1st Post! Hello everyone. I currently have a 98 Chevy Ext. Cab with a 350. I might be living in a 5th wheel this spring for work, and will need a new truck. I am considering either a 3500 dually CC, or a 2500HD shortbed CC.
My question is.. Can I pull a 5th wheel with the shortbed 2500 with a tool box in it? Will it turn without hitting anything?
I hate the looks of a long bed on a non-dually, especially a crew cab. Can someone help me here?:)

My other question is that if I am able to use a 2500 SB with the 5th wheel, can I run H2 wheels with 315's?

Whichever truck I go with will have the Duramax, BTW, The jury is still out on the Alison or the 6Speed. (Will probably depend on what I can find)

Great site!:ro)

I have the truck trunk, http://www.trucktrunk.com/ with CC SB 2500HD.

I do like this tool box....but with it only about 1-2 inches above the bed, I still mange to just nick the corner of the tool box with the 5th wheel. Granted I was going places I probably should not have ( I tend to do that). For the most part it works quite well, but be warned, you still need to closely watch it.

Carver1,

A viable option is to have a 2" Class II or Class III hitch to the back of the Camping Trailer's rear bumber, then have a removable and foldable platform (usually good up to 1000 lbs.) to strap on or permanently mount the tool box to. This will keep your truck bed clear, and you'll not have to worry about accidental collissions with the front of the "camper" during parking maneuvers (or getting yourself out of a tight spot at the filling station).

When not used for lugging around a toolbox, it can be used for other things, such as a motorcycle, lawn chairs, etc. or, can be mounted to the truck's receiver when you need to take-along the tool box without the camper.

That's my suggestion. Good luck.

They also make a sliding 5th wheel setup for the pickup. It moves the mount rearward for turning in town, and then moves back forward when on the highway. This will give you a little extra room at the back of the cab also.

Carver1 states: I am considering either a 3500 dually CC, or a 2500HD shortbed CC.
Dually + 5th wheel = Perfection! :confused:

Went through the same dilemna myself, ended up with a bubble butt dually. Why, the benefits of having the extra weight capacity when towing heavy or hauling heavy loads for business. My 5ver weighs in dry around 14k lbs, loaded between 16k-18k. Very stable footprint on the road, even in very high winds. :rolleyes:

Besides having to watch yourself when pulling through tight spaces (drive thru's mostly) it is just like driving any other truck. Difference is I don't worry as much about having to restrict what I do with my truck depending upon what I need to pull, haul, tow, etc. ;)

Definitely get a long bed if you are going to tow a 5ver since the hitch will eat up most of a shortbed's useable space. If you are in any type of construction business you will find the added space a necessity. I have a large toolbox in front of my receiver that I picked up at Camping World that has everything but the kitchen sink in it for emergencies. It sits below the rails so clearance is great. :rolleyes:

There have been numerous discussions about changing tire sizes and towing. Do a search on the forum for good intel. Most feel larger tire sizes lessens the ability to get the power to the wheels when towing. I stayed with the stock tires on the dually and they work great. :)

Test drive a SRW and a DRW to see if you are comfortable with the dually. I absolutely love driving my truck, plus it has an intimidating stance on the road so most rice burners generally get the ???? out of your way. ):h Later! JJ :)

I would have to agree with JJs DuMax on the DRW. I had a blowout on the left rear of my truck pulling my 5er at 70mph with no warning. :eek: We had to clean ourselves up after that one. My 5er is relativey light weight ~10500 fully loaded. I have the short bed with a sliding hitch. I think the truck trunk would be the way to go. I have to pull my box out when I pull the 5er, but have plenty of storage in it for the little I carry in my tool box.

I have a 2500HD Long Bed and a Highway Products tool box... I use the B&W 5th wheel mount and have had no problems towing my 5th wheel trailer (12,500 lbs.)... Highway Products also makes a 5th wheel tool box for a short bed... See my Truck Pics below.........Triffid

i will be in your situation in about a week. I am picking up my new 5er (6500lbs unloaded), after the axles are "flipped" (gaining 6 inches of clearance). I run 315s and should have no problem.

to deal with clearance issues, I will be running a B&W turnover ball and a 5er to GN adapter (RV1 made by pop up industries) that yields an additional 5 inches of trailer clearance.

I have a CC SB, would not want anything else as I take the truck everywhere (hunting,fishing, etc) and plan to take the camper along. I contacted the manuf of the trailer (Skyline RV corp) and checked the 5er to GN adapter by them and they said great. I should have pics middle of next week if you need them.

Carver1, are you in the construction business or a trade where you have to carry lots of tools? If so long bed! The 5th wheel hitch sits right in front of the rear axle, is quite heavy, and makes it difficult to carry larger items. The extra space will fill up very fast. Take the test drive challenge! JJ ):h

WOW! Thanks for all the responces. I am a diesel mechanic for heavy equipment. I never thought of the extra space in a long bed. I just hate the looks of a long bed non-dually. I will most likely go with the Dually, especially after hearing about the blow out, another thing I had not considered!
My perfect truck would be a 01-02 CC Dually, D/A combo, in Admiral Blue and Grey Leather! Anybody got one for around $30000? :)

Thanks again for the replies...

In your profession a LB is a must. Used dually's are out there, not sure about the color though. Find one in great mechanical condition then have it painted! ):h

FWIW, if you are willing to spend $30k on a used 01-02 you might want to throw in an extra 8-9k and get yourself a new truck with the LLY engine. With rebates and dealer discounts my truck actually cost around $37k, plus tax/title. JJ :)

What are the biggest benifits of the LLY? It almost seems like a Chevy/Ford rivalry. Whatever someone has, that is always better! :)

The LLY is GM's updated Duramax engine with external injectors, a variable vane turbo, and several other enhancements. There is plenty of info out there on both. Ford makes a 6.0 Powerstroke. Everyone has their preference, each truck has different issues. Best to gather your own intel and make a decision. JJ

Well, I did some shopping today! I found my perfect truck....2 hours after it sold :( It was a 2001 CC Dually 4X4 LT with 65K for $28995. Then I found a 2002 CC Dually 4X4 LT with 81K for $29999. The sedond one had a 100 gal tank and goosneck/5th wheel hitch. This thing drove like a champ. The ABS light was on and it had a small ding on the fender, but other than that, it was pretty nice.
I am going to check out a few newer models before I buy.
Thanks for all the help everyone!

2001 with 65k miles for $29k! Am I the only one impressed at how well our trucks are holding their values? That is not far below what it sold for new back in 2001 after the GM'y rebates. Kinda makes them house, errrr I mean truck payments easier to make! JJ ):h

2001 with 65k miles for $29k! Am I the only one impressed with how well these trucks are holding their values?:confused: Kinda makes them house, errr I mean truck payments easier to make! ):h JJ

I just got off the phone with a dealer in Colorado. He has an 04 CC SB 4X4 with 45K for $29K also. It is an LT. It's Blue with grey leather. I am considering this one right now, I just have to sell my truck to get the payments right. :(

Check out the trucks in the classifieds here. I have mine listed, and there are a lot of others there too.

Got any pics of the White 03?

My 03 is black. My 04 is white. Send me an e-mail at rftj@netzero.net and I will send you pictures. Just let me know which one you want them of.