Great advice for who want to tow

[Oldgator73]

Undoubtably possible a 2 wheel drive has a higher pay than 4 wheel drive. A rat has a higher payload than a loaded truck, a single cab has a higher pay than a crew cab
Do i doubt you - not in the least, however unless you order the truck you wont get that payload and all trucks these days come with power windows which lowers pay by 200Lbs or heated seats or blah blah blah, it is possible but very very rare these days and a 1/2 ton no matter how you order it cant pull a fiver with a pin of 2700lbs on a 2500payload cap SAFELY. YEAH YEAH YEAH We all saw the Toyota pull the space shuttle lol its just not real world

I actually bought the Dodge off the lot. It was 1998 so things were different then. It is fact that the more options you add to the vehicle the less payload you get. I would posit that most folks that have 4WD have a DISCO truck-dis goes down the road. I?m not sure I would use an F-150 to pull a 5th wheel but I would sure as heck use it to tow a TT rated at <10K. This topic has been discussed ad nauseam with nobodies mind being changed. And I am sure it will poke it?s head up many times in future posts. Buy the truck you like/need and can afford then never mention on any forum what you have and what you are towing with it. Unless you like to argue.

 

[CWSWine]

Well, you might get a bigger laugh at the manufacturers engineering such a truck because of people like me who want one, because I'm glad they did.

This the perfect truck for guys like me, and it is the least compromise out there for me since I have to have a truck for my RV. At least I can see some limited usage for this truck for my screen tents, lawn chairs and grill when not towing, but that 250/350, would be too great of a compromise to use, and outside of towing, and I would definitely not try to travel in one when not towing, and it would be as useless as a snowblower in August.

I've read comments from owners, and from their perspectives, the HDPP rides just a tad more "trucky" as their previous none HDPP truck, and those are the comments I place value in.

Take the passengers tires off and put real stiff side wall truck tires like on F250 has then up the springs to what F250 has and heavy duty shocks like a F250 has and only rides a " tad more "trucky" yea right.  Put all that on less than 5000 pound truck so does NOT make sense that it would be just a " tad more "trucky"".

 

[Hanr3]

Um, let's get back to reality here.
Truck capabilities have changed drastically in the last few years. True they can carry bigger loads then 10 years ago. The technology has advanced. There will always be detractors, those that don't believe the change is possible. Everybody hated unleaded gas, emissions, 5,000 miles between oil changes, ethanol, etc. etc. etc. Engineering happens, things change...

The difference between a 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton isn't as big as you remember. Not one of these trucks is longer than 22', in fact most configurations are 19'-20' in length. Brakes are brakes and installed to stop the load the truck is rated for. Same with axles, they are rated to carry the load. Today's V-6 produces more power and torq then big blocks 30 years ago. You think that just because a truck weighs 2k more it can handle the load better? Wrong. The truck is DESIGNED to handle it's max load. You want a better handling truck, get a longer wheel base. The wheel base has more to do with safely carrying loads then truck weight. Some of the 1/2 trucks produced today will carry more load than a 1 ton made 20 years ago, if not newer.

The real question, What are YOU comfortable towing? We all come from different back grounds and different experiences. Just because you wouldn't tow it doesn't make it wrong. It just means it is beyond your comfort zone. Now if the load exceeds the rate capabilities of the truck, that is a different story and a recommendation should be made to make a change to teh plans. Remember though, the truck is rated to tow x weight, and that rating does not include a safety margin built in by the manufacture. Who wants their name on a truck that breaks down 1 pound over the tow rating? None of them, so they factor it in... I used to audit OEM product testing. Trust me when I say there are government mandates, and then the OEM adds in thier safety margin... I have no problem towing at max ratings. IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO IT! SAFELY!!!

Regardless, one should never drive beyond thier comfort level. If your not comfortable pulling 11,000 pounds with a 1/2 ton, buy a bigger truck. But don't tell me my truck can't do it because you won't. Tell me you won't and leave it at that. 

 

[steveblonde]

Um, let's get back to reality here.
Truck capabilities have changed drastically in the last few years. True they can carry bigger loads then 10 years ago. The technology has advanced. There will always be detractors, those that don't believe the change is possible. Everybody hated unleaded gas, emissions, 5,000 miles between oil changes, ethanol, etc. etc. etc. Engineering happens, things change...

The difference between a 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton isn't as big as you remember. Not one of these trucks is longer than 22', in fact most configurations are 19'-20' in length. Brakes are brakes and installed to stop the load the truck is rated for. Same with axles, they are rated to carry the load. Today's V-6 produces more power and torq then big blocks 30 years ago. You think that just because a truck weighs 2k more it can handle the load better? Wrong. The truck is DESIGNED to handle it's max load. You want a better handling truck, get a longer wheel base. The wheel base has more to do with safely carrying loads then truck weight. Some of the 1/2 trucks produced today will carry more load than a 1 ton made 20 years ago, if not newer.

The real question, What are YOU comfortable towing? We all come from different back grounds and different experiences. Just because you wouldn't tow it doesn't make it wrong. It just means it is beyond your comfort zone. Now if the load exceeds the rate capabilities of the truck, that is a different story and a recommendation should be made to make a change to teh plans. Remember though, the truck is rated to tow x weight, and that rating does not include a safety margin built in by the manufacture. Who wants their name on a truck that breaks down 1 pound over the tow rating? None of them, so they factor it in... I used to audit OEM product testing. Trust me when I say there are government mandates, and then the OEM adds in thier safety margin... I have no problem towing at max ratings. IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO IT! SAFELY!!!

