Advice on a Dually

[msperos]

After pulling my toyhauler to New England I'm thinking about moving up to a 05' dually. The issue was we were getting tossed around by trucks and the wind. The wife is blinking again, but said that something has got to change. Has anyone gone from a quad cab short bed to a dually and haw much more stable are they. I was thinking about keeping the 01' and getting a hensley hitch but do like the idea of a new truck. So 01' with a Hensley or 05' with conventional hitch.

 

[Beast2B]

i tow a 10k trailer for work with a Furd F550 dually. WAY more stable than my SRW. If you want to improve without the same investment, some 19. 5 wheels/tires on your truck will make a huge improvement, or how about converting your truck to a DRW... even a weight distributing hitch with sway control will help if you aren't using that now

 

[Babyfat]

i wouldn't give my dually up for nothing way more stable

 

[msperos]

I have a 1200 pound reese wd hitch with friction sway control. I thought of converting to a dually but with a short bed that may not be practical

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

A dually is alot better when towing anything, especially a tag along type trailer. One of the other things that makes a difference is tires. Most of your 3/4 tons have 265 tires and the duallys had 235's (2nd gen trucks) with a higher load rating. I would say that some 235's would make a huge difference as would the 19. 5's but that's a big investment that may not quite meet your expectations, but I'm sure the dually would. I don't tow that often these days, usually my Dually just hauls my lunch box, but I am glad I have the few times a year I haul a tractor or a car somewhere.

 

[Bertram65]

Switch to a 5th wheel, much more stable on a SRW truck than a bumper pull. If you have a double pivot 5th hitch it helps as well as none of the side to side is transfered to the truck.

 

[Cryppie]

I've always pulled heavy 5'ers, but I think it applies to both TT and 5'ers. My old truck was a '99 2500, which I did upgrade to Ricksons with 245/70R19. 5's and towed my SandPiper F37SP (14,500 loaded). I also had airbags, which carried the load well. I never noticed a big issue getting blown around on the road... until I got my new rig. The first pull with a dually made me realize just how much old blue was pushed, pulled and blown around. I think you could safely extrapolate the same feeling to a TT, and you would see a noticable increase in stability. I also concur with the above post on getting an equalizer hitch of some type, should add a degree of stability as well. Good luck and happy RV'ing.

 

[pwknapp]

Death grip on the steering wheel VS cruise control and one finger steering.



You ever wonder why big rigs have tandem duals on the truck and trailer?

 

[kelly4463]

JUST CAME BACK FROM SMOKEY MOUNTAINS N. CAROLINA PULLING MY 5ER. AT 65. CRUISE ON, ONE HAND ON WHEEL WOULD NOT GIVE UP MY 3500 FOR NOTHING GOD LIFESS NICE :-laf :-laf

 

[Texas Diesel]

Just did that!



Sold my 01 QC SB and bought a 01 3500 dually. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. We call the the QC SB a 116k mile mistake now. The dually is so much more stable. Curves, wind gusts, passing semis are all but forgotten.



I wish I would have bought a dually first.



pwknapp said it best.

 

[msperos]

I did it

Well I gues it's time to change my signiture . I'm the proud owner of a new 2005 silver 3500 drw slt 6 spd Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[Babyfat]

Congrats You Folks Are Going To Love It

 

[DHayden]

Congratulations, let us know what your impressions are after pulling the toy box.

 

[CUMMINZ]

SRW vs. DRW

I am sure there is a lot of difference between srw/drw. For the size 5er I have and the way my rig is decked out, I would not trade the difference. I don't feel passing trucks. If my rig was any larger I would go to a DRW.



#ad

 

[RBrunson]

After going through a wind storm up near Reno, Nv. last month I am a firm beliver in my 3500 DWR to handle some very strong crosswinds. I would just as soon not had the experience because it is very scary feeling of being pushed twards the edge of a drop off. I am sure that my 96 3/4 ton that I had before the 3500 would not have faired as well. I am pulling a 36 ft. Suvanna 5th wheel and it handles it very well... except when I come to the big hills, I need more power, but then I think that all of us feel that we are under powered.

 

[macdaddy]

Went from a 3/4 ton GMC 4X4 454 gasser to my 99 DRW. Check out my trailer in readers rigs,10K Toy Box 1400 LB hitch weight. The DRW really gets rid of the white knuckles, much more stable.



Mac

 

[BILLUA]

Put me in the camp of moving from a 2500 qc SRW short bed to a new 3500 1 Ton dually. Oh My God What a Difference!!!!!!!!



I will never again own a SRW truck!

 

[OTRPU]

Those that don't have one won't believe it, and many don't want one for lots of reasons, and good reasons at that. But I tow all day everyday. I have two trucks I tow with, both are ton dually. And last night enroute to Airdrie, AB, CAN a little bitty skunk liked to kick my butt. But I don't worry bout gettin it in a garage or driving round town in it. For what I do it's great, but that's all it's good for. JMHO



#ad




Cheers,

Steve J

 

[LesStallings]

Thats one serious looking truck!

 

[ramtifosi]

Running a 04 3500 DRW with Hellwig anti-sway bar and bilstiens, wow cannot think of a better handling package on this size truck! DRW is only way to go, loaded or not.