DRW vs. SRW for towing fivers

I towed a 10,000# fiver for 4 years with a SRW 2500HD. Recently traded for a F450 dually, primarily to get a larger back seat area for 3 growing kids:) The first time I towed the same fiver, I noticed an immediate difference in stability. Although I never felt "on the edge" stability-wide in the SRW, the dually is definitely better. Of course now I'm eyeing bigger fivers........

fairhaven wrote:
Have had both. Current truck is a 2010 F350 SRW and the truck before it was a 2008 Ford F350 DRW. Current truck pulls a Columbus 365RL (39'7") and had a delivered weight of 12,370lbs. I don't know what the loaded weight is. Previous truck pulled a Montana 3400RL (40') and had a dry weight of about 12,700lbs. Did not know what its loaded weight was either. I can't tell a bit of difference between the towing aspects of either. I don't feel any less safe in my current truck pulling my current fiver and I have been in some pretty high winds crossing mountains and the Columbia River gorge. I personally think the whole thing (DRW vs SRW) is way over blown. Most who own a dually will tell you that is what to own for this and that reason. I say BS.

Nice to use the term "BS", maybe it means "Boy Scout"? I was one, an Eagle with 3 palms:)

You are in a minority if you can'tell a difference in the two trucks, especially cornering or towing on curvy mountainous roads, which I would think you've done a quite a bit of.

High winds..can't tell a difference? Again, you're in the minority

No one ever said one would or wouldn't "feel safert",never was a part of the original topic...in fact, all that was mentioned was the word, "stability", as in, "the dually would afford 'a little more of a stable towing experience' than a SRW truck"...nothing more, nothing less..."urban legend"? Ok, you got our attention and as you can tell my the majority of the post, most say the ride is more stable. Safer?
Probably to some of us...

oh, if I were you, though you also have no problems towing of course, I would, AT THE VERY LEAST, want to know what the GVW of my 5er is..If I looked it up correctly, it's 15,910#....something that one should know, "urban legend" or not:)

tvfrfireman wrote:

Denny & Jami wrote:
I have towed with both and will never go back to a srw.

Denny

x 2

X 3!

Have had both. Current truck is a 2010 F350 SRW and the truck before it was a 2008 Ford F350 DRW. Current truck pulls a Columbus 365RL (39'7") and had a delivered weight of 12,370lbs. I don't know what the loaded weight is. Previous truck pulled a Montana 3400RL (40') and had a dry weight of about 12,700lbs. Did not know what its loaded weight was either. I can't tell a bit of difference between the towing aspects of either. I don't feel any less safe in my current truck pulling my current fiver and I have been in some pretty high winds crossing mountains and the Columbia River gorge. I personally think the whole thing (DRW vs SRW) is way over blown. Most who own a dually will tell you that is what to own for this and that reason. I say BS.

Never having towed a fifth wheel but after years of following this and other forums on the subject of SRW or DRW I went with DRW for my first tow vehicle. I have no regrets and the hips don't bother me as much as the wheel base and the need of 2 1/2 parking spaces designed for mini coopers plus I enjoy the hike in from the hinterland.

Ya, ya, ya. So we have to park out in the fat a$$ parking section at Walmart. Big deal. We all need the walk. It is not that far. As far as the daily driver around town argument goes, get a car suitable for the job & dirt cheap to run. Get a Toyota Yaris, a Mazda 2 or something else that gives 30 plus mpg in the city & drives like a go cart i.e. fun.

Awww geese Horizins, that is like asking if you like wide or narrow butts.

That stability issue is an urban legend in my book.

I can run down the road with cruise on with the SRW with hands off the steering wheel.

Yaaa Yaaa we all have opinions, ya know how that is.

lakeside013104 wrote:
Towing 14,000# 5er with 8 wheels on the ground. No issues and no regrets.

Lakeside

I'm assuming that includes 4 wheels on the 5th wheel?

My truck was a single wheel 3500. I made it a dual wheel 3500. I tow a 12,000 lbs 35' 5'er. I will not be making it a srw again, ever. Nuf said?

thomasmnile wrote:

richfaa wrote:
We have never pulled a heavy 5th wheel with a SRW for the simple reason that both of our 5th wheels exceeded the Pin weight capabilities if a SRW. If you can find one that is within spec's for the 5th wheel you plan to pull no problem.

Agree. Our fifth wheel's hitch weight was within the payload/rear axle capacity of our truck..........by design. Did not want a dual rear wheel truck, the SRW longbed is already like navigating the Queen Mary.

And, we never noticed any stability issues while towing.

You really shouldn't notice any stability issues while towing..possibly...what most are saying is, "IF" you have towed the same 5er with a SRW truck AND a DRW truck, the dually will normally offer a MORE stable towing experience...Unless you've towed the same 5er with both over the same terrain, it's really hard to understand. I didn't until I did it.....