Why all the hate on 1/2 ton tvs

[Dreenn]

Like the title says I have read many posts that basically suggest that towing a 30ish foot Tt with a 1/2 ton truck is wrong and your going to Indanger your family and anyone around you on the road that said I have a few questions

I just bought a 30foot Tt dry weight is 5200 loaded is 7500 I believe by the manufacture sticker I am towing it with a 2014 gmc 1500.

I looked up max tow rating on my gmc in the manual and used my window sticker for refers to what was equipped it said max was 9600 pounds now looking at my door sticker I don't see 9600 pounds anywhere on it am I missing something?? Or is my truck rated to tow a lot less then what the manual says

Sorry for the poor grammar typing on my cell phone

[jaycocreek]

Ya well,don't forget your cell phone and extra battery...

So what's going to happen with that 12 pounds putting you over?Flat tires-broken axle-bent rims-overheating or the hitch falling off..

Funny thing is if he drives 15 miles or so he just lost 12 pounds of fuel and he's back to being safe.:B

I tow my 30ft trailer with my F-150 and don't worry about floor mats for sure..It tows with little different than with my sons HD-2500 and better than the older 3/4 tons I had.

Just sold a 1976 Ford F-250 because the newer F-150 towed much much better than the older truck I towed large trailers and fifth wheels with.

Set-up correctly and driven correctly a modern 1/2 ton is a towing machine.

[dewey02]

jaycocreek wrote:

Say you added some custom floor mats (36 lbs). Available payload is now 1500.

That's about the silliest thing I have heard in the history of towing!

Weathertech for a F150 Crewcab = 12 pounds. But I do agree with his basic premise - the weight adds up really fast on things you didn't even think about. Always best to weigh your TV and TT fully loaded to see where you stand.

[dewey02]

jaycocreek wrote:

Say you added some custom floor mats (36 lbs). Available payload is now 1500.

That's about the silliest thing I have heard in the history of towing!

Twelve Pounds.

[Dreenn]

Lots of good disscussion here it's good to see more 1/2 ton towers now another question I have a w/d hitch and bars and sway control how do I know what brand it is it came with the camper and how do you firgur out what the tounge weight with wd hitch is

[dewey02]

4X4Dodger wrote:
(snip)
YES! exactly. And thank you. The op could tow that trailer with a 69 Ford Galaxie 500 or a '49 Caddy Coupe.

The Nattering Nabobs of Negativity towards 1/2 tons are way to influential here. They think towing anything larger than a 10 ft U Haul with anything but a one ton Dually is madness and will result in mass roadway mayhem. (apologies to Spiro Agnew) (snip)

I got a real Deja Vu reading that line, even before I got to your apology part. I wonder how many people even know or remember who Spiro Agnew was? Plus, he resigned his office not too long before his boss did. And interesting time in American politics, it was.

[jaycocreek]

Say you added some custom floor mats (36 lbs). Available payload is now 1500.

That's about the silliest thing I have heard in the history of towing!

[rbpru]

It seems half tons only get a bad rap from those who own ¾ and 1 ton TVs. There are plenty of ½ ton owners who are quite content with them.

My F-150 has a max cargo of 1411 lbs. the tongue weight on my loaded TT is about half of that. Two adults and a dog leave about 250 lbs. for camping and truck stuff. This is close enough for the DW and me but maybe not be for a family with kids and lots of toys. The Ram 2500’s I looked at would increase my max cargo capacity by 600 to 900 lbs. depending on the model and options.

Besides the increased towing capacity and max cargo, the larger trucks can offer a more stable, albeit stiffer, ride. All of this can be important if you need it or are willing to pay for it.

You will find the same type of discussion over LT vs. ST tires, the merits of various WD hitches, load range E vs. type P truck tires and a host of other topics. It is not that these larger or alternates options do not offer certain advantages; it is more of a case of do you need it for your particular towing situation.

My F-150 4x4 E-Boost fits my Dutchmen just fine. I am not inclined to mess up what is working.

