Tow rig help

[Cole1]

So Ive been shopping around for a tow rig the last couple weeks even thou realstically I wont be getting one till next year. Ive been considering a 04-08 dodge 1500 4x4 with the 5.7 since I will be DD'ing the truck.

It would be nice to have a diesel but I cant really justify getting one since ill be driving it every day. It seems like the majorety of people on the board are usig 1 ton diesel trucks for thier tow rigs thou.

The dodge 1500 has a 10000# towing capacity and ill be using it to tow my 80 toyota so im guessing it will weigh in around 4-5 thousand including the trailer.

Am I in the wrong for wanting to use a 1/2 ton for a tow rig?


Anyone use a 1/2 ton to tow? Any input is apreciated.

Thanks, Chris

 

[KarlVP]

At the very least go 3/4 ton.

1/2 ton running gear just doesn't cut the mustard in towing situations.

 

[ain'tstuckjustresting]

I've towed my toy behind my wife's 02' Ram 1500 5.9L gas/AT and it is fine. if you don't plan on getting a camper or a heavier wheelerthe 1/2t will be fine. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade my Dmax for a 1/2t ever but they will work just fine.:awesomework:

 

[zukkev]

So Ive been shopping around for a tow rig the last couple weeks even thou realstically I wont be getting one till next year. Ive been considering a 04-08 dodge 1500 4x4 with the 5.7 since I will be DD'ing the truck.

It would be nice to have a diesel but I cant really justify getting one since ill be driving it every day. It seems like the majorety of people on the board are usig 1 ton diesel trucks for thier tow rigs thou.

The dodge 1500 has a 10000# towing capacity and ill be using it to tow my 80 toyota so im guessing it will weigh in around 4-5 thousand including the trailer.

Am I in the wrong for wanting to use a 1/2 ton for a tow rig?


Anyone use a 1/2 ton to tow? Any input is apreciated.

Thanks, Chris

Diesels get better mileage than gassers as a general rule for one, and FWIW I bet your wheeler weighs more, as my Sami sitting on the trailer weighs right at 5K....bet your truck and trailer would be more like 6K; Yes, a 1/2T will work, but you'll be much happeir with a diesel...go at least 3/4T as Karl said...eventually you'll want to spread yer wings and at least pick up a small camper for weekend trips...

 

[Cole1]

Thanks for the input, I really wish JP was selling his dodge 2500 in a year and not now:booo: It looks like a really nce truck and is more what im after.

I dont plan on towing anything more than my toyota so i was thinking the strain would be more in the tranny for a 1/2 ton. I live in North Bend and I planned on towing over to funny rocks(over I90) and Elb(over HWY 18) so the tranny is what is concerning me about getting a 1/2 ton.

 

[zukkev]

I didn't plan on towing anything more than the sami on the trailer...but things change! When I head over the hump I end up with the sami, a tote of shaved ice (1K lbs!!), plus spare parts/tools/coolers etc on the trailer (yes I could use a 10K trailer!!!:redneck::haha, plus a 9.5ft S&S camper loaded on the truck!

 

[fj401ton]

your rig and trailer combo weighs more than 5k. probably 4500 rig and 15 to1800 fro trailer.
my old 1/2 ton pulled just fine until I blew the r/p and then 2 years later did the same thing, needless to say buy a 3/4 ton or 1 ton and not have as many worries.

 

[Lucky Jeff]

Why don't you want to DD a diesel? Really short commute?

 

[Jeepasaurusrex]

I DD my Diesel every day. It is so nice having more truck then needed. Every year you see the idiots with 1/2 tons trying to tow travel trailers just because some marketing propaganda says the truck will tow it. How about stopping the load? How about handling the load in an emergency? None of that is covered in the truck ads. I love towing my 26' Wilderness travel trailer with my truck. I never have to worry about my running gear not handling the load, or being afraid of emergency stops.:corn:

 

[angelfly]

I DD my Diesel every day. It is so nice having more truck then needed. Every year you see the idiots with 1/2 tons trying to tow travel trailers just because some marketing propaganda says the truck will tow it. How about stopping the load? How about handling the load in an emergency? None of that is covered in the truck ads. I love towing my 26' Wilderness travel trailer with my truck. I never have to worry about my running gear not handling the load, or being afraid of emergency stops.:corn:

So so true!!!! I have a 1/2ton 95 saburban that i have towed with before, on flat smooth ground with little traffic it is fine. . . But any sticky situations and it becomes very scary!!!

Lost my brakes coming over the pass this last summer, just hauling a trailer with furniture and random housing things. . . brakes couldnt take it, I actually ended up melting the pads to the rotor

Id rather haul sumthing with my 77 3/4ton then ever again risk haulin with a halfton:awesomework:

 

[TrikeKid]

So so true!!!! I have a 1/2ton 95 saburban that i have towed with before, on flat smooth ground with little traffic it is fine. . . But any sticky situations and it becomes very scary!!!

Lost my brakes coming over the pass this last summer, just hauling a trailer with furniture and random housing things. . . brakes couldnt take it, I actually ended up melting the pads to the rotor

No trailer brakes?

It's a matter of how often and how much you tow that would decide it for me. If it's occasionally, and just your rig, a half may be fine, but if it's every weekend the step to a 3/4 is negligible price wise if you're looking at a gasser anyway, and gives you and over all stouter rig.

The thing with DDing a diesel is yeah, a few mpg better, but fuel is more expensive, and maintaining them is more expensive.

 

[Flat-Bed_3rd_Gen]

The 1/2 ton With the hemi will work just fine if it has the mds system and the 45rfe trans. The 45rfe trans is great for pulling hills because of the 2.5 gear that it has for highway kick-down. The 45rfe is also a little less tempermentle than the 48re. As for braking shouldn't you trailer have brakes? Any truck trying to stop a truck trailer and truck combo would have problems if doing it by itself... If you really worried about dd'ing a diesel then you could find a 3/4 or 1 ton with a hemi and be fine as well

 

[Lucky Jeff]

I would trust the brakes on a new half ton before any previous body style diesel's brakes...

A new half ton will handle it. But the benefits of a 3/4 or 1 ton diesel are definitely worth the extra cost.

 

[Cole1]

Why don't you want to DD a diesel? Really short commute?

I live about 5 min from my work so yeah its a pretty short commute. I plan on having a trailer with trailer brakes to help with stoping. Ive been thinking about the emergency stops and the braking of a 1/2 ton but personally have no experiance with one besides the couple times I towed a little pop up trailer with my dads f150. Ive towed my truck with my buddys 01' power stoke and it felt like there was no trailer at all behind the truck which I really liked and of course the stopping power was nice.

My main thing about looking into a 1/2 ton is the cost of one compard to a diesel. Ive always had the older trucks(85' 3/4 chev and an 86' K5) and im getting tired of having to worry about them on longer drives and having to work on them which is the reason I want to get a newer truck.

Ideally it would be nice if the GF's dad wanted to sell his 00' power stroke next year since he has been looking into a newer one but ill have to wait and see what happens there.

 

[Lucky Jeff]

Short commutes are horrible for diesels.. It would definitely be a big part of my decision.

 

[Cole1]

Yeah I didnt think about it untill a guy I work with was saying how he hates drivi ng his power stroke to work since he is so close (4 houses down form me) He has a push button start thou so at least he can let it warm up.

Luckey Jeff-
Are there anyother reasons diesels are bad for a short commute besides letting it warm up?

 

[Lucky Jeff]

Yeah I didnt think about it untill a guy I work with was saying how he hates drivi ng his power stroke to work since he is so close (4 houses down form me) He has a push button start thou so at least he can let it warm up.

Luckey Jeff-
Are there anyother reasons diesels are bad for a short commute besides letting it warm up?

They get horrible mileage for the commute because of it. But will be normal again on regular drives. Other then that, no.

 

[unclestripey]

No trailer brakes?

It's a matter of how often and how much you tow that would decide it for me. If it's occasionally, and just your rig, a half may be fine, but if it's every weekend the step to a 3/4 is negligible price wise if you're looking at a gasser anyway, and gives you and over all stouter rig.

The thing with DDing a diesel is yeah, a few mpg better, but fuel is more expensive, and maintaining them is more expensive.

Fuel doesn't cost that much more, and a diesel engine's longevity is 2 or 3 times that of a gas motor. If you're planning on keeping the truck for awhile, a diesel is the way to go. However Jeff's right, I wouldn't use it to commute if I lived less than 20 or 30 minutes from work.

 

[Binder]

The factory may tell you the truck can tow the weight but how long do you think it will last doeing it? The truck is not up to the task more than just once in a while and you will wear it out fast.

 

[Bobbo3234]

I have been towing my rig with an 1/2 ton for a while now. For fairly flat tips it isn't too bad but would be really nervous to be taking it over a pass or any really long distances. I got an F-150 primarily because it was my DD and still needed to be able to get around town, deal with parking garages, etc. Looking back I wish I just grabbed a decent 3/4 ton or 1-ton truck w/ a little beater to get around in. I am now considering about getting rid of the F-150 and going the bigger.