Feedback in Replacing SRW for a DRW

[leo319]

Has anyone moved from a single real wheel to a dually? If so, how can you describe the change? any regrets? Miss anything? You know where I'm going with this..

The main reason I am doing this is due to the amount of payload I put on the truck (4k lbs range), I don't tow any significant weight (5k lbs boat), but just want the family to be safe. I do have to say, I do not like how they look, I think they're too big, and frankly, I am not sure if I would use it for anything else other than towing. Nonetheless, I have sold my SRW and I am now looking for a dually...

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

[Deleted member 80]

Having grown up around light and medium duty trucks, the "wide hips" don't bug me in the least. Off the top, I see two downsides. First, and most obvious, is six tires to buy, and proper rotations are costly, as they require busting and remounting tires. That said, many just swap fronts and let the rears ride. Like a motor oil thread, dually rotation can stir up a crapstorm debate. Second, due to the difference in track width front to rear, duallies will tend to wander, and follow tracks/ruts in the road more than an SRW. You already know the pluses. They can really tote a load.

On Edit: Make that three things, there is an MPG penalty.

 

[Brutal_HO]

They kinda suck in snow, but if you don't run into that, it's a non issue.

If I needed the payload, I'd not hesitate over aesthetics.

 

[AKDoug]

As mentioned, they kinda suck in the snow, but it's still doable. If you are hauling that camper in your profile pic, I'd really be looking at a dually.

 

[lovegolf44]

Has anyone moved from a single real wheel to a dually? If so, how can you describe the change? any regrets? Miss anything? You know where I'm going with this..

The main reason I am doing this is due to the amount of payload I put on the truck (4k lbs range), I don't tow any significant weight (5k lbs boat), but just want the family to be safe. I do have to say, I do not like how they look, I think they're too big, and frankly, I am not sure if I would use it for anything else other than towing. Nonetheless, I have sold my SRW and I am now looking for a dually...

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

I get what you're saying but if you're going to relegate your truck to towing a 5k lb boat, that's 1/4 ton territory. I have an SRW and my PL is 4259lbs which gives me very good towing capability with 5th wheels. Can it tow a triple-axle toy hauler? No, but based on my calculations I can tow a pretty heavy 5th wheel with 3500lb pin weight safely with my wife and I and some room to throw some stuff in the bed. Otherwise, there's always the option of throwing additional weight in the fiver if it impacts GVWR of the truck given many fivers can be loaded with 2000lbs or more before exceeding GVWR of the trailer. Just my $.02.

 

[geektoad]

I just upgraded from a short bed SRW to a long bed DRW. I'm very happy I made the change, and won't be going back any time in the foreseeable future. The only possible (very)slight downsides that the others haven't mentioned: coming from the short bed, the turning radius is a bit larger. That probably wouldn't be the case if you're coming from a long bed. I'm not sure what you've got from your avatar pic. Also realizing how small some parking spaces really are. I tend to park in the "back 40" anyway because I'd rather not deal with parking lot traffic and I don't mind walking, so no real change personally.

While I have driven a few medium duty trucks for work in my younger years, it been quite a while and this is the first dually i've owned. I took all of about 2 weeks to get used to the extra length and width. This was during the covid-19 shutdown, so it wasn't a lot of driving in that time either. You'll be fine if that's the way you decide to go.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I get what you're saying but if you're going to relegate your truck to towing a 5k lb boat, that's 1/4 ton territory. I have an SRW and my PL is 4259lbs which gives me very good towing capability with 5th wheels. Can it tow a triple-axle toy hauler? No, but based on my calculations I can tow a pretty heavy 5th wheel with 3500lb pin weight safely with my wife and I and some room to throw some stuff in the bed. Otherwise, there's always the option of throwing additional weight in the fiver if it impacts GVWR of the truck given many fivers can be loaded with 2000lbs or more before exceeding GVWR of the trailer. Just my $.02.

I think you overlooked the truck camper he's carrying. He also posted in another thread some issues with his EB and the OVER PAYLOAD warning he got on his truc (with air suspension).

Payload > 4K + boat.

 

[lovegolf44]

I think you overlooked the truck camper he's carrying. He also posted in another thread some issues with his EB and the OVER PAYLOAD warning he got on his truc (with air suspension).

Payload > 4K + boat.

