Just bought the Dodge Megacab 3500 in May and love the truck. Am now about to get the gooseneck hitch installed (looking at B&W Turnover) and need some advice. The Mega has a short bed and I am now finding out that I cannot go 8' wide on a trailer and that I might even run in to problems with a 7'6 wide. Does anyone have this truck and are you hauling with it? We are looking at several trailers (Elite, C&C, 4 Star) and people are also telling me to make sure that whatever we buy the nose must be 'tapered' for our truck. Does this just mean rounded on the front corners? Any advice appreciated.
Posted 2006-08-16 10:03 AM (#46723 - in reply to #46719) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560 Location: Mena, AR
Welcome to the forum!
I've never heard that a short bed has a problem with 8' wide. What the reason that you are given? You should be able to do just fine with a 8' and shortbed. Just be careful w/ tight turns. Tapered nose means, not square corners.
Posted 2006-08-16 10:39 AM (#46726 - in reply to #46719) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Expert
Posts: 2689
Originally written by Stylin' on 2006-08-16 9:03 AM
Just bought the Dodge Megacab 3500 in May and love the truck. Am now about to get the gooseneck hitch installed (looking at B&W Turnover) and need some advice. The Mega has a short bed and I am now finding out that I cannot go 8' wide on a trailer and that I might even run in to problems with a 7'6 wide. Does anyone have this truck and are you hauling with it? We are looking at several trailers (Elite, C&C, 4 Star) and people are also telling me to make sure that whatever we buy the nose must be 'tapered' for our truck. Does this just mean rounded on the front corners? Any advice appreciated.
Hi and Welcome to the Forum.
Bed length is irrelevant, cab to axle distance is what matters - see other posts.
The geometry for doing 90 degree turns (spins) goes about like this;
1/2 the trailer's nose width needs to be less than cab to axle distance minus 6 inches - 4 is allowable, but 6 is preferable.
Many of the 8ft wide trailers taper to 5ft at the nose, it isn't always obvious unless you sight along the side of the trailer looking from the front, this is a taper of 18 inches in about 7 1/2 ft and doesn't look like a pronounced "point". You only NEED C/A of 34 or 36 inches for these.
CA on most "long bed" pick-ups is about 58 inches, 60 inches on the chassis/cab models, which is why they can handle trailers that are a full 8ft wide at the nose. 58 - 6 = 52 So you could go to trailer that is a full 8ft 6in wide at the nose.
BTW, if this is your first gooseneck trailer - don't believe that you will never need or want to do spins (full 90 degree turns).
Situations arise (-:
Posted 2006-08-16 11:42 AM (#46730 - in reply to #46719) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Member
Posts: 11
Location: Oklahoma
The B&W hitch is a great hitch and it is very universal. It will set 45 1/2" from the back of your bed forward on a Mega Cab Dodge. Most Gooseneck hitches set 3" to 4" ahead of the axle Depending on Year, Make, and Model. This is the minus 6" needed on Reg Post. (Which is great Info by the way). The trailers you have listed all build an 8' wide trailer with an 8' wide nose and a Tapered Nose to 6' or 5'. As long as it is tapered on an 8' wide trailer then you will be able to turn your trailer a full 90-degree and not have to worry. And believe me don't give up any turning room. I have run into problems on some Wedge nose (or V-Nose) gooseneck trailers that didn't have the clearance as the tapered noses did. But just know that B&W has a Ball Extender that you can purchase that drops onto the same slot in the in the truck bed that moves the trailer back about 4", if you do run into the problem of not having enough clearance. Good Luck.
Posted 2006-08-16 3:07 PM (#46754 - in reply to #46719) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
New User
Posts: 3
Location: Georgetown, TX
Thanks to everyone for the prompt replies. I'll do some measuring and think I will add the B&W ball extender just to be super safe.
One other potential problem that was mentioned to me by the 4 Star dealer was the actual depth of an LQ trailer nose. They said that if I was in a situation where the truck had to go down a steep hill and then back up right away the trailer nose might clip the cab on it's way back up whereas a trailer with just a dressing room was not as deep. Do I need to be concerned about this when looking at LQs?
