dually 2 wheel drive in snow with TC on

[dave17352]

My question is how well does a 1 ton dually do in the snow with the truck camper on. Talking a 4k camper. I all ready know they do terrible unloaded as does any pickup. Just wondering with TC on.


Thanks

[Bedlam]

I drive in wet snow that packs easily and could see how it would turn into an ice bridge between the rear tires. My only other thought is that the dual rear is floating on top of the snow instead of cutting through it.

My winter driving has all been with SRW RWD or 4WD and the only experience I have with DRW is in rain and dry weather. Even with a RWD vehicle, I have have only chained up when required by law and have not had a need to do so otherwise. That does not mean I am not prepared - I carry chains during the winter months even though it's been 25 years since I have driven with them.

[drc5900]

Bedlam wrote:
I think where roads are not cleared and snow packs between the wheels is where the DRW will perform poorly verses a SRW.

No, not at all my experience with the camper loaded, and I have driven on plenty of heavy snow packed roads, sometimes seeing cars left and right in the ditch, but I NEVER experienced a traction problem even with snow packed between the dually tires.
I do carry 2 sets of chains, but never had to put them on the tires.

Statistics tell us (and, as memory serves, I read that somewhere on this website) that 9 out of 10 accidents with truck/camper accidents happen with single rear tires.

I JOYFULLY stick to my dually for ANY season camper use!

[burningman]

I can't sit quiet while someone says 4x4 duallies are horrible in the snow!
That's not true at all. There must be something about your particular setup - tires, weight distribution, whatever.
I own a 2WD dually, a 4WD dually, and have owned several 2 and 4WD single-rear pickups.
My official report is the 4x4 crewcab dually ROCKS in the snow, loaded or unloaded.
And when was the last time you saw a snow plow truck that wasn't a dually?
I'm not saying they are any better than single-rear trucks in snow, but to say they are horrible and avoid buying the camper and truck setup you wanted because of that is silly.

[Bedlam]

I think where roads are not cleared and snow packs between the wheels is where the DRW will perform poorly verses a SRW.

[drc5900]

I drive dually with setup as in sig. Camper weighs around 3K Lbs. I have regular (cheap) M&S tires, no All-Terrain tires.
My camper stays on the truck through the winter, and the dually truck drives fabulous in snow and mud in 2WD with the camper.
Going places with truck & camper in 2WD comfortably in the snow, where in the past I needed to put the truck in 4WD even with 600 Lbs of sandbags in the back.

My recommendation:
You can drive your Dually w/camper with confidence in the snow, no worries.
(At least no more worries than you would have driving ANY vehicle in the snow..).
🙂

[jimh406]

Interesting that someone finds a 4WD DRW horrible considering that is the platform that many people use for skiing in this area. I wonder what is different. Tires?

[imcolej1]

rrurban wrote:
4WD Dually trucks are absolutely horrible in the Winter. I bought a huge double-slide truck camper and needed to buy a dually for it due to weight requirements. I've now realized the camper isn't usable in the Winter thanks to my dually, especially going up the mountains to go ski in Colorado where it snows daily. I'm going to be selling the truck and the camper and going back to a SRW long bed and lighter camper. I like to use the camper year-round and not worry about snow and ice. This will be the first and last dually I'll ever own.

Sorry that your set up isn't working for you. Can you elaborate on this a bit more. I was actually looking at 4wd duallys for a more stable platform with a camper and a family of four. I intend to use it year round including ski trips mostly in the cascades.

Even with all that weight and 4wd the dually struggled for you?

[mlts22]

rrurban wrote:
4WD Dually trucks are absolutely horrible in the Winter. I bought a huge double-slide truck camper and needed to buy a dually for it due to weight requirements. I've now realized the camper isn't usable in the Winter thanks to my dually, especially going up the mountains to go ski in Colorado where it snows daily. I'm going to be selling the truck and the camper and going back to a SRW long bed and lighter camper. I like to use the camper year-round and not worry about snow and ice. This will be the first and last dually I'll ever own.

This is good to know. I've been wondering how well dually 4x4s would fare come wintertime. One rig I was looking at is a 11 footer, double-slide that requires a dually (I'm looking at both a one ton truck and TC) so one doesn't feel the pain at the CAT scales... or even worse, on the road.

As for four wheel drive, I've gone places in a 2WD, but a 2WD "pushes" itself over obstacles, while a 4WD vehicle actively climbs. Yes, one can get places with 2WD, but 4WD makes it easier, and if one is going to very gnarly terrain, there is always winching it. It used to be that 4x4 would be a five digit addition. However, with it only being several thousand more, it is pretty much a must.

[JumboJet]

Led 67 wrote:
OK I am more than likely to get flamed by those who are devoted to their 4x4 but I have taken 2wd pickups places that some 4x4 would run from.

I have been in and out of places a 4x4 should not have been. I know where you would have been in those places.

When it takes you a a couple hours with a pressure washer to removed the packed mud between the skid plate and transmission, I doubt any 2WD would have made it.

Limited slip, lockers, etc. can make you over confident.

[rrurban]

4WD Dually trucks are absolutely horrible in the Winter. I bought a huge double-slide truck camper and needed to buy a dually for it due to weight requirements. I've now realized the camper isn't usable in the Winter thanks to my dually, especially going up the mountains to go ski in Colorado where it snows daily. I'm going to be selling the truck and the camper and going back to a SRW long bed and lighter camper. I like to use the camper year-round and not worry about snow and ice. This will be the first and last dually I'll ever own.

[Bedlam]

Although I have SRW 4x4, I notice big difference in traction with the TC loaded. In places where I had to put the truck into 4wd just to get moving, I can ease the throttle in 2WD and get moving due to the weight over the drive wheels. I do have a limited slip differential which helps but the weight on the rear helps considerably more. If you are set on 2WD, consider buying a locking differential for it. You would be surprised what 2WD will do with both rear wheels pulling you along but also expect you may get understeer up front because the rear will have better traction than the front.

[Boatycall]

I have the 4:10 limited slip rear end in mine. I go boondock camping with a bunch of people who have motorhomes and we all tow Jeeps.

I can say that when it snows, I'm the one that gets to test the road because I have 4x4 (or 4x6 if you wanna call it that). I get sent up the road and if I can make in it 2-wheel drive, we send the motorhomes up. If I need 4x4, we find somewhere else to set up camp.

There have been several times where I can get up the road in 2-wheel drive, and motorhomes still get stuck because they don't have a Limited Slip rear end. If you do get a 2WD, make sure it has the limited slip rear end, or add it later if you're worried about it.

If you really want to be a rockstar, add an ARB locker to the rear. That's what most of our Jeeps have. You add a locker and air down your tires, you'll go places that a normal 2WD can't, bordering on what 4x4's do.

[Raften]

Same as racerguy using 2WD. I did it in two feet of untracked snow with my DRW. I do put it in 4WD most of the time to keep my wife happy.

[dave17352]

racerguy wrote:
Got myself onto a snow covered road on Mt Hood not long after I got my first new camper. My truck is an 03 Dodge dually 4x4.

Just for funsies I decided not to put the truck in 4WD and I couldn't hardly get the back tires to spin, no matter how much I throttled it.

Mine does have limited slip in the back, didn't catch whether yours does.

u r saying u had great traction?