Hauler beds offer better clearance and easier hitching of the 5th wheel or gooseneck. The storage compartments are used for whatever will fit. Some even have generator compartments with venting and sound insulation.

For a work truck towing a 5th wheel, you'll need to be aware of clearance especially during tight turns, dips, humps or backing into tight spots. The crane and lift gate may cause a problem. I have seen removable cranes or cranes that lay down when not in use and Tommygate does make a lift gate that is flush with the height of a regular tailgate.

If you have a good stiff rear suspension, you can move the hitch towards the rear of the truck to provide clearance for the Tommygate depth. Don't move it more than a few inches to the rear or it may affect the towing characteristics.

By the way I see used hauler type beds listed on Craigslist and TruckTrader.com often.  Most tow truck beds minus the tow boom are just like the RV hauler beds.

Instead of 25K for a gold plated deluxe unit you might want to consider something like this...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x8WHF7pcFoE/UJxVy8rCm7I/AAAAAAAAKx0/x2psDlHjBWo/s1600/IMG_2846%2B800%2528001%2529%2Bemail-759508.JPG

shouldn't cost nearly that much, and 2013 Ram would be different in the cutting etc.,  but certainly not even close to 25K.  Retain the pick-up bed (with mods) and don't have to worry about 5er clearance.

FWIW

Chances are that the reason for the recommendation of raising the DRV 2 inches is because the truck side rails and tailgate are taller than they used to be.  If one's pin box or fifth wheel hitch don't allow enough for adjustment, then raising the trailer is the way many folks are going.

Terry

R12 wrote:

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 The cab and chassis Fords are detuned and have less horsepower and torque than the pickups, at least in the 2013 models.

-- Edited by R12 on Wednesday 11th of June 2014 06:20:51 AM

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Point of information: Ford Cab and Chassis trucks continue to be “detuned” including the 2015’s. (Speaking about diesel here) It is a very significant reduction in HP and Torque from the pickups.  300HP. The same “detune” is true for RAM’s, just not as much as Ford. 330HP for the RAM. The 3500HD GM/Chevy’s Cab and Chassis trucks, beginning with MY 2013, if I recall correctly the year, are no longer detuned and have the same HP and Torque as the pickup versions.  (GM still detunes the truck chassis for 19 passenger van / bus service.)

As most know, the Cab and Chassis trucks are delivered as legally “incomplete trucks” (look at the sticker on the door for those interested) destined for upfit to various uses, such as dump and flat bed, and are considered to be commercial and hence, in the case of Ford and RAM, are detuned.

Just another factor to consider when selecting a truck.  Not good - or bad - just is.

Bill

The Junkman wrote:

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Bill and Linda wrote:

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Terry and Jo wrote:

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Chances are that the reason for the recommendation of raising the DRV 2 inches is because the truck side rails and tailgate are taller than they used to be. 

Terry

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Terry:

 

Good point - very true.  In addition to giving adequate bed rail clearance the trailer should be raised to allow it to run level with the truck.  A “high in the front” trailer will put extra weight on the rear axle of the trailer – possibly over loading it as only one bad thing.

 

Many of the larger trailers, such as the larger DRV's as only one example, are getting close to the 8K axle ratings often offered when loaded for full timing. (9K’s are offered as well by some on “special order” but personally I’d go with three axles if required if you’re going to travel much.)  We need to try and keep loads distributed as much as possible and lifting the trailer is the only way to make it run level without a hauler bed on the truck.

 

As a point, lifting a rig is no big deal. MOR/ryde can do this to any suspension and will do this if you are putting on a new suspension without additional trouble.  Naturally a 2”-3” lift raises the rig.  But in most cases this isn’t a real world problem to go up 2”– 3” Much better, IMO, than ruining a truck bed and trailer belly.

 

Bill

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 So with the lifted trailer , you think I will be ok, and not hit,  with the 2013 Ram? 

Would like to make my standard bed work without fear of hitting. As some of the remote locations , here in the west, will have me traveling down some dirt roads..

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Without a measurement of the specific trailer and truck in question I have no way to know either way.  However, and I am not being vicious, any lift is usually better than none with the new trucks, IMO.  They all have 57-58” “ish” bed rails.  That is from the ground up. Some truck manufactures even give you a warning in their literature as to this issue.  You can measure the trailer with it level and do the math.  IMO, you want at least 6” and IMO really need 7” to be safe.  As I said, that’s my opinion from experience.  Others seem to be comfortable with lesser clearance and they will be fine - “until.”  A friend with a F-450 and an Elite Suite proved the “until” opinion to be true.

It has been my experience that almost all trailers “stock” when coupled to the “new” pickups, including the RAM 3500HD, are too close for my comfort.  Again, IMO, off-road / dirt roads are no more of a problem then an off ramp with a bad dip at the bottom and a rise to the next road in the turn.  Seen that example as well.

The Junkman wrote:

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Neil and Connie wrote:

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biggaRView wrote:

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I can't speak to the raising the hitch part, perhaps those with more knowledge will chime in.  As to the bed, he chopped off about 4-5 inches, You can read more about it on their blog (Ken and Lee's RV Adventures: We have a new truck bed.. posted nov 8,2012).

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 Ken told me his cutdown was 10K…so a hauler at 15K isn't all that much more. Of course…one can easily spend the 25K for the hauler if you get all the bells and whistles…and the hauler does cut down on your weight and towing capacities since it's always heavier than the normal pickup bed.

We considered the hauler and ended up with the standard F450 bed saying we would add the hauler later if we wanted…two years on we're still with the standard bed; but if we had a 550 or 5500 instead of the 450 I would probably get the hauler as it does look better.

 

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 Looks better? Is that a joke? lol

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 I doubt that it is, because not everyone has the same tastes.  I know a lot of folks that like the hauler bed's looks over a standard pickup bed.  Others prefer the pickup bed over the hauler bed.  Just like some like red more than blue.

Terry

The Junkman wrote:

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 Looks better? Is that a joke? lol

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 Each to their own I guess. My 450 has a ladder, one of those Walmart TuffBoxes for the generator, some 2x8 lumber pieces that are jack pads and a couple 5 gallon cans of emergency diesel in it. To me an empty hauler bed except of the hitch and having all the junk in storage bins looks better.

I had a tri-fold cover (the solid one) that I really liked when not towing…but had to get rid of it as when you folded it forward to clear the hitch for towing it was too high and would hit the bottom of the BR when turning.