Your experience with a Dually vs SRW hauling 5ver

[MN_Ben]

I am contemplating selling my Crew Cab long bed dually and am looking at getting a crew cab short(er) bed single rear wheel. I would stay with a Ford 6.0L diesel 4x4 and prefer the 1 ton but am finding many 3/4. I have the dually because of a truck camper which we are selling. The SWR would become my daily driver when the snow flies again.
I would like to hear from those that have experience with both a dually and a srw hauling their 5th wheel. Maybe even experiences with the long box vs the short box. My 5ver is a Keystone Lariat 29 foot with a GVWR of 10900 pounds.
Thanks, Ben

[IdaD]

Are you wanting the 6.0 because you can get one cheap? If so I guess that makes some sense, if not you can do a lot better in a used diesel.

[MN_Ben]

Dave H M wrote:
I think you have to look at the wheel base as opposed to just the length of the box?

I no longer want a 8' box. I think the F250/350 I am looking at come with a extended cab and 6 1/2' bed or a crew cab and a 6' bed.
the 6.0 ford diesel range from 2003 to 2007. I am searching for an '06 or '07.

[MN_Ben]

I knew I could wright a post in the morning and have plenty to read when I get home. Thank you. I'll read thru them all and get back to you.

[Kennedycamper]

I have a 11.7K lb fifth wheel. Pulled it with a SRW 3500 for years, and now a 3500 DRW. Won't go back, and wouldn't sell your dually to buy a SRW.

[twodownzero]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

Your 10K 5vr will be WELL Within 250/2500--350/3500 SRWs......even older models

My 5er is a hair over 9k pounds empty and would overload any older model 3/4 ton truck even without me in the truck or any water on board by over 50% of its payload capacity. That's not "well within" or even close.

It'd be hard for me to pick SRW or DRW if I was buying a NEW truck, but one that was 10+ years old would be easy--wouldn't get a SRW again if the GVWRs/tires were where they were 10 years ago.

[Old-Biscuit]

Towing a 14K 5th wheel with an older 3500 SRW.
Comfortable two, never had a white knuckle experience, haven't had any 'oh man wish I had a dually' events (had DRWs before)
IF I had a NEWER SRW I would even go heavier w/o any qualms

SRW is quite capable of a great towing experience...just match trucks real capabilities to real trailer weights...particularly wet pin weight

Your 10K 5vr will be WELL Within 250/2500--350/3500 SRWs......even older models

[MikeRP]

One of the things that is different than say 10 years ago with the HD trucks is something you think would have been evident in any year. But if you buy a truck now and it says it has a payload of 3800 lbs and it will tow a 17000 lb fifth wheel, the trucks will really do that safely. For instance my 2008 Ram 2500 MegaCab had a pitiful 1800 lb payload. My new Ram is around 3800 lbs.

It comfortably tows 14500 lbs and I have an aux fuel tank in the bed. It doesn’t need air bags, matter of fact it’s boring, put it in fifth gear cruise on 67 and it hardly ever shifts. Tranny stays at 163 and when I tow 580 miles I get there a lot more rested than wrangling my class c all day.”

Sometime around 3600 on the pin and 16500 lbs, you are going to say I’m near the limits and may want to look at a duelie but I think it will still tow fine at those weights.

[JIMNLIN]

I would like to hear from those that have experience with both a dually and a srw hauling their 5th wheel. Maybe even experiences with the long box vs the short box. My 5ver is a Keystone Lariat 29 foot with a GVWR of 10900 pounds.
Thanks, Ben

As you see not many out here pull a 10k GVWR 5th wheel trailer with a DRW truck.
I have a DRW crew cab long bed and a 3/4 ton short bed and have a 11200 lb 5th wheel trailer. Simply doesn't need the DRW for this size trailer.
My '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins 3.73 gears NV5600 tranny short bed pulls the trailer with ease. Dodge gives this truck a 6000 rawr. Scaled rear axle weights run in the 5200-5400 lb range depending on how long were gonna' be away from home.

A 3/4 ton diesel short bed would make a easy trip for that smallish trailer.

