Who has driven SRW VS DRW In Snow

[Superduty123]

All

I have approval from the wife to buy my last truck before retirement as I have noted to some of you in recent posts

I am leaning to the current 2013/2014 Ram in the following configurations

3500 4x4 CC/SB

3500 4x4 Megacab DRW S/B

Both with the Cummins. A local dealer has a loaded 2013 Mega with the Asian Trans and 3.42 axle that I may be able to get a good deal on.

I will put a small self contained cabover on it when I am fishing on my own or tow a 30-33ft 5th when the wife is with me

We are planning on buying a small cabin in the lake tahoe area to spend 8 months out of the year and while I will try to avoid as much as possible being in the white stuff I wanted to know from any of you who have actually owned and driven both SRW and DRW in the snow what it would be like

My guess is if I am caught up there in the winter the truck would be unloaded except for a shell

Any input would help

thanks

[KD4UPL]

With weight in the back a dually goes great in snow. Since you'll be hauling a TC you'll have no problem. I've drive plenty of trucks, 1500 to dually in snow. The problems come with empty beds, especially reg. cab long bed trucks. When you start adding crew cabs and beds full of tools or campers it helps tremendously. I've driven my dually for over 8 years in lots of snow, some times over 2 feet. It goes great. If you need a dually for the payload, and with a TC you will, get one. Snow is no big deal.

[Lantley]

I had both. If equipped with 4 x 4 you will be fine with either. If you need a DRW for the payload get it. Don't let driving in the snow enter the equation.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

NC Hauler wrote:

45Ricochet wrote:
Biggest problem like stated by some is the rears will never be on track that the front has made, unless you single it out in winter. Lots of guys around here do it, but it's so funny looking I don't.
I'd rather have SRW in winter, but it's not that big of a deal with 4WD and and plenty of weight over the rear axle. It just handles differently and you get use to it.

pretty much nailed it, as I too stated, add a little extra weight over the rear axle....it it's your daily driver and you've done it for years and years, it's something you get use to doing...

Short version, just ditto to what they said for my experience.

Had both SRW and dually diesels for years, dually started with my 2003 Chevy. Lived in northern North Dakota since 1988 (until move south recently).

All were 4 X 4 vehicles. The dually surely does need some weight over the rear axle to help in snow. I've pulled into places with deep snow during blizzards with my dually in two wheel drive. Come out and try to drive off and I am stuck. So hit the 4 X 4 switch and away I go.

Other than stopping in 2WD and having to switch to 4 X 4 to move again in deep snow, never had any problems handling with dually in ice or snow. Drove slower, always according to road conditions and not the posted speed limits.

[coolbreeze01]

I'd buy the DRW with an 8' bed. Short beds are a waste for me, I haul stuff. I've driven both thousands of miles on snow. Have fun.

[jerem0621]

SWR imho... not a dually fan.. owned one.. didn't like it.. Drove bad in the rain, got stuck in wet grass (admittedly, it was a 2wd). it would have been a disaster for me in snow.

SWR unless you simply have to have the capacity for the trailer.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[brirene]

I guess I'll be the oddball...again. I've had both, all 4x4's. With both of my duallies I've rarely felt the need to use the 4 wheel. I think i get less slippage with the dually. I've driven in some pretty big snows and had no problems. I think its the heavier weight, but feels much more stable.

[NC_Hauler]

45Ricochet wrote:
Biggest problem like stated by some is the rears will never be on track that the front has made, unless you single it out in winter. Lots of guys around here do it, but it's so funny looking I don't.
I'd rather have SRW in winter, but it's not that big of a deal with 4WD and and plenty of weight over the rear axle. It just handles differently and you get use to it.

pretty much nailed it, as I too stated, add a little extra weight over the rear axle....it it's your daily driver and you've done it for years and years, it's something you get use to doing...

[45Ricochet]

Biggest problem like stated by some is the rears will never be on track that the front has made, unless you single it out in winter. Lots of guys around here do it, but it's so funny looking I don't.
I'd rather have SRW in winter, but it's not that big of a deal with 4WD and and plenty of weight over the rear axle. It just handles differently and you get use to it.

[mileshuff]

I'm a bit surprised at the answers here! Wider tires generally do not work as well as narrower tires in snow. Big wide tires sit on top of the snow and don't bite as well. Been there done that with many 4x4's over the years. I would assume the same effect would be true with DRW setups, possibly worse because siping maybe worse on the inside sidewall of each tire.

[NC_Hauler]

nevadanick wrote:
I had a srw Ram cc lb and it was scary in the snow. I put studded tires on it and that helped but my current GMC cc lb dually is better than the Ram by far. It comes down to weight bias. The Ram had to be far lighter in the rear than my GMC.

all one has to do, and I've also done this, was throw 4 or 5 hundred pounds of wood or bagged gravel in the bed over the rear axle...problem solved.

Again, I owned an 05 and an 07.5 Chevy CC/LB/D/A/4X4 and comparing with the Ram dually's I've owned, I've seen no difference between the two when driving in the snow...both did about the same....

[PenMan]

enblethen wrote:
The dual rear wheels will give more stability for both the camper and the 5er. Good thing!
In snow the dual rear wheels will spread the weight out more in the rear reducing traction. Bad thing!
I would go with dual rear wheels for your dual application.

I agree with this response. I have had both SRW and DRW trucks. The DRW with no weight in the back is not good in snow but when I put it in 4x4 it is no problem. I would definitely get the DRW as it makes towing sooooo much easier (lots more stable).

[NC_Hauler]

I've driven both SRW and DRW trucks in the snow, up to 15"...SRW and couple of the dually's were Chevy's, now last 3 were Ram's....they all acted the same, it mostly depends on the person behind the wheel...been in ice here in Western NC and I don't care what you have, ice is bad...best stay off of it, but dry deep snow, wet snow or slushy snow all have to be driven in a little differently. I've had no problem driving in the snow in NC, VA, TN or WV with the dually's, Chevy or Ram. (couldn't really tell where one brand would be worse or better than the other on that issue:h).

I went with a dually, originally, due to heavier pin weight and 5er GVW.....been driving Dually's since 05' and even got caught in a snow storm towing from Sevierville TN to Asheville NC, through the Gorge on I40....something I wouldn't do intentionally, but if one takes their time and uses a little common sense, you should do fine...I've had no issues with driving a dually in the snow....

[boogie_4wheel]

The duals seem to float on the snow more. And just like carringb said, the rear will not sit in the rut of the front, the inner/outer tires will be riding on the slush pile.

In most cases I think the SRW is more stable in a winter environment.

My SRW Dodge is way more stable than my parents DRW Dodge (I do have a slightly longer wheelbase that I'm sure contributes).

[nevadanick]

I had a srw Ram cc lb and it was scary in the snow. I put studded tires on it and that helped but my current GMC cc lb dually is better than the Ram by far. It comes down to weight bias. The Ram had to be far lighter in the rear than my GMC.

[v10superduty]

Put it this way...
If a 2 wheel drive truck with your specs was front wheel drive, there would not be much need for the 4x4 option..:W
In other words, in rear wheel drive only with little weight in back it will be tough going in snow, or mud; or wet grass for that matter.
The front wheels with the weight of the Cummins sitting on them will provide about 90% of your traction in the real bad going.
So it wont matter .. duals or single wheels other than the dually wont track down an unplowed winter road with only a set of ruts from previous vehicles as nice as a single wheeler.