Who is towing with a 1/2 ton? Opinions?

[Haggar]

Curious who is towing with a half ton pickup, what your setup it: trailer, vehicle/loads being towed, etc.

I'm looking to buy a truck this summer, and want to keep my options open.


These days, 1/2 tons are getting to the point that their capacites are similar to 3/4 tons for just a few years back. The nissan titan sports a Dana 60 rear with optional e-locker. The F-150 can be had with a sterling 10.25 rear. Most of the 1/2 tons offer at least 300, up to 350 or so. Stronger trannys, bigger brakes, etc..


Realistically, my towing load will be 5000lbs with my toyota, and 4000 lbs with my flatfender, which isn't all that much.


opinions? pics? Details? Glad to see them!

[KaiserJeep]

I tow with a 1994 Chevy Blazer (full size) 4x4 half ton with a 6.5L turbo diesel. I have towed full size vans and trucks, jeeps, 20' trailer full of railroad ties, my dad's 32' Sea Ray Sundancer with twins, etc and it has peformed well on all. I have hauled my YJ to westbranch from Whitehall and an XJ back from west branch to Grand Haven while my YJ was driven by the owner of the broke XJ back home. Hauling I got 14.8 on the way up loaded with the YJ and 17.8 on the way back with the XJ on the trailer while I was drafting another XJ. I am very happy with the truck and would recomend it to anyone for towing. I do have the weight distribution hitch on it now, I did not for the west branch trip. The load spread makes it tow even nicer.

[hosejockey4506]

when i first got my drivers license i drove a half ton dodge pick up for 3 years. they tow just fine. it seems like 90 percent of the people who by 3/4 or 1 ton pickups dont need them at all other than the bling factor. i really dont understand why people will pay 8 k more for a truck and only really use them for what a half ton pick up will handle.

ok rant off

[Haggar]

I agree with you, hosejockey. I've had a lot of experience towing(I don't have it anymore, but used to have a class a CDL with tanker and doubles endorsements, and drove 70-100klb combos while landscaping)

I previously had a 3/4 myself, and used it heavy for construction work on my house, but, I also didn't have a trailer then. With a trailer, anything that would be THAT heavy, I prefer the lower deck height of the trailer, anyway.

for example, I loaded 44 10ft long wolmazined 4x4s in there. that would put a hurt on 1/2 ton, but a 1/2 ton with a trailer would be fine.


My hopeful long term wheeler will be a 4 cyl flattie, so nothing heavy at all.

[mrclean]

I run an 02 Silverado with a 5.3 and an auto. Use a standard length dovetail trailer and pull a 97 TJ. Works fine, tows great, never any problems. Gas mileage isn't that bad either.

[Haggar]

Hows the mileage for normal daily driving?

[Roadhouse]

Originally Posted by Haggar

These days, 1/2 tons are getting to the point that their capacites are similar to 3/4 tons for just a few years back. The nissan titan sports a Dana 60 rear with optional e-locker. The F-150 can be had with a sterling 10.25 rear. Most of the 1/2 tons offer at least 300, up to 350 or so. Stronger trannys, bigger brakes, etc..

Jason, I've never heard this. Last I knew the Nissan Titan had D44 rear, and F150' come with Sterling 9.75" rear. But they do both have a towing capacity around 9500lbs. A 1500 Chevy Crew is availible with a 6.0L and I believe the 14bolt semi floater rear iinstead of 10bolt.

[Mclovin]

I used my dads 04 Silverado and it seemed a little lacking though mainly in due to the fact it was a std. cab short box.. had the 5.3 so it enough power.. Ive used my 88 c1500 with built up 350 which towed great !!! it didnt squat near as much as the 04 did.. as for 3/4 tons... i'd rather have it than to need it. if i wana tow a big load i wana be able to do it safely..

[going-strong]

i tow with a 96 dodge ram, 5.9L, auto,
i to a normal dovetail, have halled jeeps, broncos, full size pickups, never had a problem

[Haggar]

I was just looking at 2006 F-150s, that was on fords site. They used to use the 9.75" one. According to the site they now use 10.25s.

Oops, yeah, you are right on the Titan.. :miff: me..

