4x4ord wrote: Pros: heavier pin weight or payload in the bed. Able to handle a bigger ego.
Cons: clumsier; Ford requires you to go to a 4.10 rear end with duals - poorer fuel economy; more tires to replace; longer box.
There is a huge difference in the capability of the '11's over the older trucks.
The 2011 F350DRW diesel comes with 3.73 axle ratio only. '99-'10 F350DRW diesels came standard with 3.73 axle ratio and 4.10 were optional. 4.30 was also optional from '05-'07. For '97-down trucks, all F350 pickups, DRW/SRW, diesel/gas came standard with 3.55 axle ratio and 4.10 was optional.
Both the F350SRW and DRW are available with the 8' pickup box. SRW is also available with the 6-1/2' pickup box. For F350 cab/chassis trucks, both SRW and DRW come standard with 60" cab to axle length in all cab sizes. DRW is also available with 84" cab to axle length in regular cab size only.
SoCalDesertRider wrote: The 2011 F350DRW diesel comes with 3.73 axle ratio only.
You are right it is a 3.73 not 4.10 in the DRW F350. When you consider the smaller tires on the dually (my single rear wheel has 20") along with the axle ratio it does make quite a difference on fuel economy noise level in the cab and ride. I have pulled a 30,000 lb gooseneck with my SRW truck and it really does handle it just fine - you hardly know its back there. (that weight is legal in Alberta) My previous diesel was chipped and had the power but still did not come close to handling the weight like the new one does. I own a couple of Peterbilts as well as an older Dodge duallyl - My first choice for pulling my 16000 lb fiver is hands down the SRW F350.
2011 F350 SRW short box 4x4 CC 6.7 PS King Ranch
B&W TurnoverBall and Companion
2003 Citation Supreme 34 RLTS
SoCalDesertRider wrote: The 2011 F350DRW diesel comes with 3.73 axle ratio only.
You are right it is a 3.73 not 4.10 in the DRW F350. When you consider the smaller tires on the dually (my single rear wheel has 20") along with the axle ratio it does make quite a difference on fuel economy noise level in the cab and ride. I have pulled a 30,000 lb gooseneck with my SRW truck and it really does handle it just fine - you hardly know its back there. (that weight is legal in Alberta) My previous diesel was chipped and had the power but still did not come close to handling the weight like the new one does. I own a couple of Peterbilts as well as an older Dodge duallyl - My first choice for pulling my 16000 lb fiver is hands down the SRW F350.
The F350DRW/F450 tire size is 245/75-17, which is about 31.5" tall.
The F250/F350SRW base tire size is 265/70-17, which is also about 31.5" tall.
F250/F350SRW also have optional 275/65-18 all-season (32"), 275/70-18 all-terrain (33") and 275/65-20 all-terrain (34") tire sizes.
The formula for computing tire diameter in inches from a metric size is as follows.
((2 x SectionWidth x AspectRatio) / 2540) + WheelDiameter = TireDiameter
F250/F350SRW diesel axle ratio choices are 3.31 and 3.55 with 17" and 18" wheels. 20" wheels are available with 3.55 axle ratio only.
F350DRW diesel axle ratio is 3.73 with 17" wheels only.
F450 axle ratio is 4.30 with 17" wheels only.
The engine rpm difference between running a 3.73 axle ratio with 31.5" tires versus running a 3.55 axle ratio with 33" tires is 5% slower for the bigger tires, plus 5% slower for the higher (numerically lower) axle ratio, so 3.73/31.5" combination yields 10% higher rpms than 3.55/33" combination at the same road speed in the same transmission gear.
When the engine is spinning 2000 rpm's with the 3.55/33", it is spinning 2200 rpm's with the 3.73/31.5", at equal road speeds and in equal transmission gears. 200 rpm's isn't much difference in engine speed and very little difference in cab noise or fuel economy.
This is a very small trade-off for the increased rear wheel torque of running the smaller tires and lower gearing. The 3.73/31.5" combination yeilds 10% rear wheel torque increase over the 3.55/33" combination, at equal engine rpm's. If there is an increase in engine torque output at the 200 rpm higher engine speed, then that higher torque output is multiplied by 10% greater gearing advantage with the 3.73/31.5" combination. This gearing/torque advantage why the F350DRW diesel has 29,000 lb GCWR, versus 23,500 lb GCWR for the F250/F350SRW trucks with 3.55 axle ratio.
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It is also very little difference in stability. If your going to pull over a 20,000 lb fiver then maybe you'll want to give up the benefits of the SRW to gain the stability and payload of a dully. I certainly wouldn't for my little trailer.
Honestly, if you can pull a camper, your already skilled enough handle a dually. They stabilize the camper beautifully going down the road , a world of difference from singles. Even pulling just 8k , my dually handled it much better than my 2500 does, day and night difference. I bought a 2500 because the tow ratings were 13400lbs., and my dually was only 10000lbs.,so I figured it should handle 8k like nothing. These new trucks are rated on magical numbers if you ask me. I'd take a 90's vintage 10000lb. rated dually over any newer 2500 or 3500 single rear wheel drive if I had to choose again. If I still had my 96GMC,I fit my Cummins in it with an Allison, and be done with it, I'd have a sweet towing machine.
I was on the fence when I went from a 3/4T to my current dually. I had an older C&C 90" wide dually that I really liked and I wasn't too thrilled about going to 96". Everything else on my 03 was exactly what I wanted, right down to the color and the options, so I got it and I'm not sorry, at all. Just the stability alone made it worth it. Craig
03Dodge QC HO CTD Dually NV5600 4.10 Rear/WD A2K turbo, TST/PMCR, 4" exh, PRXB Pacbrake, Rancho 9000s, FS Airbags, Onboard air/in-cab controls, Custom hauler bed. 98 Sunnybrook 30RLFS 5er WHOEVER INVENTED WORK DIDN'T HAVE AN RV!
Cougar2005 wrote: Thinking about changing tv from a 250 to a 3500 dually. What are the pros and cons of driving a dually? Dont really need dually as my fiver is only about 10000 to 11000 pounds loaded. Thinking it will tow a whole lot better just nervous about them hips sticking out.
I think you should work on "towing a whole lot better" to figue out what you expect out of the larger butt on the pickup. I guess a lot of duallies have a lower geear ratio in that big butt.
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