[ABQFirefighter]

I am very close to buying an '07, most likely a dually. However, I do go camping and usually where we go is on a nice sandy beach by the lake. My 2500HD does fine in the sand while towing the 5'er. I want honest opinions and experiences that you guys have had in the sand and/or snow with a dually. This could be a very big deciding factor in my purchase.

 

[doswacko]

I am very close to buying an '07, most likely a dually. However, I do go camping and usually where we go is on a nice sandy beach by the lake. My 2500HD does fine in the sand while towing the 5'er. I want honest opinions and experiences that you guys have had in the sand and/or snow with a dually. This could be a very big deciding factor in my purchase.

My dually is a lot better , then my non dually, with my 5'er in sand and loose dirt, mud, etc as it doesnt sink in as much.

All mine are 4x4.

when i had a 2 wheel drive dually towing the 5'er it towed better on the highway, but was no good in sand or mud.

 

[jrsmokestacks]

Dually=flotation. Good in sand not so good in mud/snow, but thats what 4x4 is for.

 

[dirtdually]

I camp off road a lot and have never had any problems, its as good as or better than my old srw truck was. Big difference on pavement when its icy better use 4 wheel drive, duals have way less traction.

 

[DURAMAX3500]

ive gotten my dually so stuck in sand i had to unloaded my dump trailer, unhook it, pull the truck out, pull the dump with the bobcat, hook up, re load. reason i had to do that is i kept snapping chains and tow straps

btw trailer weighed about 14,000

everyone here says get a 2500 for the sand.

 

[mattydmax]

The guys w/ duallys that go with us to the dunes have problems when they don't air down. They dig in pretty quickly when you don't get the tires spread out. They also typically have a narrower tire on the front which doesn't help when in 4 wheel drive. If you can increase width on the tires in front (and rear if it works with spacing)and don't mind airing up 6 tires they work fine.

 

[bcserl]

The stock 215's are way too skinny for the sand. The front has a particularly hard time. I tried an air locker front diff. It didn't help much.
I also go camping a lot with my 5'er and was tired of getting stuck. I went to 265's all the way around with spacers for the rear to help cure that problem. Now it's almost unstoppable aired down.

 

[07 MAX]

I do a lot of 4x4ing in the Anza Borrego desert here in S. cali and I must agree with the comment about the tires in the front being to narrow...as long as you are pushing a straight line you will succed, just don't try to turn. Don't get me wrong, I haven't been stuck yet as the other 2500's have...actually they solicit me to get them out...As with everything else just be careful and smart and you will not have problems.

 

[mvnvltn]

My avatar says it all. I did good the first pass, cause the wide rear did not fall in the rut. on the way back different story. Put on good tires and you should be ok.:driver:

 

[thejdman04]

Duals will pack w/mud inbetween band become mud balls rendering your truck worthless.

 

[thejdman04]

Super singles, stabilitly floatation and no mud balls

 

[mvnvltn]

I have hole in my left quarter from a root that got wedged in there the same day.:grd:

 

[dwj]

2500 05 was much better in the soft south fl. sand than my new 3500 drw / agree the stock tires on the front of the 3500 sink pretty quick

 

[saratoga]

My 97 2wd dually would plow and sink in any sand because the tires were so skinny. That being said, lots of folks here have duallys and hit the dunes with no trouble.

 

[SCE_T-roy]

I've had lots of duallys. I don't have one right now and I do feel like less of a man because of that. Here's a list of my encounters with duallys.

#1, A shined up Dually turns the Lady's heads!!

#2, My 1977 dually had the camper on it most of the time and I never got it stuck but the Utah sand/clay mix would cake up on the rears to make one big fat rear tire and that made getting back to the highway tricky some times.

#3, My 1981 flatbed was a work truck and the only problem I had was some times on the job site big rocks would get stuck between the duals and thump like a champ. I removed the rocks before I would drive home to avoid legal actions.

#4, My 1997 Crew cab saw much on and off road action. I had no problems in the snow going over Donner's in the winter but I did get stuck in the sand in Navada with my two quads in the back. The sand was very dry and loose. I liked the smooth ride from this long truck.

#5, Buying 6 tires at a time SUCKS!!!!!!

:drinking:

 

[PDXcougfan]

We pull out all the time in the sand on the oregon dunes. I havent been stuck yet... and this is pulling a 37 foot Raptor Toy Hauler.

I am going to upgrade to 265's though as I agree the front tire is too skinny. I just want a little more piece of mind.

I have thought about trying a super single also, anyone know where to get these?

 

[gears911]

Bigger tires on GMC 3500

The stock 215's are way too skinny for the sand. The front has a particularly hard time. I tried an air locker front diff. It didn't help much.
I also go camping a lot with my 5'er and was tired of getting stuck. I went to 265's all the way around with spacers for the rear to help cure that problem. Now it's almost unstoppable aired down.

I have the same truck in two wheel drive. I have been stuck a couple of times pulling 13,000 lbs in some dirt/sand at Dumont. I currently have some Cooper Tire Discoveries (235/80 R 17)...want to go to 245/75 R 17 BFG All Terrain. Could I get more rubber under there? I really just want more width not so much on the diameter. Did you buy the spacer or make it. We have a machine shop so that would be that hard to make I guess. Do you have the same rim on the inside as the outside? I have Weld Velocity and they look like they wouldn't work so good in the inside. Currently I am running the stock inside wheel, but would like to get an aluminum 17" inner. How did you put the rear all together? Longer studs?

 

[STPETEBLUE]

Some duallys don't have any problems in the sand.

 

[bcserl]

I have the same truck in two wheel drive. I have been stuck a couple of times pulling 13,000 lbs in some dirt/sand at Dumont. I currently have some Cooper Tire Discoveries (235/80 R 17)...want to go to 245/75 R 17 BFG All Terrain. Could I get more rubber under there? I really just want more width not so much on the diameter. Did you buy the spacer or make it. We have a machine shop so that would be that hard to make I guess. Do you have the same rim on the inside as the outside? I have Weld Velocity and they look like they wouldn't work so good in the inside. Currently I am running the stock inside wheel, but would like to get an aluminum 17" inner. How did you put the rear all together? Longer studs?

I am not sure how the 17" would work. I have the stock inside steel wheels with Alcoa Magnums.
I bought the 2" spacer from Fred @ wheeladapter.com it comes with studs and nuts. Nothing else is required.
The 265/75 R 16 are only 1" taller than the stock so it isn't even noticable diameter wise.
The tires stick out beyond the wheel well about an 1"

 

[Hookem2004]

I would like to go to Sand Mtn. or Pismo with my dually. Am I going to have problems with my dually?? Or if you air down will I be ok? I do not want to get stuck. Thanks for the advise.