Drove a unique 4500 today.....

[JGilbert]

I am currently in Des Moines until the end of September. The wife and I are full time rvers that tow a 16,000 lb 39 ft fifth wheel around this great country. We are currently Ford owners. I am, however, switching to a Dodge ASAP! I found a Laramie 4500 C&C at a local Dodge dealer and set up an appointment to test drive it today.



It is a maroon 2008 Laramie 4500 4x2. I was under the impression from the dealer website and emails with the salesperson that it is a C&C. Upon arriving, we soon discovered that indeed it is a C&C but that the dealer has added a $9000 Warner pickup bed. It is a snazzy looking truck but not exactly what I am looking for. I am looking for a 4500 C&C that I can add a hauler bed to. With this pickup bed added to the C&C, the tops of the sides are sticking 61 inches in the air. My fifth wheel trailer would have to be taller than that upon hooking up. That would create an intolerable situation with the trailer being towed nose up quite a bit.



The MSRP was $51,000 and add to that the $9000 for the pickup bed. They were giving $15,000 off, but that still means $45,000 for nearly a three year old truck.



I emailed the sales person back and thanked her for allowing me to drive it and that I loved the truck and would they consider selling it to me without the pickup bed on it so that I could install a hauler bed of my choosing? I'd bet they won't.



I also stated that I thought this was the reason that the truck had not sold. It was too fancy for a business to purchase as a work truck. It was the wrong bed and set up wrong for a person to purchase as a fifth wheel hauler.



We shall see what she says.



Anyways, it rode great. It was not near as harsh as some have said on other sites. Being a 4x2, it did not have the mud tires but instead had the highway ones so that may have had something to do with it. There was no wandering on the freeway. Acceleration was good. Air conditioning worked extremely well. We loved the truck. The only thing we did not like other than the bed, was that it came with the $2000 navigation radio. We don't want that since we use our Garmin. I doubt we will be doing business with this dealer though because I can't see them removing that pretty bed.



Joe

 

[HBarlow]

Joe,

My guess is that is a factory OEM Dodge bed modified with a front section extension. The dealer could easily remove that bed and transfer it to another 4500/5500 ordered in the burgandy color.

You stated it is almost three years old so I assume that it is an early 2007. 5 truck. C&C versions of the early trucks have been essentially troublefree but software updates have been issued to improve some details related to emissions control equipment, particularly the regeration mode. I don't know if minor changes have been made to hardware such as turbos. Also, I have read that some of the earliest '07. 5s did not have the exhaust brake control switch (off/on) or the wiring and ECM activation to operate the exhaust braking feature of the VGT. All ISB6. 7 engines do have the braking capability of the standard turbo.

If you do negotiate a deal for that truck you'll want to make sure the dealer service department updates the ECM software applicable to that VIN and also ensure it has a functioning exhaust brake feature.

 

[Alphacowboy]

looks to be a Megacab as well, I didnt know the C&C came with that option...

 

[HBarlow]

No megacabs on C&C platform.

 

[JGilbert]

It is a regular Quad Cab. It is an 08 model and has the exhaust brake button on the dash. Having never seen a Warner bed on a truck before, I was amazed at the room available inside due to there being no wheel wells taking up space. Too bad it is too high.

I said it is nearly a 3 year old truck because the 2010's are nearly here. They did have to charge the battery to do the test drive. They also had to reflash the computer because the truck would not start after charging the battery.

Nice truck though.

Joe

 

[HBarlow]

My point is it is extremely unlikely that Warner, who builds contractor bodies with storage bins, built a set of metal forms to exactly copy the Dodge pickup bed. It is far more likely that Warner purchased or simply took Dodge pickup beds in trade when installing contractor tool bodies, modified the beds to make them about 6" longer to accomodate the longer frame and modified the frame brackets to support the bed, and sold it with the Warner name.

 

[SNiebaum]

Warner Bodies

 

[HBarlow]

The website claims they actually make it. Thanks for the info. I wonder how well it fits? The website photos are all taken at a distance that makes it difficult to observe details.

 

[JGilbert]

Harvey,



In person it appears that the bed is stock, ie. it fits very well. I know that tailgate seems to weigh a ton.



Joe

 

[SNiebaum]

The website claims they actually make it. Thanks for the info. I wonder how well it fits? The website photos are all taken at a distance that makes it difficult to observe details.

I think they actually make them... . this picture would give credence to that claim as the position of the fuel door is on the rear of the fender as opposed to in front of it... now, a little body work on a stock bed could achieve the same effect...



#ad

 

[HBarlow]

That's a fine fit, IMO, for an aftermarket product. Except for the Wal-Mart grade aftermarket rear bumper, it looks like a great job in the photo you posted.

