Part 1:
Hey gang, I'm weeding through the search results, but I was wondering pros and cons and what everyones opinions are on running a 3500 cummins dually as a daily driver?

Right now im running the club cab 5.7 hemi which does well but is a little bit of a pig when pulling the hauler. I only average about 20 miles a day, and the main purpose is the towing. We pull the toy hauler every other weekend if not more, and the hemi just isnt cutting it - aside from screaming i average about 6.5mpg even with a K&N and superchip.

The wife thinks if I go big once and for all sowe wont have to revisit this again any time soon. (I like to upgrade often 4th vehicle in a year)

So, in short, is it practical or will fuel costs and mileage kill me when putting around town? I'm really excited to have the towing power, but at what cost?

Part 2:
Can you convert these to run on cooking oil? Thought I heard something to that effect.

Thanks in advance I appreciate any and all input!

dave

 

Im not sure about the cooking oil conversion, But if you are not pulling extreme heavy loads I would go with the 2500 Just because of the extra tire expense. I use my 04 3500 drw daily to pull a 27ft gooseneck and sometimesI wish I just had the 2500. If your yanking loads down the road with a bumper hitch the DRW will serve you better just with stability. Good Luck

 

Yeah we have a bumper pull hauler thats about 7k but if I have the rig to pull it, I would upgrade to a gooseneck in the next year or so for a little more room

 

Mine is my daily driver. Your's is the exact reason I bought my truck.
The fuel mileage will be at least as good as the Hemi when unloaded and much better than the Hemi towing a heavy toyhauler, not to mention the ease with which the CTD will pull it.

You'll just find yourself having to park out in the South 40 at Wally World

 

I use mine as a daily driver. Only get to tow with it about once a month. I average 17 mpg half freeway, half in town. As far as tire expense, you spend an extra 400 or so every 50-60k ( not a big concern of mine).

 

Thanks, this is the input I was hoping to get. I guess once in the while, the wifey can be right about trucks!!

Open to more info as anyone sees fit to share.

 

Its turkey season young man!!!

 

Its duck season

 

I also have a dually, which is driven 85 percent of the time without a trailer behind me. I rack up over 35,000 miles a year which includes about 4 occasions per year that we tow a 37' 5'ver. Total weight at a Cat Scales last summer came in at 26,600 lbs. so with that you can see why I chose the dually. Stability and maximum reliability ranked high on the priorities when travelling with my family. I pay the cost physically and monetarily when rolling down the road going to work, but in my big picture, it was justified.
( Besides, I also have a few extra spare tires if needed ! )

 

Depends on just how heavy that toyhauler is I gotta 06 2500 CTD Q/C shortbox and its my daily its not a dully but if you don't pull a huge trailer often I don't see the point in buying 2 x-tra tires...IMO the 2500 is great Ipull a 6 slant horse trailer with sleeper 37' no trouble and a 39' fifth wheel with 21' boat behind it on occasion when the 350powerjoke ain't aroundwith no trouble would however recommend a 3500 dual if you pulled like that often....My 5.9 gets better mpg than my buds short box reg cab hemi btw