What factors Determine Tow Rating

[MR DERBY CITY]

Just take a stroll through the pits at a local points meet. That will answer all your questions regarding 1/2 ton pickups. Do you want to save money,.....or save your life....??

[Chevy55]

Your wallet is what will determine your tow vehicle. You can tow a 6000# trailer staying within reason of posted speed limits with just about any full size car or 1500 p/u. If you can afford $40,000 + you can get a new 1500 p/u with a 12,000 GVW rating.

The most important thing is a good trailer brake controller and good trailer brakes. Lousy trailer brakes will even make towing a 6000# trailer a challenge with a 3500.

[james schaechter]

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

[jmcarter]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

X2, also in one of the related threads someone mentioned the financial benefits of possibly just renting a truck for towing a trailer a few times a year. Not wanting to use my Motorhome for a quick 5,000 mile trip to pick up my new race car I rented a 3/4 Ford from Enterprise Rent a Truck and with the 6.2 gas motor it performed flawlessly for far less $ per mile than I could have done otherwise, new trucks are so pricey renting may make sense for you as well.

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by jmcarter

X2, also in one of the related threads someone mentioned the financial benefits of possibly just renting a truck for towing a trailer a few times a year. Not wanting to use my Motorhome for a quick 5,000 mile trip to pick up my new race car I rented a 3/4 Ford from Enterprise Rent a Truck and with the 6.2 gas motor it performed flawlessly for far less $ per mile than I could have done otherwise, new trucks are so pricey renting may make sense for you as well.

Good idea!
Especially for long hauls.
Not going to tow more than 6000lbs.
Save the wagon for local trips.
D

[Dustin Ward]

If you want to see the criteria that is used to determine how tow rating is actually calculated, look up "SAE J2807" on your favorite search engine.

This is the standard all auto companies use since about 2013 if my memory is correct.

"In response to the confusion that resulted when buyers wanted to compare maximum tow ratings, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has developed the J2807 set of recommended practices. The tow test procedures designed by the big brains at the SAE consist of a series of rigorous real-world challenges to determine the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of a vehicle and trailer combination."

[6130]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

Yup. I'm born and raised in the car business (although I worked in the back end, not the front end), and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have seen some coke-head car salesman blowing smoke up somebody's butt regarding this subject.

They're afraid that if they tell the customer that he would be safer towing a 3/4 ton, a one-ton, or a one-ton dually, that he'll lose his sales commission to some other coke-head car salesman down the street, when the other guy offers to sell him a half-ton pickup and a 5th wheel hitch to go with it.

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

The only person that will really push you to a 1/2 ton is a salesman with a lot full of half tons for sale! I agree, the new half tons are much better than they used to be. They might just let you drive over your head. 3/4HD and one tons are much more stable, safer braking, and will be more reliable as they age. A half ton that barely makes the grade is stressed a lot more for my comfort level.

Jim is right on the money. I would venture to guess that there isn't, and won't be, anybody who says they've used both 1/2 and 3/4 tons pickups and would be completely satisfied with a 1/2 ton. I've used 2500 HD Chevys for decades and have never, in any situation, felt I had "too much truck" for the task. I think the real truth with people who say a 1/2 ton works fine as a trailer puller is that they either don't have, or don't want to spend, the extra money.

[Dan Fahey]

Wow this got off on the deep end..

You guys changed the situation to fit your argument.
I know few Enclosed Trailers and Car that are at 7000 lbs.
Most weigh a lot more as Enclosed Trailers start at 2500 lbs.

Enclosed Trailers have aerodynamic and weigh distribution issues.
Especially when you add tools, parts, tires, extra fuel and fluids.
Then either passing or getting passed by a Tractor Trailer.

Yeah you better have something robust to handle your rig.
Again max weigh of my car and trailer is 6800 lbs.
Most of the time it is at 5650 or 5700 lbs and never an issue with wind.

I asked the question what Determines Tow Rating of a Tow Vehicle.

Closest clear comment was good Brakes, Axle.
Then another about Brake Controller and Hitch Setup.

Towing an Enclosed Trailer is a different beast.
I get it is better to have extra capacity, especially dealing with wind.

Nobody mentioned who had the better suspension.
Know that some owners add airbags to keep squat to a minimum.

Not comments about who had the best transmissions?
Little comment about engines, ie: 4.6, 5.0, 5.3 vs 6.2 or Diesel.

The Big Three are adding more Turbo Diesels.
How reliable are they over time.
How to maintain them over a gas engine?


D

[james schaechter]

All I know is that I have driven both ends of the spectrum on weight rating and the factory ratings seem to be written for flat ground normal conditions with no need for emergency braking and of course a brand new vehicle. If this fits you, read the brochure, drink the factory Kool aid and buy the cheapest one. It can certainly work in those conditions. I tend to keep my vehicles for hundreds of thousands of miles! I need more tolerance than the minimalist design for cost containment.

I have had a couple of duramax diesels and love them. The first was a 2002 LB7 stick shift that I ordered New and put 358k in before selling it. It is well over 400,000 Miles now.

The truck I have now is. 2007.5 duramax with Allison auto. Tows great, but the re-gen for the dpf is the most counter intuitive emissions solution, it burns more fuel to clean the filter. Crazy! I think we are still in the dark ages in terms of the emissions for diesels. If I was to buy a new truck, I would consider a gasser. The chevys make decent power with the 6.2.

You seem to want a half ton small engine. They make a max tow with. 300 hp 5.3 that would pull an open trailer with no issues.