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Arrrgghhhh. Well I wrote this big long reply and got booted off LOL. Welcome to the website and happy hunting for your new truck and 5thwheel! Nothing more fun than looking at all the campers. We have made Hershey in the past are considering going again this year. It really is a great show with lots of campers to view. You can easily spend a full day if not two looking around. As for your specific questions I have to ask why you would want the short bed truck? If your using the truck primarily for towing, I strongly recommend the long bed. And for a large camper I strongly recommend the 1 ton diesel dually. The advantages of engine braking and dually stability are not to be underestimated. Granted parking can occasionally be a slight hassle more due to the wider fenders than the length but first time you start down a windy mountain hill with that heavy 5th wheel or have a 20mph cross wind out west you will be glad that you got the bigger truck! As for driving with a larger trailer you have already gotten some good advice from other posters but I will add the following: If your not confident get some instruction from a patient instructor. Preferably one that uses models or at least drawings to illustrate the maneuvers especially backing up. Learn to back up! If nothing else take your rig to a giant vacant parking lot and practice backing it into a specific spot multiple times. It will give you confidence and some idea how your rig handles while backing. That will make it a lot easier when you actually have to maneuver into a tight spot in the real world. Learn to drive with the flow of traffic. Keep a big cushion up in front of you. That trailer won't stop on a dime. I like to sit in the rocking chair between EXPERIENCED 18wheeler drivers. The good drivers can click off hundreds of miles at a reasonable speed (say 65) while keeping a safe distance from each other the entire time. Good news is if your behind another large rig he probably can't stop faster than you and is clearing a path ahead as well as acting as an early warning of potential hazards. Learn to swing wide. You have a lot more distance between the hitch and the trailer wheels. You need to learn to anticipate sharp turns and know how your trailer wheels are going to track. Again nothing says you can't find a large parking lot, set out some cones and practice wide turns. Best wishes, see ya on the road.
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