Do I really need a dually?

[Snoking]

Yes SRW. Chris

[roadglide]

I’m so thankful I didn’t buy a dully . We where coming into elkmont Smokey mountains exhausted and using the gps my bad . I took a left over a ten foot bridge at hair pin curve up against the mountain and bridge that been hit and tore up from previous big rigs. I’m saying with a dully I would have destroyed it after I got through it . Having a dully would limit me and cause more accidents and headache then the safety it offers.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by roadglide

I’m so thankful I didn’t buy a dully . We where coming into elkmont Smokey mountains exhausted and using the gps my bad . I took a left over a ten foot bridge at hair pin curve up against the mountain and bridge that been hit and tore up from previous big rigs. I’m saying with a dully I would have destroyed it after I got through it . Having a dully would limit me and cause more accidents and headache then the safety it offers.

No you will never be able to drive a dually, surprised you drive what you have because you have convinced yourself it just so huge!!
They are not much larger than a standard 3500 just wider at the hips, no wider than your trailer. On a 10’ bridge I would have had 1’ on each side lots of room.
My DW drives ours all time without issue, DD drives here a lot and tows 4 horse GN trailer with living quarters.

[sonofcy]

Originally Posted by roadglide

I’m so thankful I didn’t buy a dully . We where coming into elkmont Smokey mountains exhausted and using the gps my bad . I took a left over a ten foot bridge at hair pin curve up against the mountain and bridge that been hit and tore up from previous big rigs. I’m saying with a dully I would have destroyed it after I got through it . Having a dully would limit me and cause more accidents and headache then the safety it offers.

My fifth wheel is a Keystone Montana 3811MS. It is 40'9" long and 8' wide. My DUALLY is also 8' wide with the power mirrors folded in. That 10 ft road would leave 1' on either side of the truck and trailer. However, I would have used google street view or google earth to determine if it was safe to go there. I don't like surprises. As far as I know truck makers can NOT make a truck that is wider than a lane of traffic. We have laws about that sort of thing up here. I drive it daily in a place that favours small cars so I sometimes need to park further away but it will outturn almost all other trucks due to the wide track. My previous F150 was much harder to maneuver.

[Laredo Tugger]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

No you will never be able to drive a dually, surprised you drive what you have because you have convinced yourself it just so huge!!
They are not much larger than a standard 3500 just wider at the hips, no wider than your trailer. On a 10’ bridge I would have had 1’ on each side lots of room.
My DW drives ours all time without issue, DD drives here a lot and tows 4 horse GN trailer with living quarters.

What? Come on man. Everyone is entitled to a mistake and an opinion. Nobody plans to put themselves into challenging situations. If somebody is full timing I would hope that they are confident with their equipment. Confidence is huge when navigating any large truck/trailer combo. Anyone can be taught this confidence with time behind the wheel.
RMc

[Roscommon48]

it is all personal preference. if you like the dually, get it. if you like the srw get it.


our truck is the only vehicle we have so I would Never get a dually...they are a pain as far as I can see. I SRW will do just fine.

[sonofcy]

True as long as the weight you are carrying is less than the SRW payload. DRW carries almost double the payload due to two extra tires. I got a 450 for the larger brakes. Any modern diesel will get you up the hill , its the stopping 15 tons that I worry about

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by sonofcy

True as long as the weight you are carrying is less than the SRW payload. DRW carries almost double the payload due to two extra tires. I got a 450 for the larger brakes. Any modern diesel will get you up the hill , its the stopping 15 tons that I worry about

You might want to look at actual numbers.

Example:
2015 RAM 4X4 CC Diesel/Aisin LB SRW 3500 has an advertised 4330 payload
2015 RAM 4X4 CC Diesel/Aisin LB DRW 3500 has an advertised 5680 payload

And your 450 has a lower payload than a similar 350, as your 450 is much heavier with the same 14K GVWR.

[sonofcy]

I know but I wanted the bigger brakes and it only cost about $2k more than an identically equipped 350 dually. Waiting 3 months while they built it though was painful especially since the trailer only took 8 weeks

[sonofcy]

The weight difference is because the 450 is built stronger than the 350 dually

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

No you will never be able to drive a dually, surprised you drive what you have because you have convinced yourself it just so huge!!
They are not much larger than a standard 3500 just wider at the hips, no wider than your trailer. On a 10’ bridge I would have had 1’ on each side lots of room.
My DW drives ours all time without issue, DD drives here a lot and tows 4 horse GN trailer with living quarters.

Hair pin curve you missed my point . I made it through with in a few inches with sharp turn. I get my toyhuler out of the poll barn around 10 KMiles a year . This trip is right at 6 k when finished . I expect your DW has more skill then because of your negative thinking . Confidence is the key but a Dully will not go where a SRW my point stands firm.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by roadglide

Hair pin curve you missed my point . I made it through with in a few inches with sharp turn. I get my toyhuler out of the poll barn around 10 KMiles a year . This trip is right at 6 k when finished . I expect your DW has more skill then because of your negative thinking . Confidence is the key but a Dully will not go where a SRW my point stands firm.

96 inches is 96 inches, 102 inches is 102 inches. If the trailer fits, so does the dually when it comes to width...

Now if you're talking length then it ain't all that applicable to the extra wheels...

[sonofcy]

His point I think was that the DUALLY is exactly the same width as the trailer so if the DUALLY won't go neither will the trailer making the SRW, DRW decision moot.

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by sonofcy

His point I think was that the DUALLY is exactly the same width as the trailer so if the DUALLY won't go neither will the trailer making the SRW, DRW decision moot.

going straight but I can tell you the SRW will make it through tighter narrow area radius with a fifer then DRW.
That is my point .

[Javi]

Okay I get it... the world is flat..[emoji57]

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by Javi

Okay I get it... the world is flat..[emoji57]

Correct fifer length is a factor . I missed the sign nothing over 22 foot but the ranger was impressed with my driving skills but not with the damage I did to some tree limbs . I’m glad the mistake took place in Tennessee and not California. I’m just thankful I don’t have a dully.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Roscommon48

it is all personal preference. if you like the dually, get it. if you like the srw get it.


our truck is the only vehicle we have so I would Never get a dually...they are a pain as far as I can see. I SRW will do just fine.

Well it is all personal preference, there is a point which a 5er becomes too much for a SRW.
Our DRW is also our only vehicle, no it isn’t a Smart Car, but the more we drive it the smaller it gets. I don’t make it a habit to park in the front row at the grocery store or hardware store, but have done it many times.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

Yes the turning is noticeably better. The payload on a 450 is less which makes no sense to me.

This is because Ford chooses to classify the F450 as a Class 3 truck with a max GVWR of 14,000#. The truck is stronger than the F350, but Ford states a 14,000GVWR so buyers can get favorable registration and insurance rates, but more or less forcing owners to exceed their GVWR to use as built. Ford does the same with the F350 SRW which can be bought with a GVWR as low as 9,900# up to 2018, haven't looked closely at 2019 specs.

[mwemaxxowner]

My dad has a '19 350 drw. It's a beast of a truck! He hauls a hefty Takeuchi skid steer on a hefty gooseneck trailer with form boards, trowel machines, hand tools etc. loaded up also. It gets surprisingly good fuel mileage while towing and while he dailies it.

[CaptnJohn]

Thanks for posting his stickers. My new F350 dually is supposed to be here on the 3Rd.