DRW disadvantages
Hello all, I have been reading the forums for awhile (and have learned so much), but would like to ask a question to make sure I havent overlooked anything. I searched but couldnt find a topic for...
Forum Discussion
Truckasaurus is a dually, and she's also my daily driver right now. Here are my observations:
If the mirrors fit, the hips fit. When turning, go a little wide and keep one eye on the inside mirror and you'll be fine.
Drive-thru lanes can be a little hairy when they're curved tightly. This is not due to the duals, but because my truck is a crew cab with a 9' bed and has leaf springs on the front end. This gives it the turning radius of an aircraft carrier, so I sometimes have to make a k-turn in the drive-thru. It keeps me out of fast food joints, which is better for my expanding waistline in the long run. I consider that a plus.
Forget about automatic car washes. You will not fit.
Parking is fine. I can fit into nearly any space, but I prefer to back in or get a "pull through" spot when I can. Since getting hemmed in by cars makes me a little nervous, I usually park in the back of the lot. This gives me exercise, which is good for my expanding waistline. I consider that a plus as well.
Traction (when unloaded) is not as good as with an SRW truck. The increased contact patch on the rear tires acts like a set of snowshoes and makes it easier to hydroplane or break loose on ice, snow, sand, dirt, et cetera. I don't drive fast in low-traction conditions, so I don't have a problem with it. Even if I had single rear wheels, I'm not likely to drive an 8,000 pound truck like an Indy car when it's raining... too hard to stop in an emergency.
Speaking of stopping in an emergency, the gigantic 4-wheel disc brakes with 4 piston calipers and ABS on my F450 will stop my truck and trailer (even with no trailer brakes) on a dime. Very reassuring. Of course, when I'm unloaded the suspension is stiff enough that I can run over that dime and tell you what year it was minted.
The biggest plus for me is that when I'm towing my 15,000# fifth wheel, it's rock solid stable. I've seen SRW trucks getting wagged around in a breeze when I'm not even moving or swaying.
Also, if I lose a rear tire on the highway, it's not a white-knuckle emergency because... I have another one back there! I do not ever want to be the guy who's rig is flipped over in a ditch on the 6 o'clock news. DW would peel my skin off and use it to make macabre wall art if I crashed her vacation home.
The two extra wheels make sure that I am never anywhere near my maximum weight limit.
I cringe when I read posts here from people who say they're just fine because they have 100 pounds to spare in their GVWR. If I had less than 20% left over as safety margin when fully loaded, I'd buy a bigger truck or a smaller trailer. 3,000 pounds of tongue weight plus passengers, gear and 90 gallons of diesel fuel still leaves me with over 3,000 pounds of available payload capacity in my truck bed. I know it's overkill, but I'm just fine with that.
If the mirrors fit, the hips fit. When turning, go a little wide and keep one eye on the inside mirror and you'll be fine.
Drive-thru lanes can be a little hairy when they're curved tightly. This is not due to the duals, but because my truck is a crew cab with a 9' bed and has leaf springs on the front end. This gives it the turning radius of an aircraft carrier, so I sometimes have to make a k-turn in the drive-thru. It keeps me out of fast food joints, which is better for my expanding waistline in the long run. I consider that a plus.
Forget about automatic car washes. You will not fit.
Parking is fine. I can fit into nearly any space, but I prefer to back in or get a "pull through" spot when I can. Since getting hemmed in by cars makes me a little nervous, I usually park in the back of the lot. This gives me exercise, which is good for my expanding waistline. I consider that a plus as well.
Traction (when unloaded) is not as good as with an SRW truck. The increased contact patch on the rear tires acts like a set of snowshoes and makes it easier to hydroplane or break loose on ice, snow, sand, dirt, et cetera. I don't drive fast in low-traction conditions, so I don't have a problem with it. Even if I had single rear wheels, I'm not likely to drive an 8,000 pound truck like an Indy car when it's raining... too hard to stop in an emergency.
Speaking of stopping in an emergency, the gigantic 4-wheel disc brakes with 4 piston calipers and ABS on my F450 will stop my truck and trailer (even with no trailer brakes) on a dime. Very reassuring. Of course, when I'm unloaded the suspension is stiff enough that I can run over that dime and tell you what year it was minted.
The biggest plus for me is that when I'm towing my 15,000# fifth wheel, it's rock solid stable. I've seen SRW trucks getting wagged around in a breeze when I'm not even moving or swaying.
Also, if I lose a rear tire on the highway, it's not a white-knuckle emergency because... I have another one back there! I do not ever want to be the guy who's rig is flipped over in a ditch on the 6 o'clock news. DW would peel my skin off and use it to make macabre wall art if I crashed her vacation home.
The two extra wheels make sure that I am never anywhere near my maximum weight limit.
I cringe when I read posts here from people who say they're just fine because they have 100 pounds to spare in their GVWR. If I had less than 20% left over as safety margin when fully loaded, I'd buy a bigger truck or a smaller trailer. 3,000 pounds of tongue weight plus passengers, gear and 90 gallons of diesel fuel still leaves me with over 3,000 pounds of available payload capacity in my truck bed. I know it's overkill, but I'm just fine with that.
