Buying 4500 and have questions

[Wiredawg]

Howdy felllow C & C owners,



Just thought I'd share a couple of ideas with you. I have the 220 amp alternator and PTO prep. This means there are some extra power access points at the mid point and back of the truck. There is a alternate power distribution panel under the hood that supplies these points. I recieved an upfitter kit with the truck that has some heavy duty fuses, a connector w/ several wires and a schematic for accessing power. I purchased two Painless Wiring relay/fuse panels that I'm going to mount one under the hood and one to the rear of the truck. The one under the hood will feed accessories such as my CB, gauges some switches for aux fuel tranfer pump/valve and exterior lights and some additional interior lights. The one to the rear will power future air compressor, lights in the tool boxes and perhaps an outlet in the side boxes for electric accessories like a portable light for changing tires etc... .



One thing... the factory service manual has good info (not sure I like the CD over paper manual), but there isn't any upfitter info. I have been accessing the Dodge website and downloading pages (and pages) of useful info. I'm still reading and learning about capabilities and features and how to use them.



As for trailer wiring, I'm disappointed the wiring is 14 gauge for the main electric feed, ground and electric brake feeds, but the rest of the trailer wiring is 18 gauge. Seems the factory would put 10 or 12 gauge, especially on a comercial rig. I guess I'll keep it as it works OK on my 3500 and on my wife's 2500.



This is gonna take a while as it is terribly hot out these days. As always, I'm open to suggestions and advice. I'll still keep updating to this thread as I make progress on this project or uncover some new information.



Take it easy and stay cool,



Ron

 

[HBarlow]

Ron,

I think all C&Cs have power available for PTO related needs and also at the rear. I ordered my truck w/o PTO but also received the extra harness.

It's been awhile since I reviewed the outfitter website but remember it being excellent. I printed out most of the sheets and saved them as a booklet in the truck.

I too am disappointed at the small gauge trailer charge wire. I don't think the truck is really capable of recharging depleted trailer batteries but I don't worry about it much since my fiver has a factory Onan generator set. On my first Ram I added a heavy gauge charge wire with a switched relay to power it but haven't ever gotten around to doing it on this truck.

 

[SPucillo]

Wiredawg,
What is the wheelbase of your 4500?

 

[Wiredawg]

SPucillo.



It's 188" wheelbase and 84" from back of cab to rear axle.



Wiredawg

 

[SPucillo]

SPucillo.



It's 188" wheelbase and 84" from back of cab to rear axle.



Wiredawg

Does anyone know of a company that makes standard looking beds for C&C trucks?

I wonder what an "extra" long bed would look like?

I need my truck to look "normal" to avoid punishment by the Republic of California.

 

[Wiredawg]

SPucillo,



There is a company named Warner that makes a 9'?'' bed for the 164"/60" config. The bed was around $12,000 w/ turnover ball.



1 AQ2153 9' Pickup Bed for Dodge 60" Cab and Chassis 10,177. 00

Include the Following Paint - Base Coat / Clear Coat to Match Truck

Sprayed in Bedliner

7 Pin Connector in Bed Area

30K Turnover Gooseneck Ball

1 AQ2153-2 Delete Bed Rails -180. 00

1 AQ2153-3 Class 5 Receiver Hitch w/ 7 Way Plug 508. 00

1 AQ2153-4 5th Wheel Companion - Drops Into Turnover Ball Holder 967. 00 967. 00T



I don't think they make one for the longer chasis. Also, there is a thread where a guy w/ a 5500 installed a 3500 dually bed that looks really good.



Wiredawg

 

[FFeiller]

SPucillo, the republic of CA reserves the right to require anyone operating a 4500 or 5500 to file and display a CA number for either private or commercial use.



Be careful when you have your truck rated for your veh license plate for your weight GCVW, if you register for the minimum empty truck weight you can be fined by the CHP if you haul or tow anything and the fines are steep.



The CHP has told me that they can fine any 4500 or 5500 running a weigh station. the pickup bed means nothing to them, it's the weight rating.

