towing with 1/2 ton towable trailer.

blacktop wrote:
I have a Cougar lite that weighs 7,000 lbs empty. I load it up to another 800 lbs, so I'm around 8,000 including myself. The hitch weight is around 1200 factory, but I'm sure that's up to 1800 by now.
Presently, I tow with a Dodge 2500 and it doesn't feel the weight behind it. Tows great. I only plan to go to the end of the warranty on this truck and then buy a new one. Next time, I would like to tow with a 1/2 ton for the better ride and price. Anyone towing an 8000 lb 5th wheel with a half ton truck? How well does it tow?

A 1800 lb pin weight plus a 250 lb hitch plus 150 lb of folks and other stuff that adds weight to the trucks rear axle and your looking at around 2200+ lb load which sits over the trucks rear axle.

The only new 1/2 ton truck with enough rear axle capacity for a 2200 lb load is the F150 5.0 or 3.5 EB engines with the 4800 RAWR.
Owners report these trucks rear axle weights in the 2200-2300 lb range which leaves 2500 lbs or so for a payload.

Ram doesn't have a 1/2 ton with enough rear axle numbers for a 2200 lb load.

The NHT package for the new 1500 GM trucks offer higher 7400-7600 ? GVWR and 4200-4400 ? RAWR numbers. Maybe someone knows what they actually are. However a crew cab 4x4 with lots of options would eat away these small payload numbers.

There are several older '00 era 1/2 ton truck that will have no problems with a trailer that size.
..'00 to '06 GM 1500HD 6.0 8600 GVWR and 6000 RAWR..
.. mid '00 1500 Dodge Mega cab with 8510 GVWR and 6000 RAWR..
..and of course a F150HD 8200 GVWR and 4800 RAWR.....all had plenty of RAWR and power to pull.