Everyone's got an opinion, and I'd like to hear yours! SRW vs DRW?
- Thread starter FeralK
- Start date
hy,
i've bought a dodge ram dually 3500 4x4 2005. then a Bigfoot 3000 10.5 . sticker said 1300 kg but when i've went back to the balance with the camper on it i realized that it had 1800 kg ( close to 4000 Lbs empty...). went to a suspension shop specialist and put me one more suspension leaf and stronger helpers . is a huge camper, i could have swear it is new and they have made it with Fibercore wall system. 2 inch insulation, aluminium frame, the best camper i've ever saw. then i had 2 Northern lite and then i switches back to Bigfoot this time the model 1500 FS. lightest Bigfoot truck camper with a table which converts into a big bed for my kids. all this in less than a year.
Also suspension mods were good for highway but too stiff for offroad so i want to put 5000 lbs ( or 6400 lbs ) Firestone airbags. without the suspension mods truck box wentdown 12 inches( if i remember well) now is so stiff goes down 2 inches when i put the service box and the Bigfoot 1500.
so i've stayed with dually and moreover i've done suspension modifications. Also i don't have sway with this setup. If i remember well a Bigfoot 10.5 3000 model is 100 inch wide, a dually is less than that maybe around 96 inch. my wife and i think that a wide truck camper looks good on a dually. but this are only personal opinions.just wanted to share my experience( check my other posts i've shared also how i buy a truck thoughts)
also founds a good deal on Michelin Ltx at2 put 6 on them and with 4 rear tires and weight i have so much traction i didn't need the 4x4.
Also at 4000 lbs empty left me 200 lbs before gettting to 12200 lbs maximum GWVR. And i didNt had my service box, only the original dodge truck box.
So in order not to go over the legal limit of the truck with the Bigfoot 10.5 i would consider a truck 450 or 550 or a 4500 , 5500 dodge, i don't know about Fuso legal weight limit but i saw some converted Fuso campers.
i've heard about a guy who did east west canada and back with a Ford 350 SRW and had a Bigfoot 3000 with slide out which is 600 lb heavier an had no problem. also my Bigfoot 3000 sold to a guy with F350 Srw who wanted to do the same travel with same equipment.But i don't know what they did about GWVR. Anyhow i call my insurer and tell them about each modification i make to my truck and ask them to send me a confirmation.just in case, is better if is written.
good luck with you project
first photo initial first camper 2003 Bigfoot 3000 december 2012
second photo actual set-up
incognito
i've bought a dodge ram dually 3500 4x4 2005. then a Bigfoot 3000 10.5 . sticker said 1300 kg but when i've went back to the balance with the camper on it i realized that it had 1800 kg ( close to 4000 Lbs empty...). went to a suspension shop specialist and put me one more suspension leaf and stronger helpers . is a huge camper, i could have swear it is new and they have made it with Fibercore wall system. 2 inch insulation, aluminium frame, the best camper i've ever saw. then i had 2 Northern lite and then i switches back to Bigfoot this time the model 1500 FS. lightest Bigfoot truck camper with a table which converts into a big bed for my kids. all this in less than a year.
Also suspension mods were good for highway but too stiff for offroad so i want to put 5000 lbs ( or 6400 lbs ) Firestone airbags. without the suspension mods truck box wentdown 12 inches( if i remember well) now is so stiff goes down 2 inches when i put the service box and the Bigfoot 1500.
so i've stayed with dually and moreover i've done suspension modifications. Also i don't have sway with this setup. If i remember well a Bigfoot 10.5 3000 model is 100 inch wide, a dually is less than that maybe around 96 inch. my wife and i think that a wide truck camper looks good on a dually. but this are only personal opinions.just wanted to share my experience( check my other posts i've shared also how i buy a truck thoughts)
also founds a good deal on Michelin Ltx at2 put 6 on them and with 4 rear tires and weight i have so much traction i didn't need the 4x4.
Also at 4000 lbs empty left me 200 lbs before gettting to 12200 lbs maximum GWVR. And i didNt had my service box, only the original dodge truck box.
So in order not to go over the legal limit of the truck with the Bigfoot 10.5 i would consider a truck 450 or 550 or a 4500 , 5500 dodge, i don't know about Fuso legal weight limit but i saw some converted Fuso campers.
i've heard about a guy who did east west canada and back with a Ford 350 SRW and had a Bigfoot 3000 with slide out which is 600 lb heavier an had no problem. also my Bigfoot 3000 sold to a guy with F350 Srw who wanted to do the same travel with same equipment.But i don't know what they did about GWVR. Anyhow i call my insurer and tell them about each modification i make to my truck and ask them to send me a confirmation.just in case, is better if is written.
good luck with you project
first photo initial first camper 2003 Bigfoot 3000 december 2012
second photo actual set-up
incognito
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highdesertranger
Adventurer
I will say this a dually adds allot of stability for carrying for heavy loads. also adds allot of traction off road. but then you have to buy 4 tires for the rear and gas mileage suffers a little. so the trade offs are your decision. I do love my dually but it's a narrow dually. I don't be when I bought it the guy called it a line road truck it was a Edison service truck. btw back then it was a standard cab. highdesertranger
doug720
Expedition Leader
True about the storage with a service body, but at a HUGE increase in weight! Service bodies typically weigh as much or more than a full size slide in camper!
