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]

My first 1/2 ton towing trailers was a '67 chevy with a 5600 GVWR 3.73 axle 135 hp 283 v8 two barrel carb with the two speed powerglide tranny. Sure it was slow but it was what it was and I expected that. I mounted a 8' TC on the truck and pulled a 16' 2800 lb fishing boat. Lots of good memories traveling the southern Rockies back then with the kids.

Actual experience is rare anymore around here.

Same here,1957 GMC 1500 and put a 8ft Sturdi Built 8ft TC on it.Re-arched the springs and went camping.Never a problem with anything..

New 1976 Chevy Scottsdale 1500..Put a 8ft Security TC on it coupled with a pair of axle housing mounted coil 3000lb helper springs..That drove and rode great and again,never any related issues,just a lot of fun.

I could go on and on with examples of 1500 series trucks working great for all deeds related to towing and hauling but it would be on deaf ears.

I could say the same for the 3/4 tons I have owned hauling up to a 40 ft Mobile Home without WD system, with the mighty 454 Big Block which had less HP than my current 5.4.I've towed with everything from a Jeep CJ-5 to semi trucks including Kenworth/Western Star/Peterbuilt and yes,even a Mack and it's not the tow vehicle that matters but the driver of that vehicle that counts!

[mb1776]

Am I really safer?

Notice I said, "I will be safely inside the parameters" i.e. operating safely inside the weight and loading parameters set by the manufactures. Am I safer from my own mistakes/stupidity, other drivers' mistakes/stupidity, or other events outside of my control (like a 50mph crosswind)…obviously not. I am, however imho, safer from catastrophic mechanical failures that could be caused by operating outside those same design parameters. Again, it all goes back to how you are comfortable operating. I was not comfortable towing what I had with a 1500 so I moved up to a 2500. Doesn't mean I vilify anyone for choosing not to under the same circumstances.

[2112]

This is certainly a wintertime thread :B

Dreenn wrote:
Thanks a lot for your input I have a standard tonnou so not much weight there as for coolers and such I'll prolly put those in the back of the Tt on the bottom bunk to save on tongue weight and bikes the guy I bought it from has a bike holder on the rear of the Tt that is bolted to a plate that's welded on the bumper support the thing is solid

Don't load the rear too much. You may take off too much tongue weight which will increase sway.

[CKNSLS]

rbpru wrote:
Interesting tire test. It has been a long time since I needed to run my rig though a slalom course.

However it has not been too long since I had to swerve hard to avoid a side swipe while merging on to the interstate. I had absolutely no sway, rebound or any other problem. All this was with those evil "P" and "ST" type tires.

And no. I do not want to repeat it to see what happens.

LT tires are not inherently safer than "P" even when towing (assuming proper load range). Another false argument.

[Dreenn]

Need-A-Vacation wrote:
While there are plenty of trailers that a 1500/150 can tow within all the tv's ratings, the biggest issue is after the trailer is all loaded up, new trailer owners go and fill the bed full of heavy coolers, firewood, strap the bikes down on top in the bed, and off they drive.

The newer GM Twins (since '14) do have more payload than the previous gen trucks, and those along with the Ford trucks are really the best choice (when equipped to tow!!!) for a larger trailer. Ram just doesn't seem to have the needed payload for larger trailers without exceeding the ratings. Motor wise, all three can pull plenty (talking 5.3/6.2/5.0/Ecoboost/5.7/6.4) with the right set of gears.

Patiently waiting for a reply about the manufactures designing the trucks (is this all vehicles?) for 1.5x the ratings. I could believe maybe a 10% margin, but 1.5x???

Dreenn,

Watch what is loaded in the truck, and you will probably be ok pending you don't add a cab high topper, or other heavy accessories that will eat the payload up. As mentioned, it all adds up very quickly!

Thanks a lot for your input I have a standard tonnou so not much weight there as for coolers and such I'll prolly put those in the back of the Tt on the bottom bunk to save on tongue weight and bikes the guy I bought it from has a bike holder on the rear of the Tt that is bolted to a plate that's welded on the bumper support the thing is solid

[MitchF150]

Still too funny guys! 🙂 🙂

Mitch

[rbpru]

Interesting tire test. It has been a long time since I needed to run my rig though a slalom course.

