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  1. #11
    Left The Driveway
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    I'm a new guy too. I also have my sights set on a 351M. To be on the safe side I just bought a 2019 Ram 3500 DRW. I'm currently using it as a daily driver and actually enjoy driving it. I have to park a little further away from things but it doesn't seem too bad.

    Rick

  2. #12
    Setting Up Camp
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    Sep 2019
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    Southeastern Pennsylvania
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kellerdj View Post
    Hello everyone first post here, I am about to pull the trigger on a 2019 RAM 3500 Diesel SRW Short Bed with 4K payload, would this be enough truck for the 351M as that is the fifth wheel we have our eyes on? It's only me and my wife and we have never traveled with full water tanks but before I put down the money and trade in my 2500 wanted to ask.

    Thanks in advance
    Sure will. Keep in mind the engine will out last the body. Don’t know why but Ram trucks seem to rust out more then other brands. Just saying.

  3. #13
    New Member
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    Nov 2019
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    Bainbridge Island WA
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    I have a Short Wheel Base truck with a fixed slide receiver and if I did it over again i would buy a regular sized bed. In order to turn tight corners parking my 5th wheel I have to slide the receiver back (with a lot of scraping noise) and my wife says that something is breaking. I also cannot use the truck bed to haul regular cargo when not attached to the 5th wheel as the receiver is bolted to the frame without a quick disconnect that is available with a fixed long bed receiver.

  4. #14
    Seasoned Camper
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    May 2019
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    I have the 381M, which is a 351M configuration plus four more feet in the garage, and tow it with a SRW F-350. I have had the units weighed and my total loaded weight was 18,700 for the trailer with a 3,060 pin weight. The F-350 was within all of its limits, but I only had around 400 pounds margin left on the GVWR. As noted above the toys in the back keep the pin weight from increasing as quickly as other fifth wheels.

    One significant difference between the 351 and the 381 is the 381 has triple axles. I suspect this also helps keep my pin weight down and keeps me within my GVWR.

  5. #15
    Rolling Along RVRunners's Avatar
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    Nov 2016
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    Southern Indiana
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobKilmer View Post
    I have the 381M, which is a 351M configuration plus four more feet in the garage, and tow it with a SRW F-350. I have had the units weighed and my total loaded weight was 18,700 for the trailer with a 3,060 pin weight. The F-350 was within all of its limits, but I only had around 400 pounds margin left on the GVWR. As noted above the toys in the back keep the pin weight from increasing as quickly as other fifth wheels.

    One significant difference between the 351 and the 381 is the 381 has triple axles. I suspect this also helps keep my pin weight down and keeps me within my GVWR.
    Having three axles gives the trailer more capacity, however, the position of the axles front to back primarily determines the amount of pin weight on the truck. You always see towable RV’s with the axles located closer to the front of the RV chassis to relieve pin weight and this is part of why the “tail swing” phenomenon with RV’s becomes an issue. When you see trailers for Class 8 semi trucks they are often located near the rear or completely at the rear of the trailer as the tractor chassis/axles, unlike our pickup trucks, are designed to handle the close to 50% of the trailer weight that this puts on the pin. This also eliminates or nearly eliminates the “tail swing” phenomenon for a Class 8 semi setup. To your point, a toy hauler loaded with a “toy” provides a significant point load at the extreme rear of the RV (also likely completely behind your axles) which causes the the RV chassis to act like a lever over the fulcrum which is the center of the axle set on your camper. Removing the “toy” may increase your pin weight even though you are removing overall payload weight from the RV.

    With all of that said I believe you have a lot of camper for a SRW truck. Payload and GVWR are certainly considerations but braking and lateral stability are important also. Just my “two cents” worth.
    The Adams - 2017 Reflection 367BHS, 2019 F-350 6.7L PSD 4x4 CC DRW, B&W hitch on Ford pucks, Air Lift Loadlifter 5000 Ultimate Plus air bags, "Rupert" the Weimaraner.

  6. #16
    Seasoned Camper
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    I agree I am at the top of what a SRW can tow. That is why my answer to the OP would be "Yes, you are fine with that configuration for towing, but only if you are careful about the way it is loaded." I wouldn't say the same if he had a different RV with a higher pin weight like a Cyclone.

