Half ton towing

Glad to see everyone is doing about the same! These threads are fun but pretty much just fall into a debacle of "no you can't" or "yes you can

One thing is certain, there are talkers, keyboard warriors, and statisticians and then there are this who go out and DO.

Sounds like the old xyz round is superior to the other xyz round. There are those who talk ballistics and those who go out and put meat on the table in the field.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's Guys.

ferndaleflyer wrote:
I am not a weight nut. Last week I towed about 5000lb trailer with my F-150 and it towed better than anything I have towed in years. Real eye opener as I have always said "you never have to much truck".

I have been accused of being a member of the weight police. I do believe in the math when figuring out what can be safely towed. Kinda dumb not to.
Just because I got away with doing a boatload of stupid stuff doesn’t mean I should keep doing it.
Anyhow, in all our travels, I haven’t seen a destroyed half ton or a demolished trailer. I know it happens, but I have seen bunches of wrecked semis.
Go figure.

ferndaleflyer wrote:
I am not a weight nut. Last week I towed about 5000lb trailer with my F-150 and it towed better than anything I have towed in years. Real eye opener as I have always said "you never have to much truck".

When I was about to buy my new TT and truck, I did the math and calculated I was comfortable towing up to a 6,000# GVWR trailer with an F-150 that is properly optioned to maximize the payload rating. (My payload rating is 1,895#.)

I like it when people ask about towing with my f150 at the campground. Sometimes it goes long enough that I mention the HDPP and they look at me like I have 2 heads. They have no idea what it is or that it’s available. I’m sure some of them walk away thinking I’m making it up.

Grit dog wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
Gosh golly gee Batman, there must be thousands and thousands of overloaded Silverado’s, F150s, Ram 1500s and Tundras pulling trailers out there.
Ohhh, the humanity!

That's what gets the internet experts and weight cops all twitterpated, yup, 10-4, correctomundo. Makes for fun debates!

It really becomes like a 6 beer debate at the saloon, only difference folks sitting at a PC chucking beers offering their humble opinions.

Safe travels.

I am not a weight nut. Last week I towed about 5000lb trailer with my F-150 and it towed better than anything I have towed in years. Real eye opener as I have always said "you never have to much truck".

My F150 has a payload of only 1500lbs. It's a lightly optioned XLT. The fancier versions may have even less. Add a fiberglass cap and I'd definitely be over with a 1000lb tongue weight. 1/2 ton owners need to check the sticker and make an honest assessment of the other cargo. May be surprising how little tongue weight you can add. The towing limits might have you thinking big trailer but the payload will bring you back to earth.

GrandpaKip wrote:
Gosh golly gee Batman, there must be thousands and thousands of overloaded Silverado’s, F150s, Ram 1500s and Tundras pulling trailers out there.
Ohhh, the humanity!

That's what gets the internet experts and weight cops all twitterpated, yup, 10-4, correctomundo. Makes for fun debates!

Timmo! wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
@Timmo, maybe good time to stop proving your theories with mfg data unless you understand it. There's NO 2000lb payload increase on a F250 due to lower gears. Here's where reading comprehension and understanding vehicle classifications comes in. That chart is for 250/350 srw trucks and the 2000lbs more is a F350 vs a F250....

You a funny guy! So you are saying Ford did not manufacture a 2005 F250, 5.7L with 4.10 that has a GCWR of 18k lbs? You are entitled to your fantasy. But facts are facts....

Nope, I'm not saying that at all, in fact, presuming the chart you posted is correct, you are also correct that a 250 with deeper gears has or should have a correspondingly greater gcwr.

But you said "but for the F250 there is a 2000 lb increase in both cargo cap AND towing cap"

The F250 does NOT have a 2000lb increase in cargo cap, aka payload rating. That chart encompasses 2 different models of trucks that have or can have significantly different gvwrs.
It can't unless the mfg drops a literal ton off the bare weight along with the gearing change, as payload ratings for 3/4 tons are based off of the, relatively low/limited gvwr - curb weight.
And while the deeper gear ratio upping the GCVWR "could" theoretically increase payload rating, it doesn't as the limiting factor for payload isn't the engine and gearing. It could have a 180hp inline 6 and still adequately carry most any payload. The gcvwr is largely related to towing capacity.

PS, it's a 5.4L, but I know that's just a typo.

GrandpaKip wrote:
Gosh golly gee Batman, there must be thousands and thousands of overloaded Silverado’s, F150s, Ram 1500s and Tundras pulling trailers out there.
Ohhh, the humanity!

I think it really depends on your definition of "overloaded".

If your definition of overloaded is travelling above the manufacturer's specified GVWR of the vehicle, then yes, I'd say there are thousands of people pulling overloaded, and that also includes many 3/4-ton vehicles, based on data I've seen from people who even bother weighing their rigs.

On the other hand, if your definition of overloaded is pulling over the rated "tow capacity"....then most are likely within that magical number.....

Then there's overloaded as in over the rear axle GAWR.