Stability

[Coach-man]

I have a Dodge 2500, and pull my Grand Design Solitude. I know I am pushing the limits of the 2500, and have been worried about high wind conditions. Today, we left PA, heading South, back home on I 81. Heavy cross winds, 30 plus MPH, with blowing snow. Yes I could feel the gusts, but had absolutley no problems going down the road. I managed to keep up to the speed limit. There was a post about black ice, that I constantly kept thinking about as I was driving down the road. But, again I felt confident driving the old Dodge!

[BarneyS]

Things are getting too personal in this thread. Time to let it go down the page.
Barney

[Searching_Ut]

Could it maybe be that there is a misunderstanding of where "Stability" is coming from? Being as how we're talking leaf spring suspension anchored in the same place to the chassis on both SRW and DRW one would assume any stability difference wouldn't be impacted much by the sider axle stance, unless of course folks are picking up the outside wheel in the corners or actually sliding the corners, and given it appears most on this forum don't even tow in inclement weather I doubt that to be the case. Tire sidewall flex is a potential, but there are variable there to where it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with SRW or DRW.

Again, you want a suspension designed and operated within the parameters of the weights and conditions you'll be running in. If it isn't set up for the weight it will wallow, and feel unstable. To stiff and handling and vehicle control will be poor or anything less than smooth roads. My own thoughts are that it is the stiffer suspension designed for heavier loads that folks are liking the feel of and has nothing really to do with the DRW vs SRV portion of the design. Unfortunately, you have to give up significant handling and ride while unloaded to get the heavier carrying ability and capacity.

Personally, I've never agreed with getting too big a truck any more than I have thought to small a truck was wise. Get the right size for the job and try to minimize the inevitable tradeoffs.

[NC_Hauler]

Lantley wrote:

Pipeman wrote:
It always gets into chest beating doesn't it? I tow with a DRW because that's what I wanted. Period. If you want real stability and braking power...get an HDT. It'll be hard for anyone to best you then.....

Some think it's about chest beating. But I've determined on a lot of these threads that unless you have experienced the issue for yourself you don't get it.
There are some towing with 1/2 tons that think they are fine until one day that tow with a 3/4 ton a realize there is a difference.
There are others towing with a SRW 3500 that are fine until the happen to tow with a dually and feel the difference.
Same can be said for those who tow with a diesel for the first time.
Gasser was fine until one day a diesel was used.
Hensley/Propride hitches vs. conventional is another example.
Until you have actually tried and experience the difference for yourself you won't really comprehend the experience. You point of reference is only what you know.
Keep in mind the differences are only apparent when towing. A heavier the trailer and the tougher the terrain will enhance the differences.
You can either listen and believe those who have towed with and experience both.
Or you can decide that my truck is fine and those guys have no idea what they are talking about and they have been brain washed.
Those guys are just trying to justify the mistake they have made.
This sentiment applies to 1/2 ton vs. 3/4 ton, SRW vs DRW. Gas vs. diesel,Hensley Propride vs Conventional WD hitches,Andersen 5th wheel hitches vs. conventional 5th wheel... and the list goes on
In general we are comfortable with what we know and skeptical/defensive about what we don't know.
On these forums I've learn to speak what I have experienced and feel to be true. Either you agree or disagree. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Eventually everyone gives it a try and realizes those experienced guys weren't all wrong after all. At that point there is a whole new crowd of doubters that don't quite get it because they have never tried it and the circle of life's experiences repeats itself.

NC Hauler has been towing a long time. He did not go out and buy a dually on day one. But through years of experience he has worked is way up to the rig he has. He learned a few lessons along the way that he occasional shares with us via this forum.
Why you may not agree with everything he says. You can learn a lot from his experiences. Listen to him he is trying to share his knowledge like many others on this forum
There is a certain wisdom in life that one only gains through age and experience. That same wisdom applies to tow vehicles as well.

Thanks buddy...Yeah, I learned the hard way and spent much more money than I ever needed to due to me moving up in weight on units, THEN having to trade trucks cause I messed up and didn't "look down the road".... Live and learn.... I was a slow learner:B

[NC_Hauler]

larry barnhart wrote:
NC I can guarantee if you had a SRW truck in front of your newest fifth I would laugh as you drove past us on the road. What is that guy thinking would be my comment to my passenger on the right and she would agree.

chevman

Thanks Larry, I believe some think the only reason some of us purchase a dually, is just for a psychological reason:h...I'M doing it due to weight of 5er I'm going to tow...stability is just a psychological benefit (:

[NC_Hauler]

Bird Freak wrote:
Both DRW and SRW have there places. I have owned 2 DRW's and 2 SRW's and a class 8 tractor. Traveling in Fla. and around the SE and heading out west across Hwy's 10 and 20 there is really no difference in stability at all. I personally prefer the SRW.

