2017 Ram 3500 bed height - Montana Owners Club

youngr3 · 10-21-2017, 02:19 PM

Hello Fellow RVers,

Looking at 2017 Ram 3500 Dually. The bed height is 4 inches higher than my F350 Dually . I have a 2013 Montana High Country 318RE. It is level when hooked up. Does anyone on the forum pull a similar fiver with a Ram 3500 Dually ?

Thanks

twindman · 10-22-2017, 08:16 AM

I had a 2004 Chevy and went to a 2012. I didn't measure before the changeover, but I know the truck bed is 1 1/2 - 2 inches higher. I now ride slightly uphill, but doesn't seem to bother. What did bother was the fact that the bed rails were also about 1 1/2 inches higher, so I had to raise my hitch so I had clearance. I think without raising it, I would have been at 5 inches which some people run. However, if you go around a corner like into a driveway, I have seem my front end dip down at least 4-5 inches at times. So actually I run about 3 inches higher with the new truck. Good luck.
p.s. Why the auto manufacturers insist on raising everything I don't know! It also makes it slightly harder to climb into the bed (mine has no step on the side).

youngr3 · 10-22-2017, 11:49 AM

Twindman,

Thanks for the reply. I did not measure the side rails, thanks for the reminder. I am not totally sold on a new truck yet. I hear about a lot of def problems. My old F350 has treated me well.
I see you are from Mesa. We are in Yuma for the winter. The truck I was looking at is at Larry Miller in Surprise. Have you heard anything Good or bad about this dealer? They have multiple dealers in AZ.

Thanks Again !

twindman · 10-22-2017, 01:02 PM

I have only dealt with 2 toyota and 2 chevy dealers in the Mesa area and don't know anything about larry miller. I would check BBB to see how many complaints they get.
I went from a 2004 to 2012 duramax. It does get 1 mpg better towing and a smoother ride (larger tires) and is a little quieter - 2004 was pretty quiet to begin with.
I am not a fan of DEF. In the 2004 the console had a ave. and instant mpg readout. They dropped the instant and I am positive it is because of the DEF regens. If you see you are getting 6-7 towing or 10-11 when not towing, you would start calling them up. So if all you see is the average you don't know about it. This summer I drove about 160 miles in Wisconsin that had lots of mid-major hills. I got something like 22 to 23 mpg!!! For an 8000 lb truck, I think that is very good. Of course it went in to regen about then and dragged the average down to 17-19. Oh well.

geobet · 10-23-2017, 05:21 PM

I have a 2017 Ram 3500 dually and a 2017 HC 310RLE. I too was concerned with the height of the bed when I got the HC. However, once I dropped the HC onto the hitch the truck leveled out perfectly. Should not be a problem for your setup.

Curtiss & Sharon Dorr · 10-24-2017, 06:43 AM

Hi Youngr3!

We just purchased a RAM 2500 6.7 from Tempe Dodge. We searched Larry Miller's inventory but didn't have any direct dealings with them. All through our purchase process (5 weeks ago) we didn't hear anything bad about LM when we spoke of their inventory vs. that of Tempe Chrysler/Dodge. My research showed there have been many tech improvements (as one would expect) re: DEF... it's here to stay that's for sure. If you find any inventory at Tempe Dodge I'd be more than happy to give you the names of the sales pro (RAM truck certified) and the sales manager we worked with - really good guys.

For whatever it's worth, at last month's Pomona RVIA show the Montana (Keystone) factory rep told me 'all' pickup truck manufacturers build to a standard bed height of 67.5" - at least on the 4x4. Told us the weight (11,900) of our 3120RL (being built at the factory) would settle the bed height 1 1/2 - 2" - thereby pulling level.

youngr3 · 10-24-2017, 11:02 AM

Thanks for the replies !

Curtiss & Sharon,
I looked at the inventory for Tempe Dodge. Looks like they have some good prices. We are looking for a 4x2. My wife has a hard time getting in & out of the 4x4's.

I am not in a big rush, but soon the 17 model years will be gone.

The Bone · 10-25-2017, 07:14 AM

Why are you going from Ford to Dodge? Sounds like you like your Ford just fine.
I have a 15 F250 and i have instant millage ant engine temp transmission temp in the information center. Easy to scroll through with button on steering wheel.
Ford even upped the H/P and torque for 2017

masterdrago · 10-28-2017, 11:18 PM

I recently switched from an F250 4x4 diesel to a dully Ram 3500 4x4 6.7 to carry a pin weight of 3k#+. I was always a Ford guy but over the last several years had major expenses due to "making oil" issues. After looking at both in model year '17, decided on a tried and true Cummins over the keep experimenting Fords.

