Dualie vs SRW benefits?

noteven wrote:
Bobs - way back in the day when dual wheel pickups started to appear on the roads pulling ever more larger RV trailers us truck drivers called them "training wheels" hahahaha...

:B :B

Bobs - way back in the day when dual wheel pickups started to appear on the roads pulling ever more larger RV trailers us truck drivers called them "training wheels" hahahaha...

We have both around summer base. The number 1 advantage to having training wheels is you can run much lower air pressure in the rear tires and enjoy a better ride without having to air up every time you put 1/2 a load in the rear. In addition the dual rear wheels don't fit in every hole in the streets and roads.

They also have better sidewind "stability" when towing "RV" type trailers (and others) with their axles 1/2 way up the trailer and the long weathervane tail out behind.

If you tow a trailer like a gooseneck flatbed or stock trailer with a dual or SRW they track so nice it's more your choice of truck because they don't sway around.

Main disadvantage - rocks jammed between the tires and poor tracking in certain mud and snow conditions.

After my first dually, I will never go back to a single. I love the highway stability in adverse conditions, towing in the wind, passing by semis in the other direction etc.

I personally like the LCF that the big 3 duallys have. (Look cool factor)

Some people argue - more tires to buy! Who cares, big deal.... every 50K miles you gotta put 30% more into rubber. Divide that out over the miles and it's not that bad.

Yes, you have to learn to watch the back in tight turns around obstacles, but it becomes second nature after a short while.
I park a little further away in store lots and such. I'm not afraid to walk a few feet more.

I had a customer once, the proverbial " little old lady", look out at my truck and exclaim " Oh look, a truck with hips!"

blaczero wrote:
Hey guys, I have been looking at the F350 for a 5th wheel I will be buying and I am confused about SRW / DRW.

According to the towing weight / GCWR, there is only about 500lb difference between SRW/DRW.

Why would you go dualie then? I figured SRW with 6.7' bed would be better driving w/o the 5th attached, better to get in and out of parking lots etc...

What am I missing?

Well you were likely looking at the wrong chart, as a DRW with not only have a greater tow rating, but more importantly a much higher Payload capacity.

It matters what you are looking at towing, most feel the line to go DRW is between 14,000# and 16,000# 5er GVWR
Even a SRW has a towing capacity of 20,000#+/-, but don't have the payload to carry it. Depending on what you carry in your TV, personally I carry a bit. we have a 5er with a 2,800# pin, had I gone with a SRW i would have likely been within about 200# of GVWR. We went with a DRW and have an extra 1,200# or so of excess payload.

The other thing to keep in mind is Payload doesn't equal how much pin weight you can carry. Before you can talk pin weight you need to need to subtract everything you have added to the truck (TV) after purchase. Actually a much easier and more accurate method is to get every thing added to the TV, passengers, tools, hitch, firewood, and fuel. Then head to the scales and weigh the TV. Best to get separate axle weights. Nowadays with a SRW you might have more total payload available than you have available rear axle payload available.

As to wheel base and bed length, I much prefer an 8' bed for towing a 5er, no issues with 5er to cab contact, in addition a long wheel base gives a smoother ride both loaded and unloaded.

We full time and our 2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW CC LB is our daily driver, there are a few drive thru I will not that it thru, but other than that no real issues.

Last question what are you looking at towing with it.

Tow rating rarely limits the size of 5th wheel you can pull. Payload does.

The engine and transmission is essentially the same, so how much pull isn't much different (dually may have a deeper rear diff ratio to give a small boost).

Payload in a dually is significantly heavier, so less likely to hit the max payload before hitting the max tow rating.

Long vs Short bed...long bed is definitely preferable. Short bed, you either need an expensive specialty hitch or you constantly have to be careful to avoid hitting the truck cab.

So what is the trailer you are planning to pull (with GVWR numbers)? If the SRW is capable, I would take that over a dually.

Off to the TOW VEHICLES

Why would you go dualie then? I figured SRW with 6.7' bed would be better driving w/o the 5th attached, better to get in and out of parking lots etc...

AS one poster say the 3500 srw has a 7000 rawr = around 3500-3600 lb max load in the bed payloads.

The 3500 DRW has those big 9750 lb RAWR for approx 6000-6200 lbs in the bed payloads.

The trucks rear axle will carry all the trailer hitch load plus other necessary junk we throw in the truck so how much weight are you carrying.
The SRW/DRW have the same engine tranny so both will pull about the same weight.

OK, here's the car guy response. If you can, definitely buy the DRW. Come resale time, SRW 1-ton trucks are not near as sought-after as DRW's. You'll definitely see a better ROI and have a much more marketable vehicle. Just food for thought.

ferndaleflyer wrote:
No comparison. 1/3 more rubber on the ground = more stability especially in wind or passing trucks and the longer wheelbase rides 100% better.

Actually a DRW has 50% more tire on the road. The 2 extra tires are 33% of the DRW total.

I’ve had more DRW’s then SRW’s. The only 2500 I’ve had was a 97CTD with LTE tires, 3042 pound rating. The tow rating was 10,500 pounds with that 3.54 rear end and when I got a trailer that was close to that weight, the ride felt like a boat, and I wasn’t comfortable with it at all, even with airbags. I WAY prefer drw long beds and I’ve daily driven them for decades.
I would really like to know what changes they’ve made on late model SRW’s so guys can tow 17,000 pound trailers and claim they’re every bit as good as a dually. What tire capacities and axles
do they have? Craig