What is the weak link?

The weak link in a 1/2 ton is the RAWR. You can add better tires or airbags but you still can't carry any more because of the low RAWR. Look at 3/4-1 tons. The RAWR is 6-7000lbs. Add that to the front of 45-5500lbs and you have 10,000+lb GVW's. You will exceed the GVW before the RAWR on most.
With 1/2 tons the RAWR is more closely tied into the GVW. Ford for example has 3850 FAWR and 4050 RAWR. Adds up to 7850. Maxtow GVW is around 7700lbs. You won't reach the GVW when loading the truck since most weight goes in the rear.
Both 1/2 and 3/4 tons have about the same rear axle dry weight. 2700+lbs. Now figure 4050lbs RAWR for an F150 and 6000+lbs for the 3/4 ton and you can see the that the 3/4 ton has more wiggle room.
Too sum it all up it's the RAWR that limits 1/2 tons and that ties into payload.

Campin LI wrote:
Agree with the above post. You need to get the specs on each component to see. In your case it may be more than 1. For me, I own a Ford Excursion which is a 3/4 ton truck based on the F250/350 platform. Although the frames are not identical, they are similar. The other parts, including engine, transmission, axles, brakes, etc. are all the same. The "main" difference is the suspension. It has SUV springs for general ride comfort. There may be other differences I am not aware of.

General good rule of thumb is: You got what you got, it is what it is, it's not what it's not and most importantly..........It will never be what it's not.

Not necessarily. The good thing about machines now days is you can always make them stronger just depends on how much money you want to spend as to how strong you make it. Most people just can't look past the little sticker on the door.

The weak link is the sum of all the things you listed and more. You cannot successfully research the component ratings of every part and the relationship to every other part that went into making the capacity what it is short of having access to all the engineering data the people who designed the vehicle had. Rarely are things as simple as they may appear. There will be many who will come here and claim to know, and you only need to do "this" to carry anything you want. It is up to you to believe them or not. I don't!

Beltzy wrote:
I added compressor and air bags to my 2012 1500 and that was towing at 7200 dry weight, i didnt do anything else to it and we did great. the only concern i had was emergency stopping, so i just layed back kept my distance and took it slow getting around until i could finally afford to upgrade.

That is more encouraging. I had in mind a loaded weight of up to 8000 pounds, which probably translates into more like 6500 pounds dry. I like to start with a full fresh water tank when I go into the woods for a long time.

Wayne

For about 20 years, starting in the early 1980’s, I had an old 1975 Dodge half-ton, slant 6, 3-speed on the column. It was just an old beater with nothing in the way of special equipment for hauling. I abused that truck for driving in the woods hauling immense loads of firewood home, for carrying typically about 2500 to 2700 pounds of crushed limestone from the yard about 15 miles away so as to keep our long driveway in good shape, and for other similar tasks. Let’s say I didn’t know any better at the time and didn’t much care what damage I did to the truck. I did do the usual mechanical maintenance.

Anyway, I never had a problem with that truck, except that the body was mostly rusted away when I bought it and it was a constant battle to keep the body together.

In light of that experience, I’m a little surprised that I can’t safely coax a couple of hundred more pounds of capacity out of my current truck. I guess I am effectively limited to a TT of no more than 6000 pounds and 900 pounds tongue weight?

Wayne

I added compressor and air bags to my 2012 1500 and that was towing at 7200 dry weight, i didnt do anything else to it and we did great. the only concern i had was emergency stopping, so i just layed back kept my distance and took it slow getting around until i could finally afford to upgrade.

Agree with the above post. You need to get the specs on each component to see. In your case it may be more than 1. For me, I own a Ford Excursion which is a 3/4 ton truck based on the F250/350 platform. Although the frames are not identical, they are similar. The other parts, including engine, transmission, axles, brakes, etc. are all the same. The "main" difference is the suspension. It has SUV springs for general ride comfort. There may be other differences I am not aware of.

General good rule of thumb is: You got what you got, it is what it is, it's not what it's not and most importantly..........It will never be what it's not.

Empty Nest, Soon wrote:

What is the weak link in the carrying capacity? Suspension? Tire capacity? Rear axle capacity? Frame? Something else, a combination, all the above?

Wayne

You pretty much have it summed up...The weak link is most always the PAYLOAD. So often, folks shop tow vehicles based solely on 'towing capacity.' Big mistake.

Dealers also often sell trailers the same way. "Sure it can tow it, no problem."

All of the above.