Possibly Downsizing to SRW from DRW
I've been toying with the idea of switching to an SRW soon. Has anyone done it and later regretted it, due to the load you haul, such as truck camper, or towing a large trailer? Looking for input.
Forum Discussion
flyairam wrote:
Jim,
Although I've always towed with SRW and can't comment on DRW manners, you might be interested in my experience.
My SRW Dodge 3500's limiting factor was the tires. My pin weight is 3600, loaded trailer weight of 16,000, which would have exceeded my OEM tire limits (the axle has the same components as DRW, even the brakes are the same). I installed 19.5 inch medium duty truck wheels/tires, a common mod with the truck camper crowd, to solve the tire safety concern.
My truck is very stable towing, in fact, it's more stable loaded than empty. These 19.5s are designed to carry weight-and lots of it. I'm sure having more tires on the ground would only add to stability, but I can't imagine my rig being more user-friendly, it's already night-and-day better than my 10,000 lb. travel trailer was.
One benefit of SRW is fuel mileage, we just completed a 3000 mile trip and averaged a shade over 12 mpg on the lie-ometer (it's very close, though). The 19.5s have less rolling resistance than either OEMs or duals.
Good luck with your decision,
Randy
The older Ram's may have been the same as far as rear axle, but not the new one's as far as rear axle goes. You "can" make the axle the weak link if you use tires that will handle "X" amount of weight, but the axle won't handle it....
I towed from WVa to Asheville NC, 5er weighing 16,300# with 3460# pin weight and lie-o-meter showed I got 10 mpg, but actually I got 9.8...thought that was pretty good for a combined weight of 25, 440#...If towing in the mountains on curvy roads, the Dually offers more stability with heavier 5er's.
