Dually life? What about Ford 6.2L

[agesilaus]

As my search for a replacement for my totaled F350 I see a number of RAM diesel 3500 duallys (2017) showing up at a very good price. One in particular a Laredo at 40K with all sorts of options.
I've never driven a drw before and it seems overkill for our 9K Trailer.
Are they that much harder to drive and park? What about mileage? Better than a gasser anyway I assume. We'll look at it Tuesday probably.
Lots of gas 6.2L around at a good price. And thoughts on that engine from owners?

[PastorCharlie]

I have a 2000 F350 7.3 diesel 4X4 CC LB DRW that we use for daily driver and to do grocery shopping. Always find a place to park.

[BobsYourUncle]

I think this topic will find people on both sides of the fence. Doesn't mean the gassers are wrong or right, doesn't mean the SRW vs DRW are wrong or right either.
It really comes down to what you are comfortable driving. If an extra pair of wheels is overwhelming, then get the SRW.

I have been driving a dually for 20 years and I love it. I have no issues at all in any traffic situation. Took a little caution to get used to it at first, but now it's like driving my car. As said, the mirrors are wider than the fenders. If they will go through, so will the rest of the truck.

Not saying I am right, but my own personal preference is towing with a dually. I have driven and towed with both and I find the extra stability in wind to be a comforting plus. I tow a 32 foot TT with mine at about 8000 - 8500 pounds on the road. It's nice.

Parking is no big deal, I usually back in to spots. Or walk a little. Not afraid of either. Just have to pay attention to the hips in your mirrors and all is well.

I personally prefer the diesel for the stump pulling torque going up hills.

The 17 Ram diesel you are looking at has a fantastic engine. The Cummins is one of the best truck diesels out there.

[Lantley]

zenasboy wrote:
We pull our GD 303RLS with a 2019 F350 6.2L. Weighed the trailer at work and its just under 12k pounds. Overall mpg is around 7.5 On long flat stretches I'll see over 9mpg where as driving into a strong headwind (such as 2 yrs ago across Nebraska) and I'll see around 6. Have pulled from Indiana to Grand Tetons and back and didn't have any problems. Also last fall we went from IN to MD then down thru VA and across WV on way home. I thought those mountains worked the truck harder than out west but still averaged around over 7.5 for the trip. Power is in the 3500 RPM range so as long as I let her rev while in the mountains, it does just fine.

My one and only complaint is getting gas. Not as easy as it was when we had the 02 F350 7.3l where I could just go thru the truck lanes.

Good Honest assesment

[Cummins12V98]

Durb wrote:
Eight years of driving a dually and I don't give it much thought except when parking. I always do "dually parking" which means I find wide open spots far out and walk. If a person can't walk, then I'm guessing they have a handicap sticker and those spots are plenty wide. Remember, the dually is no wider than the trailer or the mirrors on a SRW truck.

I used the dually to pull a 6,000# travel trailer before the fifth wheel. Overkill? Yes. Downsides? None.

Heck I use my Dually to haul this "LOAD".

[theoldwizard1]

agesilaus wrote:

Lots of gas 6.2L around at a good price. And thoughts on that engine from owners?

If you are used to driving a diesel you will be disappointed.

[IdaD]

goducks10 wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
Recently bought a new F350 4X4 single tire with 6.2 for $43K. No it doesn’t have the power of a diesel but also not $80K. Use it mainly to pull a heavy trailer(15,000+ lbs) locally so only getting 5-6 mpg and the 10 speed takes a little getting used to but it does the job.
Gets down to how many miles/year you’ll be towing and you do not need a dually.

And if you got a diesel F350 DRW in the same trim level as your gas DRW it would only be $10K more not $37K more.
Geesh.

After most folks buy a gas truck they have to justify not getting a diesel so suddenly the only way to get a diesel is in Platinum or Longhorn trim levels.

$43k is a good price for a new F350 these days even in a gas rig, but that's going to be a pretty basic trim level.

[Grit_dog]

goducks10 wrote:

Ivylog wrote:
Recently bought a new F350 4X4 single tire with 6.2 for $43K. No it doesn’t have the power of a diesel but also not $80K. Use it mainly to pull a heavy trailer(15,000+ lbs) locally so only getting 5-6 mpg and the 10 speed takes a little getting used to but it does the job.
Gets down to how many miles/year you’ll be towing and you do not need a dually.

And if you got a diesel F350 DRW in the same trim level as your gas DRW it would only be $10K more not $37K more.
Geesh.

C'mon, everyone loves a little Monday morning embellishment!

