3 across in Dodge truck with crew cab

jrabbit

New member
Not really sure how to describe it, but here is a picture:

http://www.autoroster.com/ram-1500-2011.html/ram-1500-2wd-crew-cab-140-5-laramie-2011-6

and here:

http://www.ramtrucks.com/shared/201...comforts/secondary/12_HD_Interior_Laramie.jpg

Apparently, the crew cab has this funky small seat in the middle. Mega cab has a regular middle seat. We are buying a new truck next month, and we are wondering about these seats. We will be traveling full time, towing our RV. Not driving every day, but exploring the world from our truck.

We have 3 daughters, who are currently 12, 8 and 3. They are average weight and height, I think. Oldest is under 100 pounds and sits with regular seat belt. Middle uses a high-back booster, and she is anxious to outgrow it - but our rule is only when she's tall enough. The youngest is rear facing still, in the middle, in a Radian. We are hoping to keep her rear facing until she maxes out the weight on the seat.

So, the question is: can her seat rear face in this short seat? Can it forward face? I think putting either of the older girls in the middle will cause mutiny, so it really is best this way.

thanks
--janis
 
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LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Ah... That was our plan at one point: to travel full-time with our Ram and fifth wheel... Didn't happen, but I hope it works out for you :)

We have the MegaCab so we don't have that issue. We did look at the Crew, though, and I set my daughter's rear-facing Radian on the center seat. I *think* it didn't work, but I can't remember for sure, and I know I didn't install it. Actually shoving it in there might have worked.

Hopefully someone else will be along with a better answer for you.
 

bubbaray

New member
What will you be towing? Because most people who RV will want more than a 1500, most will want the 2500 or 3500. Not sure if the bigger trucks have those seats. I think you'd have to try it before you buy.

From a car seat point of view, Ford trucks are the most car seat friendly IMO. For serious RVg, most people go with Dodge 3500 HD Diesels, though. Second would be the GM/Chev diesels.

For recreational RVg, we have a 2011 Ford F150 and it is great. We are limited in what we can tow, though. If we'd gotten a Dodge 3500HD diesel, we could have towed anything and then some.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
The second link provided was for 2500/3500, so I think the first link for 1500 was just for illustration purposes. But yeah, I couldn't imagine long-term RVing with three kids in anything that could be towed with a 1500 ;)
 

jrabbit

New member
No, the pictures were just illustrating the seats. We are looking at humongous trucks. DH knows all about it. We are currently driving a Dodge 2500, I think, and we're getting something bigger. DH just asked me tonight about the seats, and I thought this was the perfect place to ask :)

thanks! Still hoping someone has definitive knowledge of these seats :) I imagine there is a price difference between the crew cab and mega cab, but I'm not troubling my brain with all those details. :eek: It's all I can do to keep the kids healthy - we are currently living in a 25' travel trailer, and we are focused on not killing each other til we can find a bigger 5th wheel. We've been researching this thing for years, just sold our house, and we're excited about the future!

--janis
 
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LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
If you're keeping a blog or something, I'd love to read it :)

Are you considering the MegaCab at all? If so, you won't have to worry about that weird middle seat :D The drawback, though, is that it cuts into the bed space. That means it's only available in a short bed, so that can be problematic with fifth wheels. We had a sliding hitch which took care of the issue, so it's not impossible by any means, just something to consider.

I realize that wasn't really your question, though. :p
 

abreuer88

New member
Hi!
Dodge is a great choice ;)
We have a 3/4 ton(2500) and its only a crew. I strongly suggest that you get a mega cab! The back of the cab on our pickup(2007) is incredibly small. With our 7mo old rf in a britax behind the drivers side our seat has to be very far up. Lucky DH and I arent tall people! Although I do believe that the new pickups have a full sized cab rather than a crew. I tried to put the britax in the middle in the back and the seat was 'ok' as per the seat manual. You are allowed some overhang. But it doesn't have the latch in the middle seat and I would rather use that. And using the middle seat means I have to climb in and out often which I'm not prepared to do! I'm not sure the size difference in the britax advocate vs radian but our seat when in the middle did have some overhang. I would def take the seat to the dealership and try them both out! With three girls in the back I would suggest the mega cab though. They have SO much more room! Especially if you will be traveling a lot!
HTH!
*enjoy your new truck!*
 

Dorothy

New member
I'm going to make another vote for the Mega Cab. :) All of DH's work trucks have been the crew and extended cabs with that silly short middle seat. I loathe that short center position! Aside from the full-size back seat, the Mega Cab has dedicated tether anchors instead of those infernal loops. That was important to me, because I have one rearfacer and one that recently went forward facing.

When we were looking at new pickups, the members here gave me tons of great feedback. I fell in love with the Mega Cab. <3 Unfortunately, our needs changed, and I didn't get one. Boo!

