What factors Determine Tow Rating

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

X2, also in one of the related threads someone mentioned the financial benefits of possibly just renting a truck for towing a trailer a few times a year. Not wanting to use my Motorhome for a quick 5,000 mile trip to pick up my new race car I rented a 3/4 Ford from Enterprise Rent a Truck and with the 6.2 gas motor it performed flawlessly for far less $ per mile than I could have done otherwise, new trucks are so pricey renting may make sense for you as well.

Good idea!
Especially for long hauls.
Not going to tow more than 6000lbs.
Save the wagon for local trips.
D

[kdanner]

Originally Posted by 6130

Modern 3/4-ton and one-ton trucks come with all of those things too.

Half-ton trucks may be better than they used to be in some ways, but half-ton trucks have never come with full-floating rear axles or load range "E" tires, and those things were standard on 3/4-ton trucks for many, many years.

Conversely, 3/4-ton trucks have never come on P-metric (passenger car) tires, and 3/4 ton trucks have never had their rear axles held in by something as flimsy as C-clips.

No, they're not a floating axle, but in the case of a Ford for many years now they've been a 9.75" ring gear with 35 spline axles. I'm sure the other brands are comparable. They've got great big disk brakes and your comments about the axles breaking and coming out is just fearmongering, show me all of the examples of that actually happening. As for the tires, I just looked up specs on an 18 F150, I see OEM tires with a load rating of over 2500lbs each. More than adequate for what Dan wants to do.



The current "half tons" which are rated for payloads as high as 3270 and towing as high as 13200 will do this easily and safely. No, I wouldn't feel safe in one with my 30' tag in the wind even though the truck is rated high enough for it, but we're talking about Dan towing only 5800 lbs here.

[Kirk Morgan]

We just towed a 95 Mustang from Columbus Ohio to San Antonio TX with a 2016 F150 with a 5.0 engine and got 16.5 mph on the way back. Going thru Kentucky and Tennessee the truck drove very good. We traveled about 70 to 75 mph.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

Just take a stroll through the pits at a local points meet. That will answer all your questions regarding 1/2 ton pickups. Do you want to save money,.....or save your life....??

this^^^ and this vvvv

Originally Posted by james schaechter

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

this^^^ and this vvvv

When I started trying to race again, I pulled mine on an open trailer with my wife's 1/2 ton, 350" Tahoe. Could have used more brake. Put brakes on both trailer axels. Bought a 2500 Suburban made all that much more comfortable.
Bought my 24' ATC (all aluminum) enclosed trailer. Very light for an enclosed trailer. Can't tell it is heavier than the steel Open trailer.

Came with 5 lug 15" wheels, and Goodyear Trailer tires. (Said Trailer right on the sidewalls) It moved around a lot in crosswinds, and meeting big trucks. Had brakes on one axle. I found 8 lug hubs with brakes that fit the axles. Put those on both axles, bought 16" wheels to fit, l put the same 245-75-16 Michelins on it that I use on the Suburban. Tows so much better. Stopping is much better, cross winds & big trucks no longer effect if. I would never go back to a 1/2 ton, or 15" trailer tires. Whole new deal now.
Same spare fits truck or the trailer. I also have used only Michelins on everything we owned for about 30 years now.

Hope I don't sound like I think I know everything. Just sharing what I experienced.

[Dan Fahey]

Been studying quite a lot about towing.
Next project adding more gear and tow specific designed converter..
The Caprice wagon currently uses 3.08 gears, had 2.56s before.
Typically run in Drive on hilly terrain on flatter grades in OD.

Mountains with sustained 7 percent grades.
Such as going north on Rt 15 PA / RT 99 NY
The engine is floored but able to hold 70mph, 3000/3200 rpm.

Driving west from Keystone in Pennsylvania (Rt 22/Rt 99) the grades were a lot steeper.
Managed to get over the Rt 22 grades at 35 mph in second gear.
Wow the engine and trans were hot.

Installing 3.73s to ease the westward and northern routes over the Appalachian Mountains.
Found a Hughes Towing Converter designed for towing .
Plus takes 7 quarts of Trans fluid and helps reduce trans temperature.

Eastward away from the Mountain/Hills in Maryland 3.08's are fine.
Also have a set of 4.10's, but think the 3.73's are fine for 27/28 inch tire.

Dan

[6130]

Originally Posted by Tar Heel

I don't have a dog in this fight but I know in the last 2 years we've towed 7K lbs. (24' enclosed trailer and car) with a very well equipped late-model GM 1/2 ton truck. We then sold that truck and bought a 3500HD DRW 4WD Duramax and towing the same set-up was night and day difference. I'm not even talking about the power either. The 1/2 was a constant white knuckle event with sway even with good weight distribution bars and a sway control kit. All of that disappeared with the one ton. Tow with a DRW truck one time and see if you ever go back.

Bingo.

[6130]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

Just take a stroll through the pits at a local points meet. That will answer all your questions regarding 1/2 ton pickups. Do you want to save money,.....or save your life....??

Exactly.


...and other people's lives too- there are other innocent familes out there on the roads, that may not be as keen on risk-taking.

[6130]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

Yup. I'm born and raised in the car business (although I worked in the back end, not the front end), and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have seen some coke-head car salesman blowing smoke up somebody's butt regarding this subject.

They're afraid that if they tell the customer that he would be safer towing a 3/4 ton, a one-ton, or a one-ton dually, that he'll lose his sales commission to some other coke-head car salesman down the street, when the other guy offers to sell him a half-ton pickup and a 5th wheel hitch to go with it.

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

Jim is right on the money. I would venture to guess that there isn't, and won't be, anybody who says they've used both 1/2 and 3/4 tons pickups and would be completely satisfied with a 1/2 ton. I've used 2500 HD Chevys for decades and have never, in any situation, felt I had "too much truck" for the task. I think the real truth with people who say a 1/2 ton works fine as a trailer puller is that they either don't have, or don't want to spend, the extra money.