1/2 ton towable TH

[BeardownAZ]

Hello. Looking to get a toy hauler, used, that I can tow with my 2014 f-150 ecoboost. Will need hauling a polaris Rzr 4 900. In the $5000-7000 range. Seen a few Carsons fun runners and Thors in that range. Any thoughts suggestions? Needs to sleep 2 adults 3 kids. Doesn't have to have fuel station or generator though I prefer on board generator. Thanks

[Txsurfer]

Yup I agree ^^ my trailer is an 8000# rated trailer ( I load her to around 7K) and I wouldn't want to tow any more with my Tundra.

[NemesisR6]

I just purchased a 2017 ATC aluminum 8.5x20 toy hauler and pull it with my 2015 F150 XLT 2WD with the 5.0 V8.

Dry weight of the trailer is about 5,500 with a tongue weight of 750. With a full tank of water (100 gallons), gear, and possibly my 400lb motorcycle, I would anticipate average trailer weights of about 7,250 lbs. Max weight is 7,700.

I installed a 1,000/10,000 WD hitch and it pulls beautifully with no sway, lurching, or much adverse effects when passing/getting passed by big rigs.

That being said, even with the tow rating of 10K lbs. for the truck and around 2K lbs cargo/tongue capacity, this is about as big as I would be comfortable towing with my current truck. I've never been a big fan of towing anywhere close to "max" capabilities of any vehicle.

[atwowheelguy]

Here's one benefit of a 2500/3500 truck, but it's for info only. Your mission is to find a TH small and light enough to not overload the GVWR of your Tundra.

[Txsurfer]

BeardownAZ wrote:

Txsurfer wrote:
24' Livin Lite - 4500# empty 3500# cargo cap and a 14-16' garage. I haul a Honda Pioneer 1000 in mine ( 1700#) towing with a Tundra with zero issues..a very well balanced trailer and all aluminum construction. downside - your going to have to adjust your budget..

Yeah I like those. That's the way to go anymore, the aluminum construction. Definitely lightens the load a lot. I've looked at those online, not sure if I could squeeze the cash but would like too. That would be my first route to go if cash were no option.

After watching my buddy bascially throw away a wolf pack that rotted out it was any easy choice. I put 8000 miles on mine the first year and love it. I also have a 2500 diesel and don't even need the equalizer hitch if I tow with it.. very well balanced.

[Dirtclods]

BeardownAZ wrote:
Hello. Looking to get a toy hauler, used, that I can tow with my 2014 f-150 ecoboost. Will need hauling a polaris Rzr 4 900. In the $5000-7000 range. Seen a few Carsons fun runners and Thors in that range. Any thoughts suggestions? Needs to sleep 2 adults 3 kids. Doesn't have to have fuel station or generator though I prefer on board generator. Thanks

This is an auction link: http://www.crankyape.com/default.asp?pg=DisItems&Cat=6

[BeardownAZ]

Txsurfer wrote:
24' Livin Lite - 4500# empty 3500# cargo cap and a 14-16' garage. I haul a Honda Pioneer 1000 in mine ( 1700#) towing with a Tundra with zero issues..a very well balanced trailer and all aluminum construction. downside - your going to have to adjust your budget..

Yeah I like those. That's the way to go anymore, the aluminum construction. Definitely lightens the load a lot. I've looked at those online, not sure if I could squeeze the cash but would like too. That would be my first route to go if cash were no option.

[Txsurfer]

24' Livin Lite - 4500# empty 3500# cargo cap and a 14-16' garage. I haul a Honda Pioneer 1000 in mine ( 1700#) towing with a Tundra with zero issues..a very well balanced trailer and all aluminum construction. downside - your going to have to adjust your budget..

[JAC1982]

lincster wrote:

BeardownAZ wrote:
Well kinda makes you wonder why they even make half ton "lite" trailers for. So I keep hearing the wind issue. Now explain this to me. Is a f250 that much heavier then a equivalent f-150?? Or is it the heavier duty suspension that makes it easier to steer in the heavy winds?

All a marketing ploy.... Sell more units cause everyone has a 1/2 ton.

Anyway, a F250/350 just has bigger/beefier components.
Brakes, axles, frame, coils, drive shaft etc. Everything is beefier.
Plus the diesel engine. 🙂

Yup, the salesman when we bought our TH swore up and down we'd be "totally fine" with our 1/2 ton truck. As you can see from my time joined, I joined here AFTER we had made both purchases, and really wish I had found this site before.

Mention of the diesel engine is important too. That exhaust brake made going downhill a hell of a lot more pleasant.

[allcool]

BeardownAZ wrote:
Hello. Looking to get a toy hauler, used, that I can tow with my 2014 f-150 ecoboost. Will need hauling a polaris Rzr 4 900. In the $5000-7000 range. Seen a few Carsons fun runners and Thors in that range. Any thoughts suggestions? Needs to sleep 2 adults 3 kids. Doesn't have to have fuel station or generator though I prefer on board generator. Thanks

Yes the new trucks are impressive and capable. But why use a 3/8" ratchet to take off your lug nuts, yes it will work most of the time. But chance of breaking the ratchet mechanism are high. And the effort needed to do the job, also high.
The right tool for the job makes everything safer and easier less stressful, with less chance for damage.

