Pros and Cons of a Dually

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Looking at getting a truck to pull a fifth wheel camper trailer (350/3500) . I'm leaning towards a dually but haven't had one before.

What are the pro's and cons of a dually pickup?

TIA,
Tony
 
One thing to note, you may actually be able to pull more weight with a 2500, non-dually. A 3500 is heavier, thus increasing the total Gross Combination Weight. Less truck weight means you can carry more trailer weight. This according to my GM training as a former sales consultant.
 
You have to buy more tires.

You have to remember that the back end of the truck is wider than the front. Especially when making a right hand turn onto a narrow street.
 
Originally Posted By: otis24
One thing to note, you may actually be able to pull more weight with a 2500, non-dually. A 3500 is heavier, thus increasing the total Gross Combination Weight. Less truck weight means you can carry more trailer weight. This according to my GM training as a former sales consultant.


and that is where common sense fails. I understand what you are saying but I'd rather have 1000lb heavier truck with more tires/heavier axle etc..

that the legal GCWR? Wants you to tow with a lighter truck--to tow more legally is mildly retarded but fits into the legalese.
 
Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Looking at getting a truck to pull a fifth wheel camper trailer (350/3500) . I'm leaning towards a dually but haven't had one before.

What are the pro's and cons of a dually pickup?

TIA,
Tony
That's not a very big fifth wheeler. No need for a dually with that. I know guys pulling 4 - 5 times that without a dually.

Cons: costs more, more to register, insure, maintain, feed........you get the idea.
 
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You can get by with or without a dually. But, by going with a dually you will get more stability when towing due to the wider stance axle and more tires. Case in point - I went to a race with a buddy. He pulls his race trailer (total with car is about 13000lbs) with a dually that he just purchased last year. The only reason he purchased a new truck was to get a dually (his last truck was not) for more secure towing. According to him, if you are towing over 10,000lbs you should consider a dually.

Of course - the downsides are the bigger size and all that other people said here.

Not sure how much you are towing but I tow an RV of about 8000lbs with my non-dually truck and it feels fine and well in control.
 
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Towing a fifth wheel isn't going to let the real pros of a dually shine.

Trailer control is the main one. Having the extra width and two more tires on the ground really helps control trailer sway. Of course, sway isn't near as much an issue with a fifth wheel as it is with a ball and coupler.

The other big advantage is payload. Upping from a single to a dual rear wheel in a new Silverado increases it's payload capacity by nearly 50%, from 4600 lbs. to 6600 lbs.
 
Remember too that you will have SIX tires on the ground instead of 4-if you ever have to tow in slippery conditions or go down a mountain, or tow in heavy crosswinds-a dually is much safer. 4X4 is a big plus when unloaded in a dually-with no weight over the 4 rear wheels it can be very hard to get going in snow or even wet asphalt!
 
Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Don't think I mentioned the weight of the trailer. The one we saw that we really liked was a tad over 12,000lbs dry weight.
Check your laws. you may need a CDL to pull that much weight. Sometimes they give RV's a break but usually any trailer over 10k requires a Class A CDL.

The rear end of a dully is super stiff w/o weight on it.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
Don't think I mentioned the weight of the trailer. The one we saw that we really liked was a tad over 12,000lbs dry weight.
Check your laws. you may need a CDL to pull that much weight. Sometimes they give RV's a break but usually any trailer over 10k requires a Class A CDL.

The rear end of a dully is super stiff w/o weight on it.


Hadn't thought about that. Did do a tiny bit of research and only about 3 or 4 states would it be a problem (CA being one of them).
 
We have towed a camper for ages. Our latest rig is a 33 foot fifth wheel behind a 4wd Dmax 2500 HD.

With a nearly as large camper hooked to a regular hitch the swaying and bucking was annoying. The new rig is a fifth wheel setup and it is hard to tell it's even back there. About 4500 pounds of tongue weight REALLY makes a difference when it's between the axles!

Drives really sweet and is not a dually.
 
You don't need a dually for that, but it is nice. I would get a 1 ton. They make SRW 350/3500 trucks. You will want a big block V-10 or diesel for that weight.

You will not require a CDL it is not a comercial Vehicle You are not required to stop at weight stations or have any of the stadard inspections required or the physical required. Even operators of large Diesel pushers built on bus frames with air brakes that will far exceed your combinded weight are not required to have a CDL.

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-state-rv-license.shtml
This has been discussed in depth on the RV board. The CDL is federal, but each state can up the requirements. No state requires a CDL for a privately owned motorhome. You may need a special class, but not a CDL.
 
Why I picked 2 rear wheels:
car wash access
snow traction
insurance [censored]
extra tire replacement costs

why I wanted a dually
look
weight capacities
look
look
stability with load/tow
look
oh, did I mention look?
 
If you are going to be trailering a rig that is 10k lbs or more, and will be driving through curvy roads with up & down terrain changes, you WILL want a dually. A single rear wheel (SRW) one ton truck will suffice in probably 75% of situations, but there are times that the dual rear wheels are a lifesaver. Especially when rogue crosswinds come out of nowhere! Pulling a heavy trailer downhill with a SRW, on a road with sharp or even semi-sharp curves, will give a whole new meaning to the word "Push"!
 
Our current RV weighs just under 13k pounds and is set up as a fifth wheel with about 4500 pounds on the tongue.

I can assure you after hauling it all over this country in all kinds of weather, up and down mountains, and on paved and unpaved roads I have NEVER felt a need for dual rear wheels. Snowstorms, thunderstorms, mountain winds, etc.

If you hitch to your bumper the difference is huge, but with a long wheelbase 2500HD Dmax and a fifth wheel setup you will not need anything more.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Our current RV weighs just under 13k pounds and is set up as a fifth wheel with about 4500 pounds on the tongue.

I can assure you after hauling it all over this country in all kinds of weather, up and down mountains, and on paved and unpaved roads I have NEVER felt a need for dual rear wheels. Snowstorms, thunderstorms, mountain winds, etc.

If you hitch to your bumper the difference is huge, but with a long wheelbase 2500HD Dmax and a fifth wheel setup you will not need anything more.


Yeah, I was speaking more from a bumper-pull perspective.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Our current RV weighs just under 13k pounds and is set up as a fifth wheel with about 4500 pounds on the tongue.

I can assure you after hauling it all over this country in all kinds of weather, up and down mountains, and on paved and unpaved roads I have NEVER felt a need for dual rear wheels. Snowstorms, thunderstorms, mountain winds, etc.

If you hitch to your bumper the difference is huge, but with a long wheelbase 2500HD Dmax and a fifth wheel setup you will not need anything more.


Are you sure you have 4500lbs of pin weight? Thats an awful lot for a 13K lb fifth wheel. Thats about 35%. Most times its between 20-25%
 
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