Dodge Ram Laraime 3500 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed DRW 2013

[DesertThumper]

The wife and I traded in our RAM 2500 Mega Cab 2012 to a 3500 DRW. We are very happy with the purchase except for one item, the "Prep Kit" rail kit not easily to be found. I combed across the states to locate one but no success. Along the search, I've educated myself with a ton of info about this **** prep kit. After a few days of doing all the research and the dealer failing to tell me about the availability of the rails, I decided to hang tight until my great friends at Simi Valley RV CA to assist me with the ordering of both the rail kit and fifth wheel hitch as well as the installation. Outside of that, we look forward to doing some rv-in and to meet other families in the near future. We look forward to read everyone's unique postings!!

 

[stan.nations]

You will love the Ram 3500 DRW. It is a work horse.
Of course you will never again take the closest parking spot at Walmart. I never was a Dodge guy but felt it was the best package to tow our 5'er.

 

[DesertThumper]

Thanks. Looking forward to our first trip out soon. Can't wait to get the hitch installed and drive down the road.

 

[csdavis62]

We recently purchased a 2013 3500 DRW Longhorn Mega Cab to pull our 2014 Cyclone 4100. I had a conversation with the dealer the day I bought it since it had the B&W turnover hitch installed already. I did some research and determined that if I used some sort of converter to use the goose neck option it would void the warranty on the trailer. So after some thought I decided to go the B&W Companion 5th wheel hitch and could not be happier. The hitch is very well spoken of on the net and after using it several times I can see why. Installed initially in under 30 mins with a torque wrench as the only special tool. Comes off in under 10 mins and can be installed and removed without help and I am not a weight lifter..... The fact that there is a delay in 5erv hitch options is puzzling but I am sure a short term issue. In the mean time the B&W option while not cheap is a great one that allows you to remove the hitch and get your bed back in mins if you need your truck to be a truck. As for the truck itself.... WOW!! 850ft/lbs of torque and the Aisin transmission pulls the 4100 without breaking a sweat. I had always been a Ford man but read where several Ford owners had major engine and fuel injection issues and were told by Ford that the warranty would not be honored due to fuel quality issues???? How can a consumer who goes to reputable stations prove he never bought poor quality fuel? No way was I going to buy a $60K truck and have to worry about warranty coverage. Once I read about the upgrades on the 2013 Ram 3500 and drove it I forgot all about the Ford and will never look back.... Enjoy your new truck.... Scott

 

[alex00]

I love my Companion hitch. The only complaint I have is the chain hook loops for the Goose Neck. The installer put my loops on the raised portion of the bed floor so it makes sliding a loaded pallet impossible, and plywood difficult. On my next truck I'll make sure the loops are installed on the lower part of the bed, or maybe even remove them altogether, since I don't have a GN trailer anymore.

 

[DesertThumper]

I agree with you CS Davis. When I wanted to upgrade from a standard toyota pickup to my first real truck back in 1997, I did research and ask friends about their experiences with truck reliabilty and features (Chevy, Ford & Dodge). Owning 4 ram trucks currently, we are very happy with making our purchase. My friends back then and now still have issues with break downs and failures. The other trucks really need to focus and be proactive with revising the issues to a more reliable truck such as the ram. All other trucks available are good trucks but i pick the ram family again. Even now, I still here their pains that they go through directly with the dealership and manufacturer to fix and re-fix and the inconvenience of time and money. All my rams have provided our family the necessary piece of mind in safety and reliability over 16 years. The amenities and optional parts as well.

 

[ramdually4100king]

A B&W companion hitch is only rated for 18k lbs and 4.5k tongue weight. Our 4100 dry is 16300lbs and when we weighed it loaded it was 19k+ with 4200 tongue weight. That does not leave much room for issues with the hitch. I am not saying the hitch will not work but if there is an issue weights will come into play and the trailer might not be covered.

 

[scottyb]

Your 4100's GVWR is 18K as well. The B&W Companion that fits the Ford factory prep is 20K and 5K. I have owned both and can't see any difference in weight or construction other than the connection points. Too bad Ram and GM don't use the same factory prep as Ford. It is the cleanest and easiest setup I have seen. 5 min and no tools to install or remove the hitch, with a clean bed afterwards.

 

[DesertThumper]

Your 4100's GVWR is 18K as well. The B&W Companion that fits the Ford factory prep is 20K and 5K. I have owned both and can't see any difference in weight or construction other than the connection points. Too bad Ram and GM don't use the same factory prep as Ford. It is the cleanest and easiest setup I have seen. 5 min and no tools to install or remove the hitch, with a clean bed afterwards.

Hi Scotty. Dodge copied fords prep kit as the dealer informed us during our purchase. Since this is a new option for dodge, the rail kit is what the delay is for new ownership of the prep kit. Finding out more info to that rail kit, mopar has it more available then 6 months ago. Mine came in a week after purchase. Thank god for that. Reese and other vendors will have it available moving forward now from what they told me. The process of a quick remove for the hitch and rail kit for the ram 2013 and newer is similar to your ford. 5 minutes and you have your truck bed clear for other useage. I'm glad ram took the ford idea and made it available.

