What truck to tow with?

[whistlepig]

If the truck is dedicated to towing the trailer a 3/4 ton would be best. But if the truck is going to be used for daily transportation a lot the 3/4 ton ride gets tiring after a while. The horse power is there these days. My first towing truck was a 1978 1/2 ton with a 5.7 liter that had 195 HP and that worked fine. My present truck is a 1/2 ton 5.3 liter with 320 HP. That works a little better.

 

[jerrybob]

I agree.....a 3/4 ton will work best for you. I have a 2003 Chevy 2500HD with a 6.0 vortec and 4.10 rear end. It drives very well....the ride is comfortable. We use it for any long trips. I pull travel trailers, car trailers w/ tractors....cars and trucks on it. Mileage is dependent on how I drive. Just completed a trip to Calif......no trailers.....got 14 to 16mpg. When pulling trailer......10 to 13mph depending on weight. I wish mileage was a little better but.......the good news.....I don't owe a penny on it. Good luck!:thumbsup:

 

[whistlepig]

Before I bought my 2007 Chevy Z71 I first test drove a 2007 Chevy 3/4 Duromax diesel. For a 3/4 ton the Duromax had a pretty decent ride. But after driving 3/4 ton pickups for twenty years straight the cushy ride of the Z71 won me over. I drive 68 miles a day back and forth to work in my Z71. At 320 HP it's not lacking in power. I don't tow as much as I used to. For a lot of towing a diesel would be my first choice. I had a Dodge Cummins diesel before I bought the 2007 Z71.

 

[suprnova]

If you're concerned with fuel economy, I would say shy away from the v10's. We have a few of the Triton V10's we use for work and just going down the highway they drink gasoline like no ones business. My personal daily driver is a 2006 Ram quad cab long bed with the Cummins. Even with 4.10 gears, 4x4 and 315/70R17, I can manage 21.1 mpg empty at 55-65 on non-level ground with the right tune. At 70-75 though it drops considerably. My last trip from Ca to TX I averaged about 74mph and 15.7 mpg, that was through 600 miles of epic dust storm though.

I will say this about the Dodges though, I'm considering throwing away my fuel economy simply for the comfort of a new one. Unless you've never played sports, lifted heavy objects and have a perfect spine and hips, a 3rd gen Dodge is possibly the most uncomfortable set of seats there are. At least the cloth seats. At only 68,000 miles, my cloth seats are already worn down so much I can feel the metal frame when I sit on them (and I weigh 165 lbs).

 

[PsRumors]

Out of all the diesel trucks I've had the 2003 Dodge 3/4 ton cc short bed 4x4 6 speed got the best fuel mileage at 19mpg empty and 15mpg pulling a trailer that weighed about 8k lbs. It had 4.10 gears and I ran 35" tires. The problem was with the truck itself, not very well built.

 

[Soundguy]

But if the truck is going to be used for daily transportation a lot the 3/4 ton ride gets tiring after a while. .

really? you guys really feel the diff in a 150/250 or 1500/2500? I have been driving a 3/4t for my day job since 04. during that time i had a personal truck.. a 1/2t dodge ( 98 ). both 4x4. the 4x4 trucks seem to feel t he same to me. 2x4 trucks do feel a lil different though. my wife has a ykon 1500 4x4.. honestly.. it feels / handles more lile my 1 ton f350 than the 1/2 ton i used to have or the 3/4 t i drive at work. guess my butt ain't calibrated fine enough..

maybee my butt has been planted in a metal pan seat on t he back of a 60-70 year old tractor too long to notice the difference between 3/4 ton and half ton. I will say that a 1+ ton vs a half ton is a different feel. if I had to describe the difference.. I'd say it feels safer..

 

[PsRumors]

really? you guys really feel the diff in a 150/250 or 1500/2500? I have been driving a 3/4t for my day job since 04. during that time i had a personal truck.. a 1/2t dodge ( 98 ). both 4x4. the 4x4 trucks seem to feel t he same to me. 2x4 trucks do feel a lil different though. my wife has a ykon 1500 4x4.. honestly.. it feels / handles more lile my 1 ton f350 than the 1/2 ton i used to have or the 3/4 t i drive at work. guess my butt ain't calibrated fine enough..

maybee my butt has been planted in a metal pan seat on t he back of a 60-70 year old tractor too long to notice the difference between 3/4 ton and half ton. I will say that a 1+ ton vs a half ton is a different feel. if I had to describe the difference.. I'd say it feels safer..

Some of it depends on which 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks being compared. I think all the manufacturers are now using independent front suspension with coil springs on the 1/2 tons. Stepping into a 3/4 ton or larger truck gets you a solid axle (Ford and Dodge) with coil springs but just a few years ago got leafs. GM has being using independent front suspension with torsion bars on almost all their trucks since 88 so the difference is negligible there.

I do agree with you though, the heavier trucks feel more safe.

 

[Diamondpilot]

It also depends on the roads. North of the Ohio River the roads stink. There is a big difference in my old 07 F-150 and my current 06 F-350. My 08 Titan rides better than the F-150 but not as bad as the F-350.

Chris

 

[case245]

i would just buy a 1 ton truck i own a 3500hd reg cab 6.0l 4.11 i average 12.5 mpg i have side boards 8 inches higher then my cab my truck unloaded 6600ibs you pay the same price for tags over 9000ibs gvrw i say look at around a 2000 model truck