DRW vs SRW safety, tire blowout

[AH_AK]

Every time the DRW vs SRW debate starts up, dually owners always point to the safety of having 4 rear wheels in case of a blowout while driving. What I am wondering is has anyone actually experienced (or have first hand knowledge of) a SRW blowout that ended in a catastrophic outcome (e.g. crash)?
Obviously, the DRW is going to have better lateral stability
in cornering/cross winds compared to the SRW, but I am only considering the blowout safety aspect. While the redundant tire safety argument is logical, I am wondering how likely such blowout situations are.
To be clear, I am talking about SRW that are not exceeding the maximum tire load, are correctly inflated, and being driven within the tire speed limit. I am running 19.5’s with Firestone AT3’s so I am in this category. I realize most SRW truck camper owners are over their max tire load and yet, there is little to no documentation of blowout failures despite the obvious overloading. It makes me think the DRW blowout safety argument is essentially moot, even though it is totally logical.

[KKELLER14K]

YES it does happen...caught it (this) before it came apart.

A little closer....

This is why I feel a tad bit safer having 4 rather than 2 under the rear load.
Yes, I personally do know of a fatal rollover caused by a front tire failure and I was lucky when I had a front tire give out (only once). I have had multiple rear tire failures. I will blame it on the brand and have since replaced what I was using. Due diligence...If you don't have a TPM system always check every stop, and obviously if something does not feel right, stop and check, do a full walk around. BTW...always check your spare tire pressure too!...I guarantee most people forget to do this.

[todsme]

Tire pressure monitoring systems ,available on Amazon work.set up properly will sound alarm when tire is below a specified PSI. Always know your tire pressures.Set to alarm below 50 psi,might give time to pull over. Side note- camper manufacturers sticker campers with an advertised weight.That weight is what you tell your insurance company or show the highway patrol in the case of an unfortunate event..Choose to tell your "HOST" really weighs 6K that is on you. Think about the non coverage and liability. In short ,cheap annoying TP monitors can save your A__ and possibly someone else's. Here's to cheap stuff from..

[3_tons]

Bedlam wrote:
Since the frame pivots on the axle at same point of a DRW and SRW pickups, I think the stability comes more from sidewall stiffness and higher rated springs. Until you start picking up a rear wheel I do not feel the width plays a role.

Believe whatever you like…as I stated, not from pontification but from actual real back to back experience from having two identical trucks differing ONLY in SRW vs DRW, there IS an outrigger effect, but honestly I almost feel like I’m barking at the moon, so for those doubting Thomas’s enjoy your comfort providing paradigm and feel free to disregard…:)

3 tons

[Bedlam]

Since the frame pivots on the axle at same point of a DRW and SRW pickups, I think the stability comes more from sidewall stiffness and higher rated springs. Until you start picking up a rear wheel I do not feel the width plays a role.

[AH_AK]

Mine is a bit older (2012) but has 2 extra leaf springs, ranchos, a bigwig bar, and bags. To be fair (1) the bits that were uncomfortable were on the alcan and other rougher backroads and (2) I am pretty green with no prior experience towing or hauling heavy. For all I know you might hop in my rig and say “what are you talking about, this feels fine”.

All the “nice” roads in WA, OR, and CA felt just fine.

I did notice those commercial 19.5 tires broke in during the trip and stopped following seems and ruts so aggressively…which was nice.

Dave D. wrote:
My SRW 2020 Chevy 3500 4X4 does not sway much at all, even with a Host Cascade. 19.5 tires and wheels, Stable Loads on the main springs and overloads, airbags, and a Roadmaster 1 1/4" rear swaybar. It all works together.

The huge swaybar also benefits me when driving the truck empty, keeping both rear tires planted and eliminating the annoying stock axle hop which occurred almost every I pulled out from a corner, or went up a corner around a curve.

Not the first time around the block. Before we went to a class A for several years, I had a Dodge 1-ton Cummins with similar suspension carrying an Arctic Fox 990 (still in my sig pictures!). But this aftermarket suspension package does add up! For most people I'd say just get the dually.

[Dave_D_]

My SRW 2020 Chevy 3500 4X4 does not sway much at all, even with a Host Cascade. 19.5 tires and wheels, Stable Loads on the main springs and overloads, airbags, and a Roadmaster 1 1/4" rear swaybar. It all works together.

The huge swaybar also benefits me when driving the truck empty, keeping both rear tires planted and eliminating the annoying stock axle hop which occurred almost every I pulled out from a corner, or went up a corner around a curve.

Not the first time around the block. Before we went to a class A for several years, I had a Dodge 1-ton Cummins with similar suspension carrying an Arctic Fox 990 (still in my sig pictures!). But this aftermarket suspension package does add up! For most people I'd say just get the dually.

[3_tons]

AH_AK wrote:

3 tons wrote:
The weakest part of a tire is the sidewall…Since you already have uber robust 19.5’s, I’m afraid I’m missing your concern??…I suppose staying home is always an alternative option??

3 tons

I am not worried about a blowout with those tires. The issue this post was attempting to address was the blowout safety aspect that is often cited by DRW drivers as an argument for DRW over SRW. While logical, my feeling was that this argument for DRW blowout safety superiority is not supported by the accident data. Most of the replies here support that conclusion.