Well, there you go...and everyone who has stated a difference, and it is quiet a few, are either making it all up, or are dillusionnal.....ok...you're right and those that stated tow experience is more stable don't know what we're talking about, though other than never towing with a semi..I have been towing in the mountains going on 41 years now with SUV's, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks, so I have no clue what I'm talking about....Glad I got squared away by others in here who are far more knowledgeable on this topic than I and some others are...

[Lantley]

Pipeman wrote:
It always gets into chest beating doesn't it? I tow with a DRW because that's what I wanted. Period. If you want real stability and braking power...get an HDT. It'll be hard for anyone to best you then.....

Some think it's about chest beating. But I've determined on a lot of these threads that unless you have experienced the issue for yourself you don't get it.
There are some towing with 1/2 tons that think they are fine until one day that tow with a 3/4 ton a realize there is a difference.
There are others towing with a SRW 3500 that are fine until the happen to tow with a dually and feel the difference.
Same can be said for those who tow with a diesel for the first time.
Gasser was fine until one day a diesel was used.
Hensley/Propride hitches vs. conventional is another example.
Until you have actually tried and experience the difference for yourself you won't really comprehend the experience. You point of reference is only what you know.
Keep in mind the differences are only apparent when towing. A heavier the trailer and the tougher the terrain will enhance the differences.
You can either listen and believe those who have towed with and experience both.
Or you can decide that my truck is fine and those guys have no idea what they are talking about and they have been brain washed.
Those guys are just trying to justify the mistake they have made.
This sentiment applies to 1/2 ton vs. 3/4 ton, SRW vs DRW. Gas vs. diesel,Hensley Propride vs Conventional WD hitches,Andersen 5th wheel hitches vs. conventional 5th wheel... and the list goes on
In general we are comfortable with what we know and skeptical/defensive about what we don't know.
On these forums I've learn to speak what I have experienced and feel to be true. Either you agree or disagree. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Eventually everyone gives it a try and realizes those experienced guys weren't all wrong after all. At that point there is a whole new crowd of doubters that don't quite get it because they have never tried it and the circle of life's experiences repeats itself.

NC Hauler has been towing a long time. He did not go out and buy a dually on day one. But through years of experience he has worked is way up to the rig he has. He learned a few lessons along the way that he occasional shares with us via this forum.
Why you may not agree with everything he says. You can learn a lot from his experiences. Listen to him he is trying to share his knowledge like many others on this forum
There is a certain wisdom in life that one only gains through age and experience. That same wisdom applies to tow vehicles as well.

[larry_barnhart]

NC I can guarantee if you had a SRW truck in front of your newest fifth I would laugh as you drove past us on the road. What is that guy thinking would be my comment to my passenger on the right and she would agree.

chevman

[Bird_Freak]

Both DRW and SRW have there places. I have owned 2 DRW's and 2 SRW's and a class 8 tractor. Traveling in Fla. and around the SE and heading out west across Hwy's 10 and 20 there is really no difference in stability at all. I personally prefer the SRW.

[NC_Hauler]

It's really odd when some get so defensive when some state an experience about WHY they tow with A dually.. My ONLY REASON was because of payload, GVWR and GCWR, I was towing HEAVY,,,, BUT not heavy enough to Merit having to purchase a MDT or a HDH....IF I experienced better stability, that was an extra bonus......


All the other supposed benefits the anti- DRW guys say " we dually" guys use, hasn't been used by me...I' d be afraid to lest I was called a liar or psychotic.

[NC_Hauler]

Pipeman wrote:
It always gets into chest beating doesn't it? I tow with a DRW because that's what I wanted. Period. If you want real stability and braking power...get an HDT. It'll be hard for anyone to best you then.....

Some sort of make things up as they go when reading others post. In 05', when I purchased my FIRST dually, I did it because I had purchased a 5er that was substantially heavier than any I had towed before... No chest thumping or macho thing:R. I hadn't even HEARD about a more stable tow....It was all about how HEAVY of a 5er I was going to be towing

I WANTED a heavier 5er, which made me HAVE to get a dually, That was my ONLY reason..REALLY...I'm not lying, no "chest bumping", just a stupid person buying a much heavier 5er and realizing they would now need a Dually..hey, I'm sorry....

[NC_Hauler]

Coach-man wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
There are those who keep insisting that you must have a dually for stability. Just ain't so. I have no stability issues at all with my F350 SRW and high profile 35' 5er even in high cross winds, passing trucks, and winding roads.

