Dual Wheel Trucks (Dually)

Three tires on aftermarket dually wheels

A dual wheel vehicle, commonly called a dually, has four tires on the rear axle instead of only two. They are used to increase load capacity and towing capability. Dually trucks are often used as work trucks. They require precise installation and added maintenance but offer great benefits.

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DUALLY WHEELS BENEFITS

Dually wheels are ideal for towing and hauling heavy loads for extended periods. They provide even distribution of the vehicle's load and can increase traction in most driving conditions. The majority of these vehicles are equipped with diesel engines for low-end torque to provide smooth transitions and shifting.

If you're truly considering installing dually wheels, you'll need to know some things about them first.

DUALLY TIRE MAINTENANCE

Tire maintenance is an important factor in tire and driving safety, and this is especially true with dual wheel vehicles.

A critical safety aspect of dually tires is the spacing of the rear wheels and the distance between the sidewalls of the rear tires. When dual tires are under a load, they deflect outward. If they deflect too much, either due to underinflation and/or overloading, the tires can touch sidewalls and lead to serious tire damage.

Ensure that you are not overloading your truck beyond the tire's load capacity. We also recommend checking your air pressure at least once a month in order to maintain proper dual wheel spacing and help prevent tire damage.

DUAL WHEEL TIRE SIZING AND TREAD DEPTH

Dually tires should be the same size and tread depth to ensure weight is evenly distributed across all four tires. If the tires are of different heights, the taller tire will carry the majority of the load, leading to premature wear or complete tire failure.

Dually Tire Rotations

Knowing how to rotate tires on a dually fitted vehicle takes a little know-how. You can see the dually tire rotation pattern here.

Rotating your tires regularly helps prevent uneven wear, ensuring your tires are the same tread depth. Air pressure should be set to the vehicle specifications for each tire, including the spare, and adjusted to account for additional towing/load requirements.

Preferred Dual Wheel Tire Rotation diagram

Don't take a chance on your tires, wheels or the precious cargo you may be towing. Let us help you rotate and maintain your tires.

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Installing Dual Wheels

The front and inside rear wheels have extremely positive offsets. The outside rear wheels will have an extremely negative offset. The rear wheels are then mounted face-to-face allowing the spacing required for the dual wheel application.

As you might expect, dual wheels are installed a little differently than regular wheels.

The front and inside rear wheels have extremely positive offsets. The outside rear wheels have an extremely negative offset. The rear wheels are then mounted face-to-face allowing the spacing required for the dual wheel application.

Some dual wheels will have a locator pin to help with installation. This pin ensures that the wheels are lined up correctly to give access to both inner and outer valve stems to add or remove air as needed.

The inner dual wheel will be installed first. The additional hole in the wheel should be lined up with the locator pin for proper alignment.

The outer wheel will be flipped opposite of the inner wheel. The locator pin should allow the valve stem location on the wheels to be 180 degrees from each other, allowing easy access. In some applications, a flexible metal valve stem extension will be required to allow easier access to the valve stems.

The completed installation of the dual wheels should have the locator pin lined up with both the inner and outer wheels and the valve stems should be accessible.

Before installing the lug nuts to fasten the wheels, be sure to check for this alignment and accessibility.

Installing Dual Wheels - completed installation

Dually Aftermarket Wheels

Many drivers like the aggressive look of aftermarket wheels for their trucks. If you decide to go this route, here are some things to keep in mind.

In most cases, you will only require four new wheels for your dually truck, as opposed to six. Since the inner dual wheel is generally hidden behind the outer wheel, you do not need to spend extra money on purchasing a set for your interior dual wheel as well. However, the outer dual wheel must be compatible with the inner.

As it's so essential to maintain load capacity, tire and wheel width, and wheel spacing there are typically fewer aftermarket dually wheel options.

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Dually tires should be a compatible width. If they are too wide, the dual wheel spacing can be impacted, leading to serious tire damage. If they are too wide for the wheels, they are likely to develop irregular wear.

Many aftermarket dually wheels can’t be rotated from their position. This means that a full dually tire rotation requires all six tires and wheels to be dismounted, remounted and rebalanced. This increases time and cost for routine maintenance and should be a factor in consideration before purchasing and installing them for your truck.

Investing in dually wheels also means investing in two more tires than most vehicles. Keeping all six tires maintained and in good working order is important for the safety and performance of your vehicle.

Dually truck tires and wheels are an excellent investment and performance boost for drivers who need dependable heavy towing and hauling. Like any well-maintained tool, a set of dually wheels and tires will help you rise to your needs.

If you need maintenance or wish to purchase a set of dually tires and wheels, please give us a call or make an appointment; we’ll get you taken care of!

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