Half ton truck?

[homer1959]

You can justify a f350 since you work with it ... but most of us goes on vacation once or twice per years .. its hard to justify a 350 for grocery getter 80% of the time �� but i understand your point.

[Jaycat25]

2019 RAM 1500 Bighorn towing 2024 Jayco 25RB here. Setup was taxing rear suspension pretty well. Wifey even complained she didn’t like the way the rig looked going down the road. Truck still handled very well with weight distribution setup. Recently put on a set of Timberin Rear Suspension assist springs on truck and viola. Truck now sits mostly level, and ride quality is still excellent. We live in Valley and ridge providence in East Tennessee.Am still amazed at how well our 1500 handles the elevation changes with 30 foot rig.

[TAK14Swift]

Originally Posted by Dave A

I would still go with a 3/4 ton. Suspension is better, brakes are heavier and the drive train can handle more stress with less repairs. I used to tow a 7500lbs trailer for work, used a 1/2 ton for a while and replaced brakes and a pinion gear in the rear end. Went to a 3/4 ton and no problems. I did put about 50,000 miles a year on them, pretty sure that was a factor.

After looking at the numbers again and all the valuable responses, it is clear I could tow with a properly configured 1/2 ton. However, my preference would to get a newer 3/4 ton.

I really appreciate this forum and all those that are willing to share their experiences and input. Thanks.

[TaftCoach]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

, and now towing with an F150 SC 3.5L V6 twin turbo and max-tow package. This one tows the best so far, in my opinion.

I have the same set up and the same experience. That 3.5. twin turbo pulls better from a stop than any V8 I've driven. And not going to lie, I love the pro back up assist. To me it's like an automatic and power steering. I don't need them, but it makes life easy.

[Jerry713]

Originally Posted by TAK14Swift

After looking at the numbers again and all the valuable responses, it is clear I could tow with a properly configured 1/2 ton. However, my preference would to get a newer 3/4 ton.

I really appreciate this forum and all those that are willing to share their experiences and input. Thanks.

I think you will be happy with that decision. Plus the prices are almost the same between half ton and 3/4 tons nowadays.

[Arndog]

I had a 2014 Ford F150 with the 3.5L twin turbo V6. It had a trailer tow package. It had a towing capacity of 9,800#. When you are looking at a specific truck that you like, just go on the internet with the VIN# and check to see what the towing capacity is and what options it has. Then you will know if it can pull you TT.

[Jerry713]

Originally Posted by Arndog

I had a 2014 Ford F150 with the 3.5L twin turbo V6. It had a trailer tow package. It had a towing capacity of 9,800#. When you are looking at a specific truck that you like, just go on the internet with the VIN# and check to see what the towing capacity is and what options it has. Then you will know if it can pull you TT.

Welcome to the forum.

You can use the manufacturer’s listed towing rating for a half ton truck as a basis of what travel trailer might be able to safely tow but you cannot use the full listed towing weight to determine that. If your 2014 is rated to tow 9800 lbs. You need to subtract at least 20% and some say 25% from that weight rating number of 9800 to determine the safe tow rating for travel trailers. So for your rig you are looking at around 7800 or maybe a little less. And of course this is contingent on having a quality weight distribution hitch.

The manufacturers towing ratings are not based on towing travel trailers or any trailer close to it. There’s a huge difference between towing a 7800 lb 30’ long travel trailer that’s 11 feet tall and a 16’ flatbed with 9800 lbs of 4’ tall water tanks that are evenly distributed.

[TaftCoach]

Originally Posted by Jerry713

I think you will be happy with that decision. Plus the prices are almost the same between half ton and 3/4 tons nowadays.

I've been looking and seeing about a $20,000 difference between comparable trim levels in F150 and F250. Plus local dealers don't seem as eager to move the SuperDuty. Maybe I need to negotiate harder.

[Jerry713]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

I've been looking and seeing about a $20,000 difference between comparable trim levels in F150 and F250. Plus local dealers don't seem as eager to move the SuperDuty. Maybe I need to negotiate harder.

I can see that. With the economy in limbo and interest rates still high there’s more dealer incentives on 1/2 tons since that’s their bread and butter. TFL truck just posted a video on cheapest trucks. Of course the prices were regionally but, for example they showed a 2024 F-150 XL package with STX 2 wheel drive with 2.7 liter Ecoboost for $52k and change. Pretty base model with some features. You can get an equally equipped 2024 Chevy 2500 with 6.6 gas engine 2 wheel drive for around $53k. I will admit Chevy 2500’s are considerably less than F250’s.

