DRW Stability

X2 for the last three posts. They take out the emotion and instill facts. A SRW driver for 24 years, always within the weight rating and sometimes towing doubles. My wife also tows sometimes without any issues. And we live in Colorado so we have the wind and mountain curves often mentioned here as the need for a dually.

RA,

You might be a little different than the typical RVer. You drove duals for a lot of your life with your CDL, you understand loading and ratings. Most RVers don't have a CDL, have not driven semi trucks, and as of at least the last fifteen years have purchased heavier and heavier fifth wheels, many that are at or over manufacturer SRW tow ratings. Especially the 18,000 pound triple axle toy haulers and fifth wheels that many use for full timing. So what you can do easily since you have done it all your working life might not be as easy to a person just stepping up to a new larger fifth wheel. And the OP, by virtue of asking the question, obviously has an interest in stability perhaps due to some concerns or issues at one time or another with the SRW truck as a tow vehicle. The OP also admits that he/she has never driven a dually for towing so that important piece of the OP's experience is missing. The OP asks the question, everybody answers in their own way, that is good.

If we can take out all the emotional issues and all the 'elephant fenders make the truck unsuitable for daily driving and parking' issues that are not what the OP asked about, the answers are pretty clear--if the manufacturer recommends a dually for towing a fifth wheel that is over a certain weight, then you probably do. If the fifth is light enough to be under or at the manufacturer's SRW ratings then you probably don't. They do the testing and make the recommendations. Why should we second guess their testing?

Unfortunately most of the SRW trucks that have higher payload ratings are regular cab, 2x4, and gas engines. Most of the heavily optioned trucks that are 4x4, crew cab and diesel have significantly lower payload ratings. If I am not mistaken, the Ford web pages provide for a deduct of about 1000 pounds from the payload for the 6.7 diesel engine option. Add enough options and a heavy enough pin weight and the manufacturer is back to recommending a dually.