Forum Discussion

fhedrickjr's avatar
fhedrickjr
Explorer
May 14, 2018

Dual rear wheel or single rear wheel?

Hello all!! Brand new here to the forum. I have just purchased and brought home our new 5th wheel(with a buddies truck)and I am getting mixed reviews on which setup to get. Our 5th wheel is a Palomino Columbus 42" 7" 2,600 tongue weight,13,300 "dry", 16,600 +- laden. I have my eye on a '17 RAM 3500 4x4 with the 6' 4" box, SRW, with the Cummins 6.7. I have had several people tell me I NEED a Dually, it will ride better and be more stable, which makes sense but, is it really "necessary"? I am not ready for a DRW due to reasons of my own, however, if I am kidding myself, I would like to hear it from others who tow 5th wheels. Thanks!
  • Cummins12V98's avatar
    Cummins12V98
    Explorer III
    May 14, 2018
    You really want/need one of these. Fact is you can easily have a 25% pin weight, up to 4,150#.

    Get the Factory rear air ride, you will thank me!

    First pic alt ride height. Second alt ride with 9,750# on the 4 rear tires. Ride height does not change.


  • justme's avatar
    justme
    Explorer
    May 14, 2018
    I pull a 16500 GVW 40 ft trailer with a 2012 F350 SRW. Everything is well in Ford's spec except the combine weight which is 300 lbs over. However the 2017 F350 have a much higher combined weight rating which would make everything well in their specs. Their aluminum body allowed a much stronger frame and increased their specs. However I have pulled my trailer for 70,000 miles coast to coast and have never had any problems or felt unsafe. I consider my trailer is the max the F350 SRW will pull safely and comfortably.
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    May 14, 2018
    You need a dually!
    The advertised "dry" pin weight which you posted is a myth. Pin weight will be approx 20% of its loaded ready to travel weight. Lacking a loaded ready to travel weight use the trailers GVWR. You already said it has a 16,600 GVWR, so 20% of that is well over 3300 pounds. It could top out at 4000 pounds easily. With a SRW truck you will likely exceed tire load rating, rear axle load rating, and a whole bunch more.
    Long bed, short bed? That debate will go on for ever. Personally I have no use for a shprt bed. The loss of two feet of bed space is just too much for me to give up.

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