Posted 2006-08-16 3:21 PM (#46756 - in reply to #46754) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 366 Location: Albany, Oregon
Originally written by Stylin' on 2006-08-16 1:07 PM
One other potential problem that was mentioned to me by the 4 Star dealer was the actual depth of an LQ trailer nose. They said that if I was in a situation where the truck had to go down a steep hill and then back up right away the trailer nose might clip the cab on it's way back up whereas a trailer with just a dressing room was not as deep. Do I need to be concerned about this when looking at LQs?
You should always pay attention on very uneven ground...long box, short box, anything. you can get the bed rails into the trailer even on a long box. You will have to learn the rigs limitations while you use it! Just be aware!
Posted 2006-08-16 5:00 PM (#46766 - in reply to #46754) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Member
Posts: 11
Location: Oklahoma
Stylin
You do want to watch out for a 4 wheel drive Ford or Dodge trucks hooked up on a trailer with a drop neck or low neck. You can get into the side of your bed really easy. The drop necks don't usually affect the back of the cab. Allow at least 6" if your are careful and 8" or more to be Ok any where you can go, (highway roads) if you must drive off into bar ditches or steep grades then hit them at an angle so the truck and trailer both make the same pitch together and you will be less likely to get into your bed rails. But test your clearance and know your rig before you make the mistake, because it cost money to learn from them.
Posted 2006-08-16 8:30 PM (#46781 - in reply to #46754) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Expert
Posts: 2689
Originally written by Stylin' on 2006-08-16 3:07 PM
Thanks to everyone for the prompt replies. I'll do some measuring and think I will add the B&W ball extender just to be super safe.
One other potential problem that was mentioned to me by the 4 Star dealer was the actual depth of an LQ trailer nose. They said that if I was in a situation where the truck had to go down a steep hill and then back up right away the trailer nose might clip the cab on it's way back up whereas a trailer with just a dressing room was not as deep. Do I need to be concerned about this when looking at LQs?
Define "Deep".
If they mean that the nose of an LQ trailer precedes the coupler more than the nose on an unfinished trailer does... maybe you COULD have some unusual backing up issues.
BTW, there is probably no GOOD reason why most trailers couldn't have a very rounded nose that is always very close to the cab whatever the angle between the truck and trailer - other than "style". Just think of all the space you could have in the trailer - ahead of the coupler.
Of course you wouldn't be able to carry anything in the truck bed, buy hey, life is full of trade-offs (-:
Posted 2006-08-16 8:44 PM (#46784 - in reply to #46781) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Expert
Posts: 2689
Ahh, gottit.
They seem to mean going into a dip, i.e. the trailer is still going down in when the truck is already coming out - forwards. Use of the word "back" confused me temporarily. Yes, I can see that the folding up of the resultant Vee could smack the cab, but I think it would require a trailer with a LOT of front overhang in front of the coupler - and/or a wicked fold up angle in a ditch. You'd be closing a 4 ft or so gap at cab height.
Mayhap you should just get a truck with adequate cab to axle length (-:
Posted 2006-08-17 9:46 PM (#46886 - in reply to #46719) Subject: RE: 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
Veteran
Posts: 148 Location: columbia tn
hello i pulled a cimmeron norstar 3horse lq 28' total length with a 02 dodge extended cab shortbed 4x4. i had no problems with clearance before you buy a trailer hook up and check it out.. they let me at the dealer i even took it down the road awhile...because i was concerned of the clearance issues.. i did trade to a 05 dodge crew cab 4x4 long bed and i admit i like it alot better more for the stable ride with dual wheels than clearance issue. if you love your truck you will find a trailer that will suit your needs... try to go with widest i have a 8' wide and my friends bought the same trailer in 7'wide and they are already trying to sell it.. that extra foot is more than you think when it runs all the way down the trailer... there is never enough room it seems if i had it to do over i would of bought the same trailer in a 4 horse... hope this helps...
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Megacab
