Hello from a first time RV newbie (Updated 1/21/09)

QUOTE: "The service foreman recommended an air lift suspension but he felt I was safe to drive home." And, did he say anything about driving after you got it home ?? OR driving it up or down a curving mountain road.

Here's my personal lesson in $$$ -- six years ago I bought a brand new GMC-1500 to haul my camper, after listening to absolute assurance that it would haul my RV. Five months later I went back and traded in for a GMC - 2500 and ate $6000 or so, plus lost payments etc. But I don't regret it one bit. I felt unsafe in the 1500 and the 2500 hauls me everywhere I need to go -- and got the 6.0L instead ot the 5.3L -- yeah, worse gas mileage but if gas mileage is a "big" component of your RV purchase, don't buy one.

First lesson on "RV'n" -- do not believe a salesman about anything ... his job is to sell you a truck or an RV. Do not believe the service techs - even if they are well trained, their job it to service what the salesman sells you -- no sales, no jobs.

Do some more homework here and on other RV and Tech sites before you make a decision - and then make the one that's safest for you and family -- THEN, go out and enjoy your RV ...

Sorry to bust any bubble here, but we'd rather see you and your family safe than make you feel good about your truck right now.

If you can do it financially, go with a bigger truck. That's the safest way to haul this 5'er -- but if not, then definitely listen to the experts here about upgrades.

Do some more homework here and on other RV and Tech sites before you make a decision - and then make the one that's safest for you and family -- THEN, go out and enjoy your RV ....

Right on M44 .... I'll second that!

Monkey, I did just about the same thing. My dealer told me my Dodge 1500 would be fine for my fiver. It wasn't. I sold the 1500 and bought a Cummins diesel 2500. Good decision because it pulls and handles my 5th wheel just fine. Dealers just want to sell the trailer and I think my dealer would have told me a Dakota would be fine.

WP..
Here's what I would do..
Weigh the rig.. get a truck front axle, rear axle and trailer axles.
1.. Do you exceed Dodge CGVWR? (Total weight)? yes? upgrade truck.. no? go to 2.
2.. Do you exceed the GVWR (Truck axles) yes? upgrade truck.. no? go to 3.
3.. Does your rear axle weight exceed the tire specs? (265/70-17 "E" is 3195@80psi, so 6390 would be the magic number) yes? upgrade truck.. no? go to 4.
4.. Install the airbags and get used to that moose of a 5er that you tow.

I believe that 450/4500 series trucks run the same basic powerplant as 250/2500 so you mignt not get anymore power with a heavier truck.. if you are weight legal try a programmer or chip or whatever Dodges use.. I have a 2000 Ford 7.3 with a 4in exhaust and a programmer.. People pass me because I let them pass.. I can pull east coast hills at 67mph but my EGTs soar and my fuel consumption skyrockets.. just creep up hills keeping the EGTs below 10k and the fuel mileage around 11mpg..

Good luck..

Keep us posted on your findings..

QUOTE "...I believe that 450/4500 series trucks run the same basic powerplant as 250/2500 so you mignt not get anymore power with a heavier truck."

RIght, but that's not the main issue here, more power -- it's weight and stabilization. He needs to get a truck that will not "squat" when he plops that 5'er down on his hitch. So, suspension, shocks, springs, and brakes etc, are more important than a bigger engine.

Don't know for sure, but I'm betting the 450/4500 has different gearing too, that increases towing power, but the main issue is stable hauling and actual weight of the TV too. With that squat in the rear, it's pretty easy to jack-knife that long and heavy 5'er ... the rear wheels will act just like a pivot when the back-end is low and front end is lifted.

QUOTE "...I believe that 450/4500 series trucks run the same basic powerplant as 250/2500 so you mignt not get anymore power with a heavier truck."

RIght, but that's not the main issue here, more power -- it's weight and stabilization. He needs to get a truck that will not "squat" when he plops that 5'er down on his hitch. So, suspension, shocks, springs, and brakes etc, are more important than a bigger engine.

Don't know for sure, but I'm betting the 450/4500 has different gearing too, that increases towing power, but the main issue is stable hauling and actual weight of the TV too. With that squat in the rear, it's pretty easy to jack-knife that long and heavy 5'er ... the rear wheels will act just like a pivot when the back-end is low and front end is lifted.

No argument here.. my point is that if the rig is within the weight ratings, airbags (level the truck) and firm (max pressure "E" ) tires should do the trick.. on paper.

Before we can assist with an accurate solution we need an accurate definition of the problem, are the weights within spec?

A 350/3500 "doolie" would be better and a 450/550-4500/5500 even better for stability.. but if a within spec 2500 (some Dodge 2500s are speced like other 350/3500 srw trucks) will do the job maybe a bigger truck is not needed.

I am fortunate in that I stumbled upon a commercial truck salesman (vs the know nothing slickieboy that greeted me at the door). My commercial salesman advised me that a 350 was a 250 with bigger springs and tires, he sold me a 350 w/ tow and camper package (cheaper than the slickieboys were pricing 250s)

I had occasion to deliver a 5er in winter when I had my "D" rated winter tires vs my "E" rated tow tires on "Big Rudy".. even though there was only 100lb load rating less on the "Ds" (265/75-16 "E" @ 80psi vs 285/75-16 "D" @ 65 psi), their sidewalls were very soft and flexible.. made me feel as if the rear end of the truck was sliding around on me, took awhile to get used to.

Look at the "hotshots" and "RV toters" passing us.. they are running Dodges w/Cummins power and hauling huge loads (both srw & drw) over many miles..

As the man on TV says.. this is just my opinion, I could be wrong...