    As for the pin weight. the configuration description you noted are why I said the triple axle help keeps a lower pin weight. To see that you can look at the GD website and see that the 381 weighs 1,100 pounds than the 351, but only has 15 pounds more pin weight. The third axle adds two feet to the axle wheelbase and helps keep the pin weight down.

    As for lateral stability, I am happy to say we have zero issues with that. We have passed and been passed by tractor trailers over 4,000 miles of towing with no issues. We also had to do a severe collision avoidance maneuver when a tree fell in front of us and the thankfully the RV and truck stayed upright, so no issues there.

    As for braking, I am not sure why a dually would help there. I did an internet search and didn't see any testing that says a dually stops faster, but there is very little test data on either configuration. The F-350 SRW and DRW have the same brakes and the dually weighs more, so that will add to the stopping distance. With ABS the tires don't lock up in either configuration, so I am not convinced that adding two tires and additional weight helps a dually stop faster. For either vehicle, the real deciding factor is going to be the RV, as the truck weighs less than 30% of the total combined weight. The third axle on the RV helps with the braking capability adding two additional brakes but it also adds to the weight, so again I am not sure if that is a overall help or not.

    I was actually pleased when I read the responses to the OP. I expected everyone to say only a DRW can do that job. The DRW is definitely the only option when the pin weights get higher, but the 351 and many other fifth wheels in that pin weight range can be towed by either.

  7. #17
    Left The Driveway
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobKilmer View Post
    I agree I am at the top of what a SRW can tow. That is why my answer to the OP would be "Yes, you are fine with that configuration for towing, but only if you are careful about the way it is loaded." I wouldn't say the same if he had a different RV with a higher pin weight like a Cyclone.

    As for the pin weight. the configuration description you noted are why I said the triple axle help keeps a lower pin weight. To see that you can look at the GD website and see that the 381 weighs 1,100 pounds than the 351, but only has 15 pounds more pin weight. The third axle adds two feet to the axle wheelbase and helps keep the pin weight down.

    As for lateral stability, I am happy to say we have zero issues with that. We have passed and been passed by tractor trailers over 4,000 miles of towing with no issues. We also had to do a severe collision avoidance maneuver when a tree fell in front of us and the thankfully the RV and truck stayed upright, so no issues there.

    As for braking, I am not sure why a dually would help there. I did an internet search and didn't see any testing that says a dually stops faster, but there is very little test data on either configuration. The F-350 SRW and DRW have the same brakes and the dually weighs more, so that will add to the stopping distance. With ABS the tires don't lock up in either configuration, so I am not convinced that adding two tires and additional weight helps a dually stop faster. For either vehicle, the real deciding factor is going to be the RV, as the truck weighs less than 30% of the total combined weight. The third axle on the RV helps with the braking capability adding two additional brakes but it also adds to the weight, so again I am not sure if that is a overall help or not.

    I was actually pleased when I read the responses to the OP. I expected everyone to say only a DRW can do that job. The DRW is definitely the only option when the pin weights get higher, but the 351 and many other fifth wheels in that pin weight range can be towed by either.
    Your braking capacity on a DWR vs. a SRW May not be different mechanically, but you have 6 instead of 4 contact patches where your tires touch the pavement, so in a sense you have better braking as more friction will stop you better with the same mechanics.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    2019 Ram 3500 Limited, DRW, HO diesel, Aisin 4:10, 4x4, CC

  8. #18
    Left The Driveway
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    I want to thank everyone for their input, don't get me wrong I understand the stability factor for DRW vehicles and if i was going to pull this every week or full timing in it there would be no doubt in my mind I would go DRW, but currently only camping less than a dozen times a year and using the TV as a daily driver I had to go with the SRW 3500 with 4K payload. I still haven't made the decision if going to the 351M but i do feel much more comfortable towing my current RV the Octane which was at the max of a 2500. I do feel better knowing that there are others who tow this beast with a SRW truck and doing the numbers using the GVWR of just under 17k I would be within all limits of this vehicle, is it close yes without a doubt but at east not over as I was with the 2500 and my current RV.

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