[4X4Dodger]

Terryallan wrote:

Dreenn wrote:
Like the title says I have read many posts that basically suggest that towing a 30ish foot Tt with a 1/2 ton truck is wrong and your going to Indanger your family and anyone around you on the road that said I have a few questions

I just bought a 30foot Tt dry weight is 5200 loaded is 7500 I believe by the manufacture sticker I am towing it with a 2014 gmc 1500.

I looked up max tow rating on my gmc in the manual and used my window sticker for refers to what was equipped it said max was 9600 pounds now looking at my door sticker I don't see 9600 pounds anywhere on it am I missing something?? Or is my truck rated to tow a lot less then what the manual says

Sorry for the poor grammar typing on my cell phone

No your truck is rated to tow what the manual says for your configuration. And setup correctly. It will tow it's max with no problems. You will not see the 9600lb on the door sticker only the GVWR of the truck. Also no manufacturer limits the trailer length, only the weight.

Thing is, in answer to your question of why the hate. Fact is "many" especially those on this web site want over kill. Partly because they towed with a poorly setup vehicle, and it didn't do too well, So they over compensate with an over kill truck, rather than spend the time to get their setup right. Over kill is good but not necessary.

You and I are in the same boat. My TT is 31'. It has a 7200 GVWR, but only weighs about 6000lb. My TV is a F150 145" WB, 4x2, with a tow capacity of 8000lbs. I spent a good deal of time getting my hitch setup right. So good in fact that I have -O- sway. I even have -O- sway with OUT the sway bar installed. (I use it anyway) Big trucks pass me, and they do not move me around. Wind, unless it is a VERY strong wind doesn't push me around either. I am WELL within ALL my weights. As you will be. So take your time, and get the setup right, and you will have no problems.

YES! exactly. And thank you. The op could tow that trailer with a 69 Ford Galaxie 500 or a '49 Caddy Coupe.

The Nattering Nabobs of Negativity towards 1/2 tons are way to influential here. They think towing anything larger than a 10 ft U Haul with anything but a one ton Dually is madness and will result in mass roadway mayhem. (apologies to Spiro Agnew)

Okay so that is slightly overstated but not by much. Remember that whatever numbers are published on weights/capacities have at LEAST a 1.5 times safety factor built in. (and probably higher) ie if it says your truck can carry 2000 Lbs, the REAL design factor is at Least 3000 lbs.

The one place I would pay attention is the load rating on your tires. Add those figures up and see what they are.

But go out and TOW it, and give it several trips in different conditions, get used to the way it handles and see how you feel. The 1/2 ton owners here who tow all the time got it right.

There really is a big bias here towards bigger and bigger TV's and many vocal persons who insist it is a safety issue. I believe that is nonsense and that there are absolutely NO facts to support that claim. This misinformation is like a Virus, it keeps getting spread by more and more people who I believe are just regurgitating what they have heard or read somewhere.

And I think you have it right many of them started with a poorly set up rig and didnt really know how to drive a trailer and thus know what to expect.

And unfortunately some of those same folks have shouted down those who disagree on this subject leaving people like the OP wondering "Why the Hate"?

[BubbaChris]

I think the other side of the coin that hasn't been mentioned yet is the salesperson (TT or TV). They are very busy trying to close the deal and won't take the time to point out the real limitations.

Someone already mentioned how you're more likely to have a safe (and comfortable) setup towing a boat that's at your rated max weight rather than a box non-aerodynamic box of a TT.

And going with a stronger TV isn't overkill if it helps eliminate "pucker" moments while you're on the road.

And I 100% agree with those who have pointed out the Payload limitations already.

[handye9]

Dreenn wrote:
I don't know exect numbers on my trucks payload but the lowest on gmc website was 1786 and up to 2300 so I think that's plenty right?

We can't answer that, we don't know what your exact payload is, we don't know the weight of your family, we don't know the weight of any aftermarket accessories, and we don't know the weight of any cargo you may want to load.

___________________________________________________________________

Here's an example of how the payload thing works:

Say your door sticker says 1786 payload.