I guess I did

 

[leo319]

Having grown up around light and medium duty trucks, the "wide hips" don't bug me in the least. Off the top, I see two downsides. First, and most obvious, is six tires to buy, and proper rotations are costly, as they require busting and remounting tires. That said, many just swap fronts and let the rears ride. Like a motor oil thread, dually rotation can stir up a crapstorm debate. Second, due to the difference in track width front to rear, duallies will tend to wander, and follow tracks/ruts in the road more than an SRW. You already know the pluses. They can really tote a load.

On Edit: Make that three things, there is an MPG penalty.

Gotcha, thanks for the feedback.. Look forward to learn about tire rotations on a dually haha

Wonder the difference on MPG, any ideas?

 

[leo319]

I just upgraded from a short bed SRW to a long bed DRW. I'm very happy I made the change, and won't be going back any time in the foreseeable future. The only possible (very)slight downsides that the others haven't mentioned: coming from the short bed, the turning radius is a bit larger. That probably wouldn't be the case if you're coming from a long bed. I'm not sure what you've got from your avatar pic. Also realizing how small some parking spaces really are. I tend to park in the "back 40" anyway because I'd rather not deal with parking lot traffic and I don't mind walking, so no real change personally.

While I have driven a few medium duty trucks for work in my younger years, it been quite a while and this is the first dually i've owned. I took all of about 2 weeks to get used to the extra length and width. This was during the covid-19 shutdown, so it wasn't a lot of driving in that time either. You'll be fine if that's the way you decide to go.

Perfect, good to hear from someone who just made the change. I have a megacab short bed, and will be going for a megacab short bed dually. believe i should be at the same length. Not concerned about driving and parking, i still hold a Class A license from when i drove 18 wheelers before.

 

[leo319]

I think you overlooked the truck camper he's carrying. He also posted in another thread some issues with his EB and the OVER PAYLOAD warning he got on his truc (with air suspension).

Payload > 4K + boat.

Yup, thanks brutal. Camper got very heavy after options and water/gear...

 

[leo319]

I haven're read much on this (and probably should start another thread) but does anyone know major differences between 2019 and 2020? I found a very good deal on a 2019 and I am close to pull the trigger... (please dont judge on how quick im doing things i did all the reading waaay before i landed on a Ram 3500 srw lol but clearly i didnt keep up on things... )

 

[geektoad]

The changes are minimal, Couple of color changes and 20s have Trailer TPMS available, and you can get the 50 gallon fuel tank on 8ft bed models. That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[geektoad]

oh...and Laramie level two doesn't get the CD player in the 20s

 

[Rich]

I recently changed from a 2500 short bed srw 6.7 to a drw 6.7 long bed. The 2500 was great but then we changed what we wanted to tow and regretted not going big from the git go but we didn't know at the time and now just wished we would of bought this truck from the beginning so that what whatever life threw at us we didn't have to worry about it. I had a 96 duelly, and it road and drove like one. I'm beyond impressed on these new models on how the feal like a luxury car when your in them. Don't feel wide at all when your behind the wheel. Also my drw rides better than the srw, but i do have air suspension. We just wish we had gone big from the start so we didn't have to take the $$$$$$ hit twice.

 

[20Limited3500]

I recently went from a 2016 3500 limited SRW to a 2020 3500 limited DRW for the same reason you are. For safety hauling a camper. When I bought the '16, figured with it being 1 ton, it could handle a camper. One thing mine had was the auto leveling rear air suspension. In my opinion, this is not an option to have if hauling a camper. It is very limited on what it can do versus after market air bag kits. My '20 is full on leaf spring pack. I have hauled our Arctic Fox 990 fully loaded with 61 gallons of water onboard (55 fresh and 6 in hot water tank) and the '20 is night and day difference from the '16. Partly because of the rear suspension, but also with the wider track with the dually. Much more stable and less sway. You won't be sorry you made the change. It will take a little getting used to the wider backend for parking and such. I back in as much as possible. Easier to park it. And the 360 degree view camera setup on mine makes that easier.

 

[leo319]

I recently went from a 2016 3500 limited SRW to a 2020 3500 limited DRW for the same reason you are. For safety hauling a camper. When I bought the '16, figured with it being 1 ton, it could handle a camper. One thing mine had was the auto leveling rear air suspension. In my opinion, this is not an option to have if hauling a camper. It is very limited on what it can do versus after market air bag kits. My '20 is full on leaf spring pack. I have hauled our Arctic Fox 990 fully loaded with 61 gallons of water onboard (55 fresh and 6 in hot water tank) and the '20 is night and day difference from the '16. Partly because of the rear suspension, but also with the wider track with the dually. Much more stable and less sway. You won't be sorry you made the change. It will take a little getting used to the wider backend for parking and such. I back in as much as possible. Easier to park it. And the 360 degree view camera setup on mine makes that easier.

