3/4 ton - 1/2 ton Downward Migrants

FeatherFam · 03-03-2018, 07:30 AM

Please do not turn this into "My truck's better than your truck brand babble."

Please only evaluate the two TVs as tow vehicles and not commuters or grocery-getters.

With all of the "hubbub" about the "superhero" 1/2 tons with impressive tow and payload capacities (all makes), I am wondering:

If you moved down from a 3/4 ton to a 1/2 ton and you tow a TT or 5ver with a loaded dry weight of 7,500(+) and a loaded tongue of 1,200(+), what is your experience with the two different TVs? Please include information if you have traveled cross-country and traversed significant grades.

Which TV was/is the better vehicle for your RV towing?

Is your 1/2 ton every bit as safe, comfortable with the tow, and able with the wear and tear?

Please compare the two TVs with a tow that is equal to or greater than the weights that I stated above.

Lastly, in hindsight, do wish you would have stayed with a 3/4 ton? Is the 1/2 ton serving you really well with no regrets? (towing thoughts only)

Riverman · 03-03-2018, 07:41 AM

Personally, I even tow my 21' tandem axle with a 3/4 ton.

SOMBATFAMILY · 03-03-2018, 07:47 AM

I don't personally have truck towing experience. However if I were to buy a truck just for towing and knowing that I would never go over 10,000# trailer, I would get diesel, 2wd, 2dr, 1/2ton truck with max towing and max cargo capacity. If I would tow up to 20,000# then I would get the diesel, 2wd, 2dr, 1/3 ton truck with max towing and max cargo.

**Midnightmoon** · 03-03-2018, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeatherFam

Please do not turn this into "My truck's better than your truck brand babble."

Please only evaluate the two TVs as tow vehicles and not commuters or grocery-getters.

If you moved down from a 3/4 ton to a 1/2 ton and you tow a TT or 5ver with a loaded dry weight of 7,500(+) and a loaded tongue of 1,200(+), what is your experience with the two different TVs? Please include information if you have traveled cross-country and traversed significant grades.

Which TV was/is the better vehicle for your RV towing?

Is your 1/2 ton every bit as safe, comfortable with the tow, and able with the wear and tear?

Please compare the two TVs with a tow that is with the weights that I stated above.

Lastly, in hindsight, do wish you would have stayed with a 3/4 ton? Is the 1/2 ton serving you really well with no regrets? (towing thoughts only)

This is an easy question for me to answer. We own both my wife's Ram 1500 and my Ram 2500 (actually we have 2 2500's. One is a plow truck). I have pulled our current and past travel trailers with both, along with our flat bed and enclosed ATV trailer.

Absolutely no comparison between the 2 trucks when towing, not even factoring powertrain since our 2500's are diesel. The 3/4 ton is stable, firm, and solid when towing. The 1/2 ton feels soft, wallows around, and the brakes aren't even in the same league. We have LT tires on the 1/2 ton and that has made a big difference. But, even with those, they can't be compared to each other.

You actually can't explain the difference until you pull the same trailer with both. If you are ever in our area, I'd welcome you to test mine out to see for yourself. If I would have never owned a heavier truck, I probably wouldn't be as convinced of the towing advantages of the 3/4 over the 1/2. But being able to directly compare like we can, I would never go back to the 1/2 for primary towing duties. The difference is that great.

**Crabman** · 03-03-2018, 08:32 AM

This post is old and my trucks are old and cannot really compare to what is available today but for what it's worth here are some of my observations having towed with both.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ces-11464.html

SkyBound · 03-03-2018, 09:04 AM

I think you will find that there are not many half tons that have hitches rated for +1200lbs nor the RAWR to support that kind of weight either. (may possibly with an empty bed, no cargo).

