Clarification on tow capacity

[Shorteelaw]

If a vehicle says it's tow capacity is 9,000 lbs what does that 9,000 pounds include? Obviously the TT plus whatever we have in it and the water in it... But what else?

[MackinawMan]

jaycocreek wrote:


There's too many opinions just like the one I quoted that simply is not true and very unfair to a poster asking for advice about his current or soon to be 1/2 ton truck. These newer 1/2 ton trucks are capable tow vehicles unlike most of the older ones.

Most, if not all of the higher rated come with the updated radiators/transmission coolers/wiring and class IV hitches that in the old days we had to add ourselves even on 3/4 tons and up.

The question, almost always, isn't what a vehicle is rated to tow. People who educate themselves realize that. All those things that you mention don't matter 1% to what usually is the limiting factor when trying to figure out what you can SAFELY tow.....that being what the suspension can handle.

That's the issue with a 1/2 ton vs. a 3/4 ton....or a 3/4 ton vs. a 1 ton.

!/2 ton vehicles can indeed safely tow a myriad of travel trailers. The trick is to find the one that doesn't max out the suspension. Engine size, tranny coolers, bigger radiators, mega hitches, high dollar WD setups...etc. None of these things matter if the suspension is maxxed out.

[Shorteelaw]

rbpru wrote:
At this point I am going to figure out how many angles can dance on the head of a pin.:)

Let's see who remembers their history. :W

OK that made me laugh... I haven't heard that phrase in a long time! Fitting. 😉

[jaycocreek]

Many, many here will disagree with me, but I just think all these 1/2 tons with the exception of a few of the higher rated F-150s should be generally reserved for tent/pop up or very small TTs with tongue wt. below 500lbs

There's too many opinions just like the one I quoted that simply is not true and very unfair to a poster asking for advice about his current or soon to be 1/2 ton truck. These newer 1/2 ton trucks are capable tow vehicles unlike most of the older ones.

Most, if not all of the higher rated come with the updated radiators/transmission coolers/wiring and class IV hitches that in the old days we had to add ourselves even on 3/4 tons and up.

Let's give these new guys asking questions a break and quit just saying NO to 1/2 tons. A 3/4 ton is just not the answer to a lot of new to the RV world,just like solar/6 volt doesn't suit everyone.....

[rbpru]

At this point I am going to figure out how many angles can dance on the head of a pin.:)

Let's see who remembers their history. :W

[Shorteelaw]

TomG2 wrote:

jaycocreek wrote:
It angers my son also.

Glad that you enjoy angering your son. Something tells me that your son let you win the race, just as I have done. Enjoy your win, whether real or not.

Wow - that first sentence was rude - he ended his sentence with a smile which you so conveniently left off as if he was purposely angering his son or something. Every time I get on here to (hopefully) see more helpful advice I feel like I'm in the movie Groundhog Day because this is the same petty high school crud each time. There are plenty of helpful people on this site but this makes me not even want to seek out advice on here.

I feel like jaycocreek is being helpful (and very clear on what is OPINION, observation, and fact) and you're just being a hater... it sure as heck doesn't make me lean towards reading your advice with any confidence.

[jaycocreek]

Really..... Tell me why you think the 6.0 would out pull the 5.4 with less torque and in a heavier truck?

Answer that please!

[TomG2]

jaycocreek wrote:
It angers my son also.

Glad that you enjoy angering your son. Something tells me that your son let you win the race, just as I have done. Enjoy your win, whether real or not.

[jaycocreek]

In your opinion, why would the 6.0/300 HP/360 torque win over the 5.4/300hp/365 torque?

Same horsepower/less torque and a heavier truck.I just don't understand why you think the 6.0 would out pull the 5.4. The 5.4 has a better power band even when the 6.0 is in the tow mode..

It angers my son also.:B

[TomG2]

jaycocreek wrote:
My sons 6.0 and my 5.4 both with 300 horses pulling the same trailer up a 7% grade (Whitebird hill) the 5.4 wins that race.Not by much,but it does.

