[michaellross]

We bought our 2014 BigHorn EcoDiesel July 2014, now have 16k miles on it, no troubles - other than the first time I went to tow my 3 horse slant trailer, the tires immediately blew. The provided tires are simply not enough for towing anything of significance. My trailer weighs about 3000 lbs, and the horses are each another thousand pounds. But I talked to my local Les Schwab tire dealer, who recommended ten ply Toyo tires, and no problems since then.

Within the last month, we got a Superglide 5th wheel hitch, 12k version Traditional Series SuperGlide - For Short Bed Trucks | PullRite Hitches since we have the short bed 4 door quad cab. I wanted to get a Reese hitch with a Revolution, but was told it would not work for this truck. However, except for the weight, we've been happy so far with the Pullrite Superglide. We've taken 2 trips with it now, no real issues.

We got a 6700 lb KeyStone Cougar 2006 278EFS fifth wheel, 27 ft long, one slide out. Plenty big for just the two of us. Our first trip was sort of a shakedown cruise to get used to the RV and the towing of a larger vehicle. We've had a Class A motor home in the past, and hated how much it broke down, so we decided to go for not an extra motor to maintain. The 5th wheel is what we really bought the truck for. So the first trip was just Forest Grove, OR to Corvallis OR, to help my son do his college orientation. Yes, we're retired. No problems, though we stuck to a pull through site.

2nd trip was a bit more arduous, Forest Grove to Leavenworth Wa. where there are some significant mountain passes, twisty roads, and so on. Did the Icicle River RV park with a backin site. The EcoDiesel had plenty of power for going over the mountains towing the 5th wheel. The mileage on both trips was a bit lower than I'd been hoping for -- about 15 on the first trip, and 14 on the second. However, we did have a lot of mountainous driving, and on the second trip coming back, decided to try going down I 405 / I 5 and ran into huge traffic jams, so the truck spent a lot of time idling, not good for mileage. The truck had the oomph to back the trailer uphill at the campsite, and into the spot. Don't let anyone tell you that the EcoDiesel can't handle a moderate 5th wheel (as I've read some places). We've been pleased.

 

[billMKE]

My problem was that I went to a dealer, looked at a similar fifth wheel and the rv dealer pretty much told me he wouldn't sell it to me with this truck because of weight limit, bed length etc

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[jeffjcalweb]

pictures - we only believe pictures.

i'm glad you find your truck meeting your expectations. finding a light weight 5th wheel was the key. do you have the air suspension, as that certainly makes the hitch more complicated to install. i think there's another member with the air suspension and 5th wheel setup. anyway thank you for sharing. and i'd say 14mpg with a 5th wheel is phenomenal, nothing to be disappointed about at all.

 

[TexasJoe]

My problem was that I went to a dealer, looked at a similar fifth wheel and the rv dealer pretty much told me he wouldn't sell it to me with this truck because of weight limit, bed length etc

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A dealer turning away a sale based on his knowledge of the Ram , not sure if I'd go back.

 

[RB33]

Great post and sounds like a nice setup. Going to Leavenworth did get you some good passes and glad the ECO proved it can handle it. I have nearly 22000 miles on mine and about 8 to 9 thousand or a little more are towing. We tow a 35ft TT and the truck handles it very well. I have 3 or 4 post in the tow haul section about are travels. We are in NE Oregon.

 

[Mcsap]

We bought our 2014 BigHorn EcoDiesel July 2014, now have 16k miles on it, no troubles - other than the first time I went to tow my 3 horse slant trailer, the tires immediately blew. The provided tires are simply not enough for towing anything of significance. My trailer weighs about 3000 lbs, and the horses are each another thousand pounds. But I talked to my local Les Schwab tire dealer, who recommended ten ply Toyo tires, and no problems since then.

Within the last month, we got a Superglide 5th wheel hitch, 12k version Traditional Series SuperGlide - For Short Bed Trucks | PullRite Hitches since we have the short bed 4 door quad cab. I wanted to get a Reese hitch with a Revolution, but was told it would not work for this truck. However, except for the weight, we've been happy so far with the Pullrite Superglide. We've taken 2 trips with it now, no real issues.

We got a 6700 lb KeyStone Cougar 2006 278EFS fifth wheel, 27 ft long, one slide out. Plenty big for just the two of us. Our first trip was sort of a shakedown cruise to get used to the RV and the towing of a larger vehicle. We've had a Class A motor home in the past, and hated how much it broke down, so we decided to go for not an extra motor to maintain. The 5th wheel is what we really bought the truck for. So the first trip was just Forest Grove, OR to Corvallis OR, to help my son do his college orientation. Yes, we're retired. No problems, though we stuck to a pull through site.

2nd trip was a bit more arduous, Forest Grove to Leavenworth Wa. where there are some significant mountain passes, twisty roads, and so on. Did the Icicle River RV park with a backin site. The EcoDiesel had plenty of power for going over the mountains towing the 5th wheel. The mileage on both trips was a bit lower than I'd been hoping for -- about 15 on the first trip, and 14 on the second. However, we did have a lot of mountainous driving, and on the second trip coming back, decided to try going down I 405 / I 5 and ran into huge traffic jams, so the truck spent a lot of time idling, not good for mileage. The truck had the oomph to back the trailer uphill at the campsite, and into the spot. Don't let anyone tell you that the EcoDiesel can't handle a moderate 5th wheel (as I've read some places). We've been pleased.