The only problem is the bed makes the truck useless for towing a big fifth wheel which would be it's best application. Joe Gilbert, the OP, told me he went to the dealer to look at that truck with a tape measure in hand. With a "standard" pickup bed mounted, the bed floor makes a standard pickup-truck-sized fifth wheel hitch too tall. The trailer would have a severe nose high attitude. The owner couldn't use a shortened hitch as I do or a factory Reese LP 30k hitch because if the fifth wheel hitch sits down low in the bed, the trailer's front overhang would have inadequate clearance over the bed rails.

So other than looking good, the fancy bed makes the truck useless as a trailer puller. It would be a huge case of overkill to pull a conventional TT or to be used as a commuter pickup.

 

[JGilbert]

Yep, I agree with you Harvey. I love the truck, but not with that bed on it.



There is a guy on RV.net that has a 2008 5500 with a longbed and he hauls a fifth wheel. I've emailed him to get some details about how he does it. His 5500 appears to have a regular pickup bed, but that is all I can ascertain from the distance of the shot.



Joe

 

[FFeiller]

warner is authorized by dodge to build the bed for the 4500 and 5500 they are the only ones that dodge will refer you too. it is totally fabricated by warner. i have talked to both dodge and warner on several occassions. the warner bed comes with a 30,000 # goose neck hitch.



they started out at 9400 approximately last year installed at their place in indiana and have gone up in price since.

 

[SNiebaum]

That's a fine fit, IMO, for an aftermarket product. Except for the Wal-Mart grade aftermarket rear bumper, it looks like a great job in the photo you posted.



The only problem is the bed makes the truck useless for towing a big fifth wheel which would be it's best application. Joe Gilbert, the OP, told me he went to the dealer to look at that truck with a tape measure in hand. With a "standard" pickup bed mounted, the bed floor makes a standard pickup-truck-sized fifth wheel hitch too tall. The trailer would have a severe nose high attitude. The owner couldn't use a shortened hitch as I do or a factory Reese LP 30k hitch because if the fifth wheel hitch sits down low in the bed, the trailer's front overhang would have inadequate clearance over the bed rails.



So other than looking good, the fancy bed makes the truck useless as a trailer puller. It would be a huge case of overkill to pull a conventional TT or to be used as a commuter pickup.

Good catch on the bumper... . that is a laugher.



I agree on the utility of a bed on a truck this size but I reflect back on what the 'experts' said when the 4500/5500 trucks were released; "why don't they have a truck bed option?? If they don't, I won't buy one... . "

 

[FFeiller]

you see ford 450 and 550 from the factory quite frequently, so there is a market.

 

[HBarlow]

Take another look at them. The Ferd F-450 pickup is not the same truck as an F-450/F-550 chassis cab and is not on a C&C chassis.

I saw a Ferd F-350 pickup side by side with an F-450 pickup at a local Ferd dealer a year or so ago and took the opportunity to look them over. The Ferd F-450 is just a pretender. It is nothing more than an F-350 with 19. 5" wheels and tires, possibly another leaf in the springs. I have forgotten now if it had more springs, probably does.

Not a bad idea, I wouldn't mind seeing Dodge offer the same as an option, but the Ferd only pretends to be the same as a Ram 4500 C&C.

 

[CUMMINZ]

HB,



I think you better take a better look at the F450. It has much better springs than a 350 and also has a 110 rearend.

 

[HBarlow]

Okay, I said my memory had faded but acknowledged the Ferd may have more rear springs and okay, a bigger rear differential. My point is the F-450 pickup is still based on the F-350 platform not the cab and chassis platform.

Still has the same weak engine and five speed automatic also.

 

[JGilbert]

I heard back from the salesperson today and they do not want to remove the bed and sell the truck to me as a C&C only. They do not get it that the sides are too high to be used as a 5th wheel hauler. The sides as they sit are 58 inches from the ground. With my 5th wheel trailer leveled, the overhang is 57 inches from the ground. So you can see that this pickup bed has to go in order to be used as a 5th wheel hauler. Even if I raise the front of the fifth wheel to hookup, there would be no clearance room between the fiver and the pickup sides.



They just called and her boss wants to bring the truck over to see for himself. So tomorrow at 1:30 they will be here and see for themselves what I have been saying.



Joezilla

 

[HBarlow]

Joe,

It's a buyer's market and that truck is old inventory. Hang tough. I bet they sell you the naked C&C like you want it. They've already lost their rear end on that truck just paying monthly flooring costs on it. They can put that fancy bed on another C&C for someone who will pull a gooseneck or haul groceries in the back.