Dually thoughts?

[tdgsmb]

So there has been a dually SMB on the sportsmobile site for a couple weeks:

http://www.sportsmobile.com/z-PO_calif.html

Just wondered if any members had thoughts on the advantages/disadvantages of going with a dually...

Thanks for any input.

- Tom

[Ford_6L_E350]

Carringb has a dually van.

I believe the advantages include:

- Increased axle capacity
- Increased towing capacity
- Wider outer wheels for more stability
- bigger brakes
- 19.5 wheels/tires

I'm sure carringb is the owner you need to get real world info from.

Mike

[tdgsmb]

Thanks Mike!

[j.whitbread]

Dual wheels can be too wide on tight trails. It'll make a difference. They can 'suck' your tires into loose sand and mud.

[blair]

i really don't see the benefit.
it doesn't increase the amount of weight you can pull.
does it increase your tongue weight?

i pull a boat w/trailer that probably tops out at around 10K pounds. no problem.

this is just my experience. i have no technical knowledge in this area.

[carringb]

Originally Posted by blair

i really don't see the benefit.
it doesn't increase the amount of weight you can pull.
does it increase your tongue weight?

Yes, it effectively increases towing capacity, by increasing load carrying capacity for the tongue weight. It's less of an issue with boats, but RV and car hauler trailers can have heavy tongue weights. The trailers I pull usually have 2500-3000 pounds of tongue weight, which would overload the rear tires on a SRW van. And it allows for more capacity for other stuff too. I generally have around 1500 pound loaded on the roof.

Basically, I've upgrade my running gear to E450 spec, and load it accordingly. Last trip over the scales I as 13,500 on the van and 22,000 combined.

For somebody that doesn't need the capacity, I don't recommend it because it is harder to park, and there's more tires to buy. But the extra stability from the wider track width is nice.

The only driving situations where duals are detrimental is deep ruts in mud or frozen slush. Otherwise, it handles everything else as well or better than before. In sand, my front axle always sinks in first.

[blair]

Are you legally changing GVW, or just pulling more weight?
2500-3000 tongue weight? i have never even heard of that, and was not aware that this was possible.
I thought that i was heavy at 500 pounds tongue weight.

[Ford_6L_E350]

Originally Posted by blair

I thought that i was heavy at 500 pounds tongue weight.

Generally, tongue weight should be ~10-15% of the trailer weight. 500# indicates about 3300-5000# trailer.

A 10,000# trailer usually has 1000-1500# tongue weight.

Higher tongue weights can make a trailer more stable. Lower tongue weights may allow the trailer to track the road, not the tow vehicle. Then you can get trailer sway and bad things can follow.

Too much tongue weight can overload the rear axle or tires, and at the worst, unload the front tires. Carringb has equipped his van so that is not an issue.

Mike

[carringb]

Originally Posted by blair

Are you legally changing GVW, or just pulling more weight?
2500-3000 tongue weight? i have never even heard of that, and was not aware that this was possible.
I thought that i was heavy at 500 pounds tongue weight.

I did no re-placard my van because in oregon it would only be needed if selling the vehicle at a higher-stated GVWR. I think Quigley does re-placard vans they convert to dually.

My hitch receiver is rated for 6,000 pounds of tongue weight and 20,000 pulling. The trailers I pull tend to be very tongue heavy, because all the tool boxes go up front to leave space for the car in car in the back. And, the trailer axles are always at their limit to loading up the front is the only way to carry more weight.

[blair]

Holy cow, that's a lot of weight. I would have to guess that my tongue weight might be more than i think.

thanks for the education.