SlowBro
Florida
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Never towed fifth before, on the lookout for a tow vehicle, I see these kinds all day long for a lower price. But can they be adapted fairly easily for a fifth? This is assuming the tow rating is sufficient. What else do you need to know to answer my question? Please go gently, am a fifth newbie ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Pictures as an example of the bed only. I would get a crew or extended cab.
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/YqzRUQO.jpg)
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/G1bXDKA.jpg)
* This post was
edited 07/13/21 08:21pm by SlowBro *
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rjstractor
Maple Valley, WA
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Full disclosure- I'm not a fifth wheel guy myself. One potential issue I see is that the sides of the utility body look taller than a typical pickup bed which could lead to clearance issues with the trailer. Raising the hitch itself could allow for clearance, but that then creates problems with the hitch being too high to keep the trailer reasonably level while towing. But if the truck in question is clean, reasonably priced and otherwise capable, removing the utility body and replacing it with a flatbed or fifth wheel towing type body might be an option.
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Cummins12V98
on the road
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Sell the utility bed and throw on a flat bed setup to tow a 5er.
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mtofell1
Oregon
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Yeah, get rid of the boxes and go flatbed and you would be pretty well setup. Regular cab can be a comfort "challenge" though. No room to slide your set back and no storage behind you. It will get the job done but it will feel like you're driving a Uhaul truck.... everyday.
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Old-Biscuit
Verde Valley
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AS suggested Above^^^^
And it being a Dually should not have issue with 5th wheel WET pin weight
Is it time for your medication or mine?
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SlowBro
Florida
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mtofell1 wrote:Yeah, get rid of the boxes and go flatbed and you would be pretty well setup. Regular cab can be a comfort "challenge" though. No room to slide your set back and no storage behind you. It will get the job done but it will feel like you're driving a Uhaul truck.... everyday.
Yeah, chose the pictures as an example of the bed only. I would get a crew or extended cab. Okay thanks everyone, I've marked this one as solved.
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Solved? What's your "solution?"
There is a reason old service trucks are less expensive. It's not because of the service body. Those are in demand. People get in fist fights over a good used service body for sale.
The reason is they are rode hard, put away wet, abused, beaten. When they go up for sale, all the useful life has been squeezed from them. Those service bodies are nowhere near as resistant to rust as a conventional body. They're usually rotten inside, hinges seized.
A good service truck that is going to be the reliable tow vehicle that you need will end up costing as much or more than a conventional pickup.
Even without the technical issues of dealing with clearance over the service body, I would not recommend an old service truck as a tow vehicle unless you find that once-in-a-lifetime deal on a fairly new one, but you're going to have the same odds finding the same deal on a conventional pickup.
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BurbMan
Indianapolis, IN
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mkirsch wrote: Those service bodies are nowhere near as resistant to rust as a conventional body. They're usually rotten inside, hinges seized.
Since the OP is in Florida, I don't think he'll see the same rust issues on used trucks that you see in upstate NY where they salt the roads in the summer too....
By "solved" I think the OP is agreeing with the multiple suggestions to simply replace the service body with a flat bed and sell the service body.
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dodge guy
Bartlett IL
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I would by one, remove the body and find a place that can install a factory take off bed, plenty of clean beds out there.
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hornet28
Muskegon Mi.
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dodge guy wrote:I would by one, remove the body and find a place that can install a factory take off bed, plenty of clean beds out there.
As long as the wheel base is the same that's a good plan. But a good idea to check that before buying
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