Rental Yards here now require 3/4 ton truck or better when towing.

[sd455dan]

All trucks including 2500 series require a weight distribution hitch above a certain limit. Some 3/4 ton trucks have a 300 lb tongue/3000 lb limit without one. The 500/5000 limit is actually average to above average in 3/4 tons.

Unfortunately many don't realize this. I see a lot of skid steers and mini excavators being hauled behind 3/4 ton trucks without a WD hitch and 99% of them are exceeding their hitch limits. You can purchase aftermarket hitches but that doesn't change what the manual states.

Having the WD hitch spreads the tongue load across all the bolts holding the hitch on rather than just the rear bolts taking all the tension. Not to mention adding addition weight to your most important stopping axle, the front.

You are correct, towing capacities between the 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton are similar. What you gain is cargo capacity.

After a little more digging at least for the- 03 3500 Dodge srw 305 HP Cummins GCWR of 21,000 lbs. and with the class 4 receiver hitch- 10,000 lbs. trailer weight 1000 lbs. of it tongue weight. My manual does state that an equalizing hitch is required on any class 3 or 4 hitch and tongue weight above 350 lbs. Now my question is- are there older 10,000 lb. rated trailers still commonly in use, without weight distribution hitches. If so, it would seem that the One ton trucks and possibly 3/4 tons maybe can haul these older trailers reasonably? safely where a half ton can not?? Or are all 10k trailers (even old ones) built with weight distribution hitches?

 

[Rmart30]

No brakes, is that legal? If so point made.

Each state has its own laws to trailer brakes .... you would think it would be a federal issue to keep it all consistent but it isnt ... Here is a link with trailer laws by state.. This is from a 2nd hand source so Id verify it locally if any doubt

Custom Boat Trailers and Aluminum Boat Trailers and Galvanized Boat Trailers from Great Lakes Trailers

 

[Verticaltrx]

Glad to see the rental yards starting to care.

The one I used to rent from was just the opposite, they'd try to get you to tow their equipment with anything you had just to get a rental. My buddy had a '96 Jeep Cherokee and needed to rent a chipper. The rental yard rented him a good sized Bandit diesel powered chipper and insisted it only weighed 3000lbs. He was dubious based on it's 8-lug wheels but took it anyways. Said it was so heavy he had to keep it around 20-30mph to keep it under control and had to use low-range to get it started on the hills. When he was done we looked up the specs and it was close to 7000lbs, I let him borrow my F-250 to return it.

This same place also insisted it wasn't necessary to chain down a trencher I rented. "Just put the blade and the digging boom down and it'll be fine, we do it all the time" :confused2: I pulled around the block and chained it down.

 

[ptgdigger]

After a little more digging at least for the- 03 3500 Dodge srw 305 HP Cummins GCWR of 21,000 lbs. and with the class 4 receiver hitch- 10,000 lbs. trailer weight 1000 lbs. of it tongue weight. My manual does state that an equalizing hitch is required on any class 3 or 4 hitch and tongue weight above 350 lbs. Now my question is- are there older 10,000 lb. rated trailers still commonly in use, without weight distribution hitches. If so, it would seem that the One ton trucks and possibly 3/4 tons maybe can haul these older trailers reasonably? safely where a half ton can not?? Or are all 10k trailers (even old ones) built with weight distribution hitches?

A weight distributing hitch is not part of the trailer it is a special ball mount which has sockets built in for weight distributing spring bars , you then add a set of "snap up brackets" to the A frame of the trailer, the snap ups attach quickly so they could be moved from trailer to trailer if need be , then you add a set of spring bars appropriate for the weight of trailer you're pulling and set the tension when you hook up.





Ray

 

[Lt CHEG]

They do. On the 3/4 & above its 750/7500# before a WD is required.

Chris

Maybe the older HD's but not the newer ones. My 2011 has the standard 2.5" receiver hitch that comes standard on 2500 and up GM's. My hitch has a 13,000 pound limit and 1,300 pound tongue weight limit without weight distribution. I know that there was an even higher rated hitch available on some HD trucks.

As an aside I know the 2013 and up Ram HD's are being equipped with receiver hitches capable of 1,700 pounds of tongue weight without weight distribution. I believe that Ram is standardizing on the 2.5" receiver hitches as well as GM. I am pretty sure that a 2.5" receiver hitch is at least available on some F350's but I don't think it's standard. I think the 2.5" receiver hitches are all able to handle at least 1,300 pounds of tongue weight without weight distribution equipment.

 

[ultrarunner]

The 2.5" hitch came factory with my neighbors 2012 3/4 Suburban.

He makes his living traveling up and down the State towing a 22' box trailer that his tipped the scales over 12,000 pounds.

 

[Code54]

This is only required for skid steers and mini excavators at the rental I go to. Anything else is fair game. Understandably so, even though I run a dodge diesel, it's still a decent load and would be stretching a light duty truck

Same here in our area - 3/4 ton for skids or mini ex's. I had to pull 11K ONCE with a 1/2 ton (it was within the rating by a few 100 pounds - the yard messed up when they gave me the weight of the block) and it was down right scary! Even with 4 wheel trailer brakes it felt like it was pushing the trailer and everything on the truck was working hard on the hills

 

[sd455dan]

Maybe the older HD's but not the newer ones. My 2011 has the standard 2.5" receiver hitch that comes standard on 2500 and up GM's. My hitch has a 13,000 pound limit and 1,300 pound tongue weight limit without weight distribution. I know that there was an even higher rated hitch available on some HD trucks.

