Sell me on 3/4 ton pickup

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by bluegill1

All make a very nice 3/4, especially if your looking to purchase new.

I can only speak for Ram 2500, get the larger 6.4, get the 4.10 gears. Those are the must haves for towing. Anything after that you can choose your creature comforts.

Take a test drive in all of them and pick what you like.

Engine and gears are most important.

Let us know what you decide.

That's exactly what I have and it works great for us.

[Mad Cow]

What is a real factor is that many very well equipped 3/4 tons (gassers) can be had for as low or less off the lot than the average equipped 1/2 ton. It is all in the marketing, the target buyer, demand, etc. And the 3/4 ton will almost always hold better value than the 1/2 ton.

It is always better to have more pickup truck than one needs or else be on the edge or worse by having a pickup that doesn't quite do the job.

Ride is a little stiffer on a 3/4 for daily use. But that can be mitigated to some degree. For instance, when one is not loaded up, run lower air pressures in the tires. Getting the load pressure chart from the tire maker can go a long ways to helping. While my 2500 has a OEM recommended pressure of 60 front and 70 rear, that is assuming the pickup is loaded to gross. I follow the tire maker pressure recommendation based on their load pressure chart. When running around empty or light loaded, I run about 50 psi all the way around. Makes a considerable difference in ride quality.

And fuel economy, the driver has as much to do with fuel economy as anything regarding the vehicle itself. Many fleet studies have shown the driver can affect fuel economy by 1/3rd either way.

I ventured into 1/2 ton territory several years ago. I found I was inventing new swear words. I will never do that again. 3/4 or larger is all I will buy.

Cliff

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Mad Cow

What is a real factor is that many very well equipped 3/4 tons (gassers) can be had for as low or less off the lot than the average equipped 1/2 ton. It is all in the marketing, the target buyer, demand, etc. And the 3/4 ton will almost always hold better value than the 1/2 ton.

It is always better to have more pickup truck than one needs or else be on the edge or worse by having a pickup that doesn't quite do the job.

Ride is a little stiffer on a 3/4 for daily use. But that can be mitigated to some degree. For instance, when one is not loaded up, run lower air pressures in the tires. Getting the load pressure chart from the tire maker can go a long ways to helping. While my 2500 has a OEM recommended pressure of 60 front and 70 rear, that is assuming the pickup is loaded to gross. I follow the tire maker pressure recommendation based on their load pressure chart. When running around empty or light loaded, I run about 50 psi all the way around. Makes a considerable difference in ride quality.

And fuel economy, the driver has as much to do with fuel economy as anything regarding the vehicle itself. Many fleet studies have shown the driver can affect fuel economy by 1/3rd either way.

I ventured into 1/2 ton territory several years ago. I found I was inventing new swear words. I will never do that again. 3/4 or larger is all I will buy.

Cliff

If I was looking for a smooth ride I'd have bought an auto and not a truck. I expect a truck to ride like a truck and I'm OK with that. If I was to reduce the air pressure for the ride and then have to add air to tow, sooner or later I'd either be away from a pump or forget. I'll stick with the factory recommended settings. Besides, if I reduce the pressure it messes with the pressure sensors. I agree that a 1/2 ton is not worth having if you are going to tow much.

[Mad Cow]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

If I was looking for a smooth ride I'd have bought an auto and not a truck. I expect a truck to ride like a truck and I'm OK with that. If I was to reduce the air pressure for the ride and then have to add air to tow, sooner or later I'd either be away from a pump or forget. I'll stick with the factory recommended settings. Besides, if I reduce the pressure it messes with the pressure sensors. I agree that a 1/2 ton is not worth having if you are going to tow much.

Not trying to take exception to your comment, just I get a chuckle out of it. "ride like a truck". I put and average 2500 miles a week on a class 8 semi truck that rides better in some ways than my 3/4 ton pickup. Compared to that Class 8 semi truck tractor, my 3/4 ton is nothing more than a Tonka Toy. So how is it that we compare the "ride like a truck" idea? Just having fun here, not trying to belittle you or anyone else.

I would side with the 3/4 even if not towing often. Sooner or later someone is going to load up the back of the pickup. My 3/4 ton, after full of fuel, two people, about 300 lb of tools and such, still has available payload of around 2300 lb. And with a ton of material in the back, is just reaching level stance, and that is even considering I lowered the back with a set of McGaughy's 2" drop shackles. If one just sits 500 lb at the rear of the bed of a half ton, one can tell the drop in the back end. I actually haul more with my 3/4 ton than I tow with it. A 1/2 ton with five 55 gallon drums of oil or 30 bags of Quikrete in the back is not a pretty sight.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Mad Cow

Not trying to take exception to your comment, just I get a chuckle out of it. "ride like a truck". I put and average 2500 miles a week on a class 8 semi truck that rides better in some ways than my 3/4 ton pickup. Compared to that Class 8 semi truck tractor, my 3/4 ton is nothing more than a Tonka Toy. So how is it that we compare the "ride like a truck" idea? Just having fun here, not trying to belittle you or anyone else.

I would side with the 3/4 even if not towing often. Sooner or later someone is going to load up the back of the pickup. My 3/4 ton, after full of fuel, two people, about 300 lb of tools and such, still has available payload of around 2300 lb. And with a ton of material in the back, is just reaching level stance, and that is even considering I lowered the back with a set of McGaughy's 2" drop shackles. If one just sits 500 lb at the rear of the bed of a half ton, one can tell the drop in the back end. I actually haul more with my 3/4 ton than I tow with it. A 1/2 ton with five 55 gallon drums of oil or 30 bags of Quikrete in the back is not a pretty sight.

You are definitely talking about a different level of truck with that semi. Lol I just expect that a 3/4 will ride a bit rough like a truck should. My wife drives a 1/2 and it definitely rides softer than my 3/4 but it works for her. It rarely gets anything loaded into it but we keep it around in case I need to tow my cargo trailer with it. Other than that it is just her daily driver.

[Scott_Trailer_Newbe]

I had a Tundra CrewMax 5.7. Once we upgraded from a 24RKS to a 28RL, I was really feeling the difference. Sway bar, Bilstein shocks and firestone air bags made it better but wind and low cargo capacity (1,387 was the deciding factor.

I went diesel and no regrets so far. My Tundra got 15 MPG, and my RAM gets 18 MPG.

[Kelly K]

We pull a 267BHS with our 2018 Chevy 2500 HD 6.0 v8 4x4 (4 door), bought it after the TahoeXL gear ratio wasn't enough. Might be a bit much for out TT at current weight but rather have more than not enough, I personally didn't want to have to scale for weight everytime we loaded up and headed out.
Watch your gear ratio and tongue weight, along with a good hitch/sway set up (we us Blue Ox) and you will be fine. If you are light on weight might be a little choppy/ rough ride at times depending on the road conditions.
It is also my daily driver with the kiddo as well, wouldn't trade the space and easy getting the little one in and out for anything smaller (extended cab).

[TAK14Swift]

We upgraded to a 3/4 ton last year primarily due to payload concerns. For most trips my wife and I were taking, the estimated tongue weight was was approaching our 1/2 ton truck payload limitations, even with our relatively small TT. Like many have already stated, the 6.0 doesn't get great mileage, 11-13 light truck, 8-10 towing. However, that is the only downside. I have much more command of the the tow vehicle especially with braking ability. I have experienced a couple of close calls in sudden stopping situations in heavy traffic with our 1/2 ton. Stopping ability alone is worth the upgrade for us.