How much trailer can the new 1/2 ton trucks tow?

ScottG wrote:
It's not what they can pull that limits them. it's what they can haul. 1/2T trucks run out of payload before towing capacity. Hight tongue weight rules them out in many heavy towing situations.

Yep - this is always the issue on 1/2 ton trucks. EVERYTHING that adds weight to the truck comes off your payload. You, your family, your dog, your gear, the hitch - it all comes off that number. So, a family of four that weighs 500 pounds total, plus a WD hitch (say 75 pounds) and some very basic travel items (cooler with beverages, a few tools, etc...) and your 1,780 in payload is now down below 1,200. Add any more gear in the bed and it gets even lower. The remaining weight needs to be able to cover 15% of your LOADED trailer weight (your tongue weight might be lower than that, but you won't know until you have it, so it's probably bot a risk work taking).

So, it all depends on how many will be travelling and what you need, but I'd want to stay below 8,000, loaded, with that rig.

Ours is 8,000 loaded. I would tow it with a properly equipped 1/2 ton if it were just me and DW. For our family of 5, however, I wouldn't try it!

I believe your dilemma is why the manufacturers build 250/2500 series trucks with 9900 limits.
2500 Ram, 6.4 Gasser (yes that's sacreledge on here) can be 4300 lb cargo cap and 14000 towing, but you will have to research specific trucks to stay under 10,000.

LIKE2BUILD wrote:

2oldman wrote:

BeerBrewer wrote:
I'd like a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, but these trucks require commercial plates,

NY tags those trucks as commercial? Seems odd.

I thought the same. 1 ton maybe, but I thought 3/4 ton usually slid under the commercial radar in most states.

Yous guys should read his other thread....or we could have 4 more pages of discussion about it here again.

I'd say 8000# with some cushion, and 10k absolute max.

You should look up your own thread from the past where you and we compared your Tundra to new trucks......unless you’re hoping for an differnet answer this time.
Btw, half the replies will tell you to get a HD truck to tow much of anything. If you want to feel better about 1/2 tons try a different forum where less of the members are ultra conservative in their assertions of towing capabilities of light duty trucks.

It's not what they can pull that limits them. it's what they can haul. 1/2T trucks run out of payload before towing capacity. Hight tongue weight rules them out in many heavy towing situations.

2oldman wrote:

BeerBrewer wrote:
I'd like a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, but these trucks require commercial plates,

NY tags those trucks as commercial? Seems odd.

I thought the same. 1 ton maybe, but I thought 3/4 ton usually slid under the commercial radar in most states.

Typically for a 1/2 ton truck I'd stay under 10,000lbs. Just looking at the numbers you posted the truck, when loaded to GVWR has 10,000lbs of weight rating room before you hit the GCWR.

Here's the kicker, you'l get real close to GVWR just with people and tongue weight. Typically a TT puts about 15% of trailer weight on the tongue. So, if you get a 10,000lbs trailer you can expect close to 1,500lbs of tongue weight......which according to your numbers exceeds the receiver rating. OUCH!!

So, how big of a trailer? Watch all those numbers and find a trailer that keeps you within those specs.

KJ

BeerBrewer wrote:
I'd like a 3/4 or 1 ton truck, but these trucks require commercial plates,

NY tags those trucks as commercial? Seems odd.