However it has not been too long since I had to swerve hard to avoid a side swipe while merging on to the interstate. I had absolutely no sway, rebound or any other problem. All this was with those evil "P" and "ST" type tires.

And no. I do not want to repeat it to see what happens.

[jerem0621]

RinconVTR wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:

mb1776 wrote:
These weight discussions are exhausting...being a newbie the issue of weight is very confusing. The manufacture tells you one thing to sell the truck. The RV dealer tells you another to sell the trailer. The only absolutes in this discussion seem to be 1) your tv has a weight limit developed with safety in mind. 2) your TT also has a weight limit so that it can be operated safely. 3) whether you, as the owner of both the tv and tt, choose to go inside or outside those limits is entirely up to you. For myself, having tried to tow my 6600 lbs TT with a 1/2 ton a few times, I decided I would be more comfortable stepping up to a 3/4 ton. I know I will be safely inside the parameters on both the tv and tt. Having that peace of mind with a wife and two small children riding along is worth it to me.

Are you really safer?

Exactly. Lets stop assuming bigger is better in all cases...AND that bigger = safer. That is a false belief, as false as they come.

Let the slalom decide.

Link

The trucks perform better in the slolam once LT tires are added... At one point the suburban with P rated tires seems to nearly lose control.

There are unconventional TV's in this test as well...very little body roll and seems to handle extremely well in the slolam.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[Lantley]

RinconVTR wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:

mb1776 wrote:
These weight discussions are exhausting...being a newbie the issue of weight is very confusing. The manufacture tells you one thing to sell the truck. The RV dealer tells you another to sell the trailer. The only absolutes in this discussion seem to be 1) your tv has a weight limit developed with safety in mind. 2) your TT also has a weight limit so that it can be operated safely. 3) whether you, as the owner of both the tv and tt, choose to go inside or outside those limits is entirely up to you. For myself, having tried to tow my 6600 lbs TT with a 1/2 ton a few times, I decided I would be more comfortable stepping up to a 3/4 ton. I know I will be safely inside the parameters on both the tv and tt. Having that peace of mind with a wife and two small children riding along is worth it to me.

Are you really safer?

Exactly. Lets stop assuming bigger is better in all cases...AND that bigger = safer. That is a false belief, as false as they come.

I would not quite go that far. Bigger is generally better when it comes to towing heavy.
The real problem is bigger is not cheaper or more economical.....But it is better!

[JIMNLIN]

op wrote:
Why all the hate on 1/2 ton tvs

IMO ignorance for the most part.

example;......Many times someone will say their 1500 6800 GVWR 3850 RAWR chevy 5.3 4L60E 3.73 axle didn't work for pulling their 7500 lb trailer....then make a ignorant statement that a 1/2 ton can't do the job.
They simply chose the wrong 1/2 ton truck.
Half ton trucks come with 6200 GVWR up to 8600 GVWR.
Half ton trucks come with 3600 RAWR-6084 RAWR.
Half ton trucks come with a small hp/tq 4.x v8 engine up to a 6.2 high hp/tq engine.

They simply chose the wrong 1/2 ton truck and lumped all 1/2 ton trucks in the same bag.

Its not just the 1/2 ton truck owner but same scenario/comments about the 3/4 ton and the one ton SRW and even the DRW trucks.

My first 1/2 ton towing trailers was a '67 chevy with a 5600 GVWR 3.73 axle 135 hp 283 v8 two barrel carb with the two speed powerglide tranny. Sure it was slow but it was what it was and I expected that. I mounted a 8' TC on the truck and pulled a 16' 2800 lb fishing boat. Lots of good memories traveling the southern Rockies back then with the kids.

[RinconVTR]

CKNSLS wrote:

mb1776 wrote:
These weight discussions are exhausting...being a newbie the issue of weight is very confusing. The manufacture tells you one thing to sell the truck. The RV dealer tells you another to sell the trailer. The only absolutes in this discussion seem to be 1) your tv has a weight limit developed with safety in mind. 2) your TT also has a weight limit so that it can be operated safely. 3) whether you, as the owner of both the tv and tt, choose to go inside or outside those limits is entirely up to you. For myself, having tried to tow my 6600 lbs TT with a 1/2 ton a few times, I decided I would be more comfortable stepping up to a 3/4 ton. I know I will be safely inside the parameters on both the tv and tt. Having that peace of mind with a wife and two small children riding along is worth it to me.