[zenasboy]

We pull our GD 303RLS with a 2019 F350 6.2L. Weighed the trailer at work and its just under 12k pounds. Overall mpg is around 7.5 On long flat stretches I'll see over 9mpg where as driving into a strong headwind (such as 2 yrs ago across Nebraska) and I'll see around 6. Have pulled from Indiana to Grand Tetons and back and didn't have any problems. Also last fall we went from IN to MD then down thru VA and across WV on way home. I thought those mountains worked the truck harder than out west but still averaged around over 7.5 for the trip. Power is in the 3500 RPM range so as long as I let her rev while in the mountains, it does just fine.

My one and only complaint is getting gas. Not as easy as it was when we had the 02 F350 7.3l where I could just go thru the truck lanes.

[Durb]

Eight years of driving a dually and I don't give it much thought except when parking. I always do "dually parking" which means I find wide open spots far out and walk. If a person can't walk, then I'm guessing they have a handicap sticker and those spots are plenty wide. Remember, the dually is no wider than the trailer or the mirrors on a SRW truck.

I used the dually to pull a 6,000# travel trailer before the fifth wheel. Overkill? Yes. Downsides? None.

[Grit_dog]

Old Days wrote:
I pull the smallest outdoors rv trailer loaded its about 7000 pounds the Ford 6.2 engine pulls it great but in the mountains its working pretty hard. I see you own a Arctic Fox 25 foot trailer I wouldn't think you would need a Dually for that.

^ Agree with this. It tackles hills like any other gasser. Drop the hammer and watch the tachometer race the gas gauge.
Depends how much and where you pull the trailer as to how suitable the 6.2 is vs a diesel. And what your expectations are.

[Old_Days]

I pull the smallest outdoors rv trailer loaded its about 7000 pounds the Ford 6.2 engine pulls it great but in the mountains its working pretty hard. I see you own a Arctic Fox 25 foot trailer I wouldn't think you would need a Dually for that.

[Cummins12V98]

jdc1 wrote:
All I can say about a dually is a friend took one for a test drive. A few blocks away at a Home Depot, he attempted to park. Three minutes later he parked...right back at the dealer lot. He bought a single wheel 3500 instead. If you don't need the extra payload capacity, why get the extra two wheels? That's just more money to shell out when you need tires. Just to let you know, once you own a diesel truck, you'll never go back to gas.

Well I guess he didn't think to park out and take two stalls. Walking is good. Or park one wheel up on the curb.

Two tires over 60k sure doesn't break the bank! especially when those tires are less $ than the 18's and 20's that come on the trucks these days.

[goducks10]

Ivylog wrote:
Recently bought a new F350 4X4 single tire with 6.2 for $43K. No it doesn’t have the power of a diesel but also not $80K. Use it mainly to pull a heavy trailer(15,000+ lbs) locally so only getting 5-6 mpg and the 10 speed takes a little getting used to but it does the job.
Gets down to how many miles/year you’ll be towing and you do not need a dually.

And if you got a diesel F350 DRW in the same trim level as your gas DRW it would only be $10K more not $37K more.
Geesh.

[Grit_dog]

Interested in your thoughts on what constitutes good prices on them 2017 Cummins Dooleys.
Dooley owners will tell you how it's not a big deal, hips aren't wider than the mirrors, blah blah blah. If you don't go to the city much, fine, prolly not much an issue.
Being totally overkill for your situation (as I perceive it), if it's basically a tow rig, I'd go for it if it was a "deal". If it's a daily more than a tow pig, I wouldn't downplay the inconvenience.
If you use car washes, you won't be able to anymore. If you like your Starclucks drive thru, you'll have to get your feet moving. For the last 2 years up here, if you want fast food, hope it fits in the drive thru, because all the fast food joints are closed to go indoors and order. But now that Covid is almost over here, lol, maybe you'll be able to buy a Big Mac and Fries if you own a dually.
Narrow driveway, no beuno.
But this is totally subjective and I'd hope you don't decide on a dually or not based on random folks telling you their opinion.

6.2 Ford gassers are pretty bulletproof. First several years, 250s and 350s got the same 6R140 trans as the diesels. Bulletproof trans as well and great shift programming.
At some point (2017 maybe) the F250s got a lighter duty version of the trans. Not that I've heard of problems, but just a FYI.
I had a 2012 and 2015 F250, 6.2, 3.73s. They would pull 14klb flatbeds with relative ease at low altitude, never ran em at high altitude. Typical gasser fuel mileage, but smooth and quiet, even when locked in a lower gear and running 4-5k rpms.
They pull better than a 6.0 GM gasser and probably not as good as a 6.4 8 speed Ram or certainly the 7.3 Ford.

[jdc1]

All I can say about a dually is a friend took one for a test drive. A few blocks away at a Home Depot, he attempted to park. Three minutes later he parked...right back at the dealer lot. He bought a single wheel 3500 instead. If you don't need the extra payload capacity, why get the extra two wheels? That's just more money to shell out when you need tires. Just to let you know, once you own a diesel truck, you'll never go back to gas.