As an aside I know the 2013 and up Ram HD's are being equipped with receiver hitches capable of 1,700 pounds of tongue weight without weight distribution. I believe that Ram is standardizing on the 2.5" receiver hitches as well as GM. I am pretty sure that a 2.5" receiver hitch is at least available on some F350's but I don't think it's standard. I think the 2.5" receiver hitches are all able to handle at least 1,300 pounds of tongue weight without weight distribution equipment.

O.K. thanks, I think I got now , my truck just has the class 4 2"receiver hitch so 500/ 5000 no weight distribution, 1000/10000 with weight distribution installed... new trucks with the class 5 and the 2&1/2 receiver are higher... And for the 20 foot 5th wheel utility trailer that I use the most, it's really more a matter of the trailers rating - which is 12,000 lbs. then if I use a heavier duty trailer can go up to about 13500 lbs. = up to the vehicles GCWR of 21000 lbs. 13.5k+7.5k =21klbs.
With those #s in mind it still surprises me that the F 150 can tow within 2k lbs. of my one ton Dodges max ...

 

[mikehaugen]

O.K. thanks, but now This really makes me wonder what gives?? did they up- grade /change since my 03 H.D 3500 was built. -or did they just uprate the trucks
I have had my nephews 2012 2500 Hd Cummins with the new 6 speed manual up on my lift and checked it out verses my 03 3500 nv5600 they both seem to have the same AAM axles, frames as far as I can tell look the same, they both have the same class 4 hitch... Mine is set up for 5th wheel/ his has the goose neck style he will be by tomorrow, is there a major change since the 2012 models and do the changes only apply to the 2013 models

This has been my thinking for a while now. I hear a lot of people on here talking about how much better the newer 1/2 ton trucks are compared to the old ones, how they are nearing the older 3/4 ton trucks of a few years ago. Everyone will agree that many of the older trucks were rated very conservatively, and I have a feeling that manufacturers are now just rating their trucks higher.

I have done my share of work on 1/2 ton as well as 3/4 ton trucks and there is just a huge difference in how much heavier the stuff is built. Admittedly, I don't do a lot of work on newer trucks, so I kind of keep this to myself usually because I can't confirm it. I don't think they are putting dana 60/70/80 full float rear-ends into the 1/2 tons yet, not the much beefier yokes and u-joints that I see in older 3/4 tons. The tranny's might be a little better (not sure), but I don't think the transfer cases are any different. They also still use 5 lug wheels (some 6). Also, do they have the larger radiators, steering boxes (actually I know that many have gone to rack and pinion), power steering oil coolers, larger alternators that came from the factory on many 3/4 tons? Again, I don't know because I don't have a new truck, but find a lot of the hype about how much better the newer 1/2 tons are a little exaggerated. It would be hard to convince me that they are "about as good or better than the old 3/4 ton trucks". More powerful with better trans... yes, but I doubt that they are just as heavy duty- just rated higher.

I am sure I will get flamed for this, and maybe I am way off... so go ahead and educate me, maybe I need it.

 

[sd455dan]

This has been my thinking for a while now. I hear a lot of people on here talking about how much better the newer 1/2 ton trucks are compared to the old ones, how they are nearing the older 3/4 ton trucks of a few years ago. Everyone will agree that many of the older trucks were rated very conservatively, and I have a feeling that manufacturers are now just rating their trucks higher.

I have done my share of work on 1/2 ton as well as 3/4 ton trucks and there is just a huge difference in how much heavier the stuff is built. Admittedly, I don't do a lot of work on newer trucks, so I kind of keep this to myself usually because I can't confirm it. I don't think they are putting dana 60/70/80 full float rear-ends into the 1/2 tons yet, not the much beefier yokes and u-joints that I see in older 3/4 tons. The tranny's might be a little better (not sure), but I don't think the transfer cases are any different. They also still use 5 lug wheels (some 6). Also, do they have the larger radiators, steering boxes (actually I know that many have gone to rack and pinion), power steering oil coolers, larger alternators that came from the factory on many 3/4 tons? Again, I don't know because I don't have a new truck, but find a lot of the hype about how much better the newer 1/2 tons are a little exaggerated. It would be hard to convince me that they are "about as good or better than the old 3/4 ton trucks". More powerful with better trans... yes, but I doubt that they are just as heavy duty- just rated higher.

I am sure I will get flamed for this, and maybe I am way off... so go ahead and educate me, maybe I need it.

Wow I went to edit my post and you beat me to it. I just found the class 5 receiver hitch information and a lot of the 1/2 tons being able to pull these hi weights does seem to be related to this class 5 and weight distributing hitch... I do have to wonder, do the new half tons that are rated for ten k lbs.+ tow ratings utilize full floater rear axles?? that one really matters, come with the trailer brake controller standard, and (E) load rated tires... standard??