headdown
Junior Member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2016
- Posts
- 4
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Ottawa Ontario Canada
- Ram Year
- 2016
- Engine
- Cummins
Hello everyone,
I am newly retired, and just about to order my new 2016 Cummins Ram 3500. I will be ordering it from the factory to get exactly what I want. I have done some rather inconclusive research about the auto load leveling option, and thought I would ask the folks here their opinion. I will be doing a lot of traveling in the southwest US states with a 5th wheel trailer over the coming years during the winter. I'm an astrophotographer, and will be mostly getting as far from civilization and lights as possible when in the desert. In the summers I will be back in Canada, and the truck will run empty most of the time. The trailer I have not bought yet, but it will be in the range of about 10 to 12,000lbs, with a pin weight around 2300 - 2500 lbs. This is just a rough estimate, since I haven't even found a trailer yet.
I have a few questions. Will the auto leveling affect my ride when empty? I see so far that some people say yes it will, and others say it will not at all. Others say it actually seemed to make the empty ride worse with the auto leveler than without. There just doesn't seem to be much agreement on this.
Second question is, with a pin weight that is only about half of what I can legally haul in the bed of the truck, will the auto leveling even be necessary? How much will the truck squat with 2500 lbs on the pin? Enough to actually matter at all? I am also reading that uncoupling from a 5th wheel can be a hassle with the auto leveling because as the weight comes off while uncoupling, the truck chases the trailer by trying to lift the rear of the truck. If true, this could affect my decision as well.
I won't hesitate to get this option if it is needed, but don't want to throw money away for nothing either. Or be cursing the auto leveling feature every time I uncouple from the 5th wheel trailer. Any advice much appreciated!
Dean
Ottawa, Canada
I am newly retired, and just about to order my new 2016 Cummins Ram 3500. I will be ordering it from the factory to get exactly what I want. I have done some rather inconclusive research about the auto load leveling option, and thought I would ask the folks here their opinion. I will be doing a lot of traveling in the southwest US states with a 5th wheel trailer over the coming years during the winter. I'm an astrophotographer, and will be mostly getting as far from civilization and lights as possible when in the desert. In the summers I will be back in Canada, and the truck will run empty most of the time. The trailer I have not bought yet, but it will be in the range of about 10 to 12,000lbs, with a pin weight around 2300 - 2500 lbs. This is just a rough estimate, since I haven't even found a trailer yet.
I have a few questions. Will the auto leveling affect my ride when empty? I see so far that some people say yes it will, and others say it will not at all. Others say it actually seemed to make the empty ride worse with the auto leveler than without. There just doesn't seem to be much agreement on this.
Second question is, with a pin weight that is only about half of what I can legally haul in the bed of the truck, will the auto leveling even be necessary? How much will the truck squat with 2500 lbs on the pin? Enough to actually matter at all? I am also reading that uncoupling from a 5th wheel can be a hassle with the auto leveling because as the weight comes off while uncoupling, the truck chases the trailer by trying to lift the rear of the truck. If true, this could affect my decision as well.
I won't hesitate to get this option if it is needed, but don't want to throw money away for nothing either. Or be cursing the auto leveling feature every time I uncouple from the 5th wheel trailer. Any advice much appreciated!
Dean
Ottawa, Canada