Yes, the 14 bolt 9.5" chevy has been under various 1/2 tons for years. Diesel 1/2 ton suburbans used them I think since the mid 90s.


All in all, just noticing how the parts are getting bigger these days. Breaks are getting big, too.

[Icebreaker88]

well I will have more info for you after the weekend. I am towing my Bronco up to the snow run with my dad's 03 F-150 for this same reason, to see how it will tow. My Bronco and trailer are almost 7k lb's, the truck an 03 Super Crew F-150 4x4 with 5.4l,Auto,3.73's is rated to tow 8200 lbs. So far the only thing towed with this truck is my dad's 69 Mach I with the same trailer and he said it did fine , but did not have the brakes hooked up then.
I put a brakes controller in it now so we will see how it does this weekend and see how it will be on fuel.

[Haggar]

I'm going to use my dad's 05 F150 to pull the toyota to canada in a few months. Thats just a 4.6 / 8ft box / regular cab 2wd. I think it'll be pretty slow. I loaded it to over the bedrails with firewood for dumping at swampjeeps house, and it was a little slow, but handled the weight pretty good..

[nixxerRsixxer]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Curious who is towing with a half ton pickup, what your setup it: trailer, vehicle/loads being towed, etc.

I'm looking to buy a truck this summer, and want to keep my options open.


These days, 1/2 tons are getting to the point that their capacites are similar to 3/4 tons for just a few years back. The nissan titan sports a Dana 60 rear with optional e-locker. The F-150 can be had with a sterling 10.25 rear. Most of the 1/2 tons offer at least 300, up to 350 or so. Stronger trannys, bigger brakes, etc..


Realistically, my towing load will be 5000lbs with my toyota, and 4000 lbs with my flatfender, which isn't all that much.


opinions? pics? Details? Glad to see them!

im thinking about picking up either a 1500 ram or a dodge dakota w/ 3.92s with a load equalization hitch and trailer brakes there shouldnt be any real issues with towing. even contemplated putting the magnum to work towing .. but with only the 3.5 and 3.07 gears its not going to realistically handle much over 3k for towing (which its rated for)..

i never thought id be a load equalization hitch bandwagoneer.. but i do have to say they work very well and well worth the price for any towing duties.. (unless of course thats me using the 3500 dually of my dads for towing my snowmobile around lol..)

[Haggar]

Talk to H8PVMNT in our group, he tows his XJ with his club cab dakota. He's on 38s with dana 44s, so its not a small XJ, either..



Some of my debate is whether I sell my XJ.

I have driven 3/4 tons as daily drivers, and its a bit old getting 11 mpg and riding like a brick.

Comparitively, every drive I drive someones 1/2 ton it feels very cushy and I think people are getting more like 15 mpg with them.

My daily driver XJ gets about 15 mpg, so, if I can get that with a truck....

[mrclean]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Hows the mileage for normal daily driving?

normal mileage is between 16-20mpg depending on how you drive it.

[Icebreaker88]

Normal mpg for my dad's 03 F-150 is about 15

[blizazer]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Realistically, my towing load will be 5000lbs with my toyota, and 4000 lbs with my flatfender, which isn't all that much.

Thats not that much. S10 blazers are rated to tow over 6000 pounds.

[CHVYPWR]

Any 1/2 ton truck is going to be perfectly capeable of towing a car/truck/trail rig on a trailer or flat towing. If I could tow cars all over the lower half of Michigan with with a 2.8 powered XJ for 3 years, any half ton truck will do the job too I currently tow with my GMC Canyon 4x4. The 5cyl has plenty of power to tow everything I've had to pull so far. It pulls mid-sized cars almost like thier not even there.

[Haggar]

I've never had much trouble with either cars, or flat towing or dollies. Its once it gets up on a flatbed that it turns into a parachute..

Good post, though, glad to hear others experiences.. keep em coming!

[ksejeeper]

You won't have any problems towing with a 1/2 ton. Get sway bars for the trailer it will greatly help out with the trailer on the road. I have a Gmc sierra with the 5.3 if you go with Gm find one with tow/haul mode it helps out taking off it keeps it in first and second gear longer. When you go to buy look for a Ext cab or 8 ft bed reg cab the longer wheel base helps out towing I kinda wish I woudl ahve found a ext cab with 8 ft bed