 

[SPucillo]

Anyone ever tried to put a standard 3500 bed on a 4500? Ok, I know someone had done it so I should ask, who has tried this, and how did it turn out?
I know a person that did it to an F450 and it took some very minor welding of the front mounts.

 

[Wiredawg]

SPucillo,



A member installed a bed on a 5500... he posted pics too on the TDR. I think if you are good fabricating/welding you can do it too. He had more frame sitcking out the back, but I think did a good job modding the 3500 bumper to it. He had a gap between the bed/cab, but didn't look bad.



All,



I installed the Painless Wiring fuse panel on the firewall, but it was a little painful positioning it. OK, I couldn't resist the pun. I ran the wires through the firewall and have them rolled up. I ordered a lighted switch panel from a police/ambulance supply and it arrived last Thur. It has four lighted rocker swithes, one rated at 30amps and three rated at 15 amps. One will control the fuel transfer pump/solinoid, one for daytime driving lights, one for backup spots, and one for tool box lights. I am going to mount it in the the filler piece of the console where a standard transmission shifter would go. I'm mounting a Cobra CB above it in the filler panel where the Laramie upgraded console would go. Bought an offset drill Sat at Sears to drill the exaust manifold. now, I'm just waiting to find the special tool required to remove the panel on the top front of the dash to run gauge circuits to the gauge housing. I want to install all electrical at the same time. I have a second Painless Wiring fuse panel to run to the rear of the truck for other circuits later on. I will shoot some pics and post them.



On a final note... dang it's hot down here... this is another obstacle to completing the project any faster.



Stay cool all,



Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

All,



Been a while since I posted. Latest lesson was on running extra lights on an 09 w/ the computer monitored lights. The upfitter section on the Dodge website and my service manual CD state you can tap into lights to run addtional LED lights, but must use a relay w/ power source from the battery. I installed 13 LED running lights (4 on each side on the running boards and 5 in the front on the wind spoiler). They worked about three days, before blowing a fuse. There wasn't a short. So, I installed a Painless Wiring panel under the hood, and ran the full time power to the contacts of the relay and the relay operate circuit from the tap I previously operated the LEDs off of. They've worked great since I did it about three weeks ago. I also added more running lights on the bed off of the same relay. Looks great at night.



Wiredawg

 

[JGilbert]

Ron,



What hitch did you get installed? How is it installed? Just bolted to the bed?



Joe

 

[Wiredawg]

Joe,



It's a B&W Turnover Ball welded to the tow body bed frame. Then, I got the B&W Companion 5th Wheel hitch. Very nice. I wish this had been installed in my 3500 when I bought it.



Ron

 

[JGilbert]

Ron,



Your B&W does not look as tall as most I have seen. How did you get what looks like a smaller one? How did you determine how high your hitch needed to be?



Still no 4500 or 5500 for me, but still looking.



Joe

 

[Wiredawg]

I'm not sure it's the Companion that is lower or the bed. but is actually slightly (about an inch) shorter than the hitch in the 3500. I looked at the B&W website and did not see any height options. Seems like B&W could offer this option though.



Thought I'd mention looks like I'm getting 12. 8 mpg and I get about 13. 5 on my 3500. I'm happy with it.





Wiredawg

 

[JGilbert]

Wiredawg,



A friend of mine has gotten a 5500 with a CM hauler bed on it. He had a Binkley 30k low profile hitch installed and off they went from Texas to North Carolina.



I got a strange email from him yesterday that "they" are telling him that with the C&C trucks he "needs" an air ride hitch instead. I do not know who "they" are, but what has been your experience? How has your fifth wheel trailer done with the regular hitch?



Joe

 

[Wiredawg]

Joe,



The hitch and the ride is good on mine, w/ about 3. 6K lbs hitch weight. I could see it could be too stiff on a 5500 and could buck. I can't see any other benefit of an air ride hitch other than improved ride. I never heard that recommendation either. Just tell him if it feels good, do it.



Ron