Dealer lots in my area are full. The Chevy dealer by my house has been parking vehicles in a grass field behind their facility. They just added road base additions so they could park more vehicles on. They’re just not selling many vehicles. Interest rates no doubt are impacting sales but some of it is these outrageous sticker prices. I’ve already decided I probably will never buy another brand new vehicle again as a result of these outrageous prices that are going to get worse.

[Old and soft]

I've seen a 10 to 20 k price difference between used gas and deisel f250's. The lowest price ones are white 6.2 xl's. After driving white service trucks for 30 years, white is a deal breaker. So is an xl. That blue jean metalic one I picked up sure is purdy.

[JKyle]

Originally Posted by Jerry713

I can see that. With the economy in limbo and interest rates still high there’s more dealer incentives on 1/2 tons since that’s their bread and butter. TFL truck just posted a video on cheapest trucks. Of course the prices were regionally but, for example they showed a 2024 F-150 XL package with STX 2 wheel drive with 2.7 liter Ecoboost for $52k and change. Pretty base model with some features. You can get an equally equipped 2024 Chevy 2500 with 6.6 gas engine 2 wheel drive for around $53k. I will admit Chevy 2500’s are considerably less than F250’s.

Dealer lots in my area are full. The Chevy dealer by my house has been parking vehicles in a grass field behind their facility. They just added road base additions so they could park more vehicles on. They’re just not selling many vehicles. Interest rates no doubt are impacting sales but some of it is these outrageous sticker prices. I’ve already decided I probably will never buy another brand new vehicle again as a result of these outrageous prices that are going to get worse.

Back in August of 2023 I picked up a 2023 F-150 2.7L 4x4 EcoBoost with tow package and payload package, 3.73.

10,100 tow 1,900 haul. This combo rare to find in the XL level. I really wanted the 3.5L but anything I found was all decked out, usually an XLT with all kinds of crap I was not interested in paying for, with a price $15,000+ more.

I searched the state before buying and found nothing on that level/price point with comparable tow/haul capability.

I bought mine for around $45,500 in CT. I only tow locally and several times a year. If I were doing more long haul towing, I'd have gone bigger, likely in a used model. I still scan the papers, curious; looking for anything more capable. Since, I have only found a single used F-150 model with the same tow capability, 3.5L in the XLT for more than I paid for mine, new. And NONE of them are the very cool (to me) 'Area 51 Blue' color.

I use my truck as a daily driver and still go to work full time. It is really a pleasure to drive. I moved into it having previously owned 5 Subaru Outbacks over the past years, the last one being a Touring model with every available option. I can say with all honestly, I have in the Ford XL with a few options, most of what I had in the Subaru, minus the heated seats and adaptive cruise. I don't miss them as much since my Ford seats are cloth and not cold when you sit on them at 5am, 8 degrees, in January.

What I miss MOST? My Subaru Outback Touring had a front camera toggle button on the dash. I REALLY liked being able to see how close I was to a wall or pulling into a space. In the truck I'm still overestimating my clearance when pulling in, as it's tough for me to get used to.

[Skyline]

Believe it or not a 2022 Chevrolet COLORADO has a max tow weight of 7,700 lbs. The actual towing capacity depends of course on how it’s equipped. I don’t know about the 2024 model.

[TAK14Swift]

Originally Posted by Skyline

Believe it or not a 2022 Chevrolet COLORADO has a max tow weight of 7,700 lbs. The actual towing capacity depends of course on how it’s equipped. I don’t know about the 2024 model.

The limitation on a lot of 1/2 ton trucks towing an RV is payload, not towing capacity. Just looking at the payload on the 2024 Colorado, its between 1,000 - 1650 lbs. The tongue weight of the TT (usually 10-15% ) is applied to the payload. That 7,700 may work on the perfect trailer with no tongue weight.

[TaftCoach]

My F150 payload is just under 2,000 pounds. That sounds like a lot but I hit 1,200 in a blink of the eye. Then start tossing in a small inverter generator, propane tank for outdoor cooking, some outdoor gear and I start to think I might have to leave my wife behind.

