SRW or DRW

[Jerico83]

Hey guys I'm new to RAM trucks and HD trucks in general. I'm sure this topic has been discussed in the past and maybe someone can give me the link to it or perhaps you guys can help a brother out with some of your wisdom.
I have a couple question and I hope i can get some help.

I'm looking to get a 3500 Megacab with either the regular Cummins or maybe the HO Cummins, not sure yet. I've seen that the regular Cummins comes with the 68 transmission. Is that a good tranny? I know that the upgrade to the HO Cummins with the Aisin tranny is a few thousand more but I'd like to save some money too.

Also looking into getting a Fifth Wheel:

Sandpiper 384QB0K
GVWR 16,132
Hitch weight 2,261

As you can see the FW is on the heavier side but I have seen videos of people towing similar weight with a SRW. I'm not sure if I should go with a SRW or if i should go with the dually. Not to offend any of you here but I prefer the look of the SRW better.
I'll be towing only a few times a year so I won't be on the road that much, this will also be my daily driver and I live in the city.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think I'll be ok with a SRW?

Thank you all.

 

[slvrsix7]

I tow a 2021 Keystone 364bhl with my 2021 3500 SRW long box with the 6.7 S/O. I have been very happy with this setup. The trailer grosses at 14K. I was back and forth between the SRW and DRW, but since I only tow my fifth wheel 6-8 times a year so I went with the SRW. It is my daily driver and I'm happy I did. I stuck with the S/O because the weight I'm pulling just does not call for anything more. I do miss my 2018 that was deleted and I'm looking into to doing a throttle booster or Derringer on the 2021. It's too new to delete and the supports just not there like it used to be.

 

[CdnHO]

Since your trailer GVWR is over 16K, you have a potential king pin load of 4,000 pounds. And don't forget the passengers and gear you will have in the truck itself. That is definitely dually territory. I assume your numbers are taken from the brochure. Reality on the scale once you load that trailer up will be entirely different.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I would try to get a real world pin weight from other owners of the same model before deciding, but 5th wheel is typically 18-22% of the GVWR when loaded. You can crunch the numbers from the empty weight+your expected load in the trailer too but most people underestimate how much stuff they haul around.

 

[CdnHO]

I would try to get a real world pin weight from other owners of the same model before deciding, but 5th wheel is typically 18-22% of the GVWR when loaded. You can crunch the numbers from the empty weight+your expected load in the trailer too but most people underestimate how much stuff they haul around.

In most fifth wheels, the bulk of the storage space is forward of the axles. And it doesn't take long to stuff 2000 pounds in the compartments. Mine is a good example. Almost all the stuff I have put in has added pin weight. I try to place heavier items as far back as practical but that has its limits. With my old 2003 I also filled the fresh water tank which was located at the rear of the trailer in an effort to reduce pin weight. 600 pounds of water. With this truck, my pin weight is much less of a concern. Putting one of these rigs on a scale can be a real eye opener.

 

[Destry]

I am trading my SWR for DWR. I worked all the numbers to keep payload so the truck is below the 12,300 GVWR only to realize that all the pin weight weight is transferred to the rear axle (rated at 7,000#). As others have said, CAT scale measures are a real eye-opener. With my trailer hitched, front axle was a 5000# and rear axle at 7200#. So I was below GVWR of the truck but 200# over the rear axle weight rating. I have a Raptor 352 with a dry pin weight of 3400#. I expected a toy/equipment in the garage would offset all the regular camper stuff loaded in the galley/MBR...and it gets close. But pin weight over about 3500# (payload of the truck is 4000#), rear axle weight rating is exceeded. So I can't carry any water, I have to dump all the tanks before towing, load everything I can in the rear of the garage...it is a hassle.
Keep in mind, tire rating is going to be just a hair over that rear axle weight rating (3620# x 2 = 7240#). Overloading a rear axle will wear it out faster...overloading your rear tires...that could be very bad. I see people rolling down the road like this all the time. I think you will be surprised at how fast you can get that pin weight into the 3000# range. You would probably stay within specs...but there are so many variables...and with a SRW, you lose any flexibility on varying pin weights. Good luck!

