The Best Dually Trucks for Towing in 2022

Truck manufacturers are having a hard time keeping up. The chip shortage is slowing production and the boom of RVers is spiking demand.

Here’s the good news: each and every truck brand is making better duallies than ever before.

Today we’re sharing the strongest and most reliable dually trucks on the market in 2022. Keep in mind, though, you’ll probably need to preorder these direct from a dealer if you want to get your hands on one.

Let’s take a look at the best dually trucks for towing.

What Is a Dually Truck?

Dually trucks are heavy-duty trucks with four wheels on the rear axle and two wheels on the front axle.

Most people don’t pick dually trucks because of the style or smooth ride. The ride can actually be quite stiff when you aren’t towing.

Rather, people own dually trucks because of their towing and payload capacities. Also, in windy conditions, the truck remains more stable, which is also very important for towing.

How Much Can a Dually Truck Tow? 

Because of the four wheels on the rear axle, dually trucks can tow a much larger amount of weight than a regular pick-up truck with only two rear wheels. Even single rear wheel trucks with the “heavy-duty” label won’t be able to haul as much as a dually truck.

But it’s not just the extra set of wheels that give a dually truck more power. The diesel engine also provides additional power.

Depending on the model, a dually truck can tow more than 15,000 pounds. In fact, the 2022 Ford F-350 Super Duty can tow a remarkable 37,000 pounds with a gooseneck hitch.

This is a stark contrast from the 6,700 pounds a Nissan Frontier can tow or even the 13,000 pounds a Chevy Silverado can tow.

This is quite a difference considering many fifth wheel RVs are well over 13,000 pounds fully loaded.

The Best Dually Trucks for Towing in 2022

You’ll find that most dually trucks have similar towing and payload capacities. The fuel mileage won’t be very good for any of them. The biggest difference will be between the trims and not necessarily between the manufacturers.

Let’s take a look at some of the top heavy-duty dually trucks on the market.

GMC Sierra 3500 HD

The 2021 GMC Sierra 3500 features heavy-duty trailering up to 36,000 pounds. The maximum payload capacity is a little over 7,400 pounds. Keep in mind these numbers are maximums.

Different models will vary. Truck bed length, cab length, axle ratio, and drivetrain all affect the towing and payload capacity. For example, a regular cab with 2WD has a payload of more than 4,200 pounds, whereas a crew cab with 4WD has a lower payload capacity of just over 4,000 pounds.

The GMC Sierra 3500 offers the option of an Allison 10-speed automatic transmission and a Prograde trailering system with an in-vehicle trailering app.

It also offers up to 15 camera views and a six-function GMC Multipro tailgate.

Chevy Silverado 3500HD

Like the GMC Sierra 3500, the Chevy Silverado 3500 features a maximum towing capacity of 36,000 pounds. The long bed 4×4 DRW regular cab option has a conventional trailer towing capacity of 20,000 pounds and a gooseneck towing capacity of right under 32,000 pounds.

The 2WD option increases towing capacity to 36,000 pounds.

The double cab dually option reduces the maximum gooseneck towing capacity to about 31,000 pounds. The conventional trailer towing capacity remains the same at 20,000 pounds.

The payload capacity ranges from 4,300 to 6,900 pounds depending on the specifications of the truck.

The 2021 Chevy Silverado 3500 also offers eight available cameras with 15 different views, as well as a Jack-Knife Alert.

A bed view camera with zoom is also helpful when hooking up a fifth wheel.

Ford F-350 Super Duty

The standard engine in a Ford F-350 is a 6.2-liter V8 with 430 lb-ft of torque. At the very least, a Ford F-350 can tow more than 18,000 pounds. The 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8 engine in the 2022 Ford F-350 can tow an unbelievable 37,000 pounds with a gooseneck hitch.

The standard payload range is 2,900-5,000 pounds for the F-350. The maximum payload capacity is a little over 7,800 pounds with the addition of a payload package.

Depending on the trim, you could purchase 17-inch steel wheels or 18-inch alloy wheels.

Ford also offers the Tremor Off-Road Package to make off-road driving safer. One of the best features of the 2022 model is the trailer assist backup camera.

With a 360-degree camera image and trailer-reverse guidance, this package makes towing much easier.

Ford F-450 Super Duty

The towing of a Ford F-450 isn’t going to increase much, but the payload capacity will increase. Because of this, the wheels will be slightly larger. Standard size wheels in the Ford F-450 XL are 19.5 inches.

Because the drive train and cab length affect payload capacity, the standard range is 5,300 to 6,200 pounds. Regardless of whether the truck is a 4×2 or 4×4, the maximum weight rating for the rear axle is 9,900 pounds.

Another important difference in the Ford F-450 is that the brakes are hydraulically assisted.

Ram 3500 HD

The Ram 3500 HD boasts similar specs as the dually trucks mentioned above. The maximum towing capacity is a little over 37,000 pounds. It offers over 1,000 lb-ft of torque when equipped with the 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel engine.

The 6.4L HEMI V8 engine provides more than 7,600 pounds of payload. Keep in mind these are maximum numbers. Each truck’s build will change how much that particular truck can haul and tow.

For example, the 4×2 Lone Star with crew cab, long bed, and 4.10 axle ratio has a maximum payload capacity of almost 6,000 pounds and a maximum towing capacity of a little over 34,000 pounds.

On the other hand, when the specs change to the 4×4 Lone Star with regular cab, long bed, and 3.73 axle ratio, the payload capacity is 4,500 pounds, and the towing capacity is 20,500 pounds.

So the specifications of each model make a huge difference.

The 2022 Ram 3500 HD model features the Trailer 360-degree Surround View Camera that provides a bird’s eye view around the trailer.

The trailer hitch light is also a great addition to help you hook up your trailer at night.

What Is HD? 

Heavy-duty (HD) means the truck includes brakes, shocks, and springs designed for heavier loads.

The truck’s design kept towing and hauling in mind. These trucks are longer, wider, taller, and heavier than their half-ton counterparts.

What Does Super Duty Mean? 

Ford uses the Super Duty title instead of HD. Basically, it means the same thing, as these trucks also can handle heavier towing and hauling amounts than the Ford F-150 series.

The Super Duty series is comparable to the HD series of GMC, Chevy, and Ram.

How to Choose the Right Dually Truck for You

Even though you’re comparing two dually trucks made by the same manufacturer, their towing and payload capacities may not be the same. One model may be 4×2, while the other may be 4×4. One model may offer a crew cab while the other model offers a regular cab.

Pay attention to the bed length and axle ratio, as these affect towing and payload capacities.

You have to choose the right truck for you. If you have kids and want to travel as a family, you’ll want a larger cab. If you plan on traveling up mountains or on gravel roads, you’ll probably want a 4×4 drivetrain.

Consider your travel needs to choose the best option. Then you can compare among the major manufacturers and trim options.

A dually truck provides an easier towing experience. The dual rear wheels provide the stability that single rear wheels just can’t provide.

Their diesel engine options also provide more torque and power than gas engines. Although the gas mileage isn’t good and the ride isn’t smooth, if you’re planning on towing a fifth wheel or large trailer or hauling heavy loads of equipment, you’ll want to consider a dually truck.

Which truck makes the top of your list?

Discover the Best Free Camping Across the USA

To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy).

You should give it a try!

As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours. Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.

Become a FREE CAMPING INSIDER and join the 100,000 campers who love to score the best site! 

We’ll send you the 50 Best Free Campsites in the USA (one per state). Access the list by submitting your email below: