Picking the right truck

[Will711]

Wife and I recently purchased a Fifth wheel Keystone 3712KB Alpine, and have a few questions about truck. The keystone may be stationary for periods of time with hookups, but we want a truck that is suitable to travel extensively with, even in the Mountains, if thats the route we decide later on. Might also do a little boondocking as well. Basically, we want more truck than needed for the trailer with the smoothest, safest ride possible. Also need recomendations on a good hitch.
2021 kb Alpine Specs Shipping weight 14013
Carrying capacity 2487
Hitch 2810
Height 13.4
Length 41.6
Leaning towards a 2021 RAM 3500 Dually 4x4, probably Tradesman with cloth, High output motor with the Asin Transmission, fifth wheel tow package, and auto level.
The rest is kinda in debate, and thought I would ask people that had actual experience.

Trying to seperate my wants from my needs, and which following ones are more important than others, being that we would buy a truck off the lot and not special order.

.1) How important is the medium sized screen (8.4) than the small one?
2) Will the 180 amp alternator be enough to run everything when traveling and charge the rv batteries, or should it be larger?
3) Is the 3.73 big enough or should i just go with the 4.10?
4) Should a manual shift on the fly hold me back, over an electronic shift on the fly?
5) Is a 50 gallon tank really needed?

 

[Gronk]

Well, the difference between what you are looking at and my truck ('05 3500) and what you are looking at are staggering, but there are similarities. My CGVW is just over 22,000 pounds, no air bags on the truck and closer to 3,000 pound pin weight. The truck is a pleasure to drive with the trailer on and gets me about 10 MPG with the 5.9 Cummins, auto, and 3.73 gears. I also have an exhaust brake. I would like more power for the hills, but that's a normal thing! I have been down to 36 MPH going over the Eisenhower just west of Denver, but I didn't push it hard either. My truck (far as I know) is stock at 325HP and 610 lb/ft of torque. I know that the better power and torque would do better, so you would be going up any hill faster than me. Far as alternator, the 180 amp should be more than sufficient since your trailer will probably be plugged in most of the time. I have gone two days without being plugged in with a residential fridge and had zero problems. For the fuel tank, I wish I had a larger tank. Mine is a 35 gallon and by 250 miles I am looking for fuel. Being able to run 350 to 400 miles would be great for me, but that a personal choice. Far as a hitch, I have an air ride hitch and love it. I have a Trailer Saver TS3 that has a capacity of up to 25,000 pound trailer and 5,000 pound pin weight. They are not cheap, but they are great. The only time I feel a bump with the trailer is going over a speed bump slowly. The pin just floats going down the road. If you look around you may find a used one like I did.
Can't say about the screen size or the shift on the fly, don't know about them...........

 

[Will711]

Thanks for the useful information, forgot about the airbrake and not for sure if the ones i am looking at have it. I want a really good hitch and will look into trail saver, just wondering if air ride hitch would help much with a truck set up on air bag auto level.

 

[RKins]

Sounds like the truck my BIL bought minus the 4x4 - has 410 gears (plus a lot of other gears to get 22mpg). Has the Dodge hitch in the bed. He bought no frills - lucky he got a radio.
He towed his Big Horn up to Maine and back and he said he didn't even feel the grades, but his buddy with a Silverado High Mtn or something like that, was struggling.
He got his best price at Hendricks Dodge in Charleston SC - something like 40k with POS car as trade-in. We drove from Orlando to Charleston in about 10 hours, stayed the night and picked up the truck the following morning. After the purchase we took off and traded off driving back to the CG - it drove like it was on rails.

 

["EZ"]

Sounds like the truck my BIL bought minus the 4x4 - has 410 gears (plus a lot of other gears to get 22mpg). Has the Dodge hitch in the bed. He bought no frills - lucky he got a radio.
He towed his Big Horn up to Maine and back and he said he didn't even feel the grades, but his buddy with a Silverado High Mtn or something like that, was struggling.
He got his best price at Hendricks Dodge in Charleston SC - something like 40k with POS car as trade-in. We drove from Orlando to Charleston in about 10 hours, stayed the night and picked up the truck the following morning. After the purchase we took off and traded off driving back to the CG - it drove like it was on rails.

Hendricks in Charleston SC is one of my customers!

Wife and I recently purchased a Fifth wheel Keystone 3712KB Alpine, and have a few questions about truck. The keystone may be stationary for periods of time with hookups, but we want a truck that is suitable to travel extensively with, even in the Mountains, if thats the route we decide later on. Might also do a little boondocking as well. Basically, we want more truck than needed for the trailer with the smoothest, safest ride possible. Also need recomendations on a good hitch.
2021 kb Alpine Specs Shipping weight 14013
Carrying capacity 2487
Hitch 2810
Height 13.4
Length 41.6
Leaning towards a 2021 RAM 3500 Dually 4x4, probably Tradesman with cloth, High output motor with the Asin Transmission, fifth wheel tow package, and auto level.
The rest is kinda in debate, and thought I would ask people that had actual experience.

Trying to seperate my wants from my needs, and which following ones are more important than others, being that we would buy a truck off the lot and not special order.

.1) How important is the medium sized screen (8.4) than the small one?
2) Will the 180 amp alternator be enough to run everything when traveling and charge the rv batteries, or should it be larger?
3) Is the 3.73 big enough or should i just go with the 4.10?
4) Should a manual shift on the fly hold me back, over an electronic shift on the fly?
5) Is a 50 gallon tank really needed?

You can't go wrong with the Ram 3500 with the Cummins diesel and Aisen transmission. You'll love it. I sell Ram Commercial Trucks for a living. They are the best brand of trucks I've ever sold in 30 years of doing so.

The 8.4 screen used to be the "big" one. lol. I have the 8.4" and I think it's great. My Son-in-law just bought a new Ram 2500 with the 12" screen. It's nice but not necessary.
The 180 amp alternator will do fine.
I'd get the 3.73 if you're only going to pull a trailer occasionally but the 4.10 is definetely better for towing.
The manual shift on the fly shifter is in the floor. It seems like it's always in the way. The electronic shift 4wd works flawlessly. I'd go for it if possible.
I'm not positive about the 3500 pickup trucks because I don't sell them, but the Ram 3500 chassis cabs that I nsell have a 52 gallon fuel tank standard. There is an optional 22 gallon tank available as an option to give you over 70 gallons of fuel. I think 50 is plenty for most people. My bladder usually gives out long before by fuel does.