For towing purposes, the 3/4-1 ton will do it better. However, I much prefer driving my half ton as an unloaded daily driver over a family member's 1 ton Ram, and I LOVE big trucks. Anything up in the territory that you mentioned would not be recommended by me with a half ton, even if the numbers did work.

bzeller · 03-03-2018, 09:55 AM

I have owned a 2015 Dmax 2500, a 2016 Titan XD, and now a 2017 Ford F-350. Towed a Jayco Eagle 314BDS with each until upgraded to a Jayco NP 377RLBH. Been on flats and hills with all. For towing anything under 10K, I’d hands down pick the Titan XD based on its ability to handle the load like a 3/4 ton, ride like a half-ton unloaded, yet cost significantly less than it’s bigger diesel brethren. The XD will certainly not win any races, especially against the newer HD torque monsters, but it did everything well enough at a much lower cost, ~$10K in my experience.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jjsav · 03-03-2018, 04:00 PM

I owned a 2012 Tundra 5.7 (added e-rated tires, rear sway bar and Timbrens) for five years. Now I own a GMC 2500 HD, 6.6 (added Timbrens). I pulled the same camper listed in my signature with both trucks. With the Tundra I towed several thousand miles with no issues. I pulled hills and distance.

To compare the two, I was surprised that the GMC was not that much better as far as stability and handling when towing. I was expecting a big difference and there was not.

As far as gas mileage and power, the diesel in the GMC is much better!! In that area the 2500 is fantastic.

bdreinv · 03-03-2018, 05:16 PM

Diesel 1 ton there no price you can put on safety.Our 06 3500 in twelve years replace ECM computer,power steering hoses,and of course brakes and tires 150K. Pretty good truck! Thanks

LiftedAWDAstro · 03-03-2018, 06:56 PM

If you are sticking with current generation 1/2 and 3/4 ton gassers, then for sure the 3/4 tow will tow better hands down.

My experience was that my 1/2 ton towed better than my 3/4 ton plus it had the 3/4 ton beat in power, fuel economy and stopping power. The difference was I jumped a couple generations when I went to a 1/2 ton. My 3/4 ton was a 2003 Ram 2500 quad cab 4x4, 5.7 hemi, 5 speed auto and 3.73 gears. The weight was no issue as it was a 26BH at the time. I then went to a 2013 Tundra double cab, 4x4 with the 5.7, 6 speed auto and 4.30 gears. Pulling was a night and day difference. Stopping was also a lot better as the Tundra had larger brakes than the 3/4 ton trucks at the time.

Now I am in a bigger trailer and went to a new 3/4 ton diesel and the difference is night and day. The 3/4 ton is rated almost double what the Tundra was and it shows in how it handles our 8500# 28 BHBE.

FeatherFam · 03-03-2018, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjsav

I owned a 2012 Tundra 5.7 (added e-rated tires, rear sway bar and Timbrens) for five years. Now I own a GMC 2500 HD, 6.6 (added Timbrens). I pulled the same camper listed in my signature with both trucks. With the Tundra I towed several thousand miles with no issues. I pulled hills and distance.

To compare the two, I was surprised that the GMC was not that much better as far as stability and handling when towing. I was expecting a big difference and there was not.

As far as gas mileage and power, the diesel in the GMC is much better!! In that area the 2500 is fantastic.

Wow! That is amazing that your Tundra was that stout with that Rockwood -- Pretty impressive! And your Jimmy is a diesel 2500?

GrumpyDad · 03-03-2018, 08:14 PM

Having towed similar sized trailers with three different half-tons and two different 3/4 ton trucks, to me, there's two major differences.
1) you have a lot more payload room with the 3/4 ton truck. Once you load up firewood, generator, four people, some tools, and occasionally a piece of furniture your in-laws insist you transport for them, it's very easy to be up to (and past) the rated payload capacity of the half-ton.
2) Moving around the load in your truck and trailer to get decent axle weights, and THEN messing around with your Weight Distributing Hitch, and THEN taking a test-tow to see how it handles, and THEN adjusting things again because you weren't happy the first time is a bit of a process. Life is simpler and easier with the 3/4 ton truck because the entire platform is more forgiving to slightly incorrect loading or WDH adjustments.

That being said, I'm a firm believer that WHEN SET UP CORRECTLY, a half ton is completely safe for towing up to it's rated amounts, even in windy conditions. But as mentioned, I spend a lot of time and effort to get everything adjusted "just right".

If I was mostly towing with a vehicle, I would for sure go with the 3/4 ton truck, even though my trailers are always under 8000 lbs and fully half-ton towable.

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