Happy shopping!

Sent from my phone using the app :)
 

philhyde

New member
Thank you all for the input. Our current truck is a 2006 Mega cab, and we love the room. However, the 3500 truck in the mega cab doesn't offer nearly the same towing capacity as the crew cab. So I'm afraid if this won't work, we'll have to look at other options.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
philhyde said:
Thank you all for the input. Our current truck is a 2006 Mega cab, and we love the room. However, the 3500 truck in the mega cab doesn't offer nearly the same towing capacity as the crew cab. So I'm afraid if this won't work, we'll have to look at other options.

Really? I didn't think there was a difference. Our 3500 Mega Cab has the capacity to tow a small city. How much are you looking to tow? The gear ratio plays into it also.
 

Pixels

New member
My parents 5th wheel full time. They drive an F-350 diesel dually, full back seat, full size bed. The thing is huge. Plenty of tow capacity for their 39 foot fifth wheel, even going over the Rockies. Back seat is very child seat friendly.
 

bubbaray

New member
If you want to stick with the Dodge in the 2500 series there is only 300 lbs difference in towing capacity for the crew over the mega cab. That is pretty insignificant IMO. FYI the Ford 350 super duty diesel has a much higher tow rating than the Dodge. Worth a look IMO
 

bubbaray

New member
LISmama810 said:
Really? I didn't think there was a difference. Our 3500 Mega Cab has the capacity to tow a small city. How much are you looking to tow? The gear ratio plays into it also.

The 3500 appears to have a lower tow rating, at least in the 2012 MY, than the 2500. The 3500 has a higher payload tho
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
bubbaray said:
The 3500 appears to have a lower tow rating, at least in the 2012 MY, than the 2500. The 3500 has a higher payload tho

That appears to be the case in the 3.42 axle, but if you go to 3.73, the 3500 is considerably higher. I admit I don't get how these things work though.
 

bubbaray

New member
LISmama810 said:
That appears to be the case in the 3.42 axle, but if you go to 3.73, the 3500 is considerably higher. I admit I don't get how these things work though.

OK. That makes sense. I was having trouble navigating the dodge site and it d/n make sense

OP there are a lot of towing options. I would stick to the Mega cab if you stay Dodge and build your truck from there. If you are willing to look at Ford they have nice interiors.

If you might possibly have another child stick with Ford b/c it has a proper l/s belt center front and permits car sears there. GM doesn't and I'm not sure about dodge
 

Kaitsmom

New member
I just have to say, my dad has a F150 crew cab, full backseat and front center seat with lap/shoulder belt and headrest, and its amazing for space and car seats. I havent checked out the bigger F series but if they have the same kind of interior and higher towing capabilities and payloads I would totally go with one.
 

philhyde

New member
This is the document I'm referring to:

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/towing_guide/pdf/RAM.2500.3500.Towing.Specs.pdf

RAM CREW CAB 4WD LONG BED DRW (Laramie) has payload of 4,430lb and max trailering capacity of 19,550lb.

3500 RAM MEGA CAB 2WD SHORT BED DRW (Laramie) has payload of 2,970lb and max trailering capacity of 18,300.

So the issue for us is payload. Our fifth wheel will have a pin weight of nearly 3,000lb. Also factoring in fuel/people/stuff, we will be close to the capacity on the crew cab truck.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Are you sure about that pin weight? Our fifth wheel was enormous (42 feet, 11,500 GVWR) and the pin was only about 1,600.

With a pin weight of 3,000, you're looking at 1.5 tons, and would need a 4500, I think. Although my husband is the one who understands this better than I do, which is why I leave stuff like this to him.
 

bubbaray

New member
Payload is what you carry in the box -- ie., bales of hay, for example. For the weight of the contents of the 5th wheel and the weight of the passengers, that is tow weight or tow rating. .

That Mega cab has a short box, so it has a smaller payload (ie., carries fewer bales of hay). It also is a 2WD not a 4WD and AFAIK, the 4WDs usually have higher tow ratings.

If you are close to the tow rating of the truck, you tow "dry" -- ie., empty your tanks. They weigh a lot. If you want more tips on towing light, LMK b/c that is an issue for us with DH's F150. We always tow dry. We also tow a lightweight/featherweight trailer for this reason.

I'm not clear on pin weight. DH tried to explain it to me and I'm not really clear on that. It sounds like it has something to do with the hitch??

Honestly, I would pick the truck you want and then find a 5th wheel that it can tow. You spend a lot of time in the truck and IMO, the Mega cab is a huge plus for backseat passengers. I'd be pretty surprised if you can't find a nice 5th wheel that a 3500 Mega cab diesel can't tow.

JMHO

ETA: and tow ratings aren't just dependent on the truck size. It also has to do with axel and gear ratios.
 

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