Thread: 3/4 or 1 ton?

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    Member berudd's Avatar
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    3/4 or 1 ton?

    So looking at GMC specs and the towing capacities for the 3/4 and 1 ton Sierra is the same unless you get the 1 ton dually. So, if that's the case what does the 1 ton single rear wheel give you that you don't get with the 3/4 ton. Just trying to figure out why you would choose one over the other if you don't want a dually.
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  2. Member Ranger Ryan's Avatar
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    #2
    Pulling capability will be virtually the same. The only variance will be based on rear axle ratio. Your payload will increase too. The main difference will be extra suspension. Your trailer will not squat the truck as much with a 1 ton SRW. I drive an F250 3/4 ton. My next truck will be an F350 1 ton SRW. This will allow my truck when loaded to ride more level. Dually's are a more limited market (considering resale), have poor traction and are much more difficult to maneuver during everyday driving.

  3. Member chrisansilver's Avatar
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    #3
    Get airbags with onboard compressor and gauge installed on your 3/4 ton and your golden...

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    #4
    What are the load levelers doing to help these tow vehicles?

  5. Member berudd's Avatar
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    #5
    Thanks for the input. I'm considering a triple tow setup with a fifth wheel RV and bass boat. Most of the RVs I am interested in would require the capacity of the 1 ton DRW. Ideally, this truck would be my daily driver. Since I already find my 1/2 ton a bit of a pain the parking lots I appreciate the feedback on the DRW. I think 3/4 with air bags would probably be the best bet I'll just have to be careful about what I choose to pull behind it.
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  6. Member TightLip's Avatar
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by berudd View Post
    So looking at GMC specs and the towing capacities for the 3/4 and 1 ton Sierra is the same unless you get the 1 ton dually.
    Is the payload the same for both trucks?
    "I see dead people"

  7. Member AceBassPro's Avatar
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by chrisansilver View Post
    Get airbags with onboard compressor and gauge installed on your 3/4 ton and your golden...
    I fully agree, I like the Firestone Air rites myself and to the OP there may be as much as 5000 lbs difference in towing between 3/4 and 1 ton with the 5th wheel.

  8. Member berudd's Avatar
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by AceBassPro View Post
    I fully agree, I like the Firestone Air rites myself and to the OP there may be as much as 5000 lbs difference in towing between 3/4 and 1 ton with the 5th wheel.
    According to gmc.com the fifth wheel capacity is the same for both in a crew cab standard bed SRW. DRW adds about 5000 lbs in towing capacity.
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by berudd View Post
    So looking at GMC specs and the towing capacities for the 3/4 and 1 ton Sierra is the same unless you get the 1 ton dually. So, if that's the case what does the 1 ton single rear wheel give you that you don't get with the 3/4 ton. Just trying to figure out why you would choose one over the other if you don't want a dually.
    The big difference is the payload. It can be quite a bit. My fifth wheel puts between 3000-3300 pounds on the rear of my truck. When you take in account my passengers, dogs, extra fuel tank and fifth wheel hitch that number gets right at 4000 pounds of load put on the truck. That puts me a hair over my payload on my 3500 SRW but it would be way over on a 2500. I'm not saying one can't load a 2500 heavy with helper springs or add on bags but you need to do your homework first. Rear axle ratings and tire capacity is the bigger concern. Most 2500's have the same as the 3500 SRW but some don't. The problem I see with add on bags that people talk about is that most people plumb them together so they only have to put air in one valve but when doing this the bags give zero support from side to side lean stability. They only level the truck out front to rear. They don't support side to side lean unless they are plumbed separately. I have a 2500 that I completely gutted the rear suspension and went back with a 4-link full air ride. In my opinion that is the only way to go the air bag route.

    Simply put, they are rated to tow the same weight but the 3500 will handle more tongue weight . I've seen fifth wheels and goose necks have 25-30% tongue weights once they are loaded.



  10. Member berudd's Avatar
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    #10
    Thanks Transamz9. I was just looking at the 5th wheel capacity of the two truck but when I look at payload the 1 ton is 4264 while the 3/4 is 2793. I get what your saying about the weight in the bed of the 5th wheel plus people, gear, dogs, etc. So, they can pull the same amount but the 1 ton lets you put more weight in the truck. I'm guessing that's due to different axles and suspenstion. Thanks for getting me straight.
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    #11
    I'm guessing that's due to different axles and suspenstion
    This is not necessarily true. Yes the suspension on the rear is usually a little different. Sometimes it's just the thickness of a spacer like on some Ford SD's. Then it could be the whole suspension like on the new Rams. In most cases the tires and rear axle assembly are rated the same in the SRW trucks. You just have to really do your homework on the specific trucks you are looking at. A lot of times it's just easier to get the one that has enough rating on the door. The GWVR of the truck is more of a classification thing. There are states that start classifying all trucks (business use or personal) commercial after 10,000#. This is why IMO Manufactures still offer 2500 series trucks. I believe Ford even offers a 10,000# GVWR in their F350 SRW trucks just for this reason.

