Community Forums

Riley1 · 09-30-2019, 03:27 PM

Hi All,I'm retiring the end of this year which was a surprise to me as i planned on working a couple more years (long story). My wife and I had originally planned on full timing in a DP with a Cruiser Lift on the back for my Harley and tow a Ford Edge. We've been going back and forth (A or 5ver) and are now thinking we won't be going FT and will instead take several 1-3 month trips a year.

The current game plan is to purchase a smaller toy hauler and a 1 ton diesel pickup as we plan on spending a fair amount of time out west (live in MI).

I've been reading a lot on here trying to decide whether or not I should spend the extra $$ on a dually. The toy haulers I've been looking at are in the 13K - 17K GVWR range with pin weight in the 2,400 - 3,000 range. Am I in dually territory? Any other info I can post that would help?

Thanks,Rick

Arch Hoagland · 09-30-2019, 03:44 PM

I vote for a dually mainly because of the stability it will add when you are in high winds along with the fact if you have a blowout on a rear truck tire it will give you an added margin of safety until you get pulled over.

450Donn · 09-30-2019, 03:47 PM

While the new one ton SRWs claim to haul the load, you will not regret stepping up to a dually. Towing is not the issue with fifth wheels. Load carrying capacity of your tow vehicle is. If you were to pick a 17K tow hauler your loaded pin weight could be as high as 4000 pounds. Add maybe 3500 empty rear axle weight and that says your SRW truck could place as much as 3600 pounds on each tire! Next, consider stability. A dually will be somewhat wider, meaning more stable.
The big downsides for a dually besides 2 extra tires to buy is width. Remembering the mirrors are the widest part of any truck width becomes a moot argument. Driving a dually is not a big deal. Parking lots you will probably find you park a bit further out. But heck a SRW long bed truck you will find the same deal.
As with anything else in life you need to choose the correct tool for the job or be prepared for the consequences.

Dieselguy4 · 09-30-2019, 03:54 PM

I would go with the dually. With 2500 to 3000lb pin weight you will be at or close to rear tire load. I have a 13000 lb 5th wheel with 2500lb pin weight. I was towing with a 2006 dodge ram 3500 mega cab 4x4 srw diesel. I was 400 lbs under rear tire load. It pulled good but on a trip to Atlanta the wind seemed to push the rear end around. I did not believe that I needed a daully. Well after that trip my DW said let's look at a dually. I bought a 2017 F350 CC 4x4 dually. Towing is excellent. Very relaxed towing. I just pulled to Pigeon Forge TN. Pulling I40 west from Asheville was easy. The dually tracks so much better then my mega cab srw. Any of the big three duallys are good.

Peto · 09-30-2019, 03:55 PM

Dually!!

You can never have too much truck.

Itchytoe · 09-30-2019, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riley1

We've been going back and forth (A or 5ver) and are now thinking we won't be going FT and will instead take several 1-3 month trips a year.

The current game plan is to purchase a smaller toy hauler and a 1 ton diesel pickup as we plan on spending a fair amount of time out west (live in MI).

I've been reading a lot on here trying to decide whether or not I should spend the extra $$ on a dually. The toy haulers I've been looking at are in the 13K - 17K GVWR range with pin weight in the 2,400 - 3,000 range. Am I in dually territory? Any other info I can post that would help?

Thanks,Rick

Yes, IMO you're in dually territory. Advertised pin weights are often a bit on the low side. You're going to be putting a Harley in the back, not a big pimped out side by side. You'll add, what 600 pounds to the rear with that Harley? That's not much at all, so your pin weight is likely to stay on the high side. I'm going to use 3500 pounds just to be safe. That, plus passengers and fuel will put you needing 4,000 pounds for truck payload to be comfortable towing.

You might find a SRW that has that much payload, but you'll be pushing your limits and won't have a good towing experience. A dually will be happy towing that all day long. There's a night and day difference in towing stability between SRW and DRW. I used to have an F350 SRW that I towed my current camper with. I had a weight distributing hitch and two sway bars. It was pretty darn stable and towed great. Now that I have an F350 DRW, I don't even use the sway bars, and am more stable than I ever was with the SRW.

For your setup, I vote DRW.

Riley1 · 09-30-2019, 04:07 PM

WOW! Thanks for the fast replies. You've all confirmed what I was thinking. I test drove a 2017 Ram Laramie and was blown away by how nice it rode unloaded. I went to look at 2 of them but the one I was really interested in (Mega cab 3:72 gears) was gone for the day (dealership owners truck).

The one I drove was a CC with the 4:10 gears. I really enjoyed driving it and wouldn't have any problem dealing with the hips. I might have made an offer on the Mega Cab if it had been available. That's just as well as I told myself there was no hurry and wanted to drive the Ford and Chevy first.

Thanks,
Rick

450Donn · 09-30-2019, 04:21 PM

Despite what others will say towing with 4.10 rear end you will never regret. I could pull my fiver all day at speed with the cruise control on. Truck never skipped a beat. Get on it hard and I could chirp the tires in each gear. 70 came in two heart beats.

Riley1 · 09-30-2019, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450Donn

Despite what others will say towing with 4.10 rear end you will never regret. I could pull my fiver all day at speed with the cruise control on. Truck never skipped a beat. Get on it hard and I could chirp the tires in each gear. 70 came in two heart beats.

My line of thinking was being on the lighter side of what that truck could handle I could get by with the 3:72 and maybe pick up some mph...but maybe not?

That thing was so smooth my wife kept having to tell me to slow down as I was running at 70 on the secondary roads, didn't feel like it.

Thanks,
Rick

Rubirose · 09-30-2019, 05:28 PM

We replaced our 2004 dually Duramax with a 2019 duramax dually. Hauling camper for now, but is fifth wheel ready when time comes, would never consider a SRW.

Old-Biscuit · 09-30-2019, 05:34 PM

Have a 2007 3500 SRW 4:10 and Tow 14K 5th wheel....FT for 7 yrs.
Great match/easy tow/no white knuckle episodes etc.

BUT if towing heavier..DRW for sure

cletesingler · 09-30-2019, 05:45 PM

Dually of course! Once you weigh it and add everything on the rear wheels, you will know you canNOT do it with an SRW. Why go to 4:10 when you can easily do it with 3:73 or even 3:5x? If it will be a new diesel, it can tow more than you will ever own.......

450Donn · 09-30-2019, 06:00 PM

Rear end rario has all to do with getting the truck in the power band. While other gear rations are nice, dont expect any milage improvments. The Ram Cummins auto in 6th gear with a 4.10 RE at 70MPH will set the truck around 1750RPM. That places the motor spinning in the lower third of its power band. It also means fewer gear changes.

mtripp0911 · 09-30-2019, 08:33 PM

Dually all the way!!!! Our TH has a “pin weight” of just under 4K lbs, when we load everything for a 21 day trip....

Couple of suggestions. 1) look at the F450 as they have a noticeably tighter turning radius. (not sure about the ram 4500 or 5500). We have a 17’ F350 4.10 rear end, and could not be happier! 2) change out the traditional pin box for a Reese Goosebox. Much better ride and you don’t have a huge hitch in your bed all the time.

Good luck and safe travels.