Unless you've driven a dually, you can't really compare because you have no basis for comparison. You may feel you're really stable, but with nothing to compare it to...

OK, I have thought over your comments, regarding SRW v DRW, I have driven both, although I have only towed my 5th wheel with a SRW. As for your challenge, "drive a DRW with your rig before claiming a SRW will do as good", (Yes I am paraphrasing). Well I have a challenge for you DRW guys, Have you towed your rig with a SRW? I still think the stability you claim for a DRW is psychological!

Yes I have, AND ONLY on mountainous curvy roads with one ess turn after ess turn, some in NC, TN, VA and WV. Nothing "psychological " about it all when my wife stated it felt more stable...BUT, she DID marry me almost 46, years ago, so maybe your insinuations are correct, my wife and I are both PSYCHO,!...So , I guess you're right.. I don't know for sure because according to you, any dually owner who states the dually affords a more stable towing experience is either a liar, or psychologically deranged......

[Pipeman]

It always gets into chest beating doesn't it? I tow with a DRW because that's what I wanted. Period. If you want real stability and braking power...get an HDT. It'll be hard for anyone to best you then.....

[NC_Hauler]

transamz9 wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

transamz9 wrote:
I thought about these types of threads the other day while driving to work with 30-40 mph sidewind gusts blowing me all over my lane. I was in my DRW truck. I just couldn't believe my eyes because there was SRW trucks still on the road everywhere. I don't know how they were staying on the road.

Think we were talking about when towing, and not exaggerating examples.....I've felt wind buffet my truck, but never experienced one blowing me all over or out of my lane with either a SRW truck or the Dually when empty.. I've noticed more stability with the dually versus SRW when towing on curvy mountainous roads...that's been more of my personal experience.

I towed with SRW vehicles from 75 through 2005 and purchased my first dually in mid 05' ONLY because I went to a heavier 5er...THAT'S when I noticed the difference on the many curvy mountainous roads I tow on...All trucks will get buffeted by wind and if you're towing, it'll be even more noticeable, I just feel with rear wide stance and 4 wheels on the ground with the dually, it offers a more "solid" or "stable" towing experience...certainly something that not only I noticed, but also my wife felt the difference when towing...Don't think she's just making it up, nor am I...

So the additional spring and sway bar don't make it feel more stable? It's all just adding two tires. The way these threads always read it's the 4 tires on the back that makes the difference. I guarantee my 2013 feels as stable as a dually with the same payload capacity. The center of gravity is not that much different btw a DRW and SRW.

Not going to argue with you,,, I stated, "the wide rear stance"...... I've towed the same curvy mountainous roads with same 5er and SRW & DRW, -and felt the difference when going up or down hill in the mountainous, curvy terrain in NC, TN, VA and WVA, ess curve after ess curve..


Nothing I imagined or lied about, or even made it up...I'm merely stating a FACT with my experiences on the above roads...If I lived and towed in the " flat lands", don't know if I'd experienced the same thing...I'm not making these statements to be argumentative, and am not cutting on SRW trucks either. I towed with them from 1975 through 2005, and again, I moved to a dually because of the weight of the camper I was going to tow...

But, evidently we can't discuss the differences due to the fact I'm looked at by you as either a liar, or I've made this all up...SOOOO. Never stated aSRW truck was inferior, or used any of the arguments that you've stated..this is worse than a brand name war or " which is the best...I'll remember to keep my real life experiences to myself so as not to offend some.....guess I was wrong

You're right, there is no difference betwee a SRW or A DRW truck towing heavy on very curvy, mountainous terrain....I was wrong, I just stated there was a difference to justify only ONE of the reasons I tow with a Dually. So if you're going to tow HEAVYweight, don't waste your money on a dually, get a SRW truck, there's no difference in towing experience, (towing is what we're talking about, right.)?

OK...some should now feel better in here...I made my experience up just to justify me owning a dually....sorry everyone:R

[Coach-man]

fj12ryder wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
There are those who keep insisting that you must have a dually for stability. Just ain't so. I have no stability issues at all with my F350 SRW and high profile 35' 5er even in high cross winds, passing trucks, and winding roads.

Unless you've driven a dually, you can't really compare because you have no basis for comparison. You may feel you're really stable, but with nothing to compare it to...

OK, I have thought over your comments, regarding SRW v DRW, I have driven both, although I have only towed my 5th wheel with a SRW. As for your challenge, "drive a DRW with your rig before claiming a SRW will do as good", (Yes I am paraphrasing). Well I have a challenge for you DRW guys, Have you towed your rig with a SRW? I still think the stability you claim for a DRW is psychological!