~DJ~
Boise, Idaho
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Joined: 05/10/2005
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Been very envious of all the "pop up" trips lately, White Rim, etc. No way can I afford a new truck. Been thinking of modding my dually, lift, tires & wheels, skids, winch, etc. Then trade my hardside for a pop up. I know the width may cause a problem at times but I also think the dually would be better for off camber side hill stuff.
So, you hard core pop up guys, would I have a chance with a dually?
Thanks.....DJ
05 Dodge Ram 3500 SLT SC DRW 4X4 CTD G56 373's CAI,Edge Juice/Attitude,Jake,Rancho9000x,Torklift tie downs,Superhitch,Stable Loads
04 S&S Avalanche 9' with slide
26th Marines RVN 69-70 Semper Fi
M-14 was the only Woodstock I saw in 1969.
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kerryedwards
denver
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Joined: 10/12/2005
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Over on Expedition Portal, there are a number of people running Mitsubishi FG's with duals, although some have converted to single rear wheels. Maybe they're not running as extreme as you want.
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DonCurley
La Sal, Utah
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Joined: 12/27/2006
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~DJ~ wrote:Been very envious of all the "pop up" trips lately, White Rim, etc. No way can I afford a new truck. Been thinking of modding my dually, lift, tires & wheels, skids, winch, etc. Then trade my hardside for a pop up. I know the width may cause a problem at times but I also think the dually would be better for off camber side hill stuff.
So, you hard core pop up guys, would I have a chance with a dually?
Thanks.....DJ
DJ,
I may be biased, but to do "extreme" TC'ing, I really believe you should have a SRW set-up. But this of course depends on how you define "extreme", and what kind of terrain conditions you will be operating in. If it's wide open desert, perhaps a DRW truck is OK (with the appropriate tires). However, for the canyon country and mountains around my general area (eastern Utah/western Colorado), the extra width could definitely hamper your maneuverability in tight spots, or even rear tire placement on very narrow 4x4 trail sections. Also, I have no personal experience with duals, but I have heard from a number of sources over the years that they can sometimes lack the same traction as a SRW set-up in some circumstances. Then there is the potential issue with a long wheel base with turning radius.
With all of that said, there is also off-road driving experience, determination, and luck which enters the picture. The point being that someone with a less than ideal rig could conceivably out-wheel a less experienced and less comfortable individual who had a more capable and tricked-out rig.
Don
-'07 Dodge 3500/QC/SB/SRW/4x4/6.7L CTD/6-spd auto/35" Toyo M/T's/Ride-Rite air bags/RS9000XL shocks
-'07 Apex 8 fully optioned w/220W solar/2 T-145's/2KW Prosine/Honda EU2000i/Tundra fridge/AC/etc
-'00 Jeep Wrangler TJ 4x4, highly modified w/5.9L Magnum V8
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trails2004
Wyoming
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Joined: 07/19/2007
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I think you will have trouble staying on existing 2-tracks. Most roads or user created routes were made by SRW and not DRW.
Our work trucks are DRW and we travel a lot of 2-track roads- so we are always wider than the route- which would not be good with a 2000-3000 lb camper.
2002 Dodge Ram 2500 SLT 4x4-AFE Cold Air,4"Exhaust,Toyos,Ranchos,Dual Air III- Firestones 2004 Hallmark Cuchara XL 9.5 w/Carbon Fiber Roof, WFCO 9845,Xantrex XBM,Honda 2000,1997 Grumman GV19TC- Crew Wifey,(Odin,Bridger & Sam,Wirehairs)
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Tiger4x4RV
San Diego County, California
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Joined: 03/14/2007
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Speaking from my pre-Tiger experience, sometimes rocks get stuck between the tires on DRW. Not good. The DRW setup was slightly better on flattish loose sand than the Tiger's SRW.
As to "there is also off-road driving experience, determination, and luck which enters the picture," sometimes I am someplace that I thought was difficult to reach and then some Volvo station wagon goes zooming by.
I do think that you are on the right track with a pop-up. You'll have a smaller, lighter unit with a lower center of gravity. All of those factors are important in even semi-extreme travel.
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RichieC
Gig Harbor, WA, USA
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Joined: 01/15/2005
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Tiger4x4RV wrote:Speaking from my pre-Tiger experience, sometimes rocks get stuck between the tires on DRW. Not good.
Agreed. Baseball to Grapefruit sized boulders can get wedged, then hammered between the tires.
The outside tire has to be removed to get them out.
Eagle Cap Owners Group . . . 
