medium duty trucks info needed

[szewczyk_john]

I have for a while thought about upgrading to a medium duty truck with something like a classy chassis fifth wheel towing bed. Over the weekend I found a 2011 Ram 5500 Laramie 4x4 Quad Cab dually that I thought was a decent deal. 50000 miles for 38k with the HD auto tranny. There is no bed or anything on the frame. By comparison there is a 2012 4x4 quad cab Laramie dually with 38000 miles on it sitting at a chevy dealer 3 miles away that they want 45000 for, and that has a gooseneck hitch without any rails for the fifth wheel hitch and does not have the Asian tranny.

My first question is what is the proper length of framing from behind the end of the cab? I was not prepared to do a bunch of research and this just happened to be sitting in a lot along the route I was taking that day. I would guess that there was 10 feet of framing exposed from the back wall of the cab. The frame was not rusted but had a fresh coat of paint applied to it. Which wheelbase is ideal for up fitting into a toter truck?

Does anyone know of a pricing website for commercial trucks? The ones that I know of do not include the 4500 or 5500 chassis trucks.

Timing is horrible, as I am not sure that I can afford this purchase at this time. If I could swing the truck, there is no way in **** that I could afford the up fitting. I have seen trucks like this with just the fifth wheel hitch mounted to the frame or mounted to a piece of flat decking which is then mounted to the frame. Any members have any technical date or any specifics about using the truck like this until I could afford the up fitting bed of my dreams?

 

[wehavefun]

While the heavy chassis like 4500 and 5500 do haul more weight they have a very rigid ride. You will need to look at a trailer saver type hitch to protect your 5th wheel from the harsh bumps. The gearing is also much lower which will effect your fuel economy negatively.

As far as body up fitting you will need to know frame rail width and cab to axle ( ca) measurements.

A standard truck box is 56" CA
A standard cab and chassis is 60"

Your standard factory optional length on cab and chassis are 84" 108" and 120"

I would think ideally the 84" would give you a bit better ride, tons of storage room, but a bear to park. Most 4500 and 5500 type chassis for toters are 60" CA in for medium duty truck 84" seem standard.

Good luck. Classy Chassis makes some nice looking bodies, but when I purchased my 3500 pickup I put all the numbers together I decided to stick with a standard 3500 dually loaded with all the options was a much better option for me.

 

[avvidclif]

I have for a while thought about upgrading to a medium duty truck with something like a classy chassis fifth wheel towing bed. Over the weekend I found a 2011 Ram 5500 Laramie 4x4 Quad Cab dually that I thought was a decent deal. 50000 miles for 38k with the HD auto tranny. There is no bed or anything on the frame. By comparison there is a 2012 4x4 quad cab Laramie dually with 38000 miles on it sitting at a chevy dealer 3 miles away that they want 45000 for, and that has a gooseneck hitch without any rails for the fifth wheel hitch and does not have the Asian tranny.

My first question is what is the proper length of framing from behind the end of the cab? I was not prepared to do a bunch of research and this just happened to be sitting in a lot along the route I was taking that day. I would guess that there was 10 feet of framing exposed from the back wall of the cab. The frame was not rusted but had a fresh coat of paint applied to it. Which wheelbase is ideal for up fitting into a toter truck?

Does anyone know of a pricing website for commercial trucks? The ones that I know of do not include the 4500 or 5500 chassis trucks.

Timing is horrible, as I am not sure that I can afford this purchase at this time. If I could swing the truck, there is no way in **** that I could afford the up fitting. I have seen trucks like this with just the fifth wheel hitch mounted to the frame or mounted to a piece of flat decking which is then mounted to the frame. Any members have any technical date or any specifics about using the truck like this until I could afford the up fitting bed of my dreams?

Why not call Classy Chassis and ask them if it would work?

 

[GOTTOYS]

$45-50,000 for a used truck without the body doesn't sound like a great deal to me. Many of the new truck dealers have 4500 and 5500 cab and chassis models on their websites. Why not just look at a new 3500 dually? compared to what you are now driving you will not believe the difference. It could also be brand new, not beat to daylights hauling something. Probably less expensive to insure also as it would not be considered a commercial vehicle in many States. Lots of things to consider here. JMHO....Don

 

[JohnD]

$45-50,000 for a used truck without the body doesn't sound like a great deal to me. Many of the new truck dealers have 4500 and 5500 cab and chassis models on their websites. Why not just look at a new 3500 dually? compared to what you are now driving you will not believe the difference. It could also be brand new, not beat to daylights hauling something. Probably less expensive to insure also as it would not be considered a commercial vehicle in many States. Lots of things to consider here. JMHO....Don

Plus, you can usually get a much better loan on a new vehicle.

 

[justafordguy]

If you decide on the Med. duty cab & Chassis truck you could also just put a regular dually bed on it, much cheaper than the hauler body.

 

[mcolson84]

The bed on my HDT was $3,700. I had them use 5/16" plate for the decking and rear skirt so it wouldn't flex. They also plas'd american flags in the rear fender skirts behind the tires. You will want something covering the tires before you pull with it, otherwise you could throw a rock through the underside of your 5ver. I also went goose neck with an air ride Reese 20K Goose-box. I had them build basically a custom B&W setup so that I can remove the goose neck ball easily and have a completely flat 12.5'x8' bed. I don't know how far back you could put your hitch on that small of a truck and still be safe. I have mine about two feet behind the rear axle center. If you can't gain a bunch of cargo space I would say it wouldn't be worth the extra money and time, unless you just want something custom. I do understand that

I do think that sounds like a bit much for that truck as well.