    Here's the funny thing. You can get 1500 (1/2 ton) trucks with more payload capacity then most 2500 series trucks. Go to Fords website and look up capacities on some the F150's. You can get them rated to carry over 3000# and tow over 12,000#.

    Just remember that when towing heavy, bigger is almost always better so get the biggest you can afford and feel comfortable with. I consider heavy 12,000# and up. I personally tow 20,000# with a 2013 3500 SRW Ram and it handles it beautifully. On a side note though, my 2005 2500 handles it better because I have the drive train and suspension set up for it.



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    #12
    You get the stability with the DRWs. Go with one ton! I love mine!

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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Coach G View Post
    You get the stability with the DRWs. Go with one ton! I love mine!
    Sorry, but the 2 extra tires don't give you the stability. There's more to it than that.



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    #14
    If you look at equal 1 tons. Same engine ,load rating and gears. 1 with duals and the other single, the duals will give a better load handling and stability. I have driven both and duals will win on load handling every time. You have 2 times the load bearing tire surface, so you have a wider footprint to handle the load, plus the actual width of the duals is a foot and a half wider than a single wheel base. That is why I have a dually for my heaviest loads and a 2500 with air bags for the others. My F350 doesn't need the air bags, it has the overload springs.

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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by cliffordallen View Post
    If you look at equal 1 tons. Same engine ,load rating and gears. 1 with duals and the other single, the duals will give a better load handling and stability. I have driven both and duals will win on load handling every time. You have 2 times the load bearing tire surface, so you have a wider footprint to handle the load, plus the actual width of the duals is a foot and a half wider than a single wheel base. That is why I have a dually for my heaviest loads and a 2500 with air bags for the others. My F350 doesn't need the air bags, it has the overload springs.
    You will not fine a SRW truck and a DRW truck of the same year with the same load rating. As far as stability goes, you truck don't pivot on the tires. It pivots on the springs. The stronger the spring the more stable it will be. Throw in a sway bar and it will be more stable. I can get 19.5 wheels and tires for my SRW truck and have 6,300#load rating per tire. BTW, my 2500 Ram don't need overloads or even steel springs at all because I have air bags. I guarantee the bags I run will carry more weight than any F350 pick-up (not Cab Chassis) and with the right tire be just as stable.



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    #16
    Sorry, we will have to agree to disagree. I have owned and used both, still own and use both. a dually is more stable, I don't care if you weld it all solid(taking out air bags, springs, ect. The wider tire footprint spreads to load over a greater area, thus it is more stable. Wider is just more stable. That is why the load rating for a dually is more than a single, it is a more stable platform for heavy loads. You have to add sway bars and extra stuff to get stability from a single. You can get a single to be adequate for loads, but it just won't be as stable, even with air bags, sway bars, ect. and I have load range E tires on both.

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    Quote Originally Posted by cliffordallen View Post
    Sorry, we will have to agree to disagree. I have owned and used both, still own and use both. a dually is more stable, I don't care if you weld it all solid(taking out air bags, springs, ect. The wider tire footprint spreads to load over a greater area, thus it is more stable. Wider is just more stable. That is why the load rating for a dually is more than a single, it is a more stable platform for heavy loads. You have to add sway bars and extra stuff to get stability from a single. You can get a single to be adequate for loads, but it just won't be as stable, even with air bags, sway bars, ect. and I have load range E tires on both.
    You have more load carrying capacity with a DRW truck because it comes factory with more load capacity. They usually have more spring and the 4 tires added together. I can get single tires with just as much capacity as the 4 tires on your DRW and handle the load just as well. Actually better because of the stiffer 4-link suspension I have under my 2500. Believe me when I say I have a lot of experience in trucks and what they can handle. It's my job and I, as you do, have and drive both daily. My company truck is a DRW that I average 50,000 miles a year in and my current TV that I tow my 5er with is a SRW. My 2013 SRW 3500 has a GVWR of 11,700#. A few years ago the DRW 3500's had the same capacity. My truck with SRW's is more stable than the yesteryear DRW trucks.

    Again, factory to factory same year a DRW truck is more stable but it's mainly because of the suspension not the tires. My 2005 F350 cab chassis has twice the spring but the same tires as a regular DRW pick-up and with that it is and feels twice as stable. It's the springs not the tires.



  18. Member Snapinjaws's Avatar
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    #18
    Dually is hands down better in every aspect!
    2007 Ranger Z22 Yamaha 250 HPDI

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    #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Snapinjaws View Post
    Dually is hands down better in every aspect!
    except parking, ride quality , off road and so on.



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    #20
    Guys I tow a 14,000 pound cab tractor and a round baler with my 2500 dodge. Yes my engine is turned up, but my trailer holds most of the weight and stops it. The truck pulls and helps stop it. I am comfortable at 70 m.p.h. Not so much at 60 on 2 lane roads where telrphone operators can pull out in front of you. Du-ally's help, even on the trailers, but are only required at max loads.

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