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DonCurley
La Sal, Utah
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Joined: 12/27/2006
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Tiger4x4RV wrote:As to "there is also off-road driving experience, determination, and luck which enters the picture," sometimes I am someplace that I thought was difficult to reach and then some Volvo station wagon goes zooming by.
I thought of adding this additional item to the above list in my original post, and thought against it, but I will go ahead now based on your observation (which I have also seen many times).
There is also the bliss of inexperience and sometimes sheer foolhardiness, from the perspective of someone just simply not having the good sense or past experience with bad things happening to not know better than to take a completely inappropriate vehicle into tough off-road places. Along these lines, I have had a winch in all of my 4x4 vehicles over a 35 year period, and I must say in all honesty, that I have used my winches (and tow straps) far more to pull out folks who got in over the heads (either from an inadequately equipped vehicle or lack of off-road driving skills vantage) than having to do a self-recovery for myself. 'nuff said. 
Don
P.S. Of course, juxtapose the above with the fact that my first "4x4" vehicle was a '67 2WD Plymouth Valiant sedan with street tires. I excuse this travesty with the fact that I was young, dumb (er, I mean inexperienced), and relatively poor.
* This post was
edited 10/05/08 05:00pm by DonCurley *
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SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
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Joined: 12/14/2003
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Give it a try. You already own the truck, so go have fun with it!
If you want to do realy 'extreme' off-road camping, tow a Jeep, Bronco, Scout, Samurai, etc behind the dually. Leave the truck and camper at the campsite and take the Jeep (or whatever) on the tough trails. Or, leave the truck and camper at home and take a Jeep and a tent! 
92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6
LoadNGo service body
69Bronco ATC250R CR500
20' BigTex flatbed carhauler
B&W TurnoverBall g-neck Curt Magnum rr DrawTite ft
HD springs Rancho9000s Bilsteins poly sway bushings
285/75-16E BFG AT on 16x8 Stocktons
4.56's & Lock-Rite rear
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Camp, Forrest, Camp!
Boise, ID
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Joined: 10/28/2002
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DJ - I like to take my truck and camper on some of the jeep trails and abandoned fire roads around here. During firewood season, the camper gets replaced with wood racks, but it probably weighs the same in the end. The biggest issues I run into are due to the length. My rear wheels will rarely track my front wheels because I have already changed direction by the time my rears get to the obstacle. Fortunately, the rears are so wide, that they will often hit it anyway. They also don't get stuck stuck between rock and in ruts as often.
The second problem is that the maneuverability of the long chassis makes it extremely difficult to place all of your wheels on rocks to clear obstacles. If you can't clear and obstacle with ground clearance alone, try and find another line.
Oh yeah, get ready to scratch the heck out of your fenders. I've kept the folks at Turtle Wax in business over the last few years with the amount of rubbing compound that I've purchased.
I've been scared a few times in mud with my camper on. I've never been stuck, but I seem to spin MUCH easier with the camper then I do empty or in any other vehicle. I'm not the type to floor it and fly up the incline or through the ruts, I build momentum and gently accelerate to maintain speed.
-2000 Chevy K3500 CC DRW. 7.4L, Auto, 1985 Lance 900, 1999 Bayliner Capri 1800LS Outboard
-Air Lift bags, Torklift tie-downs, Superhitch w/48", Rancho RS9000X, K&N FIPK, MagnaFlow exhaust, Hypertech.
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bigjimcruising
Orange County, CA
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Joined: 02/22/2007
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I've read on these forums and others about the horrors of off roading on dually tires, but now that I've been doing it for a couple years now I've come to find that most of the stories I've read have been just plain wrong. I'm even still using my street tires and yes I do air them down. And I've amazed quite a few folks with how far into the back country they've found me camping! Sure it's different then driving a tricked out 4x4 and I don't really expect to keep up with them on jeep trails but none the less I've gotten pretty far out on this setup. The biggest problem I've found is simple height clearance. Hard side campers are just plain tall compared to everything else so trees and rock overhangs are the biggest problems I've had to deal with. Best thing to do is get some off roading buddies to go with you and just see how well you can do. If you really get in a bad way they can help you get back out. Over time you'll get better at it and you'll find out what mods you really need versus what the arm chair off roaders will tell you that you need! That way you're only fixing what really needs fixing.
2007 F450 4x4 Extended Cab, 6.0 PSD AT, 9ft Flatbed with 8ft boxes. Okanagan 117DBL, loaded. 13ft tall! Happy Trails!
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