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  1. #1
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    Question Do I need a 'V' shaped or low tool box with a long bed?

    RV Newbie. Okay, I have the truck. I figured buy the truck first, but read pick the fifth wheel and then get the appropriate truck. I'm a natural contrarian, and whatever fifth wheel I pick won't matter. I stole, i mean bought, in the current environment a 2019 Ram 3500 Laramie with 21K in mint condition with the HO configuration for $64K. It will pull 35,000 lbs and has 1,000 lbs of torque. I know that has nothing to do with my question, but I'm in love with this beast.

    Anyway, I need to get a bed tool box, but I've read that unless you get one that sits below the sides or has the 'V' configuration sharp turns may cause the fifth wheel to hit the tool box. However, I have a long bed - factory configured for a fifth wheel and towing package - and the comments that have lead me to worry about this don't state whether they have a long or short bed. I am outfitting the truck while I look for the right toy hauler, and I need a tool box because I''m not going to turn the crew cab into storage.
    In the interim, I'm hoping RV prices will drop as winter approaches, gas prices go up, and inflation gets worse.

    Any help appreciated in advance.

    (Why can't I create tags? It would only help future users.)

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper Skilletface's Avatar
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    I have had both and both of them have there pro’s and con’s.
    This is what I encountered, the V shape or gull wing was much easier to access from the ground however, with the center of the toolbox being fixed for the hinges; longer bigger items were difficult to get in and out.

    The low profile tool was all but unacceptable from the ground and I felt like it lacked space and nearly impossible and to lift a decently equipped tool box out.
    If your going to use it for items only needed in case of emergency and your worried about fiver clearance then the low profile is what you might wish to get. I would also install some of those foot kick down steps in front of the back wheels, something like from AMP Research.
    2017 F-250 6.7 2019 273 MK
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  3. #3
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KausalityKid View Post
    RV Newbie. Okay, I have the truck. I figured buy the truck first, but read pick the fifth wheel and then get the appropriate truck. I'm a natural contrarian, and whatever fifth wheel I pick won't matter. I stole, i mean bought, in the current environment a 2019 Ram 3500 Laramie with 21K in mint condition with the HO configuration for $64K. It will pull 35,000 lbs and has 1,000 lbs of torque. I know that has nothing to do with my question, but I'm in love with this beast.

    Anyway, I need to get a bed tool box, but I've read that unless you get one that sits below the sides or has the 'V' configuration sharp turns may cause the fifth wheel to hit the tool box. However, I have a long bed - factory configured for a fifth wheel and towing package - and the comments that have lead me to worry about this don't state whether they have a long or short bed. I am outfitting the truck while I look for the right toy hauler, and I need a tool box because I''m not going to turn the crew cab into storage.
    In the interim, I'm hoping RV prices will drop as winter approaches, gas prices go up, and inflation gets worse.

    Any help appreciated in advance.

    (Why can't I create tags? It would only help future users.)
    With a long bed you wont have a problem. The nose of the RV will be well away from the tool box. We installed a below the bed tool box from Tractor Supply. Now its fully loaded with all kinds of stuff. Below the bed allows for a Truex roll up cover to protect the companion hitch when not towing. If you think you might someday install an aux fuel tank you might want to think about that now. You can get a combination fuel tank and tool box.

    Accessibility - I either step up into the bed to get things out of the tool box or since I use an aluminum step platform like from Harbor Freight to lock the hitch in, I can also use it to step up on to get things out of the tool box. We have rearranged the things we have in the tool box so its manly storage and the things in it are not needed very often.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_1811.jpg   IMG_1813.jpg  
    Last edited by Steven@147; 10-23-2021 at 05:59 AM. Reason: add content
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
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  4. #4
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    @KausalityKid

    Definitely get yourself the biggest toolbox you can find that sits below the side rails... with an 8' bed you'll still have plenty of room to put other stuff. Mine is about as big as I could get and it fits with just about 1" clearance on each side of the truck. You can't tell from this picture but there is still room for gas cans, milk crates , 5 gallon water jug, etc.. between the toolbox and the front mounting rail of the hitch.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by IBEW Sparky; 10-23-2021 at 07:48 AM.
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  5. #5
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    You still used a low profile with a long bed?

    Quote Originally Posted by Skilletface View Post
    I have had both and both of them have there pro’s and con’s.
    This is what I encountered, the V shape or gull wing was much easier to access from the ground however, with the center of the toolbox being fixed for the hinges; longer bigger items were difficult to get in and out.