 

[Birchwood]

I don't know about you but I want a truck I can drive comfortably around town without creating a big show that...hey this guy must have a a huge trailer or he is a commercial hauler.

 

[mcolson84]

That would be nice, but not always doable. Many times large trucks are much cheaper. And if you do have a large trailer that you need a large truck for, then who cares what people think when you drive it around. One ton DRW/SRW diesel trucks are very nice, I have had a few. I love the new Fords (F450 in particular), but I can't afford one. MDT/HDT trucks are often much cheaper, and as a side effect they are also a lot of fun to drive. I don't drive mine empty often, that is what the Toyota is for, but when I do I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it! I love the sound of a diesel clattering and a turbo spooling. I have since I was a little kid, and I find I seem to love it more now than ever. I also find that I have no more problems driving a semi around than I have had in my past crew cab long bed dually pick ups. In fact, many MDT/HDT trucks turn MUCH better than a pick up truck does. There are upsides and downsides to both. As far as fuel mileage, it is much worse on the large trucks when empty than on the pick ups. My Freightliner gets 9.6 mpg empty or loaded as heavy as I load it. My 2011 Powerstroke would get 19 empty, and loaded very heavy for it (20-22k) it would get about 7 mpg on the same trip. The difference is, the Freightliner is comfortable to drive when loaded going through the mountains. After getting mine, I have had several friends that farm and ranch around here that have started looking for an HDT to replace their $40-$80k pick ups with a $20k HDT.

P.S. Almost forgot, I was able to register mine as a recreational vehicle in New Mexico. This has made my registration fees and insurance cheaper.

 

[Birchwood]

That would be nice, but not always doable. Many times large trucks are much cheaper. And if you do have a large trailer that you need a large truck for, then who cares what people think when you drive it around. One ton DRW/SRW diesel trucks are very nice, I have had a few. I love the new Fords (F450 in particular), but I can't afford one. MDT/HDT trucks are often much cheaper, and as a side effect they are also a lot of fun to drive. I don't drive mine empty often, that is what the Toyota is for, but when I do I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it! I love the sound of a diesel clattering and a turbo spooling. I have since I was a little kid, and I find I seem to love it more now than ever. I also find that I have no more problems driving a semi around than I have had in my past crew cab long bed dually pick ups. In fact, many MDT/HDT trucks turn MUCH better than a pick up truck does. There are upsides and downsides to both. As far as fuel mileage, it is much worse on the large trucks when empty than on the pick ups. My Freightliner gets 9.6 mpg empty or loaded as heavy as I load it. My 2011 Powerstroke would get 19 empty, and loaded very heavy for it (20-22k) it would get about 7 mpg on the same trip. The difference is, the Freightliner is comfortable to drive when loaded going through the mountains. After getting mine, I have had several friends that farm and ranch around here that have started looking for an HDT to replace their $40-$80k pick ups with a $20k HDT.

P.S. Almost forgot, I was able to register mine as a recreational vehicle in New Mexico. This has made my registration fees and insurance cheaper.

I drive a 1 ton dually around Florida for 6 months to golf ,pickleball and shopping.Even a F 450 would be ok but not a FREIGHTLINER.

 

[mcolson84]

That is great that works for you. Like I said, I don't drive mine everyday. The original question was not what works for you or me though. I was trying to explain the route I took to get a flatbed for mine, and the cost. If a fiver is the heaviest thing you pull, a new one ton dually is great! However, he said he has always wanted to make one. Some of us enjoy the ride of building something as much as actually driving it. It is sense of ownership you don't get when you just buy it. And yes with some basic "man" skills it can be cheaper for those of us less fortunates who fulltime because we can't afford another house right now. Have a good one, and enjoy the warm Florida weather for me!

 

[szewczyk_john]

A few items to get this back on point. You can not just dump a 3500 bed onto a chassis farm. They are completely different frames.

The 5500 without a bed is $38000 by comparison there is a 3500 dually down the road for $45000. I already have a trailer saver hitch. I am on a motorcycle for most of the March-November time frame, so I am not asking about getting around town or parking. I do not really care about fuel mileage. I wish I didn't have to spend what I do on fuel but when prices went through the roof, I did not cancel a single trip due to fuel prices.

This thread was about getting a true medium duty truck at what I thought was a decent price and if I could make that truck work for me until the right bed could be had. This was about getting specs from those that have already done this, so I know if this truck can work for me. The 5500 would be overkill for me at this time, but I would never have to worry about having enough truck to pull the next trailer. With my current finances, this is all probably wishful thinking at this point.

I am going to stop by the dealer in the next few days with a tape to measure the framing.

 

[mcolson84]

Back on topic then. I looked at some places that do custom beds for MDT/HDT trucks that were really nice, but I could not afford them. I had a local welding shop help with mine, and it really cut down on waste of material. I have two 12.5'x4"x1/4" channel runners that go from the back of the cab to the tail end of the frame. We made bolt pads out of 1/2" plate so that the bed can be removed easily if the truck is ever sold. I used the same channel to run horizontally on 16" centers over the top of the two runners. We boxed the channel frame in leaving the lip of the channel facing out, and the smooth side in so that you have tie down hook points all the way around the bed. We used 5/16" plate for the decking and the rear skirt. The seam between the deck and the rear skirt was welded all the way across to make it smooth for winching things up on the bed. There is also a side skirt built that goes up to the rear tire so that it will contain mud/rocks/ or a blow out. The materials used might be a little over kill for a 5500 Dodge, but it might also be just heavy enough to really smooth out the ride. I also think it would be worth for the very reason you stated (You wouldn't have to worry about overloading it).

Sorry for the extra post, I just realized that I had left out the framing we used on my original post.