Using single rear wheels on Dually in Winter? Winter tips

[A||||1||Robert W. Jones||Diesel Timing Light?||||5||||Stray Cat||00012887]

Hi,

I was reading past posts about Dually Trucks in the snow and some people mentioned seeing Dually Trucks with only one wheel on each side in the winter. Do I just undo the nuts, take the tire off and put them back on? Do I leave the spacer on? Or how do I do it? Would any harm come from having it as a SRW?

Any other idea's for improving it in the snow? (Kind of wish I bought a 2500HD instead) Would better tires work as I currently have the stock ones?

The truck is working great, but in the snow I have to put it into 4 wheel drive otherwise the back tires ride on the snow and they spin. I have a bed full of snow which would not be that much weight. Would adding 300? 400? pounds help? If so what is cheap to use as weight?

Thank you for your time.
Sheldon

2001 3500 Duramax Crew Cab Long box

[Heartbeat Hauler]

I'm thinkin' better tires is the way to go, especially if you have the G80 option on your truck(locking diff). I for the life of me can't figure out why you would run only 1 tire in the winter. I'm guessin' the snow may not build up between the duallys, but I'd rather have 4 spinin' than just two.
JP

[Big Tow]

Why only one? PSI...with four tires in back the wieght is spread out over a larger area. You need some pressure to get traction on snow and ice. IF you do this I would remove the spacer and just tighten up the lugnuts again, should be no problem.

I do think that a better answer is to add some wieght back there. They make 70-100lb sandbags just for this. Try a place like Home Depot or Lowes or maybe a fleet supply type store. I would use at least 500lbs in a dually. I would also say that an all terrain type tire is going to work better than a highway tread.

Otherwise, you paid for a 4x4 truck, why not use the 4x4? It is as simple as pushing a button

[A||||1||Robert W. Jones||Diesel Timing Light?||||5||||Stray Cat||00012887]

Thank you for the answers. I will try to get 500+ pounds in the back and see how it does. Yes I do have the G80 option.

If that does not improve it, I will try using a single wheels at the back.

I just wonder with using 4WD if I will get stuck easy? It seems once there is a few inches of snow, I need the 4WD, but once I switch to it, I get moving.

If anyone else has some idea's, let me know.

Thank you so far for the advice.

[bigRazor432]

I have 600lbs of sand bags in the bed of my truck. Got them from Home Depot for under $25. I haven't had any problems in the snow and ice we've had in NH this winter so far. Very rarely do I even put it in 4 wheel drive now.

[d.h.]

Go with new tires.I put new set of michelins on my dually last year.I get around empty in 2 wheel better than my fo## in 4 wheel. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Diesel Dragon]

Put some sand bags back there. I have 1,000 lbs and don't need 4 WD after I take the plow off.
And get some good mud & snow tires.


Bye Diesel Dragon

[Bellrule]

Another reason that SRW's get thru snow better is that they only cut a single track. I don't know if you can get a dually to track with one tire on the back because of the offset rims.

[Kollin Syverson]

A better option for sand bags, is to use old
(or new) rubber inner tubes from a car or truck. Cut it open, tie one end shut with some wire, fill it with sand and tie the other end shut. Now you have a sand bag that wont rot out and dump sand in your truck come spring, and also they wont slide around in your box.

[A||||1||Robert W. Jones||Diesel Timing Light?||||5||||Stray Cat||00012887]

Thanks for all the advice!

Sheldon