What TV for 6000lbs?
Hello Friends Looking for TV for TT that weighs 4200lbs with cargo of 1800lbs, not that I would have that much cargo, but you never can tell. TT is almost 27' overall. Will be going up hills and wo...
Forum Discussion
APT wrote:
What age truck are you looking for? Since you mentioned Auto Trader could be new or used.
If you can afford it, I recommend something new enough to get a 6-spd trans. GM/Ford started in 2009. Tundra 2007. Get at least 5.0L engine (or Ford's 3.5L Ecoboost) and the numerically highest axle ratio each brand offers.
Having gone from an '05 4 spd to a '10 6 spd, I would endorse this wholeheartedly. Significant improvement.
Sounds like the OP is set on a 1/2 ton, and I would agree, depending on use. If not towing a whole lot or on cross-country trips, a newer, well equipped 1/2 ton will be just fine.
A word of caution shopping used, however -- make sure the truck has the towing and cooling goodies. Just because it has a receiver hitch, a tow-haul button, or a 7-pin adapter does not mean it is set up to tow the weight you will want to tow. Marketers quote the max numbers, not the min towing numbers that the majority of vehicles are equipped to tow.
It may be different with pickups, but shopping Suburbans and Expeditions, it was difficult to find one with the heavy duty towing stuff (trans cooler, engine oil cooler, etc) that we wanted. Many a buyer has found a nice looking 150 or 1500 series truck on Autotrader, only to find out that it cannot tow more than 5,000#.
And dealers are ignorant as to what makes up the packages. Even if you buy it from a corporate lot (the people on the GM lot where we bought our '10 used were clueless). The salesman will walk to the truck, look at the receiver in the back or the t/h button on the transmission and say "yep, it has the towing package, good to go!" when such is not the case.
If you are shopping the used market, I can't stress this enough -- you need to educate yourself as to what to look for, and make sure the truck you find has it! In reality, there are simple indicators as to what to look for (at least on the Fords and Chevys I was looking at). A peek at the radiator will allow you to see if the external cooling equipment is there. I got to the point where I would walk on the lot, peek through the grille, and either walk away or ask to see more (to the frustration of many salesmen, who tried to tell me that "no, she can tow, down't worry about it!" as I'm walking away). For GMs, at least, you can learn the codes for the packages you want, which are listed in the glove box.
Good luck!