[Jerry713]

Originally Posted by TAK14Swift

The limitation on a lot of 1/2 ton trucks towing an RV is payload, not towing capacity..

On paper and in the legal world yes. In reality it is more based on how the truck is set up/equipped suspension wise, wheelbase, etc. Not saying to ignore payload but there are many other factors that are just as important. At least when talking an a 1/2 ton or mid-size truck.

[JKyle]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

My F150 payload is just under 2,000 pounds. That sounds like a lot but I hit 1,200 in a blink of the eye. Then start tossing in a small inverter generator, propane tank for outdoor cooking, some outdoor gear and I start to think I might have to leave my wife behind.

SAME! I have a sister who will often say 'You can put 'this or that' in the truck." I remind her, the truck is to haul THE CAMPER, my daughter, myself, our side by side tandem 3 wheeled bicycle and my EcoFlow Pro generator. Not much else is going in. I tell her, "Haul your own crap."

Like you said, that 1,900 payload gets eaten up in an instant.

[spoon059]

Originally Posted by TAK14Swift

After looking at the numbers again and all the valuable responses, it is clear I could tow with a properly configured 1/2 ton. However, my preference would to get a newer 3/4 ton.

I really appreciate this forum and all those that are willing to share their experiences and input. Thanks.

I think that's an intelligent choice. I think I read that you also want a gas truck, correct?

Ford has the 6.2 and 7.3 gas engine, I believe both come with a 10 speed transmission. I've talked to several people with the 7.3 and they LOVE them. The 10 speed always knows where you want to be and always keeps you in the powerband, no hunting for gears, no sudden downshifts to 2nd gear to pull a hill at 5500 rpm, etc.

My FIL has the Chevy 6.0 gas engine since 2011 and LOVES it. Engine has been around for a long time and is strong and reliable. I believe Chevy has the 10 speed trans now too.

Ram has the 6.4 gas engine. My friend had one a couple years ago, but the rear axle was only a 3.73 or something like that. Towing his trailer, it struggled to get in the right gear for pulling hills and was always dropping a couple gears and revving hard. He has test driven a truck with the 4.10 or 4.30 (can't remember which one it is) and LOVED it, but he was impulsive and bought the 3.73 and hated it.

Honestly low, at your weights, and 3/4 ton gas engine/trans/rear end combo will do just fine. That bigger frame, stronger brakes, heavier tires, better cooling system, stronger suspension, etc will serve you very well. That truck will simply tow a LOT better than a half ton, and do it with relative ease.

Good luck, happy hunting!

[TAK14Swift]

Yes I am looking for gas, probably another 6.0. I have noticed though that it seems that the 3.73 gearing seems very common on the Chevy 2500s. This is what the gearing is on my current 2008 6.0 2500. I honestly don’t have a good understanding of the gearing ratio in the context of towing.

[JFlightRisk]

snip...

Originally Posted by TAK14Swift

I honestly don’t have a good understanding of the gearing ratio in the context of towing.

Here's a couple of short and sweet explanations from the interweb thingy.

" A lower (numerically higher) gear ratio provides more low-speed wheel torque, which makes it easier to get the vehicle moving when pulling a trailer or carrying a load of passengers and cargo. Lower gears also improve acceleration up to about 60mph."

"How does gear ratio affect towing?
The lower the number, the better fuel economy, and the higher the number the more towing power you have, but fuel economy suffers. For instance, a 3:31 gets better fuel economy than a 3:73. On the other hand, a 3:73 or perhaps a 4:10 will tow much more, while fuel economy greatly drops."

[homer1959]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

snip...

Here's a couple of short and sweet explanations from the interweb thingy.

" A lower (numerically higher) gear ratio provides more low-speed wheel torque, which makes it easier to get the vehicle moving when pulling a trailer or carrying a load of passengers and cargo. Lower gears also improve acceleration up to about 60mph."

"How does gear ratio affect towing?
The lower the number, the better fuel economy, and the higher the number the more towing power you have, but fuel economy suffers. For instance, a 3:31 gets better fuel economy than a 3:73. On the other hand, a 3:73 or perhaps a 4:10 will tow much more, while fuel economy greatly drops."

I wonder if the difference in fuel consumption is noticeable between a 3.31 and 3.73 or 4.10 there must be something but .... anyone have this experience to share ?