Just a hint......

When you're out looking at these trucks, always look at the sticker taped inside the door of the glove box. It will show what gears are on the truck (ie - 3.73/4.10) when it came off the assembly line.

I do believe all 3rd Gens have this on their glovebox stickers, right?

 

If your not getting a DRW then get the 3/4 ton. If you get a 1 ton SRW the only extra item you get will be extra charge on your vehicle registration! I will load a 3/4 ton the same as a 1 ton SRW. Weak link will be the tires not the rear end! Only real gain with the 11.5 on SRW is you can go 4.56 or lower and still have a stout ring and pinion. DRW whole diffrent story with 4 rock hard truck tire in the rear that will hold the big loads.

Jeff

 

Depends on how much heavy towing you'll be doing. I went from driving a 1ton dually for 3 years, to a 3/4ton ShortBed that can pull anything I'd ever pull, the dually was overkill for what I needed. I believe in you can't ever have to much truck too, but not when you tow maybe 10k, 2 or 3 times a year like I do, the rest is just getting around town , and trips to HomeDepot. I'd like to think I'm a big redneck trucker because I drove a Volvo semi for 3 years , but I'm not one on my own time.

 

Couple of things:

A 3500 SRW has two things a 2500 does not-a set of rear overload springs, and a sticker on the doorjamb that legally allows you to carry 900 more lbs on the truck. It also doesn't cost much more than a 2500.

The other thing-an '06 will not have a sticker in the glovebox. I don't know why, but they seemed to have stopped putting those there sometime during the '05 model year.

 

Get a SRW 3500 QC Long box 6 spd 4x4. Oh wait....I already said that.

 

My 1 ton SRW Dodge was purchased because I look at dual wheeled trucks as work trucks that are more suitable for heavy hauling with a 4:10 rear end. I wanted a more free wheeling multi purpose unit that can pull a 5ver RV or tag trailer and yet be sprung stiff enough to pull a goose neck flat deck at slow speeds within a 100 mile radius of our farm. The flat deck will be towed only a few times a year with a very heavy load that will overload the rear single tires. The flat deck I would like to up grade to needs a truck with a payload over that of the DRW 3500. Mybe DC will put the 6.7L Cummins in a 4500 or 5500 unit. Ford's payload for their F-450 cab and chassis is 9030 lbs and the F-550 has a payload of 11,830 lbs, but I do not want a V8 diesel.

 

If you tow, get the 1-ton. If not, get the 3/4-ton. 3/4-ton uses a little less gas, and has a little less maintenance costs (tires, etc.) associated with it. You shouldn't have a problem towing the 5th wheel with a 3/4-ton. Don't know about the tractor/grapes. I personally like the 3/4-ton. I find it more suitable for toying with and matches my style (I'm only 22 years old). 1-ton is for my dad...

 

1 ton only way to go period.

 

The cost difference between my truck and a 3/4 ton with the same options at the time I bought was $500. If you added cab clearance lights to the 3/4 ton it would have been less than that. Since I tow a 5th wheel often it was a no brainer for me. I would have gone with a dually but I have to park in a parking garage everyday at work and it would have been a problem parking the dually.

 

johnnyboy,

When you're towing your 5th wheel or your tractor you'll appreciate the dually and the 4:10 gears. But the rest of the time you'll be wanting a higher top gear and you'll be in a heavier and wider truck. Parking lots will suck, snow will suck, off road exploring will be in another truck instead of yours, the mileage will be lower and the license may be higher year after year.

It really depends on you. What will you be doing with it and how much of the time will you be doing it. No one can fairly say "get the one ton" or "get the dually". It's your truck and you will probably have it for a long time. Get the one that seems most practical. And remember, the difference between the 3/4 and the 1 ton SRW is a set of overloads and a name tag, big deal. The axles and the brakes are the same, and they both have load range E tires. The overload springs are only nice when you need them. So if you do, then get them, but the rest of the time you'll have less axle articulation, a rougher ride, and more unsprung weight.

My preferences led me to the 3/4 and I don't feel limited at all in what it will do. I tow my tractor and my 27 ft trailer through the mountains just fine. I drive in snow and off road a lot and the SRW is much better for that. In fact I go to the mountains for fun just because it's bad weather. I also drive around town delivering equipment to job sites, and I commute about 100 miles each way.

The biggest decision is wether you want a dually or not. For a lot of highway only driving while towing a fifth wheel, the dually is nice. But for other times it seems like it's either overkill or poorly suited. Overkill may seem just right in the beginning but you may get tired of it.

Wetspirit

 

where I live there was or still is a luxury tax on vehicles over 50k.If you bought a 3/4 ton truck you would pay the luxury tax.If you bought a slightly more expensive 1 ton truck you would not because it is considered a work or commercial vehicle.Thus the 1 ton would be cheaper.Needless to sat 3/4 tons werent very popular

 

^^^^- this is why I chose a 3/4 ton- got a short wheel base- makes it easy for my better half if she needs to drive- will also go w/ the sliding hitch
Good luck on your purchase and look forward to checking out you new rig when you get it

 

Huh? Why do you say that - are you talking about a 3/4 ton vs. a dually?

3/4 ton SRW and 1 ton SRW have the same drivetrain, frame, cab, and axles. The only difference is the overload springs.

 

Yeah, I meant the dually. 1-ton dually is a little overkill for me.

 

totally love my 3/4 ton long bed 4x extra cab CTD. would not have it any other way. but that's just me. 3/4 ton suits me much better than a dually.

a few years back had a super clean chevy four door crew cab long bed dually. it was a 454 gasser, but what a rig! drove and pulled like a dream.

a dually rig that long/wide was a major PITA to park around town.
also got 8-10 mpg, it had to go. found out super long dually's was not for me.