Truck 3500 SRW vs DRW

[WeBeFulltime]

All this excitement and the OP only stated 41' Montana! 41' Regular Montana or 41' Montana HC? It DOES make a weight difference.

[Eagleback]

I Have owned both so i guess i can chime in here.



Just look at it this way. If an SRW was able to handle it, then there would be no reason for the big three to make a DRW.



I use my DRW as a daily driver to work and back and just like the SRW its more of a height problem than a width problem "Parking garages" But love it and would not change to a SRW again unless i no longer pull heavy fivers or goose necks.

[BiggarView]

WeBeFulltime wrote...
"All this excitement and the OP only stated 41' Montana! 41' Regular Montana or 41' Montana HC? It DOES make a weight difference."

True, but the Montana High Country line are not that much lower in overall weight than the regular Montana line. In fact their unloaded vehicle pin weight is very similar and one could expect the loaded weight to also be similar. Since RAWR is the usual limiting factor, then it really doesn't matter what line of RV the OP is talking about in this instance. Bottom line, if the loaded trailer pin weight, plus the hitch, plus the gear in the truck bed, plus the gear and passengers in the truck exceeds the specs of the truck... then one should get a more capable truck or consider a lighter trailer. Note, I did not say one "must". In this country we have freedom to choose... wisely or unwisely.

In the end it is the math that should be the deciding factor. Still people will and do choose to ignore physics and/or regulations, or code, or common sense because of ego, or budget, or convenience or any one of a dozen other reasons. I leave it at that.

[bshgto]

I`ll use a smaller font cause the font police complained

So what brand dually should the OP buy? Watch this and the answer is clear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SifDim2Do38

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by bshgto

I`ll use a smaller font cause the font police complained

So what brand dually should the OP buy? Watch this and the answer is clear.

I'm confused. I thought we were talking about TOW trucks not drag racing cars???

You want a real test hook them to a TOW SLED!! Or better yet lets see who can STOP in the shortest distance when fully loaded!! OR which one is the most stable under LOAD! Those are the kind of tests that would be important to folks on this forum (or at least I hope they would be)! It's not about how fast you can make the wheels start spinning, its how fast can you make them stop and can you do it under control!


I am not loyal to any brand. I usually buy gas burning Fords primarily because that is what we always had for company trucks and I liked the Ford interior (plus the dealer was local). I switched to Ram when I went diesel because I wanted the tried and true Cummins engine (you can argue the new Ford engine is better but the Cummins has been around for a lot longer). Once the Fords have been out there for 10-15 years on that new engine I might reconsider.


I have never once bought a pickup truck with any thought about how fast it could do a 1/4 mile. I have raced both dirt track and bracket drag racing but I built a CAR to do that with. I buy trucks to TOW and WORK!

[bshgto]

[SIZE="2"Well racing is more fun, I think my combo covers most of what you commented on cause I have 8 wheel disk brakes ...and I pulled a couple of stumps the other day in 4w4 low.
Any way this is a good video on the comparison of the different types of trucks, SWR to DRW, 250 to 350.][/SIZE]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZN-x6Omx_8

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by bshgto

[SIZE="2"Well racing is more fun, I think my combo covers most of what you commented on cause I have 8 wheel disk brakes ...and I pulled a couple of stumps the other day in 4w4 low.
Any way this is a good video on the comparison of the different types of trucks, SWR to DRW, 250 to 350.][/SIZE]

Now this video is the one we should direct EVERYONE to watch. Talk about putting the argument to bed!!!

Everything those of us in the 1 ton dually camp have said set to video! Next time a newbie to towing asks "what truck is best for towing"? Just direct him to this video.

Case closed!

[DQDick]

Once again, I guess, we have the weird truck. Since our truck is both higher than a SRW and we have a long wheelbase truck with a 6'bed.

[GAinaMontana]

I'm quite sure that the four 20" michelin radials on my srw are more than half the footprint of the six 17" tires on a dually. Does anyone know what the actual ratio between the two setups is. I would guess the srw would have 80% or more rubber on the pavement compared to the dually. Not arguing the stability or load capacity but don't think the dually is twice as good. BTW I have owned and pulled with both srw and drw.

[speedster100]

The video is comparing 250 vs 350 SRW & DRW Fords... GM trucks in the 2500 & 3500 srw's have the same drive train.. slightly different spring configuration. Knew there was a reason I didn't buy a Ford...

