Are You Buying All These Half-ton Claims?

cekkk wrote:
"All-New F-150 Can Tow a Ram, a Silverado & Haul Two Hondas" Tows 12,200, claimed. (Ford Truck Enthusiasts)

I guess we can soon do away with our 3/4 & 1-tonners. In a couple years the capacity race will have them up to 20,000 lbs. :h

The modern 1/2 ton is as capable, or more so than the the 3/4 tons of old, like the the 1980's era trucks before they started the HD truck wars. No reason a 1/2 ton can't tow up to specs as long as the mfg builds it to that spec. The same is true with the 2500 HD trucks that are light years ahead of the old 3/4 ton trucks in terms of capability.

BTW, I had a 85 Chevy C-20 that was a total dog. About 1/2 as powerful and capable as my 1/2 ton Tundra.

Which half ton are you all talking about?

Marketing badging is just that...Marketing...NOT specifications

These are all 'half ton' GVWR's and the best way to refer to any TV is
with their specifications (GVWR, GAWR, GCWR)...which many already do
when they need/want to be more specific or clearer on the topic

My Silverado is a C10 with the "HD" package (Big Ten marketing
nomenclature back then) and has a GVWR of 6,200

"half ton" GVWRs:

• 6,200
• 7,200
• 7,400
• 7,600
• 8,200
• Did I miss any?

They also come with these marketing nomenclatures:

• Heavy Duty
• HD
• Max Tow
• Big Ten
• Did I miss any here?

If these would help sell to the 'half ton' crowd: Super Duper, Extreme
Tow Package, Best in class (yes, it is the only one in that class),
King of the Hill, Mike Row package, NY Mets Special, etc, etc...

Oh, don't forget the number of lug nuts...but then this Ram 2500,
3/4 ton with a FIVE lug wheel setup is less than the current
'half ton' with SIX lug nuts...oh...there is a HD half ton with
SEVEN lug nuts...which half ton are you guys talking about again?

Betcha it's GVWR hasn't changed, and that the 'new' or 'current'
RAM 2500's GVWR is in the +8K GVWR

Yes you missed the Ram 1500s 6800# GVWR.

In all the marketing hype of the new EcoBoost trucks, don't overlook the fine print. Without a WD hitch, the truck is only capable of towing 5000/500 and with a WD hitch, it can do 11,300/1130. So does this mean that, according to Ford, a WD hitch effectively doubles your towing capacity on this truck? Also of note, with the max tow package, the truck comes with a class IV receiver...which is only good for 10,000#'s.

I always marvel at the line "a half-ton doesn't have enough mass to help control an emergency situation". The truth of the matter is that we all think we are expert drivers and can perform like a professional behind the wheel. While this may be true in a few (and I mean VERY FEW) instances most of us don't have enough experience in emergency situations and the "chips are going to fall wherever they may" when you get in to an extreme sway event, have a front tire blowout or whatever.

There are plenty of you tube videos showing 1 ton duallys in trouble and the aftermath.

CKNSLS wrote:
I always marvel at the line "a half-ton doesn't have enough mass to help control an emergency situation". The truth of the matter is that we all think we are expert drivers and can perform like a professionals behind the wheel. While this may be true in a few (and I mean VERY FEW) instances most of us don't have enough experience in emergency situations and the the "chips are going to fall wherever they may" when you get in to an extreme sway event, have a front tire blowout or whatever.

There are plenty of you tube videos showing 1 ton duallys in trouble and the aftermath.

Good post and I will take it one step further.

Have any of you that criticize towing with a half ton seen the size or weight of a new 1/2 tons? Lets get real here. Years ago, (and I don't mean too many years ago) a 3/4 ton truck weighted in at the same or less weight than todays 1/2 tons. My old gas rig weighted around high 4's or low 5's and towed my 7K TT just fine and the new trucks are light years ahead of that old stuff.

A new F150 pulled up nose to nose with my 93 diesel the other day and I was shocked. That damn thing was bigger in every way. Taller, wider, and just plain bigger. I bet it weighed more too. Pickups now days are flat out obese to trucks of yesteryear.

