OT: crew cab duallies, who uses them for a daily driver?
 

I am looking into buying a new tow rig, and will probably drive it all the time. How big of a pain are they as far as small crowded parking lots, drive thru's, narrow streets, places you go on a daily basis.......ect?

Almost impossible to find a car wash for a duallie. You'll have to really enjoy handwashing it.:rolleyes:

We have an '03 Chevy dually crew cab and love it. It is big, but you get used to it. We have ours lifted and adapted with 22.5 Alcoa's. Definately gets lots of attention and is a rolling billboard for us. The ride is sweet, plenty of room, and the duramax is quiet.

BayBaby,

Post a pic if you got one!!

OG:cool:

I have a 99 Chevy Crew cab Dually with 18000 miles, it used only for boating and camping.It is great for traveling, love the extra room and the wife can lay down and nap if she wants to!As far as a daily driver no way!I have an s-10 for that 20 + mpg .

Rob

I HAVE THREE FOR DAILY DRIVERS. THEY WORK GREAT. NO PROBLEM EXEPT WASHING IT.


TREADWELL

baybaby213, Extreme Marine in Havre de Grace by chance? If so I posted pics of their truck a few weeks back, taken at the Chantilly boat show, in VA. It is white lifted, 22.5s with a Snug-Top. GM.

Post #2 here has to be baybaby213's dually.

http://offshoreonly.com/forums/showt...ight=crabhouse

I have the a F350 crew cab dually 4x4 longbed, and yes if you need to park as close to the store as you can it's a *****, it is my daily driver. I have two other car's and my wife has two. the only other one I drive is the Vette, if you can't go real fast it's better to be big. I have been driving big stuff all my life and I just feel safer in it, the only other car I like is the Vette or something that I feel handles as well that can avoid stuff by the power it has that it has. Everybody see's the big truck or the flashy car and avoid them somewhat, it's the plain jane 4 door that get's tagged most of the time. I would not have a dually if I didn't tow a lot of weight over 10k# but I would still have a crew cab long bed.

I don't find it to be such a disadvantage parking anymore. I've found the door dings are fewer when you park farther out in the parking lot also. Wouldn't buy anything but from now on.

I have kicked around thoughts of a dually, but did not want it as a daily driver, as I have to go into downtown DC a few times a week, so I am either trying to park it downtown, or at a Metro station, neither of which can be done easily with something that large. Right now I just have the 2500 Avalanche, and gas mileage and prices prohibit daily driver status. If you are looking into getting a dually, maybe jump back 2 or so years and pick up a few $K Toyota or something that you can shuffle around in when needed. That is exactly what we do.

I have a 1998 4x4 Chevy Crew Cab dually, LOR was right people do get out of your way. I'm use to it now since I hace a Extended Cab dually before, plus I grew up driving hearse's and limo's (Here at the Funeral Home) Once you get use to it it's fine!! One thing is that my wife hates to drive it.....but that might be a good thing!!! I wish I would have gone to a Crew Cab from the Extended earlier!!

As far as I'm concerned.....When it comes to towing, I don't care how well the truck or trailer is set up, it's better with a dually!!! But, then again I hate the side to side sway from a single rear wheel while towing!!

I do have a another truck that's a reg. cab short bed 4x4 that I just drive around town and back and forth from work, (3 block's) but since I've got the Crew Cab I haven't been driving the Small truck!!

Bought this new in 98 and has been my daily driver till about a month ago. Sucks to find a parking spot, but I park out far and have NO door dings in 4 years. Now just used for boating activities. Droped 3/5 and rides like a car. Milage is 9mpg all the time

Dan

Thanks for all the input so far, now for theose of you who have 4x4 duallies I have heard form many that a duallie isnt worth a damn in mud or snow, does 4x4 help any on a duallie setup?

I have a old box Bronco that I go wheeling in and for the snow it has 39.5 boggers on it. I was going to buy a 2x4 truck becauase they ride better, I was told don't be the guy that can't get his boat out of the ramp because your spinning your tires. Most of the ramps I use are nice, but the ramp the Sonic factory uses is real steep. Fred from Sonic who never drove my truck before backed in, I loaded a 2000 42 sonic and he pulled out without spinning a tire in 2 wheel drive and I have done the same at that ramp at all time's of the year. I have never seen a ramp as steep as that one. If I was going to buy another truck soon I would buy a 2x4. 4x4's don't do well in snow or mud most of the time they will get though it, but dont go as good as smaller 4x4'f.

Mine is a 4 x 4 But it has never been in either ,but i have used the 4 wd. on slippery ramps with great success.When I used to race snowmobiles my buddy towed with a 2 wd dually.It sucked in mud and was worse getting off a lake.

Just My 2Cents!

Rob

If it is your only truck buy a 4x4, if you have another 4x4 for the snow and will only drive the dually in good weather get a 2x4, unless you are pulling a big boat out of a grass ramp.

I had an extra cab dually. It rode like a dream on the highway, but was a PITA in the city. To park, you have to circle like a jet coming in for a landing, being sure you are headed right straight into the slot. Also, you can forget any drivethroughs, I found that out after pulling into my bank. Both tires wedged against the curb. I had to get out and get everyone to back up so I could back out. Very embarrassing. I'm about to buy a tow vehicle. I'm going to go with a 3/4 ton 4x4 extra cab, shortbed (shorts are hard to find in Ford) with diesel. I really like the looks of the Dodge up to 2002 xcab short bed, and there are more Dodge shortbeds around.

after a while you dont even think about parking far away... Mom drives a trans-am, dad a van or a vette....always have to walk forever, just keep a jacket and umbrella handy!

