1/2 ton towing

Gdetrailer wrote:

SV Todd wrote:

That may be true but most part times RV'ers are only pulling a trailer 10 or 20% of the time they drive their truck. Who wants to drive a 3/4 or 1 ton truck with it's terrible unladen fuel mileage 80-90% of the time they own their truck?

Yes if your primary purpose of the truck is towing the trailer a 3/4 or 1 ton would be ideal, but for those whose TV is their primary vehicle the other 80-90% of the time, pushing the limits of a 1/2 ton for relatively short trips is perfectly fine.

I drive and own not only ONE 3/4 ton, I have THREE 3/4 ton trucks and they ARE used for "daily drivers"..

I don't call getting 15mpg-16mpg as "terrible unladen mileage" either for a 6.2 gas engine and in a 6000 lb empty truck.

Even 1/2 tons get only a couple of MPG better empty than a 3/4 ton which in reality makes the fuel mileage argument pretty much a moot point. And when loaded (towing) the 1/2 tons do not get any better mileage and sometimes even worse mileage.

I recall back in the 1970's, 80's and even into the early 90s when pickup trucks barely got 8mpg-9mpg empty and automobiles averaged 12 mpg-16 mpg..

I have no intention of ever going back to a 1/2 ton, the one I had was always in the shop, always needing front end parts, brakes and shocks.. Dumped it at 140K miles and have not looked back.

So far have had very good success with 3/4 tons, drove one of them up to 240,000 miles before I sold it, only in a shop once and would have kept it longer but the body was rusting out after 18 yrs..

Modern day 3/4 and 1 tons actually ride very well, while not as soft and spongy as a 1/2 ton they are firm and take command of your loads without the need to add aftermarket suspension upgrades and gadgets.

You "half ton" folks need to open your mind and eyes, much better platforms for light or heavy loads are out there once you get past the old stigma of the "buck board rides" of yester year.

Go, take a 3/4 for a test drive with open minds, you will find it feels firm and planted on the road compared to the mushy 1/2 tons.

I rented a 3/4 Dodge truck a few years back to take a couch to my sister in-laws house in Michigan. Yeah it rode just fine, but the fact is I had to bring a step stool along with me just so my sister in-law could get in and out of the thing.

My wife drives our truck on a daily basis more than I do, and she couldn't do that in dress clothes and high heals if it were a 3/4 Ton. She likes the 1/2 ton and it works just fine for us the 8-10 times a year we tow the TT and racebikes.

I can get 20-22 mpg highway and 18 city with my 1/2 ton unladen. Sure I probably get worse mileage with it towing than I would with a diesel or a bigger gasser, but between the mileage hit the rest of the time and the more expensive price of diesel fuel, it doesn't add up to making a difference in the long run.

I'm not saying that using a 3/4 ton is bad for everyday for everybody. I'm simply saying for some people the advantage of a 1/2 ton for everyday use out weighs the disadvantage it might be for the occasional towing it gets used for. There is no one right answer that works best for everyone.

For me and my wife we would rather spend the $3k for a propride hitch and tow a toy hauler that is stretching the upper limit of the trucks capability 5 or 6 weekends a year than drive a 3/4 ton truck everyday.

I agree that sway at highway speeds is an issue with 10Klbs and 30' plus length with a 1/2 ton, which is why I would always tell someone to use a hensley or propride if they were towing that a big a trailer.