I would wager to guess that a lot of people on here that criticize 1/2 ton towing towed the same weight trailer with their 3/4 ton trucks of yesteryear and that was just fine even though their 3/4 ton truck was not even half the truck that the new 1/2 tons are.

BenK wrote:
Which half ton are you all talking about?

Marketing badging is just that...Marketing...NOT specifications

These are all 'half ton' GVWR's and the best way to refer to any TV is
with their specifications (GVWR, GAWR, GCWR)...which many already do
when they need/want to be more specific or clearer on the topic

My Silverado is a C10 with the "HD" package (Big Ten marketing
nomenclature back then) and has a GVWR of 6,200

"half ton" GVWRs:

• 6,200
• 7,200
• 7,400
• 7,600
• 8,200
• Did I miss any?

They also come with these marketing nomenclatures:

• Heavy Duty
• HD
• Max Tow
• Big Ten
• Did I miss any here?

If these would help sell to the 'half ton' crowd: Super Duper, Extreme
Tow Package, Best in class (yes, it is the only one in that class),
King of the Hill, Mike Row package, NY Mets Special, etc, etc...

Oh, don't forget the number of lug nuts...but then this Ram 2500,
3/4 ton with a FIVE lug wheel setup is less than the current
'half ton' with SIX lug nuts...oh...there is a HD half ton with
SEVEN lug nuts...which half ton are you guys talking about again?

Betcha it's GVWR hasn't changed, and that the 'new' or 'current'
RAM 2500's GVWR is in the +8K GVWR

That truck you posted is a 1500! The upper aluminum A Arm and the torsion bar spring is the tall tell tale sign it's a 1500.

And the door is probably a replacement from a 2500 truck.

As always I tell people to forget about the badging.

Wrong information being posted here!

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Good post and I will take it one step further.

Lets not forget that a half ton towing 8000 lbs is the "tail wagging the dog" and inherently unsafe because the trailer weights 2000 lbs more than the truck.

The Ram 3500 (only using that cause it has the highest tow rating) towing a 30K lbs trailer is perfectly fine, even though the trailer weighs 22,000 lbs or more than the truck... But Spoon, the 30,000 is probably a fifth wheel, so more weight is transferred to the truck. So, max payload for the truck is 4000 or so... subtract that from the trailer and add it to the truck... now you have a truck with a 12K lbs weight and a trailer with 26,000 lbs... Yea, much safer.

But Spoon... the brakes on the half ton are much weaker than the 1 ton. Again... the half ton weighs 6000 lbs. An 8000 lbs trailer makes it total at 14,000 lbs. Lets ignore that the trailer has its own brakes. The half ton is trying to stop 14,000 lbs. That Ram is trying to stop 38,000 lbs. Yea, much safer.

Tow within the means of your truck and keep up with maintenance on truck and trailer. That is your best bet. If something catastrophic breaks, you are going to have problems no matter what.

One more thing about "safety". If I have a Ford max tow HD whatever that is rated to tow 11,000 lbs... what does it matter HOW I pull that 11,000 lbs? What if I have a 5er with a 3,000 pin weight. Its way overloaded, but the 5er will have less sway and still be able to stop the same as if it was bumper pull, won't it? You might break your rear axle or cause other maintenance issues... but from a SAFETY issue, how is it more dangerous than a bumper pull?

Well, there is barely safe, barely under the maximum specs of a 1500/150 ... then there is very safe, right into the middle of the maximum specs of a 2500 / 250.

SO, when you're carting around your family, which truck would you rather drive with three of your kids in the back seat?

And, I'd say brakes is one of the major factors -- not weight capacity.

I buy all the half ton claims as long as you include all the parameters and the fine print.
Problems arise when we focus on only some of the parameters, ignore a few parameters and disregard the fine print and other disclaimers.

Marketing departments loudly boast of the tow rating, in some cases promote payload and smother all other parameters and disclaimers leading to lots of confusion and improperly matched combos