    The low profile tool was all but unacceptable from the ground and I felt like it lacked space and nearly impossible and to lift a decently equipped tool box out.
    If your going to use it for items only needed in case of emergency and your worried about fiver clearance then the low profile is what you might wish to get. I would also install some of those foot kick down steps in front of the back wheels, something like from AMP Research.
    I'm definitely installing kick down steps of some kind. Apparently, at just less than a month shy of 60, getting up into the truck bed from the tailgate is more effort than I thought it would be. Even though I plan on buying a toy hauler there are things I would like stored with the truck at all times. Good to know about the length issues with the V configuration, but it still sounds like even with a long bed you opted for a low profile box. I was hoping to not have to do that. I suppose it doesn't matter since I will have to get into the bed to access the contents of the box.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by IBEW Sparky View Post
    @KausalityKid

    Definitely get yourself the biggest toolbox you can find that sits below the side rails... with an 8' bed you'll still have plenty of room to put other stuff. Mine is about as big as I could get and it fits with just about 1" clearance on each side of the truck. You can't tell from this picture but there is still room for gas cans, milk crates , 5 gallon water jug, etc.. between the toolbox and the front mounting rail of the hitch.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Screenshot_20211023-093400_Photos.jpg 
Views:	34 
Size:	88.4 KB 
ID:	37346
    Okay, from what I'm hearing from both responses that even with a long bed I want a low profile box. Shoot, I was hoping with a long bed I wouldn't need to worry about that. I have no plans on putting a bed cover on, but may change my mind on that.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steven@147 View Post
    With a long bed you wont have a problem. The nose of the RV will be well away from the tool box. We installed a below the bed tool box from Tractor Supply. Now its fully loaded with all kinds of stuff. Below the bed allows for a Truex roll up cover to protect the companion hitch when not towing. If you think you might someday install an aux fuel tank you might want to think about that now. You can get a combination fuel tank and tool box.

    Accessibility - I either step up into the bed to get things out of the tool box or since I use an aluminum step platform like from Harbor Freight to lock the hitch in, I can also use it to step up on to get things out of the tool box. We have rearranged the things we have in the tool box so its manly storage and the things in it are not needed very often.
    Hmm, I answered other post forgetting about this. So, I can go with a box that sits above the sides. You just went with a low profile to be able to use the cover when not hitched. Interesting, I was just at Harbor Freight this morning and on my way out they had a bunch of aluminum ramps and such that I only took a cursory look at.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by KausalityKid View Post
    Okay, from what I'm hearing from both responses that even with a long bed I want a low profile box. Shoot, I was hoping with a long bed I wouldn't need to worry about that. I have no plans on putting a bed cover on, but may change my mind on that.
    We have a long bed truck, but opted for the low profile tool box because we wanted to be able to cover the whole bed when not towing. We sometimes have stuff stored in the bed, and we wanted to be able to cover it up at least.

    2017 Reflection 26RL "Mili"
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by KausalityKid View Post
    Hmm, I answered other post forgetting about this. So, I can go with a box that sits above the sides. You just went with a low profile to be able to use the cover when not hitched. Interesting, I was just at Harbor Freight this morning and on my way out they had a bunch of aluminum ramps and such that I only took a cursory look at.


    No, DO NOT go with a box that sits above the side rails. It doesn't happen often but if you get into a tight turn on unlevel ground you could be in for trouble. You could easily hit the underside of the front end of your rig on a toolbox that sits a few inches above the side rails. Think about backing into a tight spot that's slightly uphill from a narrow roadway... you might just end up being the talk of the campground.
    Bill & Colleen ~ Schwenksville, Pa
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  10. #10
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KausalityKid View Post
    Hmm, I answered other post forgetting about this. So, I can go with a box that sits above the sides. You just went with a low profile to be able to use the cover when not hitched. Interesting, I was just at Harbor Freight this morning and on my way out they had a bunch of aluminum ramps and such that I only took a cursory look at.
    You could go with a box that sits above the bed. When hitched, with our long bed Ram the nose of our Solitude, or the underside of the nose, doesn't come anywhere near the tool box area of the bed. If I had an above the bed tool box, I could do a 90 degree turn up hill and it wouldn't matter, but I would never do that, way too much stress on the RV suspension. We also have 7 inches of bed clearance from the top of the bed cover rails to the bottom of the RV nose at the rear and tailgate of the truck. Yes, we cover the bed when unhitched so a below the side tool box is what we wanted. Our tool box only takes up about the first @ 2 feet of the bed.

    Probably should say that we are using a companion hitch and a MORryde pin box. But some other kind of hitch up combination might put to closer to the front of a long bed truck bed. Short bed truck all bets are off there is just not enough room.
    Last edited by Steven@147; 10-24-2021 at 04:54 AM.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

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