ratsun

If you can accomplish the same foot print on a SRW you wont have any axle brgs left after your first trip plus your tires are part of your weight rating.
There is no comparison between the DRW and SRW when towing heavy. Regardless of the # you see advertised the dually doesn't get pushed around as much as the SRW.
Hook the same big load to one of each and see for yourself, I wasn't much of a believer until I towed 15k thru the hills with each.

mastercaster

ditto above... the drw is MUCH more stable pulling a load. no comparison to a srw truck. to me, it's well worth the extra price of 2 more tires and parking a little further away. i have had no issues getting through a drive through either. it even handles better when unloaded.

03 ant a hemi

Your stopping power on a SRW compared to a DW is going to be the same. They have the exact same brakes and suspension. With the Dually you might have a little less because you have more rolling mass with the extra two tires.
The friction in dry conditions will be more with the dually. But it can also be much less in slippery ones.
One thing a person cannot argue is the stabiltiy of a dually compared to a single wheel. And this is where the discussion can focus on.

As for your brakes on your truck stopping your trailer. If your over 2000lbs you should have a set of brakes on your trailer axles that will take care of the needs of the trailer completely. If not then your trailer brakes need to be adjusted, fixed or replaced.

If your going to tow one of those high surface area campers then a dually is the way to go. Not because of the weight but because of the stability.
If your going to be towing a skid steer around on a trailer that is more then 1.5 foot off the ground then a dually is the way to go again for stability not brakeing power.
The Center of gravity is a major factor in how your truck will handle a load. this will factor in brakeing and stabilty, will have the most dramatic impact on if you use a dually or a srw.

If you are being blowing around on the road and your constantly fighting your steering because of a wind effect on your trailer when you go to brake you will loose effective power.

AH64ID

The only CTD's to ever have the 10.5" axle were 03's with the 47RE in a 2500 platform... Since 04 the 11.5 is the only axle used on CTD's. 3/4, 1 ton, and DRW 1 ton... its all the same.. Just like the frame.. same frame from a 2500 hemi to a 3500 DRW CTD.. Brakes are all the same, rear springs are the same on SRW trucks (4/1 2600 lb/in springs) (3500 SRW has same base springs plus a overload 1300 lb/in), DRW's have a different base pack (3/1 2800lb/in springs) plus the same overloads as a 3500 SRW.

2500's and 3500 SRW's are rated differently because one is a 3/4 and one is a 1 ton.. Thats how they sell... If they rated them the same they wouldn't sell 1 tons...

So technically a 3/4 and 1 ton can tow the same.. legally is a different issue. But if your not concerned about the legal aspects then a 3/4 will do fine, add air bags and you can safely go to the GAWR's (based on tire limits on SRW) and be fine. If you are worried about legality then you need a DRW... (example, with a 5K lb TT, 3 small dirt bikes and a generator in the bed, and 3 200lb dudes in the truck my truck GVW is about 9600lbs... thats a very small load for a 3500 SRW, but I was within 300lbs of being illegal, and had I been in a 3/4 ton I would have been illegal)

Tow rating is based on acceleration.. which is why a 4.10 truck has a higher rating than a 3.73 truck. Braking is the same... And just like payload towing is higher on a 1 ton SRW than a 3/4 because of marketing.

clear as mud?

cbx

What matters is your licensing(sp). I can't speak for all states, but in idaho the ISP and DOT could care less if your truck says 3/4 or one ton. What matters to them is if your licensced and payed for your GCVW. regular truck tags go to 12 or 13k something like that, you can go up to 26000k lbs GCVW. thats whats important. As long as your tagged up for your weight, they do not care. I speak from experience when i used to work for an ag equipment dealer. They really dont care if your not for hire as long as you dont break width limit for what ever road your on and your lights and stuff are in order. I've been all over and never been stopped and checked. I've pulled 26k lots of times hauling cows.

The main thing here is hire vs not for hire. The commercial guys have to follow most of the same rules the big rigs do. Logs, drive time, etc. As long as your not being dumb doing something your not suppose to, the not for hire guys will never have problems.

In canada i have heard of guys getting busted with sled decks that had to have 1 ton trucks and not 3/4's to be legal. But thats in canada eh.....

All that being said, the extra $350 for the 1 ton is a great option. They should make all the HD dodges with them. I guess if you never ever towed you wouldnt need them, but mine get used constantly.

Some will argue the legality, if an accident ever happend, the argument will never be was the vehicle capable. ( unless you had an S-10 pulling a 3 axle Fiver) It will be over negligence every time. Say you couldnt stop in time. It will be agrued they werent driving safe, or faulty brakes or whatever else, it will never be " well ya should have had a 3500 DRW truck".

katoiler

Try this link right out of the owners manual.

http://www.dodge.com/hostc/towing/guide.do

MDCS

Funny, mine has a 11.5 AA under it.

Dave Cadwell

I run a 2007 Mega cab. I have been told That I can not use a 5th wheel trailer with this truck? Wazup?

mega-engr

Who is telling you this crap? I run a 2007 mega, but don't tow a 5th wheel. They have a short bed, but that is not a problem. You can use a slider hitch it needed. Shortbeds are not the most ideal for towing a 5th wheel, but can certainly do it by all means with the proper set-up.

Jim W

I have an 2008 Mega Cab 2500 6.7L, 4X4, 3:73 gears, auto; that is towing a 2010 Cougar 318SAB 5er. I have been pulling this trailer since 2010 and put on over 24,000 Miles pulling this trailer. I have a Reese 15k sliding hitch that I only slide back when backing up and in camp grounds other wise it is in the tow position as I drive down the road.

Also here is a link to the Ram Body Builder Guide that provides towing statistics for each truck.

http://www.rambodybuilder.com/year.pdf

Jim W.

Frosty46

I know what you are experiencing. My story is this. I have a 07 Ram 2500 with the 6.7 Cummins and 68 RFE transmission. My trailer is a Keystone Raptor 300MB. I did install airlift bags as overloads. I have done several long mile trips, one up to New England and had great success both in mileage and power to climb mountains and such. I weighed our rig loaded with a Treyx 750 UTV in the garage and had 11,000 lbs. on the trailer axles and 9200 on the truck. Overloaded some would say. Got a best of 14.7 mpg on several tanks of fuel running 70 plus most of the time. No failures of anything except my tailpipe recently fell off---good luck!