Heavy half pickup

CKNSLS wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
Lots of circular arguments and chest pounding but more importantly:

Why?

The cost difference is minimal to move up to a 3/4 or 1 ton. Or are you saying you already have the 1/2 ton? (in which case give us the details and it's pretty easy to tell what the ratings are)

Diesel vs gas is a bit more complicated (and mildly religeous). Unless you are going to be doing a ton of miles or always in steep mountain terrain, one of the large gas engines will provide plenty of pull at a much lower up front cost. It's mostly a cost analysis at that point.

Some of us find the ride unsatisfactory in 3/4 or 1 ton trucks. especially if truck does double duty as a "daily driver". Please don't post on here that your 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck rides smooth. Because they don't ride anything like a 1/2 ton, and I don't expect them too!

But if you beef up the suspension to make it handle weight like a 3/4 ton, you get the ride of a 3/4 ton.

A truck built to handle a heavy load rides like a truck built to handle a heavy load.

Koopgal wrote:
We are going to retire in 8-10 months and become fivers and would like to know if the half ton/ lite series 5th wheel with gvwr's of around 10,000 are truly towable by a half ton pickup?

Doug

To keep it simple... Yes, some 1/2 tons will and have done real well with this type load. As a former designer and builder of specialized trailers, I personally would rather be over weight by a small percentage with a 5th wheel then nearly at rating with a bumper pull.

On my trip this past Thursday to Ephrata, Pa. I was passed by a one ton single rear wheel with a smaller TT and just as he passed the trailer started swaying.. bad.. I hit my brakes sure there would be a jack knife but he salvaged it. Yes, 5th wheels can sway but it takes much more to accomplish then a TT.

I've moved two car garages, pole buildings, etc and yes, I was way over the GVW rating of my truck. Was I legal? Sure was! Cop car in front and back and the proper paper work was what was required. No break downs, no explosions, no one killed.

I see the mods have cleaned this thread up ;-)

I don't recall anyone advocating "severely over weight."..Most towing Ultralite 5er's with F 150's are either under or SLIGHTLY, over on their GVW. According to the LAW here, I am allowed to be 8000 gross on my truck. Since my truck weighs around 5500...I have 2500 to play with...According to the state that issued me my plates. That's the law.
That being said, I have had my rig weighed on a certified CAT scale. With a full tank of fuel, my wife and I in the cab, propane tanks full, a generator in the truck, and several extra golf cart batteries installed, I was actually 10 lbs over my GVW by the door sticker. I was over by 40 on my rear axle. My trailer axles were under by 600 and my gross combined was under by close to 1000. I have airbags installed to level the load, but never have had over 30 psi in them.
I DON'T SEE A SEVERE OVERLOAD HERE AND HAD I DRIVEN 50 MILES DOWN THE ROAD I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER ON ALL AREAS.
Where did anyone mention anything about being SEVERELY OVERLOADED. .
There are many nice smaller light weight 5er's that can be towed by properly eqipped F15O or 1500'S.

I just purchased a Dodge 2500HD diesel with Max Tow. Wow, it pulls nice.

the bear II wrote:
Yes they are but at what cost. You would be better off with a truck with way more capacity instead of nearly maxed out both for safety and longevity of the pickup drivetrain.

And EASE of towing - as in, a Diesel.

tomkaren13 wrote:

2oldman wrote:
If the sticker on your truck says you can tow it, then you can tow it.

But do you want to? We just got rid of a 24.5 ft lite 5 er. Our 1/2 ton was not happy towing it. Even read it could haul 8500. Wrong!

BIG difference between your 1/2 T that was rated for 8500# and one rated for 10700# to 11500#, which MANY are today. Also, most of the 1/2T "max tow" packages have an excellent payload, so that is not a problem, except on Ram trucks.

Desert Captain wrote:

2oldman wrote:
If the sticker on your truck says you can tow it, then you can tow it.

Not hardly, very few half tons can pull anywhere near their rated tow capacity without exceeding their payload or GVWR. Some half ton 4X4crew cabs(Dodge comes to mind),only come with he1200-1400 of psyload. The OP needs more truck or less trailer.

Desert Captain is 100% correct as to payload. However, the half ton w/max towing should handle what he is looking to tow.

2oldman wrote:
If the sticker on your truck says you can tow it, then you can tow it.

Not hardly, very few half tons can pull anywhere near their rated tow capacity without exceeding their payload or GVWR. Some half ton 4X4crew cabs(Dodge comes to mind),only come with he1200-1400 of psyload. The OP needs more truck or less trailer.

CKNSLS wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
Lots of circular arguments and chest pounding but more importantly:

Why?

The cost difference is minimal to move up to a 3/4 or 1 ton. Or are you saying you already have the 1/2 ton? (in which case give us the details and it's pretty easy to tell what the ratings are)

Diesel vs gas is a bit more complicated (and mildly religeous). Unless you are going to be doing a ton of miles or always in steep mountain terrain, one of the large gas engines will provide plenty of pull at a much lower up front cost. It's mostly a cost analysis at that point.

Some of us find the ride unsatisfactory in 3/4 or 1 ton trucks. especially if truck does double duty as a "daily driver". Please don't post on here that your 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck rides smooth. Because they don't ride anything like a 1/2 ton, and I don't expect them too!

My 01 is my DD and I will put up with some harshness for a Rock Solid towing experance! My 01 is at max pay load and drives and handles very well. It has to, most roads to the coast are narrow two lane with little to no shoulder and steep drop offs in those areas.