She didn't like the DRW.

[wgm2011]

After years of research and planning, 2014 is (was?) the year we get a nice 5th wheel and do some traveling.

The good news is the wife and I both really like the Heartland Big Horn and Big Country 5th wheels. We're looking at their smallest unit but even those at around 35' length loaded will come in at 14,000#.

I'm in this to travel for relaxation. I've no interest in any white knuckle driving. We will mostly travel the nice and flat Mid-Western USA but don't want to rule out a trip or three into the Rockies at some point. Just trying to be realistic, we need to buy a 1 ton DRW pickup at a minimum.

The bad news, we test drove a nice Chevy 3500HD crewcab 4X4 this past weekend. We barely made it around the block and my wife, the driver, pulled the truck over and said "NO, I'm not driving this thing."

She has no problem with a surburban, but those two extra wheels just don't sit well with her.

I still want the Heartland but now she wants me to find an RV that is 2500HD acceptable. I've not worked up the numbers recently, but last spring we were trying to find a fiver that would work with a 3/4 ton pickup. I don't know what others consider an acceptable pin and loaded trailer weight, but I don't think there is much out there that's really rated for a 3/4 ton truck.

So I've got three options. 1)Find a 5th wheel small enough to work well with the smaller truck (might be able to talk her into a 1 ton SRW, but that don't increase the ratings by much) or 2)keep trying to convince her the 1 ton DRW will grow on her in time (married 35 years and really don't see this happening) or 3) just blow it off and make some hotel reservations.

Any recommendations? Anyone out there that really hated those dual rear wheels but after a while just got used to them? Or am I being too critical on how much a 3/4 ton can carry? Those of you with 3/4 ton trucks, what do you consider acceptable?

I guess I'm just sort of burned out. Had it all figured out and that goes out the door with one little test drive. (Oh, and to all those truck salesmen that have a funny line to use in this situation, trust me. They will not think its nearly as funny as you do.)

Thanks.

Bill

[jerem0621]

I had a Dually, said all the same things, it's as wide as the mirrors, swing wide, drive past etc etc.

Busted the back of a Dually fender with a utility trailer I could not see the trailer and I turned too tight. Then there was the time that we took the truck to the movies. I parked in the boonies with nothing around me.

I came out of the movies to find my truck had been swarmed by commuter cars. It took me several minutes to wiggle my way out of that pickle (not for the faint of heart btw)

Eventually, I sold the Dually. I hated it, it didn't work for 98% of my life.

My next HD Truxk will be a short bed SRW much much happier.

Ymmv. I agree with your wife.

Thanks

Jeremiah

[outdoorlovers]

Yeah for Deb!

[drfife]

I tow an Excel Winslow 34IKE with a GMC 3500HD SRW standard bed truck.

I am within specs for the truck with the trailer loaded for a trip. CAT scale weigh verified.

I've towed 15K miles through all terrains without issue.

I am very pleased with the comfort and safety towing with my SRW 3500 truck.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Deb here: I have driven duallys and hate them. And it's not that I can't handle "size" because I drive our 28' Class C all over - BUT: the Class C is an RV. I expect to park it and use a toad. Whatever is towing the 5er is also a "car"; and after using our F-350 SRW as a "car" for a few weeks and discovering what a PITA it can be to park - I can't imagine dealing with a dually.

Granted, if we wanted a much larger trailer, then I'd simply deal with the dually needed to pull it. But if there was an option for a SRW, I'd sure go for that first.

(Sarcasm coming) And since MY husband seems to LIKE having me along and sharing the driving and set-up duties; and feeding him; doing the laundry and housework and making his life generally better for the last umpteen years.... he asks for, and respects, my opinions 😉

[Dog_Folks]

Okie1 wrote:
Exactly, If you will look around campgrounds you will see many more SRW trucks towing trailers in your range than DRW.

Most campgrounds have a majority of weekenders, that tend to tow with what they have. Go to a park with mostly full timers, and you will see mostly dual wheels. That is how it is in the park that we spend the winter.

People that tow full time tend to spend the money to have a stable, towing platform with a good hitch. 80% of a full timers driving time is on unfamiliar roads, in unfamiliar areas. JMHO

[joebedford]

Okie1 wrote:
Exactly, If you will look around campgrounds you will see many more SRW trucks towing trailers in your range than DRW.

Nah. It's cos' they're 'chicken'. 🙂

[joebedford]

My wife doesn't like the dually but she drives it. The driving difference between a long box 2500 and a 3500HD dually is mostly psychological.

