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

[ultrarunner]

If a rental outfit, or anyone else, knows that somebody is getting themselves into a dangerous towing situation, I'd hope they'd prevent it. And if they don't, when they could, and some guy runs over me or my loved ones, I'm suing everyone involved. And that's only right.

My point is the 3/4 ton of better truck really is a line in the sand when 1/2 ton trucks are made and sold with several times the rated towing capacity of the equipment I wanted to rent.

If the yard was serious, they would evaluate each vehicle based on manufacturer's rating, load and hitch specifications...

When I worked in Austria, the registration for every vehicle clearly states the maximum towing capacity in bold print... towing a trailer is as simple as comparing the registration of the tow vehicle with the equipment to be towed...

 

[Depmandog]

A tad off topic, but it has been discussed in the thread...thought some of you might be interested.

I bought my son a new F150 4x4 SuperCrew with the ecoboost 3.5 V6 last week. Didn't plan on buying new, but 2 year old trucks with 40k miles were about the same price as the heavily discounted new units - courtesy of Ford Truck month. That and Ford extended the powertrain warranty to 5 years / 100k ...it was a no brainer.

We decided to get the ecoboost engine after tons of research. I have linked the first of 5 or 6 videos from Ford called the Ecoboost Torture test. Expressive to say the least!

http://youtu.be/ttMD-n2D_18

I will tell you...I am amazed...365 HP / 420 pounds of torque from a V6. Power off the line, turbos kick in at low RPM - you can feel them spooling at 1500 RPM. 21 mpg highway with a 36 gallon tank. That's some range.

Too bad I won't get to drive it much!!

 

[TomSeller]

Sounds like it is Ford Tough. Impressive.

 

[sd455dan]

A tad off topic, but it has been discussed in the thread...thought some of you might be interested.

I bought my son a new F150 4x4 SuperCrew with the ecoboost 3.5 V6 last week. Didn't plan on buying new, but 2 year old trucks with 40k miles were about the same price as the heavily discounted new units - courtesy of Ford Truck month. That and Ford extended the powertrain warranty to 5 years / 100k ...it was a no brainer.

We decided to get the ecoboost engine after tons of research. I have linked the first of 5 or 6 videos from Ford called the Ecoboost Torture test. Expressive to say the least!

Episode 1 Ford F 150 EcoBoost Torture Test - YouTube

I will tell you...I am amazed...365 HP / 420 pounds of torque from a V6. Power off the line, turbos kick in at low RPM - you can feel them spooling at 1500 RPM. 21 mpg highway with a 36 gallon tank. That's some range.

Too bad I won't get to drive it much!!

Maybe we can get your input on the tires? I'm wondering what these half tons come with from the factory. If it's not to much trouble, Would you mind posting the specs including load range?? And the GCWR, your truck seems to fit the high powered Eco boost that is what everyone has been discussing. That does sound like a blast to drive-with that much power probably give a few old muscle cars fits 0-60 and with much better mileage.

 

[Depmandog]

Maybe we can get your input on the tires? I'm wondering what these half tons come with from the factory. If it's not to much trouble, Would you mind posting the specs including load range?? And the GCWR, your truck seems to fit the high powered Eco boost that is what everyone has been discussing. That does sound like a blast to drive-with that much power probably give a few old muscle cars fits 0-60 and with much better mileage.

I sure will. My son is at college, but is planning on coming home tonight or tomorrow. I will get the specs and post here. Honestly, I am not sure if they put LT or P tires on This particular dealer orders all his trucks "models" spec'd with with the same options. For instance their ecoboost trucks have the 7,200 GVWR option, tow package (brake controller, trailer sway control and receiver) rear camera, rear sensors.

Ours is a 3.55 with electronic locking rear differential. Will post the other specs later.

 

[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.

