partisan1911

Not sure if I should convert my SRW to DRW or just upgrade to Rickson tires and wheels? I don't have any trouble with sway etc. but the tires sure do get a workout. I can't seem to find the parts I need to go DRW for a decent price so I am thinking the cost will be the same either way I go. Any thoughts? I know blowouts are always a concern with SRW but there is always the potential for a front tire to blowout and DRW would not solve that.

whiskers

What's your truck? I have dualled out 3 of my 2500's over the years. Some easier than others. I love them for stability and tire mileage. But for towing my 5th wheel now I have a single RW and it's fine. I just like flat beds!

J&L

IMO depends on how much GAW you want to carry in your truck.

Four LT 235/85-16 E in a dual tire applications will net you 11112 lbs vs around 9000 lbs for the 19.5" setup. However your 3500 SRW Dodge has only 6200 lbs of spring capacity. The springs would need upgrading also.

I'm assuming your a private hauler (non commercial).

totalloser

I'd go single wheel if I were you. I've noticed that the big rig rubber is REALLY nice for heavy hauling. Very stable.

Be aware that you will need "heavy duty" shocks to control the heavier wheels. IE stiffer shocks or you'll get wobble. Off pavement traction suffers pretty bad, too.

As to the flat tire issue versus having swappable wheels for a flat, keep in mind almost all big rig rubber is full steel carcass. They are pretty danged tuff!

What is generally referred to as a "blowout" is usuallycaused by low tire pressure. The low pressure lets the tire squat, and so every time the wheel turns the sidewall gets excessively flexed. After miles and miles of this, the friction from the flexing melts (or softens) the polyester in the sidewalls that holds the air pressure and BOOM! Blown out sidewall.

This cannot happen with big rig rubber (I don't think anyhow) since there isn't polyester in the sidewall.

partisan1911

My truck is an '05 3500 SRW and my pulls are always bumper pull. I don't carry a lot of weight but I can still see my rear tires taking most of the load which makes me concerned. My air bags help level the load out but the tires still squat. It is interesting that you say I would need different shocks and springs. Any recommendations?

I would end up keeping my 17"wheels and tires to drive around on in the winter because I have read that traction really suffers with the commercial tires.

1STGENFARMBOY

Your tires should be good for 6,000+ lbs , i dought that you have that much weight on the bumper.

if your not putting 4-5k extra weight in the bed ( by way of 5th wheel, goosneck, or actually hauling alot of stuff with a bumper trailer hooked up also) i can't work out in my mind that you would need 19.5's or dually.

a good swaybar and load equalizing/sway hitch should be more than you could ever need.

my .02

partisan1911

I have a slide in camper that weighs a good bit when I put all my junk in it. Once I hook up my trailer and put my toys on it the rear tires are squatting good. The truck drives good but the tires have me concerned. I wish they made a heavier rated tire in 17" but I haven't found any. I actually found a used set of rickson wheels but can't get an email response and there was no phone number listed on the ad.

1STGENFARMBOY

Now we can see the hole picture, it's a hole different story hauling a TC+ a trailer.

I have seen many people hauling a big TC on ricksons but for me the dually option sounded the best.

and i know exactly where your comming from.

here's my truck after my conversion.



Dar

partisan1911

I would rather go with a dually but finding a rear end has been difficult. Then of course I would have to go with different wheels and tires etc. If I went with rickson's I could daily drive with stock wheels and tires and swap when I planned on towing. I never noticed very much sway with the addition of air bags so I think the upgraded tires would help. The problem is getting a hold of a set of rickson wheels.

partisan1911

Saturday I will be picking up the rickson wheels. I only plan on using the new setup for towing but may be towing in the winter. Any recommendations on size and make for tires? Do I really need to swap out shocks. If I do, what will it be like when I put my stock tires/wheels back on for daily driving.

Dixon Mark

Must see pics of new wheels on truck..
I can tell you from experience on this subject. I own a chevy 3500 box truck and it has a 12' box with single rear wheel. I went from a 245 to a 265 tire for load capacity and sway controll. Then I switched out for a set of ricksons on the rear. Tire looks much happier ride is the same but the tires are loud and my knuckles are still white. The tire I have are 225-70-19.5 thay hold 3970 lbs each and made by sailun. This tire has a lot of sway I keep thinking it will get better as thay where in but at 7000 miles thay still look new. My rear axel weight is any where from 6500 to 7200 lbs.

partisan1911

I wont have them mounted until Spring. I found a used set in Texas and am having a friend pick them up and hold on to them until I pass through there. I got a great price on them so it is worth the wait.

FarmerJim

I have been running Rickson wheels for over 50K. I originally thought to do as you and only use them for towing the 5er or haulling the in bed camper but after a year or so I just stuck with the Ricksons and I sold my original equipment wheels and never looked back. I went with the 225 tires because they are the same diameter as the factory tires but with a narrower footprint which gives you less rolling resistance and a little milage increase. I did not change shocks but I already had Billstiens. I tlhink you will love tlhem.

partisan1911

I am currently running 285 tires and am pretty happy with them. My truck has around 90,000miles on it now. If the tires make it ride too rough I guess it wouldn't hurt to try new shocks. I will have to see what brand tires are available in my area.

CD in NM

I did a srw to drw swap with a fellow who wanted to go from a drw to a srw. You might find someone who wants to swap? I do a lot of twoing, heavy loads and I was worried about blowing a tire and wrecking my truck, so instead of buying a new truck, I just did the swap. After a few months I decided to go to 19.5's, I got Vision 181 heavy haulers and double coin delivery tires. I have been very happy with the 19.5's, I would do them again for sure. I upgraded my shocks to the Bilstein 5165 reservoirs, they are basically the same as the 7100's, the difference is that the 5165's are more of a street valving and the 7100's are more of an off road valving. The both use the same shock body and the same reservoir, just the valving is differently set up. I am very pleased with the 5165's, they made a world of difference over the 5100's I had on the truck. I also have air bags, and I have longer rear bumps that get into the overloads faster than the short stock bumps.

I have a friend who is running the Rickson's srw wheels on his Dodge and he is now going to go to drw and also the 19.5's like I did, he was still concerned about running the E rateds on a dually axle, hauls very heavy a lot.

I got a set of mud tires for the stock dually wheels I got in the swap to run during the winter, I don't tow as much then and I figured it would be better to run mudders since we get snow where I live. The delivery tires have good off road traction, good on dirt/gravel roads, and are relatively quiet on pavement, almost as quiet as an all season tire.



CD