Why all the hate on 1/2 ton tvs
Like the title says I have read many posts that basically suggest that towing a 30ish foot Tt with a 1/2 ton truck is wrong and your going to Indanger your family and anyone around you on the road tha...
Forum Discussion
Those that are enamored of the numbers printed on the stickers in their truck need to remember where they come from.
The design rating is given to the engineers as a goal to reach. The engineers design it to have a 1.5 times safety factor AT MINIMUM.
Then the LAWYERS decide how much of that ACTUAL design limit gets to be stated on the stickers and the manual and the brochure. This figure is often a significant de-rating from the ACTUAL load capacity.
Why? because it is "Legal Head Room" just in case they have to defend themselves in court. They want to be able to say that the design of the truck was significantly better than the published data and therefore the Failure in question is not the fault of the Manufacturer.
What does this mean for the average truck owner/buyer?
Simple; the numbers you all quote as Pure Unassailable GOSPEL that should never be exceeded are in reality Meaningless. These numbers have very little to do with the reality of what you can and cannot carry or tow but what the MFG wants you to think you can carry/tow.
This legal protection has the added benefit of driving customers UP MARKET into the ever more profitable larger and more expensive trucks.
Not a bad game for the Truck Manufacturers.
A little more skepticism and a lot less credulity where these numbers are concerned is definitely needed.
Finally; To the Best of my knowledge no impartial third party has ever tested the actual-Real-World capabilities of these trucks and what they can carry and tow. And I dont mean the self serving "reviews" of the truck Mags...but actual scientific testing. And until this is done please do not continue to claim that a 3/4 ton truck is by default SAFER that a 1/2 ton or an SUV. There are too many factors involved.
The design rating is given to the engineers as a goal to reach. The engineers design it to have a 1.5 times safety factor AT MINIMUM.
Then the LAWYERS decide how much of that ACTUAL design limit gets to be stated on the stickers and the manual and the brochure. This figure is often a significant de-rating from the ACTUAL load capacity.
Why? because it is "Legal Head Room" just in case they have to defend themselves in court. They want to be able to say that the design of the truck was significantly better than the published data and therefore the Failure in question is not the fault of the Manufacturer.
What does this mean for the average truck owner/buyer?
Simple; the numbers you all quote as Pure Unassailable GOSPEL that should never be exceeded are in reality Meaningless. These numbers have very little to do with the reality of what you can and cannot carry or tow but what the MFG wants you to think you can carry/tow.
This legal protection has the added benefit of driving customers UP MARKET into the ever more profitable larger and more expensive trucks.
Not a bad game for the Truck Manufacturers.
A little more skepticism and a lot less credulity where these numbers are concerned is definitely needed.
Finally; To the Best of my knowledge no impartial third party has ever tested the actual-Real-World capabilities of these trucks and what they can carry and tow. And I dont mean the self serving "reviews" of the truck Mags...but actual scientific testing. And until this is done please do not continue to claim that a 3/4 ton truck is by default SAFER that a 1/2 ton or an SUV. There are too many factors involved.