IMO, the advantage of DRW is lateral stability on uneven roads and cross winds. I just returned from a 7500 mile trip with a 12,000 lb SRW (11,000 GVWR, i.e. overloaded). Crosswinds and uneven roads were inconvenient. Not unsafe, but definitely slowed me down and made driving a lot less fun. I can't definitively say that a DRW would have been a more pleasant experience, but it seemed to me that the DRW truck campers were doing better than I was. I am curious to get the camper on a DRW to see if it is just my lack of experience, or, if the wider rear track helps substantially. Based on anecdotal reports from other drivers that went from SRW to DRW, I suspect the difference would be substantial.

Oh got it 🙂 (sorry, I didn’t peruse the whole thread, so JMHO here…), well to your question, I’ve had both nearly identical trucks (with campers) with the only mechanical difference being SWR vs DRW and my first impression after driving the DRW was truly night and day concerning stability and sway…Part of this I would attribute to the fact that DRW tire size is different (narrower width sidewalls = reduced sway) and that the duallies act very much like outriggers (lateral supports) on a crane - a huge improvement in handling period…Trust that the driving difference is quite substantial and from my perspective ‘well worth’ the extra $1,600 or so premium, in fact due to this additional confidence and safety quotient (thinking of passengers) while carrying a heavy camper I would never go back to a SRW - it’ll work BUT it’s definitely NOT the proper tool for the job…I also camp a lot RZR off-roading on BLM lands, and (while it’s possible…), but I’ve yet to experience a single rock between the rear tires, and often cross the Sierra’s (hwys 50 & 80) in the snow (4x4 cummins, LB, CC, 4:10) and have never been required to chain-up…No chance of going back for us…

I’m glad that you asked…

3 tons

[AH_AK]

3 tons wrote:
The weakest part of a tire is the sidewall…Since you already have uber robust 19.5’s, I’m afraid I’m missing your concern??…I suppose staying home is always an alternative option??

3 tons

I am not worried about a blowout with those tires. The issue this post was attempting to address was the blowout safety aspect that is often cited by DRW drivers as an argument for DRW over SRW. While logical, my feeling was that this argument for DRW blowout safety superiority is not supported by the accident data. Most of the replies here support that conclusion.

IMO, the advantage of DRW is lateral stability on uneven roads and cross winds. I just returned from a 7500 mile trip with a 12,000 lb SRW (11,000 GVWR, i.e. overloaded). Crosswinds and uneven roads were inconvenient. Not unsafe, but definitely slowed me down and made driving a lot less fun. I can't definitively say that a DRW would have been a more pleasant experience, but it seemed to me that the DRW truck campers were doing better than I was. I am curious to get the camper on a DRW to see if it is just my lack of experience, or, if the wider rear track helps substantially. Based on anecdotal reports from other drivers that went from SRW to DRW, I suspect the difference would be substantial.

[3_tons]

The weakest part of a tire is the sidewall…Since you already have uber robust 19.5’s, I’m afraid I’m missing your concern??…I suppose staying home is always an alternative option??

3 tons

[StirCrazy]

just lost a tire thursday night on the way home from the Island on my SRW, pretty un eventfull, had to keep driving a bit as it was in the middle of a construction zone. put the spair on and away I went again. took it in yesterday and it was a screw that did it in, but I totaled the tire driving on the sidewall because I couldnt pull in where I was. two new rear tires on order and I'll be good to go again.

Steve

[bookmaker]

Several years ago I had a blowout on the inside rear of a Ford dually with a loaded Lance 1121. I'm darn sure glad I had duals. We were on a 2 lane road about 9pm in rural Alabama and we were able to limp to a church parking lot to deal with it.

Yes, there is a cost factor, but there is a greater safety factor.

Dale

[JoeChiOhki]

brholt wrote:
We had been running around in our DRW with the camper unloaded. Loaded up the camper and my wife commented the the passenger side rear tires were really bulging. Checked and the inner tire was flat. Unload the camper and replaced the inner tire, which had a nail in it, with the spare.

I have no idea when during the two weeks that the camper was off the tire went flat but, short of checking the tire pressure, I have no idea how you would know.

I bought a tire whacking stick from a truck stop years ago so I could easily do a quick walk around and thunk each tire and listen for a pitch change.

Flat tires are very noticeable and low tires will have a different pitch than a fully inflated tired. Takes only a couple minutes to do and will alert you to an issue before it becomes a major problem.

[brholt]

We had been running around in our DRW with the camper unloaded. Loaded up the camper and my wife commented the the passenger side rear tires were really bulging. Checked and the inner tire was flat. Unload the camper and replaced the inner tire, which had a nail in it, with the spare.

I have no idea when during the two weeks that the camper was off the tire went flat but, short of checking the tire pressure, I have no idea how you would know.

[mkirsch]

Slymer wrote:
Just an FYI on the dually side. We have an SRW but I found out that with a CAA RV membership and you call them regarding an issue with an inside rear tire they will not touch it. You would have to find someone else. I am not sure if AAA has the same policy or not but If I had a dually I would be checking with them.

Any explanation as to why they allegedly have this policy?

[Slymer]

Just an FYI on the dually side. We have an SRW but I found out that with a CAA RV membership and you call them regarding an issue with an inside rear tire they will not touch it. You would have to find someone else. I am not sure if AAA has the same policy or not but If I had a dually I would be checking with them.