Dually questions

[hedge]

Moving up to a dually and don't really have any experience with them so I have a couple questions.

1. I level by driving onto blocking, for the rear tires do I need to put blocks under both duals or being a static load when stopped is it ok under just one?

2. Do I need valve stem extensions or something to be able to add air to the tires?

3. No immediate need but what's involved if I would like to put on wider tires? I assume the dually's need a certain amount of space between them.

4. Do you run the same pressure on both dual wheels? I saw somewhere to run 3psi less in the inner dual to account for road crown?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, pretty green with duallys. If you have any other advice feel free to add it.

[ab257]

When the shop rotates your tires, be sure to check the inner valve stem is opposite a cutout in the wheel.

[Kayteg1]

I put my heavy camper on truck with less than 100 miles on odometer.
At 60 mph the beast engine is just at high idle.

[stickdog]

hedge wrote:
Thanks for the info, I'll get some pics up once I get it loaded.

Still not sure how seriously to take the break-in, not supposed to tow or haul for 1000 miles.

The break in is for the rearend gears not the engine. I like to take a new vehicle for a long drive on diffferent road conditions, 500 miles is good. Interstate, state and US routes, stop and go city and suburban. Some say drive it like you stole it but if you have payments that's hard to compute.

[VoodooMedicineM]

They were made for liquid haulers that could squeze on that extra few gallons. When empty in rainy, snowy etc. weather they were terrible.

[hedge]

Thanks for the info, I'll get some pics up once I get it loaded.

Still not sure how seriously to take the break-in, not supposed to tow or haul for 1000 miles.

[Kayteg1]

Thanks Man, the name escaped from my head.
Semi-truckers seem to like their wide wheels, but they have incentive in saved weight.
Thinking about dualies tires. They have load rating lowered by about 15% from single use due the restricted cooling. So if you put slightly wider tires, what lowers the gap and as result lowers the cooling, shouldn't you derate the tires even more?

[VoodooMedicineM]

Kayteg, they used be called Super Singles. Worst tires I ever drove on. I haven't see those in years.

[mkirsch]

I just have a dually air chuck and a dually pressure gauge, the kind with two places to chuck on to the valve stem, and they work just fine for inflating tires and checking pressures. They're also handy for some oddball tires with valve stems at weird angles.

No valve stem extensions here. I can just fit my hands through the hand holes to access the valve stems, except for that time I put the outer dual on 1 lug off.

[Harvey51]

I also have no extensions or special valve stems. I cannot measure pressures with the wheel covers on so I leave them at home. I use a gauge with a straight end to reach the inner wheel and curved back end for the outer one (which must be the middle or long length rubber stem to reach). I use a 6 inch plastic hose to reach in and turn the inner valve cap. It takes ten minutes to check all the tire pressures.

[ticki2]

Not a stupid questions at all . There are no absolutes to your questions. Here is my experience. 1 block just one rear wheel unless it is long term.
2 no valve extensions , I use a dually air Chuck
3 same air pressure in all rear tires
4 I have gone one size up on tires , as long as you have half inch or more at the bulge under full load . Tires should not touch.

[Cobra21]

I blocked one tire on my duallys, doesn't give much lift at all. Need to block both the same. You do need to be able to fill and check air in all tires, if it takes extensions, do it. I have the braided flexible ones and they work well. Keep the air pressure the same in all rear tires.
Brian

[kohldad]

If you use only one block, I would use it on the inner tire to reduce the stress on the axle.

With the Ram, the TPMS is a display only, not a warning system. So if a tire goes down, it will not notify you. For this reason, I would not tie two tires together as I wouldn't want both to go flat. Not warning is a negative to the Ram, but it is also a blessing because you can lower the tire pressure when running empty for a softer ride without having a constant light on the dash.

I would run the same pressure. The crown of the road is in the middle. Each side from the middle out is flat, not counting the ruts in the road.

[stickdog]

1 I don't know but would assume yes.
2 I carry a compressor found it easier to get a chuck with a different angle.
3 You don't want wider tires.
4 60,000 miles on my A/T Rugged Trail duals, 50,000 towing 5th wheel 3200 pin weight. The right rear outer dual shows a little more wear than the inner and the driver side are equal. I keep them all at 65#

Just a question how often do you ride on the crown of the road? Most roads I've ever been on will slant a bit to the curb for runoff. If that is correct it could explain my rear outer dual showing more wear than the others as more weight is shifted to the curbside.

[jimh406]

I don't like the way the tire bends with only one block, so I use two. I tried it.

There are a lot of different ways to add air including a different chuck or air gauge. They can also be misaligned. I'd get the dealer to give you a walk through on how to do it for your truck. I run the same pressure. I've never heard of the crown thing but with that logic, you should run different pressure in your outside and inside tires in the front as well.