 

[CdnHO]

Good move. My fiver has a pin weight of almost 5000. No debate as to SRW or DRW. However I have seen some heavy fivers pulling heavy fifth wheels. Guy up the street was pulling a Mobile Suites what grossed at 19K and was pulling it with an F250. Said airbags were the answer. He got back from Florida a couple of years ago and said he was never towing again. He wouldn't say what happened but probably something broke. He finally sold his truck and trailer.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Good move. My fiver has a pin weight of almost 5000. No debate as to SRW or DRW. However I have seen some heavy fivers pulling heavy fifth wheels. Guy up the street was pulling a Mobile Suites what grossed at 19K and was pulling it with an F250. Said airbags were the answer. He got back from Florida a couple of years ago and said he was never towing again. He wouldn't say what happened but probably something broke. He finally sold his truck and trailer.

Axle weights matter

 

[CdnHO]

Axle weights matter

When he got the trailer I told him he did not have enough truck; that with that pin weight, he really needed a dually. Didn't listen although he did replace the China Exploders with proper tires.

 

[Dasmoetorhead]

DRW

 

[Dasmoetorhead]

Hey guys I'm new to RAM trucks and HD trucks in general. I'm sure this topic has been discussed in the past and maybe someone can give me the link to it or perhaps you guys can help a brother out with some of your wisdom.
I have a couple question and I hope i can get some help.

I'm looking to get a 3500 Megacab with either the regular Cummins or maybe the HO Cummins, not sure yet. I've seen that the regular Cummins comes with the 68 transmission. Is that a good tranny? I know that the upgrade to the HO Cummins with the Aisin tranny is a few thousand more but I'd like to save some money too.

Also looking into getting a Fifth Wheel:

Sandpiper 384QB0K
GVWR 16,132
Hitch weight 2,261

As you can see the FW is on the heavier side but I have seen videos of people towing similar weight with a SRW. I'm not sure if I should go with a SRW or if i should go with the dually. Not to offend any of you here but I prefer the look of the SRW better.
I'll be towing only a few times a year so I won't be on the road that much, this will also be my daily driver and I live in the city.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think I'll be ok with a SRW?

Thank you all.

Your towing experience will be better in a DRW, but as a daily driver not so much. I bought a 2500 SRW when I had a 14k Montana 5th wheel trailer. I put air bags on the 2500, and it pulled just fine for 10,000 miles but it in my opinion was overloaded, and s bit squirrely. I wanted my family and other people on the road around me safe, so I bought a DRW, and we then traveled through all of the U.S. lower 48 states without a single issue. A 3500 SRW will no doubt be better than my 2500, but once you pull heavy with a Dually you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

 

[gimmie11s]

I tow a 2021 Keystone 364bhl with my 2021 3500 SRW long box with the 6.7 S/O. I have been very happy with this setup. The trailer grosses at 14K. I was back and forth between the SRW and DRW, but since I only tow my fifth wheel 6-8 times a year so I went with the SRW. It is my daily driver and I'm happy I did. I stuck with the S/O because the weight I'm pulling just does not call for anything more. I do miss my 2018 that was deleted and I'm looking into to doing a throttle booster or Derringer on the 2021. It's too new to delete and the supports just not there like it used to be.

Being you DD your truck, this was a smart move IMO.

Your towing experience will be better in a DRW, but as a daily driver not so much. I bought a 2500 SRW when I had a 14k Montana 5th wheel trailer. I put air bags on the 2500, and it pulled just fine for 10,000 miles but it in my opinion was overloaded, and s bit squirrely. I wanted my family and other people on the road around me safe, so I bought a DRW, and we then traveled through all of the U.S. lower 48 states without a single issue. A 3500 SRW will no doubt be better than my 2500, but once you pull heavy with a Dually you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

100%! I had a 2016 2500 cummins truck and my experience was exactly as you describe above while towing my 5th wheel. Your first heavy tow with a DRW and you'll go WHOA! Why did i wait? It's an awesome machine for the job.

