puts too much torque on the connection point. I'm probably going to buy a used unit and was wondering what to do if I drove 700 miles to find out I have 2" of clearance once I got there....haha:crazy:
 

Skrap

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Maybe ask the place you are buying it from to put the trailer at exactly level on the front landing gear and have them measure from the ground to the front underside of the 5er. Compare that to the height of your bed. Since your bedrails are 59" tall and they tell you anything over 65"-66"+ and you. Should be good to go.
 
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