Why all the hate on 1/2 ton tvs

Payload!! You will max out on payload well before the magical tow rating. Half ton trucks these days just don't have much payload. As low as 850lbs in some trucks.

If your trucks payload is say 1500lbs (on door sticker) and your tt has a tongue weight of 1k (using the average 13% of tt weight) then you only have 500lbs left for the family and any stuff you carry in the truck before you max out payload and GVWR, even though you are 2k under your tow rating.

You likely couldn't tow to that max 9600lbs rating either. Any weight in the truck other than driver (GM still not using new J2807 standard?)will reduce that number, and the tongue weight of a conventional tt would exceed the receiver rating. You might get away with a boat as they usually only have 5-8% tongue weights.

Tow rating is pretty much meaningless, and the last number that should be considered for towing.

Many people consider, not only what you can tow, but how much weight you can carry.
The loaded truck, with full fuel, people,dog, and the hitch, plus 12 to 15% of the loaded weight of the trailer, should not exceed the GCCW. Our 1/2 ton pick ups, fall short sometimes.
I am not one who believes that if you are rated to haul 1000#, that you can't get by with 1100#, but some are. Just my .02.
There will be someone else jump in soon.

I understand that some 1/2 tons have a low payload but, I have two F 150 xlt's a 2010 and a 2014 with crew cab. 1 is a 4.6 v8 the other an ecoboost. They both have a payload of @1700 lbs.
That would be 500 lbs in the truck, and 13% tongue weight of a 9000lb trailer.
I don't want to try it, but it would be withing rating.
I previously had an 06 and a 94. All had about 1600 to 1700 lb payload.
No special equipment, not stripped down trucks, 2 were even the base v6.
I have to think the "extremely low" payloads are the exception as opposed to the norm.
My opinion FWIW.

I'd much rather tow a 7k trailer that was 18' long vs the same weight trailer that was 30'. There is a lot more leverage on that longer trailer that will push the tow vehicle around.

Half ton trucks now exceed the power that BB gas and early diesels were making 20 years ago. That doesn't mean that the current half ton will handle the weight better than a 20yr old 8-lug single wheel, it just means that the half ton might go faster.

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?

Dreenn wrote:
Or is my truck rated to tow a lot less then what the manual says

Manual is best. Be sure to look for every possible exception that will reduce towing capacity such as tires, wheel size, gearing, engine, transmission, accessory weight, passengers, required towing options, frontal area, etc.

Payload is also an area that gets maxed out before the actual tow rating. Especially for the added items(see above) to the truck before you even hitch up.

If you keep the trailer GVWR under the corrected tow rating it will usually be fine. Get a good sway control hitch.

Towing at the max usually means driving slower up and down hills etc. So forget the intake and exhaust system upgrades and accept it for what it is.

JMHO

I towed a 30 ft trailer that was 4500 dry weight with a half ton suburban with a tow rating of 8800 lbs. shoulda been ok but it sucked. Hated taking trips longer than couple hours. The normally spirited 5.3 was easily winded. Brakes on the trailer are supposed to take weight of trailer however one time I lost my ground and the Burban brakes were all I had. Lol wasn't good. The body roll and lowering of rear end coulda been corrected with a weight distributing bar but I never got it...just traded for a used motor home.

If that's what you have then by all means enjoy it and use it. Travel all you like just beware of ratings. The bigger trucks just do a better job.

My 3/4 T can barely handle my 7500 lb TT.

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?