Like most here have tried to explain, what you want to do, is probably going to have you towing over weight, by a considerable amount.
Tow capacity is not your problem towing TH's. Its achieving/loading the correct tongue weight, and being able to haul that TW within your trucks hitch/payload weight ratings.

A real TH that fits a RZR4 comfortably, correctly loaded, will have a TW over your Fords 1100lb receiver max capacity, before you even start to subtract payload inside the truck/truck bed. And your rear tire/axle weight will be over or maxed out also.

You're going to find the real world weight of your rzr4 900 wet', with fuel, battery, oil, coolant, doors,roof, lights, seats, etc, is closer to 2000lbs then your 1500lb(manufacturer dry) estimate. Might also need a 12' garage at least 72" tall at the door/ramp entrance as to not damage anything. Thats not a light weight TH as far as I've seen. Maybe some new TH model is available that will do what you want..? But you're looking for a used older TH, correct..?

Look on your Ford hitch and check the weight rating.
Weigh the TH tongue. Do not go by the manufactures 'dry' TW sales brochures. Load your TH tw so as to be around 15% of the scaled TH weight for sway free towing.
Figure it out for yourself and decide if you want to tow over weight swaying with the slightest provocation,or not. Many do just that. Your call...

jmo

[lincster]

BeardownAZ wrote:
Well kinda makes you wonder why they even make half ton "lite" trailers for. So I keep hearing the wind issue. Now explain this to me. Is a f250 that much heavier then a equivalent f-150?? Or is it the heavier duty suspension that makes it easier to steer in the heavy winds?

All a marketing ploy.... Sell more units cause everyone has a 1/2 ton.

Anyway, a F250/350 just has bigger/beefier components.
Brakes, axles, frame, coils, drive shaft etc. Everything is beefier.
Plus the diesel engine. 🙂

[JAC1982]

BeardownAZ wrote:
Well kinda makes you wonder why they even make half ton "lite" trailers for. So I keep hearing the wind issue. Now explain this to me. Is a f250 that much heavier then a equivalent f-150?? Or is it the heavier duty suspension that makes it easier to steer in the heavy winds?

An F250 is about 1500lbs (give or take, depends on the model, and 2WD vs 4WD, but let's just say 1500 for now) more than an F150. I'm no physicist or even remotely an expert, all I can speak to is our own personal experience. But we sure felt way less pull when the wind picked up in the F250 compared to the 150. Wasn't even "steering", it was just the overall feeling of it being a stronger/smoother ride... way less feeling of, "oh jesus, we're going to lose it". Also, it was much more comfortable when going downhill, even without wind.

[BeardownAZ]

Well kinda makes you wonder why they even make half ton "lite" trailers for. So I keep hearing the wind issue. Now explain this to me. Is a f250 that much heavier then a equivalent f-150?? Or is it the heavier duty suspension that makes it easier to steer in the heavy winds?

[colliehauler]

lincster wrote:

BeardownAZ wrote:
Minds not made up at all. Sure adding more items to a trailer will no doubt change tongue weights and such. I was merely adding to the fact that I believe a 1/2 ton can do more then most will give credit for and not everyone needs a huge truck to haul. I do understand that it is easy to overload it. It will give me pause to think about possibly changing configurations(ie placement of toy, water tank locations etc). Have actually seen a few Funrunners in the 21 to 22ft length with like a 12.5ft cargo area that were tall enough to fit the Rzr in. Granted they didn't have much for cabinetry but that is ok with me if they would work with everything else.

From the 17 years I have been doing toyhaulers and trucks, folks that don't/can't change their truck will justify it however they can. They just end up coming back here in a year or so saying they moved up to a F250 or something and night and day difference.

I had a F350 SRW that I ordered, Weld wheels, BFG's etc. Loved that truck.
But ordered a 41' 5th wheel and knew I would be over all of my tow ratings.
Traded it in 1 year after buying it, took the hit, and got the right truck for my trailer.

So I just don't preach, I practice what I preach.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink.

[JAC1982]

Like I mentioned in my previous post, we tried to "make it work" with our F150 as we had purchased it in May of 2013, and the TH was purchased in July of 2013. So yeah, brand new truck. We spent tons of money trying to make it work by buying new tires, airbags etc etc, but ended up trading in that F150 for the 250 in May of 2014, right before we were going to make a trip across I-70 from Denver to Grand Junction. The hubs was just too nervous about it since our previous trips were NOT fun or even remotely calm drives, and they weren't even dealing with the steeper long declines on I-70 (again, going up wasn't an issue, it was going down).

On that trip, with the 250, there were super high winds from Vail west all the way down to Grand Junction. We sure as heck were glad we didn't attempt that trip with the 150, it would not have been safe and while we took the hit by trading it in, it would have been an even bigger cost if we tried that trip and had an accident.

Oddly enough, we took no hit when trading in the F250 for the 350DRW. They gave us over what we owed on it and gave us a killer deal on the new truck.