[mtlakejim]

Originally Posted by speedster100

The video is comparing 250 vs 350 SRW & DRW Fords... GM trucks in the 2500 & 3500 srw's have the same drive train.. slightly different spring configuration. Knew there was a reason I didn't buy a Ford...

Ya know that is only ONE of the many factors that was discussed. The guys point was that a 1 ton dually is a superior TOW vehicle for SEVERAL reasons.

[jetskier]

Originally Posted by GAinaMontana

I'm quite sure that the four 20" michelin radials on my srw are more than half the footprint of the six 17" tires on a dually. Does anyone know what the actual ratio between the two setups is. I would guess the srw would have 80% or more rubber on the pavement compared to the dually. Not arguing the stability or load capacity but don't think the dually is twice as good. BTW I have owned and pulled with both srw and drw.

I don't know if that's a good argument for the stability. Mainly because the front axle weight to the ground on either a SRW or DRW is about the same. You'd have to compare just the rear ratios. If you install 295/65r20 tires, they are 35" tall (an inch tall than stock 275s) and have a 11.75" section width, a 129 load rating (4080# per tire), fit the stock 8" rims and don't rub on the radius arms at full turn. I have the 285s now at 3840# per tire. I'm upsizing here shortly when the current set wears out to get the extra capacity. My truck is paid for and I have no desire to get a DRW truck anytime soon and start over with the payments. Would it be nice, yes and no.

[Caniel]

Run the numbers. Include a safety factor (one you are comfortable with). Then decide if you can live with the consequences of your decision.

[bshgto]

Originally Posted by speedster100

The video is comparing 250 vs 350 SRW & DRW Fords... GM trucks in the 2500 & 3500 srw's have the same drive train.. slightly different spring configuration. Knew there was a reason I didn't buy a Ford...

AH yes, it shouldn`t really matter what Brand of truck you buy as long as it does what YOU need it to do. But let the facts take precedence over opinions. Go to any Mega campground like the ones at Myrtle Beach. (we do this twice a year and I did a little survey one time when this same subject came up on another forum). You will see 70% Fords, 25% Dodge and 5% GM in front of large 5th wheel campers. I doubt all those people would have bought Ford just because of Brand loyalty. I know I didn`t, I bought for interior appointments, big Payload, raw power and Torque.

[richfaa]

The spec's tell the story payload specifically pin weight is the primary determining fact or. It is simple math. We purchased our first 06 3400 before we purchased a tow vehicle. We then purchased the tow vehicle that was with in specs .It is a Ford simply because we live in Ford country and have many, many friends who could get us a pin number for the X plan. The truck is not a daily driver and 90 % or more is used towing the Montana.

[mhs4771]

bshgto, seems to depend on the part of the country. We've been in CGs where GMs out number Fords and Rams combined, then again where GMs were the min. So it's really hard to make an overall comparision as to total ratio.

[Dmcgrew]

I travel a lot in the NW and see more Dodge dullys, This may depend on the area of the country. I have Chevrolet and have been mostly happy with it.

[BB_TX]

Originally Posted by bshgto

....
Go to any Mega campground like the ones at Myrtle Beach. (we do this twice a year and I did a little survey one time when this same subject came up on another forum). You will see 70% Fords, 25% Dodge and 5% GM in front of large 5th wheel campers. ......

That order is also what I see in our travels in TX, NM, CO, OK, and AR. But the difference is not that great. Probably more like 50/35/15.

But I would have no real problem with any of the 3 for reliability and capability. For the first 25 years I would buy nothing but a Chevy. In 1987 a Chevy salesman made me mad and I drifted across town to the Ford dealer just to look. Have driven only Fords ever since and never regretted the change. Never considered Dodge/Ram as I just didn't like the Dodges of yesteryear and not overly fond of the newer ones.

[Theunz]

A poll done on this fourm in late 2014 showed...
1. Ford 36.86%
2. Dodge 33.93
3. GM 27.85
It seems to me that I am seeing more GM models than I used to, but still not as many as Ford or Dodge. They all seem to be capable today.

[daveinaz]

I'm happy with our dually and enjoy the comfort it gives when towing. It's never felt squirmy or pushed around with our 3400RL. As for driving the dually around town, yeah, it's a pain insofar as no drive-thru burgers or car washes, but after driving a semi, it's not too much of a pain to me to drive it around town. I actually kinda like sitting up higher than most of the traffic and see what's going on.