I've got a 2000 ext. cab GMC dually 4x4. I wouldn't go without the four wheel drive on that truck. it took a little getting used to - parking lots suck, turning radius means forward reverse,forward reverse, forward reverse, - park. It does tow incredibly well though. The dually does suck in snow (i bent the rims on both sides by sliding into curbs on highway entrance ramps my first year with it) but once you get used to it it's not too bad. I also realized to start "using the 4x4 drive. It seems for some reason that lots of people buy a 4x4 for the sticker on the fender but then never want to actually engage the front axle unless absolutely necessary. On the highway, the intimidation factor is great! People just get out of your way because of the size, the only problem with that is when I drive the wifes 318ti BMW and try to nose into traffic no one gets out of my way like in the truck. I forget I'm driving a little car.
I've got the big block motor in mine, maybe get 6-8 mpg.
hope some of this helps in your decision.

I have an older one 1988 ford, 4 door dually, I only tow a 22 footer but we love the extra room in the cab and i can also do 85 mph towing and not even know its there. 9 mpg towing or not, and the next boat i get, i dont have to worry about not having a big enough truck!! I only have 2 wd but it doesnt snow here either. yes banks are fun and drive thru's usaully I go over a curb or two but who cares.

I drive a 2000 crewcab dually Ford 4x4, and have put 45000 miles on it. As a daily driver, the first thing you'll have to master is backing into parking spots. Diagonal parking is iffy, and parallel parking REAL fun. I find it awesome in the snow, as the extra width on the rear wheels actually helps keep it going straight when going over the humps that snowplows leave behind while changing lanes at 50mph.

I drive it to thru bank, Burger King, thru the parking structure at work, as long as I have 6'8" clearance.

Also, the 7.3L diesel package makes quite the tow vehicle. I have a slide-in camper that sits in the bed (2500lbs), and tow a 33' Fountain (8800lbs), plus the truck (6000lbs) and can use the cruise control most of the way down to Lake Cumberland! I get 16 or so mpg empty and 12mpg with a full load.

I hear that Ford has a new 6.0L diesel out this year that produces more HP and torque that the 7.3. Put a 6-speed manual tranny behind it and you can tow anything.

Good luck.
Brian

I even do that in a car, and no one cares, you have a better excuse than I do!!

I had a 96 chevy 4dr dually and drove it every day ,it was a rough riding truck.I had to have a 4x4 with the new boat . I just bought a 2003 chevy 4dr dually 4x4. it is 10 times better than the old truck, it rides like a 1/2 ton truck. i usually park away from every body any way . to stay away from door dings .You do have to watch the rear fenders.I usually need more room .Wish they made a 6 door truck.I all ways have a bunch of people going to poker runs or when we go drag racing.

I just went from a 2wd dually to a 4x4 not so I could get around in the snow or mud (That's what I have my old grey 1/2 4x4 for!) I got tired of getting stuck at the ramps!! Here in Kansas the lakes were down about 4ft last year and that exposed the alge on the ramp, then when it got wet again it was as slick as SNOT!!! (Same color too!) I had to get pulled out by eveything including "Tanned Fat" here on the board! He just put a tow strap from his empty trailer to my truck and pulled me out "No problem" 4x4 is worth it in the long run!!

And to answer your question "Yes, 2wd Dually suck in SNOW, MUD, WET GRASS & WET BOAT RAMPS!!!"

I had a 76 chevy with a built big block. I liked it but it would get stuck in wet grass!!

I use my F-450 dually as a daily driver. The duals make for tight spots at drive-through windows, but other that they are great. Besides, the benefits of the dual wheels while towing far outweigh the negatives associated with daily driving.

JJ, those roof clearance lights are mandated by Federal Law based on the the vehicle width if I remember correctly. Be careful not having them on there. I even know guys with phantom duallys that had to add five ugly lights to the top. A couple of the came up with a rope light at the top of the windshield channel, that had "break" in it to form five lights. Sorry, I do not have pics.

PS, you cannot buy a GM single rear wheel 1 ton (new). If they are 3500, they are dually.

This truck has been great. The bed came from Manning and was built to fit the F-450 chassis. It is a little longer than a standard 350, but at a glance you would never notice. I also added a second fuel tank from Transfer Flow for a total capacity of 74 gallons! I love this rig and it has handled every task that I have thrown at it.

1998 GMC crewcab long bed dually. Not my daily driver yet because I haven't sold the GS4. I wanna sell it, and need to sell it, but if not I will keep it and sell the truck at the end of the season.

Don't mind the rig at all. Vortec 454 and I am SO surprised with the ride. And that's coming from driving a Lexus the last year!!!
Nobody else can get over the ride either.

Like FunHome said, "you get used to it."
We both have the exact SAME truck, except for leather :(

105mph_38_2003 : When towing, the F-450 rides really well. The unloaded ride is a little rougher than the current F-350 SRW (never been in a new style F-350 Dually), but it is not anywhere near as rough as the 1997 F-350 SRW it replaced. I went up to the F-450 mainly for the larger brakes and higher towing capacity. I use the truck to tow the race boat, a 30' car trailer and odds and ends on an equipment trailer for work.


Sydwayz : I just received a set of clear marker light lenses for the cab lights. On a white truck, these lenses should make the cab lights all but disappear during the day. I will post some pictures after I install them.

The clear marker lights do look tight. A buddy had them on his pewter F-350 dually, along with a complete billet package and whited out all lights.

I park mine way out anyway, I can't stand being boxed in so it's no problem for me.

I drive my 99 F350 dually crew cab long bed everyday. I work at a college and parking is a pain no matter what you drive.The other half is pushing 5ft 1 and she drives it with no problems even at the bank.