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BadDogPSD · 03-04-2015, 10:59 PM

I'd recommend DRW for that much trailer.

Pete1985 · 03-08-2015, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomasjb40

I'll be pulling a 40 ft. Toy hauler, fifth wheel. Triple axle. I believe it weighs a little over 17,000 lbs. I know there will be different opinions but I would like to hear both sides. I'm leaning towards a drw due to the fact that it has two extra tires which would be inherently a safer ride if I happened to have a rear blow out. Second, a larger foot print to eliminate excessive road walk. That's really all I'm going on. Please elaborate if you think of anything else. Thanks

You are doing the right thing

phyllisNchri · 04-01-2015, 09:48 AM

I have a question after reading through all of this thread. With the newer trucks and all of teh advance track, trailer tow controllers, sway controllers, traction controls. Does all of that stuff actually help towing a heavier rig with SRW. My rig is smaller than most of what you talk about but still ways in around 15K loaded up going down the road and I have towed through some 20-30 knot crosswinds and never had a problem. You can feel it move around a tad but it doesn't drag the truck around. Only once has the sway control actually engaged.

Scottybdivin · 04-02-2015, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phyllisNchri

I have a question after reading through all of this thread. With the newer trucks and all of teh advance track, trailer tow controllers, sway controllers, traction controls. Does all of that stuff actually help towing a heavier rig with SRW. My rig is smaller than most of what you talk about but still ways in around 15K loaded up going down the road and I have towed through some 20-30 knot crosswinds and never had a problem. You can feel it move around a tad but it doesn't drag the truck around. Only once has the sway control actually engaged.

My previous 5th wheel was an 18K triple axle. I pulled it with a Chevy 3500 SRW for 3500 mi, then bought a DRW and pulled it for another 14K mi. I can tell you that the difference in stability is like night and day. There's really no comparison.. Apples to oranges.

Pa Miller · 04-02-2015, 06:49 AM

The price of a blow out on a SRW truck towing vs a Duel wheel = Three wheels are better than one. Peace of mind.

bluegrassrv · 04-02-2015, 02:25 PM

When I had my dually I was towing a 30' travel trailer that weighed about 9000lbs. I towed it with a SRW before buying the DRW. The dually was night and day difference. I set the cruise on 75 then sat back and relaxed. I had to make an evasive maneuver once and I was so glad I had a dually. Someone speeding down an entrance ramp would have hit me had I not swerved into the next lane. It was a bit frightening when I saw the trailer skipping around in the mirror, but the truck never bobbled. I didn't even have time to break the cruise or grab the wheel with both hands. I was back straight in about a second.

cwsqbm · 04-02-2015, 02:36 PM

While towing, the DRW is almost always going to be better. The issue is whether dealing with a 96" wide truck (vs 80" for SRW) is worth it while not towing, if you trailer doesn't demand the extra tires.

If you're over 15,000 lbs GVWR on the trailer, or much over 3000 lb of real pin weight (which a manufacturer would list as 2500 lbs dry), DRW is pretty much required once you factor in the weight of vehicle occupants and fuel.

Scottybdivin · 04-02-2015, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwsqbm

While towing, the DRW is almost always going to be better. The issue is whether dealing with a 96" wide truck (vs 80" for SRW) is worth it while not towing, if you trailer doesn't demand the extra tires.

If you're over 15,000 lbs GVWR on the trailer, or much over 3000 lb of real pin weight (which a manufacturer would list as 2500 lbs dry), DRW is pretty much required once you factor in the weight of vehicle occupants and fuel.

I would agree with this. I hated driving the dually as a work truck. No drive throughs, no car washes, tough to park, more tires to buy. I drove mine 68K mi in 22 months. To me, there's only one reason to drive a dually, "because you need it". But when you need it, they are worth all the trouble.

Gordon Dewald · 04-02-2015, 09:07 PM

I really like driving the 450. When we are using the 5er I take the truck to the golf course. As well to the store, restaurants, etc.

While it is wider it takes very little planning and practice to go where ever you want to go. Sometimes you just can not get quite a close as you may like but parking in the middle to outside of the parking lot is not that onerous.

C130 · 04-03-2015, 09:27 AM

Traded in my 2011 F250 to a 2015 F450 a couple of months ago. First DRW truck and I love it. I pull a 2011 Fuzion 322 Touring Edition toy hauler. It's also my daily driver and takes a few days to get used to but not a big deal after that. I always wash my own cars and park out in the middle of nowhere anyways so that's nothing new for me.

If you're looking at loaded out DRW trucks the F450 is about the same price. Base price is higher but it comes pretty loaded and I bought mine within a $1,000 or less as the 350 DRW trucks. It's an incredible truck and now glad I got the F450. I wasn't even considering the F450 but they had just got it off the semi truck and someone ordered it and backed out.

Gordon Dewald · 04-03-2015, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C130

Traded in my 2011 F250 to a 2015 F450 a couple of months ago. First DRW truck and I love it. I pull a 2011 Fuzion 322 Touring Edition toy hauler. It's also my daily driver and takes a few days to get used to but not a big deal after that. I always wash my own cars and park out in the middle of nowhere anyways so that's nothing new for me.

If you're looking at loaded out DRW trucks the F450 is about the same price. Base price is higher but it comes pretty loaded and I bought mine within a $1,000 or less as the 350 DRW trucks. It's an incredible truck and now glad I got the F450. I wasn't even considering the F450 but they had just got it off the semi truck and someone ordered it and backed out.

There is a lot of difference in the 450 vs 350, at least in 2005.

The RV dealer was to install the 5er. They mistakingly thought the 450 and 350 frames were the same. Bad for them. No similarity. They had to have custom brackets built to install the hitch.

When doing the installing we listened to the fellows drilling the holes. You would hear the bit grinding and all of a sudden a bang, followed by a curse and then the guy going to get another bit. Frame was substantially heavier.

That may have changed with newer 450 as the 450 in 05 only came as a cab and chassis. We had a custom box built for ours and it is close to 9 feet long.

Pulled our 5er in a terrible wind. Used 40 gallons of fuel to go 120 miles at a speed of 30 mph. Tracked straight down the road. Felt the trailer trying to move the truck but control was easy. Any other time would have stayed until wind went down but needed to make an appointment.

C130 · 04-03-2015, 11:40 AM

I was referring to the price, the F350's I was looking at were within about one to two thousand dollars of the F450 I bought and some were priced the same. Wheels are different, suspensions different, brakes are different, lower gearing, not 100% sure on the frame.

Bamaman · 04-03-2015, 04:12 PM

You have two different F450's for 2015. There is one that's a jacked up F350, and it only comes in 4x4 configuration. It's a fine trailer hauler.

There's another F450 that comes in a cab/chassis only configuration. Its frame is much heavier, and it's more like a F550. The truck comes with 19.5" tires. If you order a special RV body with built in tool chests, etc, this truck is a GREAT trailer hauler.

C130 · 04-03-2015, 05:42 PM

Mines a 2015 and has 19.5 inch tires, commercial rated. Wheels are forged aluminum, different than the 350 DRW which are steel with an insert I believe. I've never heard there are two different versions but do know you can get them without the bed. Where did you hear the frames are different?