Having said that, I see lots of 3/4 ton trucks pulling trailers that are way out of their weight class and most of those people don't die. Does your wife 'feel lucky'?

[jmtandem]

Any recommendations? Anyone out there that really hated those dual rear wheels but after a while just got used to them? Or am I being too critical on how much a 3/4 ton can carry? Those of you with 3/4 ton trucks, what do you consider acceptable?

The dually is no wider than the mirrors so the width should not be an issue and a dually is no longer than a SRW truck; but it can handle more weight and is more stable both major plusses.

I think the wife should drive one for a day or so and the intimitation factor will likely go out the window. l certainly would work through the dually issues before giving up after a lap around the block. Really, how is that a determnation of anything? But, if momma ain't happy nobody is! Good luck.

[Okie1]

Exactly, If you will look around campgrounds you will see many more SRW trucks towing trailers in your range than DRW.

Slownsy wrote:
As far as if the mirrors fit the mudguard will is rubbish only in a straight line when turning rear cuts in and that is why so many duallys drive around with wrecked mudguards.
Frank.

[MPI_Mallard]

glitch/sorry

[MPI_Mallard]

When we first bought our Ram dually I got the same reaction from Frau Blücher, actually the poor woman(at 5'-1")can't even see over the front fender let alone drive even with the seat n' pedals all the way up! OK, so it's all about compromise,I get that, but if you wannna' do this properly you'll need a dually,,period! With the dually you get better traction/better braking/an extra tire there in case of a blow-out and mostly piece of mind. I know the argument between SRW/DRW is a hotly debated topic but in my experience I wouldn't pull my fiver without a dually. In our situation Frau Blücher does all the driving and I get to hold the steering wheel! Since we started full-timing and our snow-bird lifestyle we seem to do everything together and that applies to the driving so her not being able to drive my baby isn't an issue for us. I know someone's probably going to chime in on "what if he has a heart attack or if they want to split pulling their fiver", we never travel more than 7 hours and not pulling a big fiver like yours with a truck not up to the job should reduce your probability of having a heart attack out of worry! Tell her that you simply can't compromise both you and her's safety on the road!

Red Green:
If repetition wasn't a good thing, why would
people get married?

[JTrac]

Our GMC is a SRW and we are under the weight specs in all areas, not by much, but under. Maybe our experience is different but ours is a very stable, very comfortable, easy to stop ride. We have put 16K miles on it in the past 2 seasons and hit some very stiff crosswinds, especially on I70 in western Kansas and eastern Colorado and never once felt unstable or even remotely unsafe. We do have a set of Air Lift bags on the truck and 7K axles with disc brakes and J rated Michelins on the trailer. I have a Trailair Center Point air suspension system sitting in my shop waiting for the weather to warm to install on the coach. We hit some really rough roads in our travels last year and am hopeful this will help calm the earthquake inside the trailer.

My truck is my daily driver and it is not much different than driving the half ton I used to own.

[BB_TX]

Definitely look at the new 350/3500 SRW trucks. The tow and payload ratings go up every year. Likely they will handle that trailer with no problem.
I tow a 35' 5er, but not quite as heavy, with a 2012 F350 SRW. Within the ratings and no problem with stability at all.
And I am like your wife. I don't like the DRW either.

[Dog_Folks]

Marriage some times is a compromise. Show her what you can safely tow with a single, and then show her what you can safely tow with a dually.

Your wife has to understand that there is a limit to what each truck will tow.

She might be willing to make a sacrifice in floor plan to use a smaller truck. Just remind her that 95% of your time, you be in the trailer, not in the truck.

I was lucky. My wife has a higher class of driver's license than I do as she drove bus. When we road tested our dually, she took it to an empty parking lot, checked parking it, then she checked the turning radius when doing a "U" turn. It passed her tests, so she said: "This one will do." It has been a great truck.

[Vulcaneer]

I agree with your wife. And for the trailer you describe a DRW is not needed. My 5'r weighs in at 14,250 and my F350 PSD pulls it just great.

Not only is the dually width an issue. But so is the 8 foot bed length. Add a crew cab and that is one long (and wide) truck. Especially when turning in tight spots.

Those that have dually's rationalize their capability. And if it works for them....great. It's not for me. And not needed, either.

A F350 or 3500 in later model years will handle the task just fine. If you are thinking more along the lines of 16,000 pounds, then you need a dually.