the main problem is that people use those numbers when those numbers are fictional at best as far as I can tell. There are people who live and die by them though. That's where the real problem is. I say before you tell someone their truck can/can not tow a load you need to do an independent study and show them on paper what the truck is actually capable of. The numbers you recycle are nothing more than marketing hype and you have no real way to prove otherwise.
I happen to be on the side that says not to tow any respectable load with half tons but not really because of the ratings......more so because of the torque differences between gas and diesel. I think if you ask everyone that tows a heavier type load why they chose a half ton the vast majority would say because it was cheaper than a 3/4 ton......that's not the right motivation either.
