i currently have a 2000 F250 7.3 diesel which i will be selling to my son soon. i plan to get a 2011 F350 i just cant decide to go with a dually or stick with the single rear wheel. i am also planning to get a 5th wheel in the 33-38 foot range, i just want to know at what point would you all consider gong to dual rear wheels? i just hear it really handles the load better, but wanted feed back because i have never owned a dually!

thanks

 

I researched every new trailer that I might want to go to buy.....
Looked a weight (GVW sticker), realizing what ever the GVW is rated at, when you get done with your personal stuff, water, etc. You will be at it, or a little over.

F350 - SRW 23,500 max GCWR - 8500 (truck, w/fuel, not much more) = 15k

I was going to be at the 15k or 16k, so...... DRW for me...

 

X2 - Check out all the fivers you like and check the weights. IF it is close, then go with the dually.

 

even if your trailer is below the swr rating, the cost difference between SRW and DRW isn't significant enough to go with the SRW. Unless you're limited in parking space or something, I'd definately go with the bigger truck!!

 

If it makes you feel any better, The mirrors on a SWR are wider than the dually by many inches..... If the mirrors fix, so will the duallys (in a straight line) sharp corners are the difference, need wider turns.

 

For me it would depend on the number of miles I would likely be towing the trailer. 0/5,000 a year I would go with the SRW. 5,000 to 15,000 I think it would be a toss-up. over that I would have to get the DRW.

 

it really comes down to pin weight of the trailers you like.
the towing capacity is the same(250, 350 srw/drw), the load (in the bed) rating are different.

my 08 dually is 13000 gvwr, and 9000 rawr. the SRWs are 6000lb RAWR and 11000 gvwr. On the SRW that RAWR is all on 2 tires.

Sam

 

This question comes up all the time at RVnet. Here is a reply I provided there:

"IIRC, someone posted earlier that a SRW 2011 GM product with 11500 GVW would not be over the ratings. I have a difficult time squaring that with what I do know. The GVW of the fiver you are considering is over 15000 pounds. Here are my actual numbers:

Heartland Bighorn 36 footer with a 14000# GVW. It was listed at 11100 pounds dry weight. It actually weighed 400 pounds less at 10700#. Pin weight empty was 1900 pounds After 2 summers of use and several changes in loading style, it now weighs 12970 pounds total. This is with full propane, 25 gallons of fresh water, camping supplies for 2 adults for 2 weeks, nice size tool box, small 110 volt air compressor and our Weber Q grill. The holding tanks were empty. The pin weight is 2350# and 10620# on the axles. The truck and trailer weigh 22100# combined. I pull it with a 2011 F350 SRW Lariat CC SB FX4 6.7 diesel. It does a great job and has some capacity left. However, if I loaded my Fiver to the 14000# GVW and kept the truck and trailer ratios the same, I would be nearly maxxed out for GVW on the truck after I got the additional 1000# aboard. This combination has been weighed 3 times at a CATS scale. The GVW weights you posted for the Montana are roughly 10% heavier than my fiver. The shipping weight is 13% higher. The numbers indicate you can not stay within the 1 ton SRW specifications with this trailer. However, you would be well within the 2011 F350 Dually numbers and it would pull the entire rig down the road quite nicely."

So after all that, IMO, 14000#'s of fiver with a 2400# pin is a great match for a F350 with 11500# GVW. More than that and you are in dually country.

Regards

 

Yes, Pin weight is different.

BUT, so is GCWR for 5th wheel

F350 SRW 23,500
F350 DRW 29,000

 

You on the Heartland forum?

FWIW, Registration and insurance could also be a deciding factor.
I ordered a DRW almost 2 weeks ago to get the capacity since my Cyclone toy hauler had gained too much weight.

In New Jersey my insurance (Allstate) will not allow the new truck to be insured "pleasure". I have to get commercial insurance, and need to have a business to get the commercial policy (have the business name).

Allstate guidelines are over 10K or more then 4 wheels (DRW) and they use the VIN to qualify the truck.

My agent had no answer when I asked him how this going to affect the rest of the new SRW trucks that will have11K ratings.

 

Yep, same screen name, I go there every couple of days. I am going to their National Rally in Goshen, Indiana next June. I am working on a seminar/workshop presentation for the 6.0 diesel.

 

The mirrors look the same to me.

 

I think he meant the mirrors are wider outside edge to outside edge than the dually flares...not different mirrors

 

Same screen name for me too.
We will also be at Goshen.

 

The Fords have longer springs this year and I have not been in one but it has always been my experiance that the duelly rides better without the trailer. No real differance when towing between the two. GRVW is always a factor and if you think your going to be close to the max, go with the duelly.