Some days the new-truck-bug bites me and I think I should go shopping, but then I hear of DPF problems and poor fuel mileage on the new trucks and I remind myself how much I like the '06

One reason why I would bite on a new truck is to get a dually.

When loaded my stock trailer definitely maxes out the capacity of my 2500.

I've had several duallies in the past but always had a second vehicle, presently the Ram is my only vehicle and this is why I have stayed away from the dually because it's a oain whn in the city, malls, airports etc. But realistically i seldom go to the city anyway.

I read a post some place that the dually fenders for the Mega are a direct bolt on item?

I'm wondering if I can just order wheels and fenders and make my 2500 a dually. I allready have a Pac Brake air bag kit that I hav yet to install, this would give me the extra weight capacity as far as springs go and I'd have the extra stabillity of DRW.

Anybody done this?

Feasible?

 

I believe the rear axle on a dually is narrower to accommodate both tires.

 

Hmmm,

That could be. Nver thought of that one.

Ho much narrower I wonder?

 

the rear axle is wider 4 inches i think. i have been trying to do the swap for all most a year. but i can't find anybody to swap with. and a dually rear end with 373 gears is very hard to find.

 

Wow, really?

4" sounds like a lot.

Where does a guy find this info?

 

just do a search. there are a few people that have done this on this site. i dont have the links. but there here. this was a popular swap a year or so ago. the 4 inches is not that much. 2 inches per side.

 

Im pretty sure the 3500 have a bigger axle, as in ring and pinion and axle tubes and shafts. sticking feathers in your butt does not make you a turkey.

 

2500/3500 SRW has the EXACT same axles, just the 3500 has overloads, other then that they are the IDENTICAL truck. The dually axle is heavier and yes 4" wider. You CAN put dually wheels on the SRW axle, but you won't gain any capacity, you'll actually loose a bit because of the extra weight. Other then that the trucks are exactly the same. So yes, if you swap in a dually axle you can haul what they can, however to be legal you would have to get the door sticker changed.

 

I did not know the dualls would fit with out the wider axle. as the op ? was to get extra weight capacity. i'm only in it for the looks.

 

If you put dually wheels on a SRW I think the inner tire would bind on the frame. Not rub, not brush against, but bind tight. I believe the axle is wider to accommodate the offset wheels.

 

Hmmm


I wonder how I try this?

Pretty sure the hub would have to be changed to accomadate the longer studs to bolt both wheels on?

2" spacing sounds like a lot.

 

You CAN just bolt up dually wheels on the SRW, you will need spacers/adapters. As far as the bed, you can buy fenders that are extra wide to accomodate the additional width using the spacers that just bolt on to your current bed. This method DOES make you wider than a stock Mega Cab dually.

You can go to the Mega Cab bed or add the Mega Cab dually fender extensions to your bed and also change the rear axle to the dually axle.

There are several alternative options available to go dually, including going to different wheels, etc.


CD

 

Just look at a dually wheel. The rim sticks out past the tire. It has to, because you have to bolt another tire directly to it. So if the standard offset is 1.7" (didn't look it up, may be less or more) and the rim is 8" wide, that puts the mounting plane 2.3" inside of the outer wheel plane. Add an inch for tire clearance on a dually, and you'll need to have the rim mounting surface protrude from the outside edge of the rim an inch, or 3.3" more per side.

Now a dually tire may ride inboard of a single by 1.3" which could account for the 2" longer axle per side stated here earlier.

But I don't think there is any way a dually wheel will fit on a single axle truck without hitting the frame. Heck, I'll go measure quick.....

I'm back. My tire has 2" clearance to the spring pack. I bet dually wheels are only 7.5" or 7" wheels, but still... Never fit in there.

Just grab one and bolt it on to see. You only have to bolt one on for a test, no need to get longer studs for just one....

 

They will fit fine, not sure if stock DRW wheels will but they are a TON of guys running duallys on SRW axles just fine.

 

Is there a diference in the bed wheelwell area between SRW and DRW or does the DRW just have the big fender attached Mega Cab specifically