5'er w/a short bed?

[klenger]

When Dodge made the quad cab for 2003, they made the rear part of the cab 3" longer than the 2nd gen. models. That 3" came from the truck bed on the short box trucks. On the long box trucks, they made the whole truck 3" longer to keep the box at 8'.



I was trying to find a web site with dimensions from cab to rear axle, but the specs aren't published. They also don't publish how high the top of the bed is from the ground. Both of these dimensions are critical to 5er towing.



I wish they would buiild a 7' box. Might be just right for towing a 5er, and still 1' shorter for maneurving.

 

[crebelein]

yeah, i've also been looking for those numbers... guess i will have to wait to measure mine or hope somebody else measures theirs... yeah, a 7' box would probably work great for towing a 5th.

 

[C Schomer]

They didn't have short box diesels in 97 but I can't even find cab to axle for the short gassers in my 97 brochure. The wheelbase for short box was 16" shorter so I guess that came off the box, puttin the old short box cab to axle at 40". So if the 03 shortbox is 37", it would take at least a slider of some kind. You couldn't put the hitch a foot+ behind the axle. I sold my box the day I brought it home and put the box on I just built for a 5th wh. . I shortened the rear (behind the axle) 5" and tapered the sides down at the rear. If the big 3 would do that, they wouldn't be able to build them fast enough! Craig

 

[mgonske]

'03 SB Measurements & Pull-Rite Question

I just checked rough measurements on my '03 QC SB. From the garage floor to the top of the lowered tailgate, just at the back edge of the bumper, is 37" (harder to measure at the axle, where the hitch would actually be).



A rougher measurement, made with a tape measure on the floor and dropping a level from the back of the cab and the center of the wheel, looks like about 38 and a half inches between those points.



I towed with my '98 QC SB and just an extended pin box for 3-1/2 years with no problems. Yes, you have to pay attention when backing.



I'm considering a slider for this new truck. Maybe someone familiar with the Pull-Rite can answer a question for me: Do you always have to hook up/disconnect exactly straight in line with the trailer? It looks like the fin you have to attach to the trailer would force you to give up the flexibility of disconnecting at an angle. If that's the case, I might rather put up with the bother of a manual slider.

 

[kbarlow]

My measurements, with an empty bed, are 3 inches lower at the tailgate than a 4x4.



The bed rails at the cab are 51. 25 inches, at the tailgate 53. 5 inches. Thats with OEM wheels & tires.



Cheers Ken

 

[klenger]

I would be interested in knowing the distance from the cab to the center of the rear axle on an 03 SB.

 

[Fireman]

mgonske,



You have to line up pretty straight. In theory anything within 15 degrees of straight should work. It never presented much of a problem for me. The hitch has a couple of minor drawbacks, but the thing is so slick that the drawbacks are easily overlooked or overcome.



my 2 cents US

Fireman

 

[kbarlow]

Originally posted by klenger

I would be interested in knowing the distance from the cab to the center of the rear axle on an 03 SB.

klenger



36. 5 inch give or take . 5 of a inch



Ken

 

[klenger]

Ouch, I knew it was bad. Why couldn't DC put the axle back a bit more. I'm going to need to redraw my picture for that one.