 

[thirdtimeround]

Guys I'm having the same problem getting a hitch set-up for my new 2013 Ram 3500 mega shortbed. I pick it up Monday and I'm hoping they figured something out. They have a Dodge/Reese square frame that bolts into the factory 5th wheel prep pkg. Then there are a couple of Hitches you can use. I told them go with a Curt Q20 slider. Hope that is a good choice. Would have been nice to have the clean look of the Ford /Reese 18K set-up, but that's life. Seems like Dodge built the cart before going out to get a horse first. Mike

 

[DesertThumper]

Guys I'm having the same problem getting a hitch set-up for my new 2013 Ram 3500 mega shortbed. I pick it up Monday and I'm hoping they figured something out. They have a Dodge/Reese square frame that bolts into the factory 5th wheel prep pkg. Then there are a couple of Hitches you can use. I told them go with a Curt Q20 slider. Hope that is a good choice. Would have been nice to have the clean look of the Ford /Reese 18K set-up, but that's life. Seems like Dodge built the cart before going out to get a horse first. Mike

Mike,

I'm sure your choice of hitch and prep kit is fine. I ordered a mopar prep kit for mine which reese somehow works under some kind of contract to produce them. If you have any questions, pm me.

 

[ricatic]

A B&W companion hitch is only rated for 18k lbs and 4.5k tongue weight. Our 4100 dry is 16300lbs and when we weighed it loaded it was 19k+ with 4200 tongue weight. That does not leave much room for issues with the hitch. I am not saying the hitch will not work but if there is an issue weights will come into play and the trailer might not be covered.

FYI...The newest model of the Companion fifth wheel has been upgraded. It no longer uses the u bolts to mount the Companion in the truck bed...and it has a new GVWv rating of 20,000 pounds...I had a long talk with the B&W staff at the Hershey Show...their people are as good as their hitch

Regards

 

[TacoTom]

Hello everyone
I am sorta new to the group, and it looks like I am ready to pull the trigger on a new truck and trailer, the combo in the crosshairs are a 2013 Ram 3500 Larimie Longhorn DRW crewcab long box with the 6.7-liter I6 Cummins Turbo Diesel coupled with the Aisin HD 6 speed Trans, I will be "tuggin" on the cyclone 3800 toy hauler that has a GVW of 1800K, I going to try and squeeze in a Can Am Spyder and Can Am 650 XT Quad in the garage portion of the Toyhauler.

I will be primarly be pulling in western Canada, throughout Alberta and British Columbia which is quite mountainous, so my question is, what rear axle gear ratio should I go with to get the blend of decent fuel mileage and good pulling?
I appreciate your feedback
Tom
PS I can't believe the difference in price for the Cyclone 3800 in the USA-$59,000 in Canada$97,000 same options, sorry Canada might have support the US economy this time, even with the currency exchange it $25 to 28K difference. I am missing something here?
​

 

[DesertThumper]

Hello everyone
I am sorta new to the group, and it looks like I am ready to pull the trigger on a new truck and trailer, the combo in the crosshairs are a 2013 Ram 3500 Larimie Longhorn DRW crewcab long box with the 6.7-liter I6 Cummins Turbo Diesel coupled with the Aisin HD 6 speed Trans, I will be "tuggin" on the cyclone 3800 toy hauler that has a GVW of 1800K, I going to try and squeeze in a Can Am Spyder and Can Am 650 XT Quad in the garage portion of the Toyhauler.

I will be primarly be pulling in western Canada, throughout Alberta and British Columbia which is quite mountainous, so my question is, what rear axle gear ratio should I go with to get the blend of decent fuel mileage and good pulling?
I appreciate your feedback
Tom
PS I can't believe the difference in price for the Cyclone 3800 in the USA-$59,000 in Canada$97,000 same options, sorry Canada might have support the US economy this time, even with the currency exchange it $25 to 28K difference. I am missing something here?
​

Taco Tom, Congrats with your nice setup! I have 4.10 in the rear for those mountain ranges back at my wife's homeland of Montana. 9-11 MPG highway. Pulling our 18K RW is not a struggle overall. Fourth Dodge owned. Never failed me and my family. You need anything else, let me know.

 

[mattpopp]

Your 4100's GVWR is 18K as well. The B&W Companion that fits the Ford factory prep is 20K and 5K. I have owned both and can't see any difference in weight or construction other than the connection points. Too bad Ram and GM don't use the same factory prep as Ford. It is the cleanest and easiest setup I have seen. 5 min and no tools to install or remove the hitch, with a clean bed afterwards.

He might be adding the tongue weight to the axle weight and coming up with 19k. The GVWR only reflects what is weighed at the trailer axles. Tongue weight is transferred to the pickup and adds to the pickup's GVWR.




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[whp4262]

The Reese part number for the rail kit mounting adapter that fits the Ram pucks is RP30154, etrailer.com has them listed on their web site.

 

[scottyb]

Hi Scotty. Dodge copied fords prep kit as the dealer informed us during our purchase. Since this is a new option for dodge, the rail kit is what the delay is for new ownership of the prep kit. Finding out more info to that rail kit, mopar has it more available then 6 months ago. Mine came in a week after purchase. Thank god for that. Reese and other vendors will have it available moving forward now from what they told me. The process of a quick remove for the hitch and rail kit for the ram 2013 and newer is similar to your ford. 5 minutes and you have your truck bed clear for other useage. I'm glad ram took the ford idea and made it available.

If Dodge copied Fords prep kit, what rail kit is everybody referring to. There is no rail kit nor rails on the Ford. The hitch, both B&W and Reese just sits on the bed and attaches to the sockets. Just curious.

 

[jnbhobe]

If Dodge copied Fords prep kit, what rail kit is everybody referring to. There is no rail kit nor rails on the Ford. The hitch, both B&W and Reese just sits on the bed and attaches to the sockets. Just curious.

The sockets are attached to the rails and the truck frame. Not just the sockets in the bed.

 

[scottyb]

The sockets are attached to the rails and the truck frame. Not just the sockets in the bed.

So if I am interpretting this correctly, the Rams still have to have rails in the bed? Surely not.

 

[jnbhobe]

So if I am interpretting this correctly, the Rams still have to have rails in the bed? Surely not.

No, I would think its like the Ford with the rails attached to the frame under the bed with the sockets only coming thru the bed.