Single Wheel vs DRW

[fincher]

So I've been watching the "weight police" and did some research and found my set up is 2000 lbs over my gcwr. I have a 2010 Dodge 2500 crew with a hemi pulling a 2013 Sandpiper 32QBBS. Not fully loaded weighed in at 18,200. My wife said get something that will fix the problem. So my question is what are the advantages of a dually vs a single wheel? I am going to step up to a diesel but do I NEED the dually? We are not looking at getting a different camper for a long time. Any comments would be great. Thanks!

[ependydad]

To me it comes down to the numbers, if you can be within the numbers on a SRW, then it's sufficient for the job. If you're going to be over, get the dually.

How much else do you use the truck? The dually definitely has disadvantages if it's going to be a daily or even regular driver. My truck is one of our 2 vehicles, but I work from home 95% of the time- so we can use the car most of the time. But, I've taken the dually into the city, into parking garages and even through drive-thrus. It can be done.

As well, being a neophyte tow-er, I liked the extra stability and redundancy on the drive wheels of the dually.

[bjsfla]

Originally Posted by fincher

So I've been watching the "weight police" and did some research and found my set up is 2000 lbs over my gcwr. I have a 2010 Dodge 2500 crew with a hemi pulling a 2013 Sandpiper 32QBBS. Not fully loaded weighed in at 18,200. My wife said get something that will fix the problem. So my question is what are the advantages of a dually vs a single wheel? I am going to step up to a diesel but do I NEED the dually? We are not looking at getting a different camper for a long time. Any comments would be great. Thanks!

You could probably get away with a SRW 1 ton, but with a hitch weight of 1.896 lbs. and gross weight of 13,896 lbs. a DRW might not be a bad idea for peace of mind. Good luck with your quest.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by fincher

So I've been watching the "weight police" and did some research and found my set up is 2000 lbs over my gcwr. I have a 2010 Dodge 2500 crew with a hemi pulling a 2013 Sandpiper 32QBBS. Not fully loaded weighed in at 18,200. My wife said get something that will fix the problem. So my question is what are the advantages of a dually vs a single wheel? I am going to step up to a diesel but do I NEED the dually? We are not looking at getting a different camper for a long time. Any comments would be great. Thanks!

If your over on your gross you most likely over on your cargo carrying capacity.

You need to find out what your pin weight is and then buy a truck with at least that much ccc.

Normally you'll exceed your ccc before anything else.

Turbs

[DutchF]

Excellent point, Turbs (is it ok if I call you that?)

In our case, we chose a DRW (with 4x4) for the following reasons;

• Heavier duty rear axle (ours has a Dana 80)
• Increased staibility, less sway (We were towing a 36' TT)
• Improved braking (6 footprints are larger than 4)
• Improved traction in 2WD (4 footprints are larger that 2)
• Improve safety in the event of a blowout on the rear
• 4x4 - limited traction conditions (wet grass, loose dirt etc)

Add to this that we have 2 other cars. Personally I don't find the DRW any more difficult to drive than a SRW. The fact is that it is no wider than the mirrors (and we don't have the larger towing mirrors). If they fit, the rear does too.

Being a 4x4, it does stand taller, at about 6' 8", and there are some parking garages I wouldn't get into, but we have two other cars.

There really isn't that much difference in fuel economy between our truck and it's SRW 2WD counterpart. Maybe 1 or 2 mpg (at the most, 3 mpg). To us, the benefits greatly outweigh the negative.

Best wishes on which ever way you choose to go.

[BarryD0706]

Fincher, you've got a typo there (unless you were talking about your truck). GVWR for that RV is 13896 so you can't be at 18,200.

SRW is likely going to be ok at that GVWR as long as you have a 1-ton, but you do need to run the actual numbers after you weigh your rig.

[fincher]

BarryD0706...that's the truck and the camper together.

[Chewie]

Once you pull with a dually it will be hard to go back to srw. Same goes with the gasser vs diesel arguments.

[fincher]

Late this fall I weighed the truck by itself with me in it and a full tank of gas and the hitch it came in at 7100 lbs. When I weighed them together I didn't do just the truck with the camper hooked up. I don't haul anything extra in the truck except for the wife and kids. That should be around another 300lbs. So that gets the total up to 7500 lbs. With a gvwr of 8900 lbs it became clear I was going to be over on payload. When we were looking at it the dealer was pushing us to get a bigger one. When I asked the dealer if I was OK on my weights they said I would be fine. They wanted the sale not worrying of safety!

[AquaMan]

You are most likely over your gross combined weight because of being a gasser. That is your biggest limitation. As an example a Chevy 2500 gasser with 3.73 has a gross combined weight of 16,000, whereas the same truck with a Duramax is 24,500. That's not to say your payload won't max out though.

[fincher]

Originally Posted by Chewie

Once you pull with a dually it will be hard to go back to srw. Same goes with the gasser vs diesel arguments.

I've been arguing that, the diesel, to my wife for years!!!

[BarryD0706]

Originally Posted by fincher

I've been arguing that, the diesel, to my wife for years!!!

She needs to go look at a modern diesel. They're nothing like their noisy, smoky older cousins.

[fincher]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

She needs to go look at a modern diesel. They're nothing like their noisy, smoky older cousins.

It isn't the noise, vibration, or smoke just the up front money. The truck would sit most of the time. For the last three years I have only put on 10,000 miles roughly. But we plan to go west for vacations and my argument has been fuel mileage...7 best vs ??? with a diesel on top of the overweight.

[BarryD0706]

I get 11.5 normally towing about 13,600 (SRW).

[ependydad]

8.5-12 depending on luck. Camper is right about 14k. And I have the 4.10 gears and 4x4. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't go for the 4.10 and instead would have opted for the 3.whatever it was.

[fincher]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

I get 11.5 normally towing about 13,600 (SRW).

OK so with that being said, with what brand? I'm a Dodge guy. I know the old 5.9s were awesome but who's using a newer Cummins and what are they getting?

[ependydad]

Mine is a 2012 Ram (cummins). Love the truck. We found it the most posh and comfortable as a people mover - even if it's numbers were slightly lower than Ford and Chevy.

We wanted comfortable seating for six. Just didn't feel like the Chevy had nearly the space as the other two.

Wife liked the interior of the Dodge far better than the Ford. She said the Ford felt like a work truck.

BUT- to each his own. Everyone has their likes and dislikes. I think all 3 make great trucks and would have been mechanically happy in any of them.

[chiefly1]

We have the 6.7 Cummins in a Dodge mega cab and absolutely love it. We just passed through 50K with no issues.

[Rugged Brown]

I've towed with a gas and a diesel pulling the same camper and I do not see an appreciable difference in the mileage. Same applies when not towing.

[Chewie]

There is definitely the upfront cost, but when it comes to resale it's nearly a wash.