Somehow the fact that "your" pickup won the race does not surprise me. Funny that published test results show different. This has become a "mine is better than yours" exchange and you win.

[jaycocreek]

Your not reading my post. I said, not all 6.0 or 5.4 engines are the same, nothing more. I also said not all 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks are the same and I did not say the 1/2 ton is better at hauling weight such as payload/campers etc because it isn't but it is equal in pulling a 8,000 lb trailer with an edge in power to that f-150/5.4 over that HD 2500/6.0...

My sons 6.0 and my 5.4 both with 300 horses pulling the same trailer up a 7% grade (Whitebird hill) the 5.4 wins that race.Not by much,but it does.

Hauling an overhead pickup camper, the 3/4 ton wins hands down, pulling an 8,000 lb trailer, not, depending on engine and horsepower.

And I have always been a 3/4 ton guy with lots of power aka 454/460/gas engines.

Just for another poster, in 2008 the Ford F-150 payload started at 3/4 ton and maxed at over 1.5 tons of payload depending on equipment just as 3/4 tons range from 8k to 17k in towing capacity and 1 tons from 9k to 30k.....

It doesn't take a semi truck with a huge Cummings engine to pull a 8,000 lb trailer as the opp asked.A properly equipped 1/2-3/4 or 1 ton will pull it.

[TomG2]

So, if the GM spots the Ford five years, you consider them equals? Sounds fair to me. The Chevrolet will still be the first to the top of the hill. I don't get why you are so upset when someone points out that a pickup with a gvwr of 9,000 pounds (typical 3/4 ton) is better for hauling 2,000 pounds than one with a gvwr of 7,500 pounds (typical 1/2 ton). (Exceptions prove the rule)

[jaycocreek]

Tom

2008 f-150/5.4..300 HP/365 torque
2003 hd-2500/6.0..300 HP/360 torque

As I said, the Ford has a better power band in these two trucks. Also in 2008 Ford had a 450 HP version of the 5.4 available on there f-150....

My point is.. Not all 5.4 engines are the same and not all f-150's or any so-called 1/2 ton,the same nor are all Chevy HD-2500/6.0 the same.

I think some tend to classify all 1/2 ton labeled trucks in the same catagory which is wrong and only refer to the ecoboost as the power houses when the 5.4 had a 450 HP engine.

That's why threads like this get run into the gutter by the 1/2 ton haters. There not all the same as all 3/4 ton or 1 ton trucks are not rated to haul over a 9,000lb trailer.

My opinion is the author of this thread would be just fine with his Titan pulling the trailer he mentioned knowing the limits it may or may not have.... Again, just my opinion.

[TomG2]

Ford must have made a few High Output 5.4's, because the two I owned (2004&2006)were barely adequate towing my 6,000 trailer. My Silverado 2500HD's (2007&2013) would leave them in the dust pulling the same trailer or even my newer one which weighs 7,000 pounds. The only way the F-150's could compare was in fuel economy, about the same. I have no experience with the new boosted V-6 models. I hear they are tremendous.

[jaycocreek]

Shorteelaw

I can tell you this, I have a keystone 26rls that is around 6500 empty and close to 8k loaded and I pull it with a Ford F150 Supercrew rated at 9200 lbs.... It tows it like a champ with no issues at all. My son pulls it with his HD 2500 Chevy and you can't tell any difference between the two different trucks pulling the same trailer except the 5.4 in the Ford has a better power band than the 6.0 in the Chevy HD 2500.

You should have no problem towing with the Titan a similar rig. These newer 1/2 tons are the 3/4 tons of the past. My last '76 Ford F-250 had a 7200 GVWR/the same as my 2008 Supercrew and the Supercrew pulls this trailer way better than my old F-250, so I sold it.

Good luck and enjoy whatever you pick out.

[Shorteelaw]

jaycocreek wrote:
OMG...Get over it and move on.... It was infact my opinion and nothing more, as I stated at the end. Read whatever you want into it, but it was my opinion, period!

Word games are for children.

Yes please move on. It's not of help to me as the OP to have two people arguing.