That said......... OP is your truck going to be a daily driver? If so, heavily consider the SRW. If not, dont think twice--go DRW.

I love my dually to death, but would not want to DD it just because of it's sheer size/parking/maneuverability. It actually rides pretty good with the OEM rear air, but the truck is huge and less DD-friendly than an SRW IMO.

 

[Dasmoetorhead]

One other note to OP. The parking spaces in this country are shrinking. My 3500 DRW was my favorite vehicle of all times, and I wish I could have kept it just for towing duties, but I needed a pickup that would fit in my garage, and would be a little better around town. Now that I don't tow a 5th wheel, and just pull a 10k TT the 2500 fits the bill. In fact I just got back from a trip from East TN to Nor-Cal and back (6500 miles) and the 2500 CTD was freaking Steller. 11.5 mpg. Choose wisely.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Being you DD your truck, this was a smart move IMO.



100%! I had a 2016 2500 cummins truck and my experience was exactly as you describe above while towing my 5th wheel. Your first heavy tow with a DRW and you'll go WHOA! Why did i wait? It's an awesome machine for the job.

That said......... OP is your truck going to be a daily driver? If so, heavily consider the SRW. If not, dont think twice--go DRW.

I love my dually to death, but would not want to DD it just because of it's sheer size/parking/maneuverability. It actually rides pretty good with the OEM rear air, but the truck is huge and less DD-friendly than an SRW IMO.

To me i had no issue DD my dually but i am not in a big city either so it was not bad i would not hesitate to DD a dually again

 

[gimmie11s]

To me i had no issue DD my dually but i am not in a big city either so it was not bad i would not hesitate to DD a dually again

Thats a good point. If there isnt a lot of traffic where he lives.... not a big deal and DRW could still be considered.

I live in Southern California and traffic is awful.

 

[Dasmoetorhead]

What you have to watch is the rear flares on the Dually. They seem to be in the perfect location for a car door next to you to make contact with in a parking lot. People aren't used to parking next to a dually. I always parked as far away from door slammers as I could. In the end I still got doored a few times. Warch them Hips. LOL!

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Thats a good point. If there isnt a lot of traffic where he lives.... not a big deal and DRW could still be considered.

I live in Southern California and traffic is awful.

I would agree with you if i lived there too lol

 

[Huntet02]

Hey guys I'm new to RAM trucks and HD trucks in general. I'm sure this topic has been discussed in the past and maybe someone can give me the link to it or perhaps you guys can help a brother out with some of your wisdom.
I have a couple question and I hope i can get some help.

I'm looking to get a 3500 Megacab with either the regular Cummins or maybe the HO Cummins, not sure yet. I've seen that the regular Cummins comes with the 68 transmission. Is that a good tranny? I know that the upgrade to the HO Cummins with the Aisin tranny is a few thousand more but I'd like to save some money too.

Also looking into getting a Fifth Wheel:

Sandpiper 384QB0K
GVWR 16,132
Hitch weight 2,261

As you can see the FW is on the heavier side but I have seen videos of people towing similar weight with a SRW. I'm not sure if I should go with a SRW or if i should go with the dually. Not to offend any of you here but I prefer the look of the SRW better.
I'll be towing only a few times a year so I won't be on the road that much, this will also be my daily driver and I live in the city.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think I'll be ok with a SRW?

Thank you all.

Srw

 

[WRCLVR]

Something else to consider. DRW wont fit in Car Washes. Hand wash for the most part unless you have access to a OTR truck wash.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

Something else to consider. DRW wont fit in Car Washes. Hand wash for the most part unless you have access to a OTR truck wash.

Them auto wash stations wont fit my SRW 2500 either if you have CCLB most max out at 21 ft and my truck is 21.5’ without a hitch in lol