I would love to get the Mega Cab 4x4 Dually w/6spd instead of the Duramax or Ford V10, but am having a hard time justifying buying a dually that only has a GVWR of 10,500 (the Chevy is 900 lbs higher, and the Ford even higher than that with the same body setup). Assuming the truck weighs about 7,000 lbs. that leaves only 3,500 lbs for passengers and my slide in camper--I'd be overweight by at least 1,000 lbs. Why does the Megacab dually have a lower GVWR than the Quadcab dually? Can I do anything to up the weight rating on the Megacab? Should I even take the GVWR seriously? Thanks for any insight anyone can give.
Rob

 

my shortbed quadcab weighs over 7000#...The mega dually is probably close to 9K...Bigger truck, more weight, less gross

 

Should you take GVWR seriously - probably not.

It has the same drivetrain and suspension as a regular quad cab dually. Why the quad cab gets 12200 lbs vs 10500 is a mystery to me.

But - can you fit a slide in camper in the Mega Cab? Aren't those all short beds or some sort of shortened long bed?

For your own sake don't get the V10!!!

 

Just about all the slide-in manufacturers made them for short beds too.

Why no Ford V10? I've heard that motor will do 200K miles easy (I believe it, since I've got a Ford 5.8L V8 in my van with 150K that shows no signs of slowing down and I've only got about $300 of repairs in it during that span (mass air flow sensor quite at 80K and 120K). Only downside to the V10 is 9 mpg hauling. I've heard too many horror stories about the Ford 6.0 diesel to even consider one.

Ford and Dodge are the only ones who make a back seat big enough for my needs (I've got four kids and already owned the Duramax and the back seat will not fold flat without moving the front seat way forward).

Sure wish I could have the cummins in the Ford. Maybe I'll buy the powerstroke with 6spd and drop a 12v cummins in it when the 100k mile warranty is up---

 

I think you will be in for some very bad fuel mileage

If you like the Mega cab I would say go for it. Like I said before, everything about the truck is the same -- at least as far as I know, I really don't know what the reason for the GVWR being 10500. It is really very odd. As a recreational user nobody is going to be looking at your door tag. Your should be under your gross axle weight ratings.

 

So I have my 2500 srwd licensed for 11,000 and could have taken it all the way to 12,500 but my 12 foot slide in and truck wiegh in at 10,500. I run all through the Rockies and no problems. I just went to DOT told them I wanted to carry more wieght, and they told me they wanted more money. They got the money I got the paper I also went to a public wiegh scale and have paper in the glove box to show my gross if I am ever asked by inquiring minds.

 

I would partially agree with Patrick. I have been out spoken about the Mega monster ever since it hit the market. I think it is a real blunder for DG to put out that kinda GVW. Althought I think the truck is every bit as capable of hauling what my truck does. There are those states I hear folks talk about that may give it a hard time is loaded real heavy.

 

It's only 10,500 GVWR because the megacab 1500, 2500, 3500, and 3500 dually all have the same frame.

 

Isn't that frame the same as the quad cab dually?

Here in CA GVWR doesn't mean anything. If you're stopped by the law they're going to check your tires and thats it.

 

ib, 3500 dually is 12,500 GVWR... megacab is 10,500. Makes not much sense to anyone.

 

A mega cab dually 4x4 weighs 8k. Atleast that what mine wieghed on a CAT scale.

As far as Ford V10 mileage. This truck replaced my Ford V10. The Cummins mileage is only slightly better unloaded. Towing is about the same with one trip having numbers that were worse than my V10.

 

towing my ford v10 got 4-7 mpg

 

"my shortbed quadcab weighs over 7000#...The mega dually is probably close to 9K...Bigger truck, more weight, less gross"



Folks, what the truck weighs empty should not have anything to do with gvwr, assuming the chassis' are the same between them. The gvwr is simply the max the truck legally can weigh. If two trucks have the same gvwr and one weighs more empty than the other, the one that weighs more empty cannot legally carry as much load as the lighter truck. Thus, the heavier truck will have less PAYLOAD capacity, but total allowable weight (gvwr) should not be any less than the lighter truck.

 

I should have said all the megacab models have the same frame, no matter what badge is on the door or how many wheels out back.

 

But.... isn't the megacab frame the same frame as a longbed quad cab ? (I am not sure about this but it seems to make sense if they made the cab bigger they had to make the bed shorter to fit on the same frame?).