The Drooly Dually

We started this adventure hoping to run a short-bed, single-rear-wheel truck... easier to drive when not towing, and simple to fit into RV parks alongside the camper. When we picked up our 2024 Alliance Valor 36V11 fifth wheel, we even hit the CAT Scales to be sure we were safe.

First weigh: full tank of fuel, both dogs, and us... unloaded weight confirmed. We finished the inspection, signed the paperwork, and headed straight back to the scales. Numbers still looked good. On paper, we had room for about 2,000 pounds of cargo without exceeding pin weight or trailer GVWR.

Fast forward five months.

Our lives were packed into the RV and two storage units. We sold, donated, and trashed more than we ever imagined... and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who gave our hand-me-downs a second life. When the farm sale closed, we hitched up the very next day and pointed the rig toward North Carolina for our first stop.

Naturally, I plotted a course to the nearest CAT Scale.

With zero fuel in the generator, no fresh water, and barely anything in the holding tanks, I rolled onto the scales feeling confident. I opened the app… and sank into my seat. I looked at Anna and said, “We either need to shed a lot of weight... or get a bigger truck.”

We were 800 pounds over GVWR, completely dry.

There wasn’t much to do in that moment, so we kept going. The F-350 pulled us through the mountains of West Virginia without a hiccup. No squat, solid braking, smooth control... I finally understood why so many people say running overweight “isn’t a big deal.” But I love my wife and our dogs, and I want everyone around us to be safe on the road. So, the search began.

Search after search led me to an uncomfortable realization: my loyalty to Ford was going to have to go. There’s no reason a four-year-old truck should still cost $80–95k. Reluctantly, I expanded my search… and yes... even included RAM.

After multiple dealer visits, a handful of test drives, and more low-ball trade-in offers than I care to remember, something unexpected popped up: a 2022 Chevy 3500HD High Country, just 17,000 miles. I kept reopening the listing, half convinced it was too good to be real.

I called the dealer, checked their hours, and drove two hours across North Carolina.

HBI Auto in Mocksville wasn’t what I expected... packed with Porsches, G-Wagons, Audis, and Mercedes. And way in the back, sticking out like a sore thumb, sat a black beast among performance machines. Any worries about not having a home address or owning property disappeared. I didn’t care. This truck was mine.

Turns out, it cared about me too. The deal went through easily, they offered $4,000 more on trade than any other dealership, and we drove away relieved... and finally, properly equipped.

Our Drooly Dually, we affectionately refer to as “DD”… had a new home.