To dually or not to dually

[turbojet]

Hey all, new to the TDR. Am coming back to DC from my Super Duty and am excited about my new upcoming order.



Gonna do the 3500 HO QC, I love the looks of the Dodge dually and always have. This may sound goofy, but I don't pull much, just like the looks of the thing. Anyone out there buy one and not pull much with it? May be smarter to buy the SRW, but just love the dually looks. Will parking and such be too much of a hassle?



Thanks

 

[Pit Bull]

I'm on my 2nd dually. First was a 2000 3500QC 4x4 automatic. Now I need a dually because sometimes when I go to the store I need to buy "2" 50# bags of dog food instead of "1". Plus they are the best looking trucks on the road. The dually will never give you a problem. If the towing mirrors can clear then the dually wheels will clear. I don't eat that crap they sell at drivein windows and neither should you so it will help keep your weight down . Did I mention that they were the best looking trucks on the road



I don't haul anything heavy and I don't tow anything heavy, besides my own ass and I am proud of it

 

[turbojet]

AMEN PIT BULL!! LMAO, that's how I feel about it, if it can hold my big ass and my wife's too, then life is great.



tj

 

[Prairie Dog]

Welcome to the dark side!

Iv'e got a truck that rated to pull 14000 but my trailer only weighs 4500. I just enjoy the truck! My wife thought it was important to have a truck like this too...

"Honest honey, we need a truck like that to safely pull our trailer. "

 

[Dean Upson]

I've had duallys since 1986 when I discovered that it handled a big truck camper better, plus I liked the idea that if a rear tire blew, my kids would be safer when riding in the back. I doubt that anyone would argue the handling qualities with a heavy load. I now have had 5th wheels since 1996 and my new trailer is pretty heavy and the tounge weight is borderline, so I stuck with the dually with the truck I have on order.



To answer your question, they take up more space (width) in a parking lot, but they are no harder to park than a SRW Quad Cab. I love the looks of the Duallys, but the looks come with a price. The tolls are higher, the mileage is a little less and you need to break the bank when you buy 6 vs. 4 tires. That said I would never have a different truck than a Dodge/Cummins Dually 4x4. I also like the standard transmission with an exhaust brake and 4:10's for towing a heavy load, but that is just my opinion.

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

1-ton feedbck

Hey, if I can handle (most) European roads which are comparable at best with those roads east of the Mississippi in the lower 48, then it's a no-brainer. Parking just requires a bit more thought - not on where or how you park, but you have to factor in the other road users who left their brain on autopilot and sometimes make it awkward to manouver in parking lots. Ditto the other stuff already said regarding towing and campers.

 

[boonsur]

I'm going dual.

I think DC took a lot of character out of the Rams with the new body style. The dually gives it back, even more so. It's got attitude that makes it well worth the extra up-charge.



The parking is a con, but I never park my vehicles close to the "ugly" ones.



I look forward to the extra stability and safety (if you blow a rear tire with a SRW, while pulling a fifth wheel, it will go real wrong). I prefer the back-up plan.

 

[PZicha]

I tow about 10 days out of a year , the rest I just drive my glorified car , Did someone say the 3500's were the best looking trucks on the road

 

[tcourse]

Dually

I use mine as a daily driver and haul a 12' cargo trailer 2 weeks a year. I would never consider a 2003 SRW( I think they are ugly).

I think the black sport dually looks awsome.



TC

 

[willyslover]

I got mine to haul the heavy cowl induction, flamed hood . . OH did someone say they are the best looking rig on the road



as to parking. . non issue just use two spaces and keep the jerks off your fenders. . park way out cause they get pis*ed over that

 

[Pit Bull]

I think we need to start a dually TDR club Just for the good looking trucks

 

[Casey Balvert]

I'm in.

 

[turbojet]

Thanks for the thoughts guys, I'll let you know what I decide to go with, got to chew on it a bit. I know one thing, the other night at a dealership a guy was there picking up his brand new 03 black dually laramie, man that truck was the ****-got me thinking and my pocketbook hurting!!

 

[Dean Upson]

Hey Turbojet, I hear you about the black truck. My 98. 5 is black with purple pinstriping and a real gold leaf "DODGE" on the tailgate, a real beauty.

The '03 that should be in this week is Silver Metallic. I really loved that black truck and it stayed clean for just about 5 minutes after I washed it, also found that black will show every tiny scratch. The black was sweet, but once was enough, from now on I will admire someone else's black beauty!



Dean

 

[GFoley]

I'll offer another consideration - bank drive thrus are typically much narrower than the McD lane (I quit the fast food lanes because I couldn't hear the person taking my order).

Already stated but worth mentioning again- six tires instead of 4 when your buy 'em all at once. Fewer tire choices if you plan on going to a larger tire and still want to retain your load rated tires.

If you're headed off road you may look for alternate routes beacuse of the fender width.

Higher tolls was already mentioned as well.



I am still torn between the two if I had to purchase another one. My 2500 pulled everything I ever put behind it, but I haven't ever pulled a 5th wheel or a gooseneck trailer either.

 

[SteveH]

I had an 86 then an 87 1 ton with duallies and these are really stable platforms. I have an 03 somewhere on the tracks making it for Spokane and then to Billings and it too, is a dually. I constantly blew tires out or just wore them out with the weight of the 5th wheel. I got over 40k inbetween tire changes on the duallies. Parking is no problem. Park as far away from the front of the shopping centers as you can. The kids always had a ball kidding me about this but I never had a single dent or bump on the doors from being hit from others opening their doors. you gotta love them duallies!!!

Steve H.

 

[turbojet]

Originally posted by Dean Upson

Hey Turbojet, I hear you about the black truck. My 98. 5 is black with purple pinstriping and a real gold leaf "DODGE" on the tailgate, a real beauty.

The '03 that should be in this week is Silver Metallic. I really loved that black truck and it stayed clean for just about 5 minutes after I washed it, also found that black will show every tiny scratch. The black was sweet, but once was enough, from now on I will admire someone else's black beauty!



Dean

I hear you Dean, there are a couple silver duallys around here at dealers and I have a hard time deciding between black and silver. Same thing-black is a pain in the ass as far as cleaning and scratches go. I guess you gotta pick your poison! Have fun with the silver bullet!!

 

[smartineau]

turbojet,



if you think you want a dually, get one!!!



my white sport package is on order and is suppose to be here about the first week of december. dean is right, black is a pain in the rearend as my current non-dodge truck can attest to, but black is beautiful!!! if you have the time to wash it, and live where is does not rain 364 plus days a year, black is the best looking color. (colour for our canadian friends)



i only tow about 2000 lbs on a fairly regular basis in the summer, but we are looking for a nice used camper in the about 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 foot range so i went dually.



as mentioned many times the duallys are the nicest looking trucks out there IMHO.



steve



waiting for my '03 dually, and have a 2000 durango in the driveway.

 

[turbojet]

Your right smart, just don't want to regret it down the line, don't think I will-have always admired them. Seems like the 03s are a bit lower than the previous duallys, don't know if it's just me or not.

 

[midwestdually]

im in!!in my opinion... . its the only way 2 go