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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper
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    Ram Megacab/SB help please!

    Hey all. I have posted this in the Ram Forums but got many different opinions. I figured I would cross post the question here since I am getting a GD.

    I currently have a 2016 Ram Megacab with no hitch system in the bed. When I ordered it , I said I would never need a 5th wheel......Well, here we are with a 320G on order.

    During my research, it appears the happiest folks are those with a gooseball and goosebox on the trailer.

    My biggest concern is not having decent clearance with the 320G, even if I use the offset ball. Does anyone have this setup with a 320g/350g? It appears most of the toy haulers have a similar cap though so maybe any momentum would be the same?

    Looks like my other option is to get something like a B&W Companion slider hitch. It still mounts to a gooseball so I think I am pretty safe at least putting the gooseball in. Except I don't get an airbag on the hitch like the goosebox unless I change the king pin....It's an extra $1000 and more BS to deal with, heavier hitch, but I know it will have enough clearance then. The 320G is pretty short @ 36'. My Bumper pull is 34' and I never had much issue getting into any site we had...but we do plan on going to new areas with the bigger camper. Is the need for 90 degree clearance that overrated? Will a gooseball and goosebox get me close?

    Option 1
    B&W Turnover- $480
    4" offset ball- $180
    Goosebox- $1400
    Total: $2,060

    Option 2
    B&W Turnover- $480
    B&W Companion slider- $1500
    Trailair air-bag King pin- $1100
    Total: $3,080

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper
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    I have the same truck. Assuming the 320g is wide body like my Solitude you need the slider. I have the Demco Autoslide with up to 14” of travel and its still tight. I haven’t tested the max turn yet but I wouldn’t get 90 degrees! To date I haven’t had any sites I couldn’t turn into and the Autoslide saves the extra work. Demco or Pullrite... whichever floats your boat!

    The pic is not the max turn... if I rotated more the autoslide would push further back.

    Click image for larger version. 

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Views:	45 
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ID:	21967
    Trailer: 2019 Solitude S-Class 3740BH
    Old trailer: 2016 Outdoors RV Creekside 27DBHS (Sold)
    Old trailer: 2010 Heartland Sundance 3300RLB (always leaked, then rotted! Layout was good, but build was junk.)
    Old trailer: 1992 Prowler 5th 27.5N

    Truck: 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie Aisin
    Old truck: 2012 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie 68RFE
    Old truck: 2003 Ram 3500 Cummins QuadCab 4x4 SRW Laramie 6spd

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper
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    The 320G is wide body since it's a toy hauler. However, the front cap looks a lot different.


  4. #4
    New Member
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    bcdiesel, I'm new to this forum as my family is considering either a Solitude S-Class 3740BH or (more likely) a 3550BH. I'm on my 2nd Ram Megacab and just picked up a 3500 Laramie diesel a few months ago. I'm used to pulling a TT and have a ProPride hitch for that; good equipment is something I will spend money on. Can you tell me more about your experience with the Demco Autoslide? In the little research I've done, it seems like the clear favorite on paper. I have others trying to sway me to B&W which look well made, and I'm sure they are great, but no autoslide feature. If you wouldn't mind, I will take all the good, the bad and the ugly of the Demco + Megacab + 3740bh setup. Thank you in advance!!!

  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper
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    Aug 2018
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    Quote Originally Posted by MidOhioHunter View Post
    bcdiesel, I'm new to this forum as my family is considering either a Solitude S-Class 3740BH or (more likely) a 3550BH. I'm on my 2nd Ram Megacab and just picked up a 3500 Laramie diesel a few months ago. I'm used to pulling a TT and have a ProPride hitch for that; good equipment is something I will spend money on. Can you tell me more about your experience with the Demco Autoslide? In the little research I've done, it seems like the clear favorite on paper. I have others trying to sway me to B&W which look well made, and I'm sure they are great, but no autoslide feature. If you wouldn't mind, I will take all the good, the bad and the ugly of the Demco + Megacab + 3740bh setup. Thank you in advance!!!
    Happy to help. I bought my Demco Autoslide used. Up north our dollar sucks for buying and new can get expensive. I purchased a used Demco for $700 (a great deal). I was aware of a recall on some units due to a bad weld on the main shaft. Just my luck, mine was included in the recall (and I do mean I was lucky!). Demco has awesome customer service. At no expense to me, they shipped out a repair kit that included the entire internal slide mechanism. So although the outside of my hitch showed some age, the internals were brand new. When I switched from the factory solid pin box to a Morryde, I started having major issues getting the Demco hitch to close. It was really finnicky and I had to back it just right or it would never latch. An email to Demco led me to another solution where they were aware of the problem on some occasions/pin boxes and they sent me a new jaw mechanism free of charge that had an extra machined slot in the jaw. Solved my problem completely. So I ended up with not only new internals but also a new jaw mechanism. I can't say enough about how Demco stands behind there product. I will be there loyal customer in the future.

    Why did I choose Demco over Pullrite? It's kind of like why buy a Ford vs Chevy vs Ram. Simply personal choice. All are good, it's whatever you feel is best for you. What sold me on the Demco was the ability to adjust the hitch height. The only major downsides of an autoslide is the weight (especially is payload is tight), the cost and the fact you need to back in straight to hitch or unhitch (or very close to straight!). Given that the Solitudes are a wide body trailer, a sliding hitch of some sort is definitely needed with a short box if you plan on getting into any tight camping spot. The ease of an autoslide means you never forget to slide it! They can be a bit clunky when driving and turning, a bit unnerving at first but you get use to it.

    With regard to the Megacab, no difference from a crewcab shortbox other than overall length and possible payload differences. I have the Megacab for the sake of the kids and its nice to store stuff out of view behind the rear seats (the kids can recline on long trips too). I have a door sticker payload of 3840lbs. I'm very tight on payload but just make it. Taking into account my family (luckily lightweights), my hitch, my aux fuel tank and the pin weight of the 3740BH I'm maxing out. Some say you have to get a dually, I disagree. It's whatever works for you in my view as long as your weights are legal for the chosen truck. I'm a city slicker and a dually would not work for where I drive and park. My truck is my tow rig and daily driver outside of motorcycle weather!

    I've weighed my pin at almost exactly 3000lbs loaded for camping which includes a Onan factory generator and a washer/dryer combo up front. If I recall, the factory dry pin weight was around 2800lbs. Would I do the same set up again? Yes.

    Feel free to ask any questions... I may just take a bit of time to reply given my work schedule.

    On another note, long ago I owned a B&W hitch for my old Sundance 5th wheel (also on a Megacab). That fifth wheel had a shortbox compatible front cap (the corners of the cap were angled to avoid the cab corners). Given the Sundance was a regular width trailer this set up worked awesome and I could get around 85 degrees of turning (almost jackknifing). With the Solitude wide body trailers... the B&W hitch would not work for tight turns, even though it is an awesome hitch.
    Last edited by bcdiesel; 04-20-2020 at 10:47 PM.
    Trailer: 2019 Solitude S-Class 3740BH
    Old trailer: 2016 Outdoors RV Creekside 27DBHS (Sold)
    Old trailer: 2010 Heartland Sundance 3300RLB (always leaked, then rotted! Layout was good, but build was junk.)
    Old trailer: 1992 Prowler 5th 27.5N

    Truck: 2016 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie Aisin
    Old truck: 2012 Ram 3500 Cummins Megacab 4x4 SRW Laramie 68RFE
    Old truck: 2003 Ram 3500 Cummins QuadCab 4x4 SRW Laramie 6spd

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