Doug
"there's an easy way to remove [rocks wedged between dual rear wheels]"
True. The problem is that you might not notice the rock stuck in there for a while. A sharp rock can rub right through the sidewall of both tires as you drive in a few miles, leaving you with two flats, or one flat and one badly scarred sidewall. You really need to check the rear tires constantly when driving on gravel or making stream crossings.
The OP didn't say if travel outside USA is in the plans. The availability of huge singles is limited in many countries. 15 or 16 inch (pickups like Toyota HiLux) and 22.5 inch (heavy trucks) rims are still the rule. 17, 17.5 and 19.5 inch rims are the exception in most places. That's why the Fuso Canter, for example, uses six 235/85R16 on 16 inch rims.
True. The problem is that you might not notice the rock stuck in there for a while. A sharp rock can rub right through the sidewall of both tires as you drive in a few miles, leaving you with two flats, or one flat and one badly scarred sidewall. You really need to check the rear tires constantly when driving on gravel or making stream crossings.
The OP didn't say if travel outside USA is in the plans. The availability of huge singles is limited in many countries. 15 or 16 inch (pickups like Toyota HiLux) and 22.5 inch (heavy trucks) rims are still the rule. 17, 17.5 and 19.5 inch rims are the exception in most places. That's why the Fuso Canter, for example, uses six 235/85R16 on 16 inch rims.
my royal body service box sticker said 1100 lbs, with my Bigfoot 1500 at 2200 lbs and i'm still ok concerning GWVR. i have the heavy model steel service box 9 feet long, but a aluminium or a reading fiberglass could weight less than that.
fuso 4x4 is nice ,very rare in Canada and they didn't bring the quad cab version 4x4 i don't understand why
incognito
I wrestle with this also; SRW or DRW...our SRW handles a (heavy) single slide TC just fine. Someday we will have to replace the truck...will it be SRW or DRW. I can't say for sure, but I think I will stick w/SRW. It's just easier, and better in the snow (we do a lot of winter driving) and really I have no problems with the load.
Would a dually be more stable? I am sure...
I just have this image of a dually being a bit "limiting" (off road/snow/tight spots)
What we have now works...and there is something to be said for that.
B
Would a dually be more stable? I am sure...
I just have this image of a dually being a bit "limiting" (off road/snow/tight spots)
What we have now works...and there is something to be said for that.
B
doug720
Expedition Leader
I installed a Reading steel SB on my PU and was surprised how much it weighed empty. My stock PU bed weighed under 400 lbs, the service body weighed just under 1700 pounds! Then fill it with "Stuff" and slide in camper, and fill the camper with "Stuff"...you get the picture. Even a one ton is overloaded quite easily!
With my F350 SRW + Lance LC980 11'3" + Reading steel SB it weighed right at 9,450 pounds...Empty! I had exceeded the GVW with no water, food, clothes or stuff in the truck, camper or SB! Just be warned how much all this weighs when you plan.
Doug
With my F350 SRW + Lance LC980 11'3" + Reading steel SB it weighed right at 9,450 pounds...Empty! I had exceeded the GVW with no water, food, clothes or stuff in the truck, camper or SB! Just be warned how much all this weighs when you plan.
Doug
Well, we certainly discussed this topic to the Nth degree, and could really see the pros and cons of each. We also strongly considered the custom bed, but couldn't quite justify the cost (even though we'd really benefit from the added storage). Whilst we both leaned a bit towards the SRW, ultimately we decided to just get the truck, and be happy with whatever setup it might have, and go from there.
After months of searching, we finally found the perfect truck!
This is a 2000 Ford F-350 7.3L 6-speed manual Lariat extended cab with about 60k miles, e-rated BFG tires . . . and it's an SRW. I do believe there's some suspension modification in our future!
I wanted to thank you all again for your advice and words of wisdom. We'll be getting the Bigfoot up there on the thing and will be doing some shakedown runs in the upcoming months; it's going to be very interesting to find out if we'll be happy with the SRW or be hankering for a dually. The truck itself is a gem and I do t think it'll let us down. Time will tell!
The camper lists a dry weight of 3,400. We figure another 600+ pounds with our stuff (this is just conjecture at the moment, things'll only get heavier) so I know we're pushing limits already ....
theferalblog.wordpress.com
After months of searching, we finally found the perfect truck!
This is a 2000 Ford F-350 7.3L 6-speed manual Lariat extended cab with about 60k miles, e-rated BFG tires . . . and it's an SRW. I do believe there's some suspension modification in our future!
I wanted to thank you all again for your advice and words of wisdom. We'll be getting the Bigfoot up there on the thing and will be doing some shakedown runs in the upcoming months; it's going to be very interesting to find out if we'll be happy with the SRW or be hankering for a dually. The truck itself is a gem and I do t think it'll let us down. Time will tell!
The camper lists a dry weight of 3,400. We figure another 600+ pounds with our stuff (this is just conjecture at the moment, things'll only get heavier) so I know we're pushing limits already ....
theferalblog.wordpress.com
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