Regardless, one should never drive beyond thier comfort level. If your not comfortable pulling 11,000 pounds with a 1/2 ton, buy a bigger truck. But don't tell me my truck can't do it because you won't. Tell me you won't and leave it at that. 

10 people jump off a bridge 5 survive 5 not so lucky. Its a numbers game manufactures dont cover brakes when that 10,000 lb trailer burns out those little pads and rotors, shocks? Humm sorry those arent covered either - tranny hmmm - wow that clutch is toast you must pull a ton, sorry my friend we dont cover that. Drive shaft? No thats bent too many harsh starts - do you pull much?

Funny how i saw a 1/2 ton pulling a 5er just yesterday on the highway doing 45 in a 70 zone draggin the bumper.

Went car shopping on the weekend, looking for another SUV but i canthelp but look at trucks ( it must be some sort of sickness lol ) i love looking at all the gadges and new bells and whistles, in the showroom a brand new 1/2 ton with this big sign in the box " BEST IN CLASS TOWING UP TO 11,000lbs and 2500 lbs payload " so the dumbass in me has to open the door look at the door decal - 1568lbs payload it says, next dealer different manufacture - same thing open door 1435lbs

Well 8 dealership later not one 1/2 ton had a payload over that 1568. And yes im still looking for another SUV  but everyone one of dealers told me that " Thiers is the best on the market with the highest rating, the best warranty in the business, highest customer satisfaction blah blah blah "

One of these days i may write a post about truck shopping lol

Have a lovely day  ;D

 

[jackiemac]

We even struggled to get decent payload in our 3/4 ton unless we went for the basic model....

 

[[email protected]]

Not sure which side of the bigger is better argument I would be on, don't have a need for a daily driver truck.

But I sure did love that pic of the Semi pulling a scamp! Laughter is the best medicine!

 

[steveblonde]

Not sure which side of the bigger is better argument I would be on, don't have a need for a daily driver truck.

But I sure did love that pic of the Semi pulling a scamp! Laughter is the best medicine!

I used to use my dually as a daily driver and in all honesty you get very used to it and it becomes a breeze, my issue with the deisel is that it hates being shut off and started 20 times a day ( i make sales calls ) so the little ford escape is great for sales calls - deisels are designed to run and be abused by working hard the on off thing is hard on them. When i retire i have no issues with just having the truck on hand when we road trip 8-9 months a year.

 

[Hanr3]

10 people jump off a bridge 5 survive 5 not so lucky. Its a numbers game manufactures dont cover brakes when that 10,000 lb trailer burns out those little pads and rotors, shocks? Humm sorry those arent covered either - tranny hmmm - wow that clutch is toast you must pull a ton, sorry my friend we dont cover that. Drive shaft? No thats bent too many harsh starts - do you pull much?

Funny how i saw a 1/2 ton pulling a 5er just yesterday on the highway doing 45 in a 70 zone draggin the bumper.

Went car shopping on the weekend, looking for another SUV but i canthelp but look at trucks ( it must be some sort of sickness lol ) i love looking at all the gadges and new bells and whistles, in the showroom a brand new 1/2 ton with this big sign in the box " BEST IN CLASS TOWING UP TO 11,000lbs and 2500 lbs payload " so the dumbass in me has to open the door look at the door decal - 1568lbs payload it says, next dealer different manufacture - same thing open door 1435lbs

Well 8 dealership later not one 1/2 ton had a payload over that 1568. And yes im still looking for another SUV  but everyone one of dealers told me that " Thiers is the best on the market with the highest rating, the best warranty in the business, highest customer satisfaction blah blah blah "

One of these days i may write a post about truck shopping lol

Have a lovely day  ;D

A post full of miss-information and half truths to prove a false narrative.

 

[Frank B]

Is the 8300 lb of your trailer dry, or loaded? If you have been lurking here for a while, then you probably know that advertised dry weight is usually a far cry from that of a unit that is loaded and carrying water.


I have a 30 foot arctic fox 30U that is advertised as just under 8,000 lb dry. It is closer to 11000 pounds when loaded and wet. When coming down Highway 74 into Palm Desert, I was glad it was behind my 1 ton GMC Duramax diesel. What a tow vehicle can pull, and what it can control and stop on a long downgrade are not necessarily the same thing.


By the way, this is my third trailer, and my third truck. Two of my previous trucks were half tons. I'm not a half ton hater. But I also realize their design limitations.


Please be really careful on the downhill runs.


Frank.

 

[Maury82]

Is the 8300 lb of your trailer dry, or loaded? If you have been lurking here for a while, then you probably know that advertised dry weight is usually a far cry from that of a unit that is loaded and carrying water.


I have a 30 foot arctic fox 30U that is advertised as just under 8,000 lb dry. It is closer to 11000 pounds when loaded and wet. When coming down Highway 74 into Palm Desert, I was glad it was behind my 1 ton GMC Duramax diesel. What a tow vehicle can pull, and what it can control and stop on a long downgrade are not necessarily the same thing.


By the way, this is my third trailer, and my third truck. Two of my previous trucks were half tons. I'm not a half ton hater. But I also realize their design limitations.


Please be really careful on the downhill runs.


Frank.

The max carrying capacity on the trailer is 9,800lbs, and the truck has a max tow of 11,700, and  approximately 2,500 actual payload...more than enough capacity.

No need for a for a larger truck for this trailer, and if I needed to tow a 1 ton load in the 15,000lbs range and up, I would get a 1 ton truck.

Ford and GM engineered a specially equipped 1/2 ton truck for heavy towing and extra payload just for this type of towing and payload application, and the truck I got on order is the least compromise when it comes to towing and limited use when not towing. 

Your 1 ton would be completely useless to me when not towing...too great of a compromise.