DRW vs SRW Trucks

[snowcrustracer]

Hi folks,

My DH and I are thinking about buying a new truck and are having some trouble deciding between a dual rear wheel truck and a single wheel truck.
Right now we have limited time off from the rat race and usually just stay in campgrounds so I'm not sure those habits will change when we retire.

The campers we seem to have chosen are the bigger models such as the Host triple slide and the Northern Lite 10.2EXRR. These campers probably would be more comfortable driving with a DRW.

Can we never travel fire roads and trails out in Utah or Colorado with the DRW? Will we be stuck only in campgrounds.

Any thoughts folks could add to the plus or minus list would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Snow

[snowcrustracer]

That would be a good option for the future. Using the camper as a base camp and the jeep for exploring.

Thank you folks

Some great things to think about.

[Golden_HVAC]

If you are looking at triple slide Host, you need a dually. If you want something with a tent top, then you can get by with a SRW, but a dually will tow the Jeep on a trailer. Something that might come in handy someday.

Fred.

[Vinsil]

I wish they made a 315 in 19.5's. I'd love to cut my front fenders out and keep my suspension stock height to fit 37's. I donlt have an overhang issue now, but I watch where I go. I have a similar overhang that you long bed guys with a 9.5' have.

[pcoplin]

jimh425 wrote:
Overhang is one of the reasons I have a 9 1/2 instead of a 11 1/2.

I also have a 9.5 for this reason. If I were going to do one of the harder trails like Death Valley or head down Baja, I would take off the rear jacks and stick them in my storage compartment, or under the rear seat of the truck. It's just a few bolts and a plug.

[jimh406]

Overhang is one of the reasons I have a 9 1/2 instead of a 11 1/2.

[brholt]

Overhang of camper will be a much bigger issue than the DRW. Just managed to hit a rear jack going through a ditch. Don't know the cost to fix yet.

[KD4UPL]

A triple slide camper will likely overload a lot of DRW trucks. A SRW is absolutely out of the question. You should probably be looking at a Ford or Ram class 4 or 5 truck for a camper like that.
My dually is my work truck. I often load thousands of pounds of tools and materials in the bed and travel to off grid mountain top home sites. In 11 years I have only had 1 rock stuck in the between the duals and that was in my own driveway.
My truck has never been stuck in the snow or the mud.

[Farmerjon]

In 14 years with a Dually I have had to remove one rock from between the tires.
As soon as I hit a paved road and picked up speed the out of balance tires let you know big time.
It was difficult but with a tire iron I was able to pry and pound it out. I was worried about hurting a side wall and I was thinking about loosening the lug nuts to get some slack.
I like the stability and the extra weight capacity of the DRWs.

[ticki2]

I have done a fair amount of back roading in the northeast and you will scrape up the sides and top of your camper long before the width of the DRW will be a problem .

[burningman]

If you are talking about a triple slide Host, FORGET any ideas about a single rear wheel truck!!! Those things are even pushing the envelope for dual rear wheel one-tons.

I'll echo what most people who have had multiple truck/camper combos say: SRW, not good with big camper. Less stable, rear tires overloaded. DRW, much much much better.

If anything I'd say the dually will be BETTER on iffy roads while carrying a camper. Stability helps a lot when you're way off level. Size doesn't affect anything here because the camper itself is as wide as the DRW truck anyway, you gain nothing with a SRW.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Get the DUALLY if you want to haul a BIG camper! :B

[pcoplin]

I have a 2005 F350. Got a great deal in it, and am currently "bulletproofing" the engine.

I have a Lance Lite 915, and also tow my Jeep on a trailer. We are going to upgrade the camper in a few years.

I'm going to convert the truck to a DRW soon enough. Axles front and rear, and getting a dually bed.

[cdbinns]

We have a DRW and took our camper to Alaska last year. We traveled lots of dirt road, with no issues. We were limited more by the height of the camper than we were by the width.

[jaycocreek]

As an old logger who traveled countless mountain roads in Idaho in logging trucks, and a host of dually trucks from crew haulers to fire pumpers, there would be know issue for me. The limiting factor is over hang off the rear and hight/width and the corner jacks.

Rocks in the dually's really sucks, sometimes to the point you have to take a tire off to fix it. Been there done that but I wouldn't hesitate to buy another dually.

[snowcrustracer]

insp1505 wrote:
The height and length of the camper will limit where you can go way more than the DRW ever will. Have a check between the duals before getting back on the highway and you'll be fine. I've never picked up a rock. . . yet!

Memorial weekend

Little Lost River

Merriam Lake

Those are some great trip reports. Thank you for sharing those!