Are you really safer?

Exactly. Lets stop assuming bigger is better in all cases...AND that bigger = safer. That is a false belief, as false as they come.

[Need-A-Vacation]

While there are plenty of trailers that a 1500/150 can tow within all the tv's ratings, the biggest issue is after the trailer is all loaded up, new trailer owners go and fill the bed full of heavy coolers, firewood, strap the bikes down on top in the bed, and off they drive.

The newer GM Twins (since '14) do have more payload than the previous gen trucks, and those along with the Ford trucks are really the best choice (when equipped to tow!!!) for a larger trailer. Ram just doesn't seem to have the needed payload for larger trailers without exceeding the ratings. Motor wise, all three can pull plenty (talking 5.3/6.2/5.0/Ecoboost/5.7/6.4) with the right set of gears.

Patiently waiting for a reply about the manufactures designing the trucks (is this all vehicles?) for 1.5x the ratings. I could believe maybe a 10% margin, but 1.5x???

Dreenn,

Watch what is loaded in the truck, and you will probably be ok pending you don't add a cab high topper, or other heavy accessories that will eat the payload up. As mentioned, it all adds up very quickly!

[CKNSLS]

Lantley wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:

mb1776 wrote:
These weight discussions are exhausting...being a newbie the issue of weight is very confusing. The manufacture tells you one thing to sell the truck. The RV dealer tells you another to sell the trailer. The only absolutes in this discussion seem to be 1) your tv has a weight limit developed with safety in mind. 2) your TT also has a weight limit so that it can be operated safely. 3) whether you, as the owner of both the tv and tt, choose to go inside or outside those limits is entirely up to you. For myself, having tried to tow my 6600 lbs TT with a 1/2 ton a few times, I decided I would be more comfortable stepping up to a 3/4 ton. I know I will be safely inside the parameters on both the tv and tt. Having that peace of mind with a wife and two small children riding along is worth it to me.

Are you really safer?

Clicky

I don't think the weight and stability of the dually was a disadvantage vs.something smaller

The point being under the right (or is it wrong?) circumstances it doesn't matter how big of a truck you have. This mentality that "I'll drive bigger because it's safer" is an illusion!

[Lantley]

CKNSLS wrote:

mb1776 wrote:
These weight discussions are exhausting...being a newbie the issue of weight is very confusing. The manufacture tells you one thing to sell the truck. The RV dealer tells you another to sell the trailer. The only absolutes in this discussion seem to be 1) your tv has a weight limit developed with safety in mind. 2) your TT also has a weight limit so that it can be operated safely. 3) whether you, as the owner of both the tv and tt, choose to go inside or outside those limits is entirely up to you. For myself, having tried to tow my 6600 lbs TT with a 1/2 ton a few times, I decided I would be more comfortable stepping up to a 3/4 ton. I know I will be safely inside the parameters on both the tv and tt. Having that peace of mind with a wife and two small children riding along is worth it to me.

Are you really safer?

Clicky

I don't think the weight and stability of the dually was a disadvantage vs.something smaller

[CKNSLS]

mb1776 wrote:
These weight discussions are exhausting...being a newbie the issue of weight is very confusing. The manufacture tells you one thing to sell the truck. The RV dealer tells you another to sell the trailer. The only absolutes in this discussion seem to be 1) your tv has a weight limit developed with safety in mind. 2) your TT also has a weight limit so that it can be operated safely. 3) whether you, as the owner of both the tv and tt, choose to go inside or outside those limits is entirely up to you. For myself, having tried to tow my 6600 lbs TT with a 1/2 ton a few times, I decided I would be more comfortable stepping up to a 3/4 ton. I know I will be safely inside the parameters on both the tv and tt. Having that peace of mind with a wife and two small children riding along is worth it to me.

Are you really safer?

Clicky