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Perfect, I couldn't ask for a more tailored feedback than yours! Thank you. The two campers I had to choose before my purchase was the arctic fox 811 or the Eagle Cap 811, great campers. Anyhow, do you have aftermarket airbags now? If so, what do you have or recommend? Reason I went with factory air suspension on my SRW was because I came from a 1500 with full suspension and unintentionally abused its payload capacity and handled amazingly. Obviously I have learned its an entire different system.

I came from a camping trip yesterday, detailed my truck and took it over to the new buyer (a close friend of mine). Now I am truckless, and officially in the market for a DRW. We're in the middle of summer and I don't know if I can wait two months without a truck, there is some inventory out there but I am debating on some options. I noticed you have the HO with Aisin, do you also have the 4.10 gears or 3.72? That is something I am considering now, but very limited HO's out there. I wouldn't mind getting the 68RFE but still unsure of the 4.10s....

 

[20Limited3500]

Perfect, I couldn't ask for a more tailored feedback than yours! Thank you. The two campers I had to choose before my purchase was the arctic fox 811 or the Eagle Cap 811, great campers. Anyhow, do you have aftermarket airbags now? If so, what do you have or recommend? Reason I went with factory air suspension on my SRW was because I came from a 1500 with full suspension and unintentionally abused its payload capacity and handled amazingly. Obviously I have learned its an entire different system.

I came from a camping trip yesterday, detailed my truck and took it over to the new buyer (a close friend of mine). Now I am truckless, and officially in the market for a DRW. We're in the middle of summer and I don't know if I can wait two months without a truck, there is some inventory out there but I am debating on some options. I noticed you have the HO with Aisin, do you also have the 4.10 gears or 3.72? That is something I am considering now, but very limited HO's out there. I wouldn't mind getting the 68RFE but still unsure of the 4.10s....

No mods to the rear suspension at this time. I have only had the camper on twice since getting the truck at the end of April. We are heading to St Regis, MT this saturday for a few days, so that will be the longest trip for the new truck yet.
Yes, it has 4.10 gearing. I like it with that. Gets up and going quicker than my '16 did. I want to say it had 3.55 maybe, but could have been 3.72. The HO with Aisin is very nice. I am used the to the quirkiness of the Aisin from my '16, as it had it. The 400hp/1000tq is noticeable to me from the '16. Don't know about the '19/'20s SO models. I didn't even drive one of them as I knew I wanted the HO. Luckily a local dealer had a truck optioned mostly with what I was looking for when I bought it. My choice of colors was white or black. Trucks were virtually identical except for the color. Glad I chose the white as it looks good with the camper.

 

[leo319]

No mods to the rear suspension at this time. I have only had the camper on twice since getting the truck at the end of April. We are heading to St Regis, MT this saturday for a few days, so that will be the longest trip for the new truck yet.
Yes, it has 4.10 gearing. I like it with that. Gets up and going quicker than my '16 did. I want to say it had 3.55 maybe, but could have been 3.72. The HO with Aisin is very nice. I am used the to the quirkiness of the Aisin from my '16, as it had it. The 400hp/1000tq is noticeable to me from the '16. Don't know about the '19/'20s SO models. I didn't even drive one of them as I knew I wanted the HO. Luckily a local dealer had a truck optioned mostly with what I was looking for when I bought it. My choice of colors was white or black. Trucks were virtually identical except for the color. Glad I chose the white as it looks good with the camper.

Gotcha. Yeah, the one I started dealing with last year has the HO and 4.10 but has air suspension.

And I agree with your choice of color, you have a gorgeous set up. I'm looking for the same granite color so it can match our camper.

 

[20Limited3500]

Gotcha. Yeah, the one I started dealing with last year has the HO and 4.10 but has air suspension.

And I agree with your choice of color, you have a gorgeous set up. I'm looking for the same granite color so it can match our camper.

If it weren't for the camper, the air suspension is great. A buddy bought a '19 DRW with it in it and he loves it. But he hauls around a gooseneck or car trailer. He puts his camper on the gooseneck and his jeep, or hauls 2 jeeps at a time instead.