Welcome to the forum and enjoy your trailer. Grand Design after sales service is second to none!
On to your question about tow vehicles. I suggest spending the money up front to make sure you buy the truck with the right options and comfort to avoid trading it in later. A larger loan or longer payments up front is better than loosing money on changing to another truck because your not happy with it. Also, I'm of the mindset "be prepared".
I have a 2010 Dodge RAM 3500 SLT Mega Cab with a 4:10 differential, short bed (I believe is 6'-2" long) and 4x4 with the Diesel Cummings engine. I actually am kicking myself for not splurging for the Laramie because of the climate controls and the little things like memory for the seats and mirrors because my wife and I take turns hauling our Solitude. The jake brake comes in the 2500 and 3500 and is th greatest thing since sliced bread!
Buy the most power that you can so that you will be able to pull your current trailer and have room to grow into a larger trailer. You will also be prepared for all types of terrain and weather to explore the wonderful places to see in Canada and the United States. You will be able to keep up wit h traffic and drive up and down the steepest mountains and in all weather conditions with confidence. obviously, pulling over to wait out bad weather is best, but until you can find a safe spot to stop, you have the power and safety to get through it.
The Dodge Ram 3500 Diesel is the way to go for the most torque and the Dodge RAM does not require DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) like the other trucks! One less thing to worry about. While diesel engine is more expensive, it requires less maintenance than a gasoline engine. Change the oils and filters and your good to go and go and go ...
The 4:10 differential provides the most torque available. Im pulling more than 15,000 Lbs when my trailer is loaded and I want safety and ease of performance. A 3:73 won't save you significant money in fuel. This truck is made to work and consumes fuel even when not loaded but it is a fun comfortable truck!
Combining a diesel engine, the 4:10 diff, 4x4 option gives you the most power you can get for current and future needs. Yes a 4x4 reduces the towing weight some, but with a 1 ton its negligible.
We opted for the Mega Cab which unfortunately only comes with a short bed (would have preferred a long bed) so one of us can sleep comfortably while the other drives because sometimes we need to drive long hours to get past the snow belt into warmer weather or need to drive a long distance. The rear seats fold down to a bed thats 3-1/2 feet wide and a foam mattress is really comfy
Unless you need the seating for people or switch up drivers like we do, the long bed with the large rear cab is the better option. Less hassles with towing, more storage room in the bed, and you can carry longer kayaks on the truck's roof without impeding turn clearance with the trailer's cap.
If you do go Short bed, beware of the automatic slider hitches. While they are more convenient, the truck and trailer must be lined up (less than 10 degrees) to hook up or unhook the trailer's pin. In other words, you can't back up the trailer into a tight spot and unhook if the truck is at a 70 degree angle. if you like pull throughs than your fine, but if your like me that likes to back into nicer wooded areas, the manual slider hitch is better. I have a hijacker auto pivot, manual slider hitch. Pull-Rite is fine too. I prefer the Hijacker for the positive locking bar that holds the trailer pin in place rather than jaws that clamp around the pin found in most other hitches.
I am running with single rear wheels (SRW) which I find easier in the snow and to park without the hips; however, I am on the line with my weight ratings with the 17" tires. However, now if you prefer SRW, there are larger wheels available from the factory.
Other options to consider: Retractible power side steps. Indispensable if you have a health condition or just about for anyone to climb up into the 2500/3500 as its high off the ground. in any case some kind of side steps are necessary. also a back step is useful to climb up into the truck bed. The 7 pin power connector would be better in the bed than under the bumper. Definitely check out the "Ram boxes" to hold equipment in the bed. I wish I had them but they were not offered in 2010. A back up camera is also a good item to have on the trailer to see behind you. I keep mine on al the time. Also consider a GPS that you can plug in the height, length, and weight of your RV to ensure you stay on the right roads for your rig. I have had to back up a few times to avoid low clearance bridges - not fun.
Once, when I moved over to the right to make more room for a car, the trailer wheels slipped off the road up on the blue ridge parkway and the RAM pulled it back on the road without any hesitation. Apparently the RAM wasn't worried, but I was
After that, I let other vehicles pull over and I knew I made the right decision with my RAM 3500.
My wife and I have both been towing a similar sized trailer for the last 4 years and we are happy with the Dodge Ram 3500 and its features. Its power and comfortable cab makes it so easy to tow that it's easy to forget that you have 40 feet of trailer behind you. My wife's idea to get a rear camera on the trailer was a great idea.