From your description, it sounds like you were pulling somewhere in the neighborhood of 6K and the tires immediately blew ? Sounds like you were way iver on your tongue weight. While the SRA's are not great tires myself and others have successfully towed without issues. My trailer is 5,750 dry and I had no issues pulling it 60 miles to get it home.

Would I buy SRA's to replace them ? No ! But I am not ready to throw them out either. I will sensibly inflate them , keep my speed at 62 or less and distribute all added weight evenly.

 

[VernDiesel]

If I remember correctly in his first post it stated something about pulling the loaded horse trailer on gravel which if it was rough cut larger gravel may have been too much for the SRAs especially if they were either under or overinflated. Other than being a little sloppy feeling with a 6,000 pound trailer I have had no trouble with mine. I will replace them with something better as well because I do pull frequently and may load it heavy at times but I believe it was a good bang for the buck choice for RAM for the average consumer. I just wish RAM would offer a better tire as a cost upgrade. Some of the 2500/3500 SRW come with an E rated 20" rim tire.

 

[loveracing1988]

If I remember correctly in his first post it stated something about pulling the loaded horse trailer on gravel which if it was rough cut larger gravel may have been too much for the SRAs especially if they were either under or overinflated. Other than being a little sloppy feeling with a 6,000 pound trailer I have had no trouble with mine. I will replace them with something better as well because I do pull frequently and may load it heavy at times but I believe it was a good bang for the buck choice for RAM for the average consumer. I just wish RAM would offer a better tire as a cost upgrade. Some of the 2500/3500 SRW come with an E rated 20" rim tire.

All 2500 and 3500 trucks come with E rated tires. The 1500 Outdoorsman comes with E rated silent armors and they are an option on the Tradesman, just nothing in the 20" rim department.

 

[VernDiesel]

I know. It's the 20" rim that I was referring to. Since you get an E rated 20" tire on the HDs why not offer it as a cost option on the 1500s? And maybe there is a legit answer such as in RAM doesn't want to encourage people use the 1500/ED when they should be using a HD anymore than they already do.

 

[509diesel]

Do you have a 5'7" box or a 6'4"?

 

[michaellross]

We have the 5'7 bed. Sorry it's been so long since I've been here - we've been traveling! We drove from Oregon to New England, down the East Coast, and back through SE US to Kansas, then north through Colorado, Wy, ID and back to OR. All pulling the 5th wheel.
Problems encountered:
1. Driver's side mirror quit being able to lock in place. Replaced under warranty thank heavens, over $600. Duct tape fixed temporarily.

2. The engine light came on, and the catalytic converter had to be replaced - dealer in Kansas jury rigged it enough to make the light go off and get us home. Awaiting results.
The trip was about 9k miles. We averaged 11 mpg. I wonder if it would have been better without the catalytic converter problem. Wind was the main factor on mileage though.

On the horse trailer incident - yes, we probably were over our tounge weight - 2500 lbs of horses plus 3000 lbs of trailer - but I pulled this with my previous Chevy Suburban gas engine with no issues. And no issues since putting on the new tires.

Sorry- no passes in Leavenworth - guess we didn't know our way around well enough since it was our first time there.

So, I guess we're past the honeymoon period We've been over the Rockies and back, survived 50mph wind storms, and generally made out ok, except for the catalytic converter issue. We were still getting 24 - 26 mpg when not towing, driving around New England.

 

[Haul N Grass]

Nice post !!! Air or coil suspension?

 

[RB33]

michaellross
That sounded like a great trip. Is Alaska next ??

 

[michaellross]

No, we don't have the air suspension. I've seen some folks say that won't work well with a 5th wheel hitch. We bought a truck off the lot, so we didn't choose options.

 

[michaellross]

Coil

 

[michaellross]

Probably not - our daughter lived in Alaska for 3 years, and we visited her then. Beautiful place, but not much other incentive to return. I'm allergic to cold and snow. I think the next time we venture out on a longish trip it will be south.

 

[RB33]

michaellross Where in Oregon, I spend the summer in Cove OR when we are not traveling and winters in Elk Wash.

 

[choochooman74]

Let me know how you make out in the long run. It sounds like you're overweight. I am more than likely overweight towing my Hybrid, even though I am way under "towing capacity". I haven't brought the unit to the scales and basing it off of my scale weights with my Jeep and the fact that the Ram has slightly less payload than my Jeep, and also that some items from the trailer are now in the bed, and that I added a roll up tonneau cover and bed rug. There is some "wiggle room" between the GVW and the Rear GAWR. Have you weighed the setup yet?? 7000lb shipping is probably at least 8500lb ready to travel and 1140lbs pin weight is probably at least 1500lbs ready to camp, and the weight of the hitch is approx 350lbs. That is almost 1900lbs of payload before adding people. If you go get weighed, I am curious at where you are in real world numbers.

 

[choochooman74]

My problem was that I went to a dealer, looked at a similar fifth wheel and the rv dealer pretty much told me he wouldn't sell it to me with this truck because of weight limit, bed length etc

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Good dealer to go to. Cares about your safety and the safety of the public before a sale.