How do you really judge TV adequacy anymore?
I've spent a lot of time looking at the ever-changing capabilities of pick-ups, and a separate thread earlier today really go me thinking about the uselessness of truck categories. The 1/2, 3/4 and 1-ton badges simply don't mean what they once did. With this in mind,
I went to the 2019 Ford specs and found an F150 with 13k in conventional towing and 2,870 in payload. Meanwhile, I found an F350 with 12,300 in towing and 2,910 in payload.
Now, these are the rarities and the extremes, but it points out the variance in the traditional truck grades, and it makes me ask a question. Even the most conservative rules of thumb, when we first started in the camping world 10 years ago, suggested that one could tow up to 80% of towing capacity. Then, in the 1/2 ton market, we would always say that payload was the limiting factor. The thing is, it's not anymore!
In the F150 case above, the 80% rule would have someone towing a 10,400 pound trailer with an F150, and that would only use 1,200-1,500 pounds of their 2,870 payload - giving them plenty of leeway for passengers and gear.
So, my question is this...How do we judge what is sufficient anymore? How do we know what a truck is realistically capable of? I don't know many F150 owners that would suggest towing a 10k trailer, but one could do that well within the limits of the modern-day specs.
I've always been one to say, 'Know your numbers and live within them.' That is the rule I've followed myself. Now I wonder if that advice is really sufficient anymore.
I went to the 2019 Ford specs and found an F150 with 13k in conventional towing and 2,870 in payload. Meanwhile, I found an F350 with 12,300 in towing and 2,910 in payload.
Now, these are the rarities and the extremes, but it points out the variance in the traditional truck grades, and it makes me ask a question. Even the most conservative rules of thumb, when we first started in the camping world 10 years ago, suggested that one could tow up to 80% of towing capacity. Then, in the 1/2 ton market, we would always say that payload was the limiting factor. The thing is, it's not anymore!
In the F150 case above, the 80% rule would have someone towing a 10,400 pound trailer with an F150, and that would only use 1,200-1,500 pounds of their 2,870 payload - giving them plenty of leeway for passengers and gear.
So, my question is this...How do we judge what is sufficient anymore? How do we know what a truck is realistically capable of? I don't know many F150 owners that would suggest towing a 10k trailer, but one could do that well within the limits of the modern-day specs.
I've always been one to say, 'Know your numbers and live within them.' That is the rule I've followed myself. Now I wonder if that advice is really sufficient anymore.