[4youngs1]

I've towed for 15 years with a 2500HD, now I tow with a 3500HD DRW, there is absolutely no comparison. The 3500 is so much more comfortable and stable, I will never return to a SRW.
BTW, you'll get used to driving the DRW, I do it everyday, and I still work for a living.

[Arcamper]

Our DWR Ram is a dedicated tow vehicle for our 16k trailer with 3,400 lbs on the pin. Could we get by with a SWR truck? Yes, but I don't want to worry about or even think about weight when we travel. Like everyone else has said the DWR has a more solid stable feel especially on the 2 lane curvy roads. Plus I like the long bed. I drive a newer Honda Civic turbo as my daily driver but sometimes I drive the truck just for kicks and have never had a problem parking or going anywhere I needed. It works for us so get what works for you.

[Bionic_Man]

With that light of a fifth wheel there is no reason to go DRW.

My 5er is about 13,000 pounds loaded. Towed it for 9 years with a SRW short bed ram 3500, now have towed for 7 years with signature truck. No doubt the DRW is significantly more stable, but the SRW did fine.

My truck is a dedicated recreational truck. To me there are too many downsides to trying to live with a long bed DRW if you have to daily drive the truck unless you are pulling a very large trailer.

If I had to DD my truck, I’d sell it for a SRW short bed and it would still tow my trailer fine.

[ford_truck_guy]

I tow a 16,500# GVW fiver behind my "15" SRW and do mot get pushed around, at all... Been in some pretty gusty winds as well with no issues.
At no time do I feel that the fiver is PUSHING my SRW around bends,, corners..
I am JUST over my 11,500# GVW, but under on my axle and rear tires.

I have stated this MANY TIMES HERE.... I am a weekend warrior, as soon as I start going more, Its a DRW for me.. ONLY because I would want more padding on the numbers and not be at max capacity all the time.
90% of my trips are within 2 hrs of the house, with 1 trip down 95 from PA to Florida or Myrtle Beach a year..

[NEnative]

We tow a Forest River Crusader fifth wheel. When we purchased it we had a 2012 Ford 250 short bed cc gasser and I was not happy with the way it towed. Bought a 2016 350 cc 6.7 duelly and I can't believe that difference it how it tows. I love this truck and it is my daily driver.

[laknox]

MN Ben wrote:
I am contemplating selling my Crew Cab long bed dually and am looking at getting a crew cab short(er) bed single rear wheel. I would stay with a Ford 6.0L diesel 4x4 and prefer the 1 ton but am finding many 3/4. I have the dually because of a truck camper which we are selling. The SWR would become my daily driver when the snow flies again.
I would like to hear from those that have experience with both a dually and a srw hauling their 5th wheel. Maybe even experiences with the long box vs the short box. My 5ver is a Keystone Lariat 29 foot with a GVWR of 10900 pounds.
Thanks, Ben

I'm towing a 10.5k GVW FW with my '02 2500HD without issues. I'd love to have a 3500 SRW, but I don't really need it to tow this rig. OTOH, I have a 30' triple-axle GN trailer that would really benefit from having a 1t. :B In extremis though, I could hit up my brother for his F350 dually. Might have to shower a couple times after driving a Ford, though. :B

Lyle

[cummins2014]

MN Ben wrote:
I am contemplating selling my Crew Cab long bed dually and am looking at getting a crew cab short(er) bed single rear wheel. I would stay with a Ford 6.0L diesel 4x4 and prefer the 1 ton but am finding many 3/4. I have the dually because of a truck camper which we are selling. The SWR would become my daily driver when the snow flies again.
I would like to hear from those that have experience with both a dually and a srw hauling their 5th wheel. Maybe even experiences with the long box vs the short box. My 5ver is a Keystone Lariat 29 foot with a GVWR of 10900 pounds.
Thanks, Ben

If your plans are never going over the weight of your present fifth wheel, then a 250 will work ,but a 350 even better. I towed many years with a Ford 350 7.3 . Finally got tired of the lack of power, towing a 15,500 GVWR fifth wheel . Handling was never the issue . Went with a newer Cummins , but still SRW , and a 3500.

IMO you would be further ahead getting into a bit newer Ford 350, with the 6.7 diesel . That would be 2011 or newer. Many will chime in on the 6.0 Ford diesel, but the 6.0 was not Ford's greatest engine.