Kind of torn on dually or single wheel

[m880cummins]

Well I will definitely be getting this crew cab long bed I looked at within 6 months. It has a NEW takeoff Dually bed off a first gen (spotless from Southern CA) and new dually fenders. I do not like the dually fender look at all but my dad suggested that if I plan to be making sheetmetal runs to west Texas and Arizona/New Mexico that I want the dually for better stability if I have a 3 car trailer etc. I also don't like the width of a dually. I kind of thought the single wheel lifted long bed look was cool but practicality has me split between single and dual still. I will probably be hauling loads 10% of the time I drive it so I'm not sure what to do.

What do you guys think of your duallys?

Charlie

[ahale2772]

I dont like the look of the stock dually fenders, my rig's got a cab and chassis d80, and the duallys only stick outside the bed about 3 inches. i can still cut corners like I always do, and it tows like a dream, expecially with the swaybar outback.



my 94 dually is wide as hell, but, it tows awesome as well, none of that "pushing" when cornering

[peobryant]

I will probably never own a diesel truck that isn't a dually. I don't need it, it's highly impractical for me and buying tires is a pain in the ass (wallet?) but I absolutely love the way they look and that far outweighs any of the cons, for me at least.

There isn't a better looking truck out there than a 1st Gen Dually, especially regular cab 2wd's, in my opinion.

[draginmopars]

this is a 93 cab/chassis
11ft bed, 5 speed, 3.54
since we built this one... it's a keeper
http://ramchargercentral.com/diesel-tal ... msg1675364




this is when, running escort,


put the spare here


chains and tie- downs here

[dazedandconfused]

I hate towing with a single wheel truck. The higher the truck sits with bigger tires the worst they seem to tow. I love my dually and dont even notice the extra width driving.

[bmoeller]

The fenders aren't really any wider than the stock non-towing mirrors. No biggie, really. Though, I'm usually running a long hood KW and pulling a 53' spread, so it's all relative.

I don't need a dually most of the time either, but it's nice to pull whatever ya want with it. No real difference in feel, towing, with a g/n. But, if a bumper pull trailer has a tendency to sway in the butt, the dually helps a LOT!

[ellis93]

I don't tow heavy with a bumper pull trailer with my 3/4 ton for push factor,but I pull what ever I want on my goose necks. I have very little problems with my truck supporting loads in excess of 20g,trick is knowin how to load your trailer and run e load rang GOOD name brand tires.

[jogl]

I don't like the looks of duallies and I do not like the fact that they get a lot of DOT attention.

But if you are towing regularly duallies are the only way to go.

JP.

[oldestof11]

DO duallies get a lot of DOT attention??? I never really heard of them harassing around here.

The only thing I hate now is the fact if the truck is a 1 ton, you now HAVE to get D plates and an inspection in IL. IIRC, a few years ago, you buy B truck plates if you didn't have a GCWR of above a certain weight.

[bmoeller]

You can put B plates on a dually. Since IL combines the weight of the truck and trailer registration, you can run any combination you want, really, as long as you stay under 26k. D plates require the extra crap, because it is a commercial plate. I used to run a B plate on my '97, til I put the toolbox and 105gal transfer tank in. Weighed 7920 full of fuel. lol B plate is 8k.

My dad's boss runs a 16k plate on his dually, and a 20k plate on the trailer (and its actually built as a 24k trailer). Saves you about $500 on fees annually. 20k tag is about $250. A 24k tag is $750 or so.

Had dually trucks since '01. Never been bugged. Though, I don't tow much, or very far, on the highway. Going to Mark's with the g/n trailer is the farthest I've towed with mine, outside of a 6x12 enclosed bumper pull. Been to TX, NY and CO with that one multiple times.

[cmann250]

On the legal side of the coin, Indiana is pretty loose. I see 7k plates on Super Dutys that left the factory over 7k all the time. I don't think I could justify a dually unless my truck was hitched to a trailer 90% of the time. It seems like a waste of fuel and tires for the 80% of the time you don't "need" it, to me.

Although I saw a pic of a 4 door 4x4 dually here and it did look sweet

[dpuckett]

My last dually got better MPG than my current srw, so that isn't a real concern for me. Engine set up and driving style have a bigger effect on mpgs. You have to spend an extra $350 every 3 years (60k for me) for an extra pair of tires, big whoop. Even empty, handling is much better than in a srw. I only went back to a srw from a dually due to financial reasons. Next one will be a dually, if I can help it; can't custom order used trucks.

DP

[bmoeller]

can't custom order used trucks.

No, but they can be built.