Thinking of trading from a 2500 duramax to a 3500 dully duramax. I work in construction, and go to different job sites when needed. My daily miles could be 25 to 50 round trip to home. Just wondering how many drive there dully,s as a daily driver.

I do.It is no big deal. One will find that the width of the vehicle is really NOT problematic.It usually comes down to length, especially considering a crew cab, long box truck.Then, dually or single rear wheel, the length presents problems swinging into parking places and such tight fitting areas.Mind you, I do avoid drive through's for banks or fast food places. But I avoided them before having a dually, so no major change for me.

Its all in the hips...Seriously though when I had my semi I would drop my trailer when I got back and drive home while stopping at a couple of places,Wal mart pizza joint video store, along the way and never had a real problem as long as I knew what my limits where and payed attention to the idiots around me. Also my wheelbase on my semi was 236" and a mid roof to boot so yeah it was a little tricky in some places.

Love my 2500, but I love it even better on the open road. I'm a contractor as well, and on days when I'm using it to meet a client, or swinging by a job site, then bids for a half dozen homeowners in tight neighborhoods, cul de sacs, narrow roads, etc, it feels like I should be in the SUV. I still drive it though....

I've been using a dually as a daily driver since 05'. I would base my decision on whether or not I "NEED" a dually. I purchased a dually, initially, because of the weight of my 5er, thus the reason I opted to own one and also use it as my daily driver. New 2500/250's and a lot of 3500/350 SRW trucks have upped their GVWR's, RAWR's and GCWR's, (some research and a little math would tell you if one of those would work for you)...just something to think about. I like towing with the dually best. IF you're planning on towing "heavier", or planning on getting a heavier 5er "later on", then it's your call. After towing with SRW and DRW trucks, when it comes to towing a little heavier, I'll stay with the dually....Once you get use to the "wide hips", it's no big deal....yeah, you may "have" to park out a little further or nix going through some drive thus, (though I've never had this problem), but with the truck "loaded with all options", it's a pleasure to get in it and drive it and it's even more of a pleasure to tow with it:)

Most folks concentrate on the width but that is really not the problem. The problem is length. Especially if you have a crew cab long bed truck. This is usually only an issue in parking garages and more urban areas. If your mirrors fit then your duallies will fit... Just drive past an obstruction some before you turn. This will keep your fenders from dying a nasty death. Thanks!Jeremiah

Daily driver | Good Sam Community

chevor
Explorer
Apr 07, 2014
I get 4 mpg less empty with my 2013 dually compared to my 2010 2500. Pulling economy is close to the same.
john_bet
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2014
I drive a dully daily on the same federal,state,very narrow county roads and city streets as I drive my 2500. The dully is 8' wide,11' tall and nearly 40' long. Oh, its a school bus.
The_Mad_Norsky
Explorer
Mar 27, 2014
davidbt wrote:
Also has two Alternators, not sure why.

Actually, you could order it that way. I did on my 2003 Duramax Chevy dually.

Believe it was meant most for the cab/chassis versions to be made into ambulances, but anyone could order it at that time.

Mine was the LT version. A great truck (except for injectors which went bad).
B_Sjulestad
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2014
2014 GMC D/A DRW 4x4 and my daily driver.
davidbt
Explorer
Mar 26, 2014
NC hauler, thanks. The 05 has 179k +/-. It's what my budget will allow. Can't find many for sale here in N. Cali. This truck is on a lot in S. Cal. The pictures show a very clean body and interior. Also has two Alternators, not sure why.
NC_Hauler
Explorer
Mar 26, 2014
davidbt wrote:
Thanks every one. My 2500 is maxed with are 5er now, and since we full time, were thinking of going bigger for a little more comfort. The wife has a Dakota that we do weekend shopping with, so I think it makes since to go dually. I have my eye on an 05 cc duramax. Thanks all

I had an 05 LLY D/A dually...good truck, towed my 14,500 5er well....Might want to check it out well, some of the LLY's of that year had a cooling problem...Mine got really hot once towing in the mountains, but didn't go into limp mode or give me a coolent temp. message, temp just went higher than I'd ever seen it go. I'd just check it out really good and see how many miles it has on it...Mine was a good truck, replaced it about 2 1/2 years later with an 07.5 Chevy D/A...they're great trucks.
davidbt
Explorer
Mar 26, 2014
Thanks every one. My 2500 is maxed with are 5er now, and since we full time, were thinking of going bigger for a little more comfort. The wife has a Dakota that we do weekend shopping with, so I think it makes since to go dually. I have my eye on an 05 cc duramax. Thanks all
sail2liv
Explorer
Mar 26, 2014
Yes to driving big long trucks....rent enterprize $9.99 a day if have small area to go to.....
Peg_Leg
Explorer
Mar 26, 2014
I see a lot of CC long bed 2500 and 3500 SRW our here. Towing is not the issue, it comes down to weight carrying capacities. Dually's add at least 3,000 lbs of increased payload.

Do you need a dually?
Answer: How much weight do you have on your rear axle?
M_GO_BLUE1
Explorer
Mar 26, 2014
Been using mine as a daily driver since 2005