3500/2500 srw or drw

I just moved from a SRW to a dually. Not sure how but when loaded my SRW was almost at tire capacity and almost 1000lbs over GVW. This was with a 9' camper. I camp a lot in BC and they can scale you, they go by GVW... but I believe it is a very rare occurrance.

I like not even having to think about it with the Dually. I really had no adjustment period getting used to the width but the length is a different story. I am actually sort of regretting not going to a 450 with the wide track axle and much tighter turning radius.

I went srw again knowing what it will take to carry my new camper. I'm comfortable with it as I just don't want a dually to drive everyday. If my truck was just mainly a hauler and not much of a daily driver I'd have a dually. They just suck to drive everywhere and I do a lot of off grid camping so the srw works best for me.

"That is why heavier diesel will have lower cargo rating as nobody wants to pay registration for what the truck can actually handle."

I always assumed it has less payload because the diesel is so much heavier.
GVW-actual weight=payload
Not every state has expensive registration costs.

I got the Ram to replace a "over payload" F350. No intention of getting a TC. A year later, I have a TC. I'm under all capacities, barely. No doubt a dually would be better.
I don't know what the cost difference is in Texas regarding capacities. Can't be much, I've never heard anyone mention it. I didn't give it thought when buying my last 3 trucks. I don't even know what my registration costs. $70 or $140. No idea, not enough to worry about.

In my world it boils down to this: a SRW can carry a large heavy camper, I see them going down the freeway every day and I used to do it myself.
But a dually will do it and feel much better, more stable and no worries about overloaded tires.
I know I'll never go back to a SRW for camper duty. The difference in camper stability and stress reduction is that great. But I'm not going to tell you a SRW won't work.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Here we go with wrong information again.

Here we go with vague references. Who/what the heck are you referring to?

Here we go with wrong information again.
Paper payload is for taxation purpose and have very loose connection with actual truck capacities. That is why heavier diesel will have lower cargo rating as nobody wants to pay registration for what the truck can actually handle.
You want to be realistic - check rear axle rating, tire rating and then find how much the truck weights.
2017 Fords are about 400 lb lighter due aluminium body, so their paper rating went up. Actual as well and my dually carries 6500lb camper just fine

HMS Beagle wrote:

TxGearhead wrote:

How do you like the Bigfoot 10.4? What does that weigh all ready to go? Bigfoot specs show about 200# more than my 9.4. I would love to sell our 5th and get the 10.4 and a dually.

Don't know about his, but my 10.4 weighs 3500 with water and propane (no genset or air con). Probably 100 lbs more loaded for a long trip.

I know from previous postings that HMS Beagle avoided things like A/C and others to minimize the number of roof penetrations when he ordered his 10.4, which makes a lot of sense to me, but wasn't a choice we had on buying ours second-hand.

That being the case, our 10.4, equipped with every option available from Bigfoot in 2014 (A/C, Generator, 3 Fantastic Fans, side/rear awnings, backup camera, etc.) was 3642 pounds dry per the end of line weight sheet that came with the camper. That's before the propane, batteries and 44 or so gallons of water it will hold, so our weight compared to HMS Beagle's gives you an idea of the weight range of this particular camper, and how much weight all the options can "pile on".

I went 1700 miles round-trip to pick the camper up, and I was very happy with how our 2017 Ford DRW carried it on the way home, but my guess is that most any stock SRW would have all it wanted and more trying to carry our camper. Others brands, as you probably know, can be even heavier.

Good luck with whatever direction you choose to pursue.

TxGearhead wrote:

How do you like the Bigfoot 10.4? What does that weigh all ready to go? Bigfoot specs show about 200# more than my 9.4. I would love to sell our 5th and get the 10.4 and a dually.

Don't know about his, but my 10.4 weighs 3500 with water and propane (no genset or air con). Probably 100 lbs more loaded for a long trip.

TxGearhead, I'll PM you with responses to your questions to avoid mucking up the OPs thread.