Are You Buying All These Half-ton Claims?

CKNSLS wrote:
Generally one is new and starts out with a half ton truck and is learning about proper towing equipment and how to PROPERLY adjust a WD hitch. ITS ABOUT THE HITCH. Its about the RV dealer not setting up the hitch correctly the first time. To say a half ton truck is the issue is simplistic and quite frankly false.

Exactly. Someone who doesn't know how to drive, doesn't have the right equipment, isn't set up properly and has never towed before is crying because of all of that.

None of that means that the half ton is unsafe or overloaded or on the verge of breaking... it just means that the guy towing doesn't know what he is doing.

Now that he gets into his 3/4 ton truck, still with no experience, he falsely believes that he is safer and he can "relax" more. Its people like this that scare me. They drive faster, drive closer, drive distracted and drive with arrogance... but they still don't know what they are doing. The "solid platform" of a heavier truck masks whatever problems were there before. The trailer still has sway from the incorrectly set up WDH, but the driver doesn't feel it as much because of the heavier dog not getting wagged by the tail.

I can drive. I can tow. I know the limits of my tow vehicle, and I keep my weights below Toyota's stated threshold. My WDH is properly set up, I have sufficient tongue weight. I have E rated tires and my trailer brakes are properly adjusted. I tow safely and watch the car ahead of me and ahead of him. I try to drive in the right lane so I have the shoulder incase of an emergency. I always keep track of vehicles next to me and approaching from behind. I don't talk on the phone, don't eat while driving and try to limit any possible distractions while driving. My bride handles navigation and plans out our stops and next destinations. I have never had a close encounter, because I am aware.

Putting some idiot in a 3/4 or 1 ton with all the problems he had in his half ton doesn't make him safe. Having that same idiot yacking on his phone, not aware of the length of his rig, eating while driving, distracted, unaware of road conditions, etc etc is NOT safer.