I'm concerned about the height issue with the Ram also. Ours has the air suspension so not sure how that will effect. MORryde is going to make a change to our new 5r so that it is level in a few weeks.

youngr3 · 10-29-2017, 06:54 AM

masterdrago,

approx high nose high is your setup? what hitch did you use ?
Do you know how morryde going to level out your trailer?

We are picking up our 17 Ram 3500 Dually tomorrow. The top of the bed rails are 5 inches higher than our present truck. We dont have the air suspension, so hopefully it will squat more. We bought a 2x4 it sets lower in the front so DW can get into it without a ladder. I measured the 4x4,s on the lot & they are the same height at the tailgate 60"

Thanks for your reply

jfaberna · 10-29-2017, 09:04 AM

my 2014 Ram 3500 Dually sits high in back until I lower the RV on it. then it's perfectly level. I played with different hitch positions until I got the RV level front to back. I now have 6000LBs on each axle, which is the important thing about the RV being level.

L0veless · 10-30-2017, 07:26 PM

my 2016 Ram DRW pulling 3720RL is a bit nose high, I set the hitch in the bed as low as possible (BW companion) I'm pretty happy with it all, if wanted to I can lower the pin one more notch to set it perfectly. one thing I can tell you is you will love, love ,love towing with that beast. some times I get the feeling like the truck is asking me when are we going to work.

youngr3 · 10-30-2017, 09:32 PM

We picked it up today drove it 200 miles back to the RV park. It is a beast for sure. avg 18.3 mpg.
I really liked our F350 with a 7.3 Powerstroke, but I can tell you the only way it could keep up would be going down hill.
We won't be pulling the fiver back home until April, so I have plenty of time to figure which hitch to put on it.

Thanks for all of the replies !

jlb27537 · 11-09-2017, 01:02 PM

Here is my '12 hooked up to my '14 3150RL. Everything level. Did not have to do anything to the suspension.

masterdrago · 11-10-2017, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youngr3

masterdrago,

approx high nose high is your setup? what hitch did you use ?
Do you know how morryde going to level out your trailer?

We are picking up our 17 Ram 3500 Dually tomorrow. The top of the bed rails are 5 inches higher than our present truck. We dont have the air suspension, so hopefully it will squat more. We bought a 2x4 it sets lower in the front so DW can get into it without a ladder. I measured the 4x4,s on the lot & they are the same height at the tailgate 60"

Thanks for your reply

Looking at it when I hooked up at the dealer, it looks to be possibly an inch or two nose high. I'll take a pix next Tuesday (11/14). From what I can best tell, when doing the IS suspension MORryde can add height to the frame at the axle/suspension.

Beau2010 · 11-10-2017, 08:36 AM

We pull our 3100RL with the same truck. 2016 3500 CTD 4X2 longbed Laramie. When hooked up and engage the air suspension, it lowers the truck about 2 inches so everything is level. Also have the Curt-made puck style hitch. Works just fine.

youngr3 · 11-10-2017, 08:22 PM

Beau2010,
How much do you think it would lower your truck without the air suspension? I have The same hitch Q20. Which height setting do you have it installed at?
Thanks for your Help !

masterdrago · 11-16-2017, 07:20 AM

Here is mine on Tuesday. 1st camp out.

and direct link since not sure if this works here.
https://i.imgur.com/MiS421f.jpg

mtlakejim · 11-16-2017, 10:33 AM

We did the same as others here. Have been loyal Ford man all my life but when I bumped up to diesel I got the Ram for the tried and true Cummins. Went from F250 4x4 gas to Ram 1 ton dually 4x4 (that 4x4 has helped on more than one occasion especially with the SRW 250). I got the factory (Curt) Ram hitch and love it. Particularly nice that I can pull the hitch out and have a flat bed to haul lumber if I want too. It also seems that Ram is more friendly toward the 5th wheel crowd as a company and it is hands down the most popular truck for 5th wheelers in our area of the South. I suspect that is because Ram has the Cummins while Ford has been kicking around different engines...

Wheelhouse · 11-16-2017, 05:18 PM

Same problem with the 2017 Ford F-350. I found the bed being 1-1/2" deeper then my 2003. The bed height is about 3" higher due to them raising the cab / bed height to eliminate the hump in the floor. Notice the floor flat across w/o the hump. Also lower the linbox 2" to offset the bed depth. See my post earlier on pinbox adjustment.

You may also like: