SRW vs DRW

[Scuba4fun2]

I went through the same process when I bought the new truck. I ended up with a SRW.

 

Whatever decision you make it will be fine. The ONLY downside to my decision, was now that I am looking at a truck camper it would have been nice to have the extra set of wheels and the increase in weight capacity that it gives.

 

On backroads...yeah a DRW is a pain. However, it is only a pain when you meet somebody. You will meet less people on those roads than you think and.............if you know how to drive on Forest Service roads it will make it much easier: http://usbackroads.blogspot.com/2010/03/driving-backroads.html

 

Even with a SRW long bed my diesel is 23 feet long. In town, I drive my wife's SUV. It has gotten so bad that she wants "her own" SUV.

 

IF your comfortable with driving a DRW in urban areas, you will be fine on backroads.

Thx for the info and link

[Widows Son]

My 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 CTD, CC, Aisin, 3.73, DRW is a daily driver. Length is the problem, not the width for sure. DRW in the Dodge gives you more options for the axel ratios as well (i.e.: 3.73). We weren't planning on the DRW but Dodge was releasing the 1/2 ton diesels and needed the lot room, so they made me a deal nobody would have refused. I'm glad it worked out as it did. Great hauler,

Good in the snow and wet, very stable in the wind, 12-14mpg hauling, 20+mpg empty, for us what's not to like?

[HERO Maker]

Scuba4fun2. Just thought I'd throw out the idea that this trailer of yours may not end up being your "end" trailer! What if you need to, or want to go bigger, and take more of your stuff with you?

 

Have you glanced at the HDT section of the forum? Lot's of people transferring to the only truck that would handle any of the future "more weight" issues. It's true, that they are pretty long trucks, but not any wider than a Dually. But if and when you loose brakes on a trailer, those trucks will stop you. And because your hitch point is behind the "center axle" area, maneuvering is so much easier.

 

I know this really isn't part of your SRW vs DRW question, but you will be in the DRW with the big trucks and your only question then will be, single axle or tandem? And almost everybody who has come over to the Dark Side has done it mainly for safety reasons.

[Scuba4fun2]

My 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 CTD, CC, Aisin, 3.73, DRW is a daily driver. Length is the problem, not the width for sure. DRW in the Dodge gives you more options for the axel ratios as well (i.e.: 3.73). We weren't planning on the DRW but Dodge was releasing the 1/2 ton diesels and needed the lot room, so they made me a deal nobody would have refused. I'm glad it worked out as it did. Great hauler,

Good in the snow and wet, very stable in the wind, 12-14mpg hauling, 20+mpg empty, for us what's not to like?

Thx for the info. The config you have is what I am giving serious consideration to when the time comes. Most of the guys are saying that it's the length and not the width. But when I graduate to the RV lifestyle, I will be moving from a long history with small to mid-sized cars......so I think the width will take some time getting used to as well.

[Scuba4fun2]

Scuba4fun2. Just thought I'd throw out the idea that this trailer of yours may not end up being your "end" trailer! What if you need to, or want to go bigger, and take more of your stuff with you?

 

Have you glanced at the HDT section of the forum? Lot's of people transferring to the only truck that would handle any of the future "more weight" issues. It's true, that they are pretty long trucks, but not any wider than a Dually. But if and when you loose brakes on a trailer, those trucks will stop you. And because your hitch point is behind the "center axle" area, maneuvering is so much easier.

 

I know this really isn't part of your SRW vs DRW question, but you will be in the DRW with the big trucks and your only question then will be, single axle or tandem? And almost everybody who has come over to the Dark Side has done it mainly for safety reasons.

I haven't glanced at the HDT section, but the idea is intriguing. That said, I think that would be a big jump for me.......but it's still an interesting option. Thx for the comments.

[HERO Maker]

You just missed the East Coast Rally, but the West Coast Rally is coming up. And then the Big National Rally in October. These are great places to go a meet others who have "been there, done that", and have moved up to the big boys. I have always found it a lot less costly to learn from others and get to the end plan sooner instead of later. And yes, I said less costly! One of the guys just listed his truck with bed long enough to have a jeep on it, for just at $36,000. And these are million mile trucks! They will take care of any future trailer you may move up to.

[MRR]

Folks, I have a new Redwood 5th wheel. Dry weight is 13,400 pounds. We will start living in it by the end of the year. I bought a new Ram 3500 SRW to pull it. The truck is rated to pull 17,200 pounds. And bed weight is about 4,400 pounds. Hitch weight is 2,450 pounds. Pulling the 5th wheel with the truck is fine and stable feeling. But suddenly, after several trips, I started worrying about having only two wheels back there. What if a tire blows. I've got the rear tires filled cold to 80 pounds. Driving home in the heat the other day, the pressure on the rear tires read 90 pounds. It freaked me out. If it wasn't for me worried about tire failure, I don't think I would be thinking about switching out this new truck for a DRW. Help me out guys. Should I be trading now while the truck is almost new??????

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

MRR- If you start a new post you'll get more answers than piggybacking on an existing post.

Your dry hitch weight is 2450 leaving you 1950 for everything in the truck- you fuel, dog, wife, tools, etc.  Plus you are starting with the dry hitch weight.... by the time you load your personal items etc, you' might be overloaded, or really close to it.

 

[gjhunter01]

Be cautious of HDT safety claims. If  you compare same year pickups to a HDT, you will find the pickup wins hands down for added safety features such as air bags, ABS brakes, impact resistance bumpers, collapse steering column, occupant roll cage cab design and even onstar notification in event of air bag deployment to mention a few of the safety benefits. Sometimes HDT brakes are stated as a safety benefit, but all brake systems have been known to fail, even HDT's. A trailer with good functioning brakes should be more than adequate for stopping and even then upgrades are available. I ask, how many times have people experienced failed brakes, it should be a rare event. I would not loose too much sleep over the brake concern.

If you always wanted to own and drive a HDT, than go for it, if you need to justify the HDT, then you are wasting your time.

Greg

[Daveh]

Hi MRR. Welcome. I agree with the comment you should start another thread with your question. You will get more responses. I am a little fuzzy on the methods for calculating weights but there are some experts here. 

I would not be worried about a srw if you are within weight limits. However, I do think you should recheck those numbers. They do calculate differently for fifth wheels and trailers. The reason I raise this is that I have an Arctic Fox with almost the exact dry weight and hitch weight as you. But when I ran the numbers I had no choice but to go to an DRW. Ford 350-DRW in my case. It was not a close call. This was with a 2015 F350 so I doubt the Ram 3500 has the numbers as I did look at other manufacturers offerings. If you post with a new thread someone will pop up that can confirm your numbers. 

[RBH]

Another thing you should consider is that your 1st RV will most likely not be your last RV. Most everyone I know has used their first and even second RVs as learning experiences before settling on a long term unit. You would not like to have to trade up in tow vehicles at the same time. The moral of this story is to buy a tow vehicle that will be adequate for that second or third RV the first time and save yourself a LOT of money. I wish I had bought our MDT when I bought our first 5er. Instead I'm on my 3rd truck and lost money on the first two as they became overloaded. 

[GlennWest]

Had a 2005 dually, bought 32' Drv. Was adequate for most except mountains. Traded it for 2012 dually. More power, turbo brake. Now good. Uh, oh, traded Drv for Teton. Now have Freightliner. Just enforcing what was stated.

[weaverworks]

I drive a 2010 F350 DRW and it is the turning radius that drives me nuts!  No way to make a u-turn even when NOT towing.  As the above posted commented, "it's not the hips that make it hard to park but the length."  HA HA!

[GlennWest]

And my truck will turn inside a dually turn radius.

[Hewhoknowslittle]

On 7/5/2017 at 8:25 PM, gjhunter01 said:

Be cautious of HDT safety claims. If  you compare same year pickups to a HDT, you will find the pickup wins hands down for added safety features such as air bags, ABS brakes, impact resistance bumpers, collapse steering column, occupant roll cage cab design and even onstar notification in event of air bag deployment to mention a few of the safety benefits. Sometimes HDT brakes are stated as a safety benefit, but all brake systems have been known to fail, even HDT's. A trailer with good functioning brakes should be more than adequate for stopping and even then upgrades are available. I ask, how many times have people experienced failed brakes, it should be a rare event. I would not loose too much sleep over the brake concern.

If you always wanted to own and drive a HDT, than go for it, if you need to justify the HDT, then you are wasting your time.

Greg

The only thing I can say about this post, you really love your truck, and dislike the hdt's. If a hdt brake system fails it will lock up the rear brakes, you will slide to a stop, but you will stop, do that in a non air brake truck, and never mind the mirrors that will let you see behind your trailer, or the added ride height to see over the people in front of you.

Greg, 

you do not do it wrong, but you do it your way, and I do it my way, on one is doing it correctly, but that's the beauty of America, do it your way.

 

Roger

[rynosback]

On 4/13/2016 at 9:06 AM, chirakawa said:

 

Agree.

X 3

[rynosback]

On 4/10/2016 at 6:37 PM, remoandiris said:

I have had trouble parking my DRW in 2 campgrounds due to width; Gouldings in Monument Valley and a cg I don't remember in Moab. Other than that, no issues with width. I usually park far from other vehicles at Walmart, Lowes, etc. Just makes it easier to get in and get out without having to worry about someone dinging the fenders. I also keep my mirrors out in the towing position. That way they are always in the same spot and I do not have to adjust anything when I am towing.

 

I have never seen any verified data on SRW vs. DRW handling. There are plenty of opinions though.

 

Dually means 2 extra tires to replace. You may want to get a contraption to make checking/adding air pressure to the inside tire easier.

 

If I was a fulltimer, I'd be a resident of SD and have an HDT instead of a DRW, but that is another topic all together.

How is parking a DRW hard at a CG? My 5th wheel is as wide as my truck, with the exception on the mirrors fully extended out.  I have had to park my tuck not at my site only because the site was not that long. 

[rynosback]

Go DRW all the way.  Always better to have more truck.

I went through this same question 2 1/2 years ago.  And I bought a 2015 Ram 3500 DRW Aisin trans and 410 rear.

[remoandiris]

10 hours ago, rynosback said:

How is parking a DRW hard at a CG? My 5th wheel is as wide as my truck, with the exception on the mirrors fully extended out.  I have had to park my tuck not at my site only because the site was not that long. 

As you said, couldn't park at the site, either in-line with my coach or perpendicular to it.  So I had to park in the south 40,  If I didn't have the extra width at the rear fenders, the truck would have fit perpendicular at both parks.

[bigjim]

I think about having to park at a VA hopital parking lot with a DRW and a few other spots like some parking garages occaisonally. Other than that I might want one. 

[GlennWest]

On 7/5/2017 at 8:25 PM, gjhunter01 said:

Be cautious of HDT safety claims. If  you compare same year pickups to a HDT, you will find the pickup wins hands down for added safety features such as air bags, ABS brakes, impact resistance bumpers, collapse steering column, occupant roll cage cab design and even onstar notification in event of air bag deployment to mention a few of the safety benefits. Sometimes HDT brakes are stated as a safety benefit, but all brake systems have been known to fail, even HDT's. A trailer with good functioning brakes should be more than adequate for stopping and even then upgrades are available. I ask, how many times have people experienced failed brakes, it should be a rare event. I would not loose too much sleep over the brake concern.

If you always wanted to own and drive a HDT, than go for it, if you need to justify the HDT, then you are wasting your time.

Greg

I lost trailer brakes twice with my dually. Once with Hdt and that was a non event. The dually I had to stop and fix. If you loose air with a HDT the brakes apply. You stop. I have ABS. Saying a ldt is safer is just not so. 

[remoandiris]

On 8/28/2017 at 8:51 AM, bigjim said:

I think about having to park at a VA hopital parking lot with a DRW

I have done that a few times.  Not much space on either side.  I found if I back into the spot it is better.  The VA clinic where I go has a new-ish parking area.  I don't recall if the spots were so narrow prior to them redoing it.

[bigjim]

I agree that in "some" cases backing in is a good option. Not just the VA for tight spots but that is a good example that popped to mind. I don't have an issue with going out to the south forty but at some times at some VA's that was not an option depending on when your appt. is. I could not even find street parking or commercial parking nearby at one in Memphis, Tn. I try to get appts. at times that are more likely to let the parking lots clear a little. My main experience is at VA Memphis and VA Albquerque. At Memphis once I got there at 5 AM just to make sure I had parking for a 10:30 appt.

[gjhunter01]

On Monday, August 28, 2017 at 7:07 PM, GlennWest said:

I lost trailer brakes twice with my dually. Once with Hdt and that was a non event. The dually I had to stop and fix. If you loose air with a HDT the brakes apply. You stop. I have ABS. Saying a ldt is safer is just not so.

So you have lost brakes 3 times? I think a trailer brake maintenance program would be a wiser option.  Yes, a HDT will stop when you loose air pressure and not always in the best spot.

Greg

[GlennWest]

Actually that was two different campers. But I did upgrade my brakes. Disc with air over hydraulic. Sweet. If someone has never towed with an HDT just can't see the benefits.