What are the benefits of a dually pickup truck?
Pickup trucks are, at their core, utility vehicles. Sure, owners transform them into wildly impractical lifted “pavement prowlers” and other styles. However, some types of trucks trade practicality for other kinds of utility. Enter the dually pickup truck, a common variety of trucks with towing capacity to spare.
A dually pickup truck typically offers greater towing capacity and stability than more conventional half-ton trucks in specific circumstances
If you’ve ever driven with young kids in the car (as I suspect most mothers, fathers, aunts, and uncles here have), you answer questions. That’s an inevitability. “Mom, why is that motorcycle so loud?” Or even “Dad, why does that pickup truck have so many tires?” Well, if you weren’t able to answer that question without wild speculation, let me help you out.
The truck your inquisitive young passenger is asking about is a “dually,” or a pickup truck with dual rear tires on each side. Think of the sort of trucks that Sir Mix-a-Lot would have rapped about in the 1990s. However, a dually pickup truck isn’t a style trend like slammed trucks or “Carolina Squat” trucks. No, no, duallys have specific benefits that more conventional trucks don’t have.
| Dually truck benefit | Description |
| Towing capacity | Due to wider contact patches, powerful mills, and high rear axle gear ratios, duallys tend to out-tow their more conventional cousins. |
| Stability | As you might imagine, a dual-rear-wheel (DRW) application offers more stability than a single-rear-wheel (SRW) setup. This comes in handy for towing applications. |
| Torque | Some dually pickup truck diesel applications produce over 850 lb-ft of torque. Those are prime figures for towing massive payloads like large enclosed trailers and machinery. |
| Towing under adverse conditions | In addition to towing capacity, a DRW setup tends to offer more stability in inclement weather. For instance, crosswinds that would normally buffet a truck with a payload have less of an impact on a DRW truck. |
As you might imagine, a dually with a wide rear track is well suited for towing. That’s the dually’s main appeal. For instance, the 2024 Ford F-450 Super Duty can tow as much as 40,000 lbs. In comparison, the 3.5L V6-equipped F-150 may tow around 13,500 lbs under favorable conditions.
Beyond sheer towing power, a DRW setup is typically more stable for towing. This is especially helpful when towing in high winds or inclement weather. Of course, owners have to contend with the added weight and width of a dually.
Source: J.D. Power, GM Authority