Say the dealer who sold the truck new, had a spray in bed liner done. It weighs 50 lbs. The available payload is now 1736.

Say you or a previous owner, installed a fiberglass bed cap (200 lbs). The available payload is now 1536.

Say you added some custom floor mats (36 lbs). Available payload is now 1500.

Say you carry a 150 lb tool box. Avaiable payload is now 1350.

Say the total weight of your family is 700 lbs. Your available payload is now 650.

Say the WD hitch weighs 100 lbs. Payload available for trailer tongue weight is now 550.

Say the loaded tongue weight is 13%. (550 divided by .13)

Your available payload could only support a 4230 lb loaded trailer.

Say the average camping load (dishes, pots and pans, bedding, camp chairs, BBQ, groceries, water, etc) is 800 - 1000 lbs. The unloaded weight of your trailer should be around 3300 lbs.
___________________________________________________________________

Plug your own numbers, into something like this, and see what you have for available payload. As you can see, it adds up fast.

[Terryallan]

Dreenn wrote:
Like the title says I have read many posts that basically suggest that towing a 30ish foot Tt with a 1/2 ton truck is wrong and your going to Indanger your family and anyone around you on the road that said I have a few questions

I just bought a 30foot Tt dry weight is 5200 loaded is 7500 I believe by the manufacture sticker I am towing it with a 2014 gmc 1500.

I looked up max tow rating on my gmc in the manual and used my window sticker for refers to what was equipped it said max was 9600 pounds now looking at my door sticker I don't see 9600 pounds anywhere on it am I missing something?? Or is my truck rated to tow a lot less then what the manual says

Sorry for the poor grammar typing on my cell phone

No your truck is rated to tow what the manual says for your configuration. And setup correctly. It will tow it's max with no problems. You will not see the 9600lb on the door sticker only the GVWR of the truck. Also no manufacturer limits the trailer length, only the weight.

Thing is, in answer to your question of why the hate. Fact is "many" especially those on this web site want over kill. Partly because they towed with a poorly setup vehicle, and it didn't do too well, So they over compensate with an over kill truck, rather than spend the time to get their setup right. Over kill is good but not necessary.

You and I are in the same boat. My TT is 31'. It has a 7200 GVWR, but only weighs about 6000lb. My TV is a F150 145" WB, 4x2, with a tow capacity of 8000lbs. I spent a good deal of time getting my hitch setup right. So good in fact that I have -O- sway. I even have -O- sway with OUT the sway bar installed. (I use it anyway) Big trucks pass me, and they do not move me around. Wind, unless it is a VERY strong wind doesn't push me around either. I am WELL within ALL my weights. As you will be. So take your time, and get the setup right, and you will have no problems.

[APT]

Nothing wrong with half tons. However when it comes to RVing, the manufacturer tow ratings have gone from 8000-ish pounds 10 years ago to 12000 pounds while the typical RV limit (payload) has stayed the same or even gone down.

All vehicle manufacturers provide tow ratings and also state not to exceed any other rating such as GVWR, rear axle, and receiver. RVs are the toughest type of trailers to tow, so towing a 9500-ish pound RV would mean 1200-ish pounds of TW which few half tons can handle, especially when there is a family of 4+ in the cab and a bed full of camping gear.

My experience says you are probably just fine. The 2014+ half ton GM twins have higher than average payloads.

[Tennessee_Nomad]

I don't hate on half tons. I had an F150 STX 4x4 for several years. I just decided I wanted more payload and a bigger hampster! 🙂

[jaycocreek]

coolbreeze01 wrote:
When I owned an F100 and then an F150, I towed what I wanted to tow and nobody said anything that I remember.

Who cares?

Exactly..I even towed a 14ft Shasta with a Jeep CJ-5.Worked just dandy!

[sato4000]

coolbreeze01 wrote:
When I owned an F100 and then an F150, I towed what I wanted to tow and nobody said anything that I remember.

Who cares?

I agree, I towed a 30 foot travel trailer with a mercedes SUV. Best vehicle I ever towed with.