I noticed this on another thread now check the listed tire inflation (35psi) someone correct me if I'm wrong , but shouldn't the pressure be closer to 80 psi If this truck is going to pull an 11,000 lbs.+ trailer, those air pressure #s look like passenger car inflation pressures?? I just want everyone to be safe especially towing at max weights... Now if i'm wrong on this assumption that all trucks that are going to tow 10,000+lbs. should have 10 ply rated, load range E tires. Please set me straight. I just don't want anyone to have an accident due to tire overloading

 

[Dmace]

Tire pressure and load ratings are more important when talking payload not tow capacity. When towing 11k lbs the tires may see 1100-1500 lbs of tongue weight. Hardly enough to require 10 ply tires.

I will add though that the sticker clearly list P rated tires which is ridiculous. That truck should have LT tires.

 

[Renze]

ITs like GEICO not insuring Mustangs years ago. Mustangs were black listed and they didnt care if you were a 70 year old lady and the mustang had a 4 cylinder engine. If it was a mustang, they would not insure it. Why? They told me it was because the type who bought them (teenagers) had too many wrecks and it was easier just to blacklist all Mustangs than argue who drives how.

A VW Golf is very expensive to insure over here. Because the type of drivers you refer to: Wannabe macho kids wearing baseball caps the wrong way.
When i discarded my Volvo 440 (small family car, predecessor of the S40 and V40) after my boss hit it with the 5th wheel trailer on the parking lot, and bought my first 850, i payd the same insurance despite the 850 being 400kg heavier. Assumably the typical driver of larger older Volvos doesnt get involved in damage that often... ?

 

[jejeosborne]

I noticed this on another thread<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=310808"/> now check the listed tire inflation (35psi) someone correct me if I'm wrong , but shouldn't the pressure be closer to 80 psi If this truck is going to pull an 11,000 lbs.+ trailer, those air pressure #s look like passenger car inflation pressures?? I just want everyone to be safe especially towing at max weights... Now if i'm wrong on this assumption that all trucks that are going to tow 10,000+lbs. should have 10 ply rated, load range E tires. Please set me straight. I just don't want anyone to have an accident due to tire overloading

Yes, that is my sticker. I agree, I would benefit from LT tires. They were an option with the HD package but it would have forced me into a 6.5' bed with the SCREW cab. These passenger tires to cover my axle ratings at max pressure. Here is my sidewall. These tires cover me up to my 11,300 towing capacity. When replacement time comes around, I will probably opt for P tires again for my needs.

 

[Dmace]

So do you run those tires at 44 psi or the Ford recommended 35?
Those tires are not gonna take your axle rating at 35 psi for long. Looks like Ford is asking for another Explorer/Firestone class action suit by cheaping out in important areas...

 

[Gator6x4]

It's just like everything else in this country. REGULATIONS!!!!! BECAUSE - There are too many dumb azzes that dont have a ounce of common sense that go out and hurt or kill some innocent people by grossly exceeding gvw and or gvcw and think nothing of it until their load just demolished a family in a minivan.

What do you mean??? All the guys in the watering hole said I am good to go for towing a 24 foot trailer with a 25000 pound weight with my six cylinder short bed Ford Truck. They even said I should get 30 MPG while towing, claim they do it all the time, NO PROBLEM.

 

[jejeosborne]

So do you run those tires at 44 psi or the Ford recommended 35?
Those tires are not gonna take your axle rating at 35 psi for long. Looks like Ford is asking for another Explorer/Firestone class action suit by cheaping out in important areas...

Yes sir! Same thing with all my trailer tires.

I am very **** about tire pressures. I lower them down in winter unless towing but keep them up the other 9 months.

This is not a ford specific issue but I see you want to make it one.

 

[Dmace]

Yes sir! Same thing with all my trailer tires.

I am very **** about tire pressures. I lower them down in winter unless towing but keep them up the other 9 months.

This is not a ford specific issue but I see you want to make it one.

So why doesn't Ford recommend the proper air pressure for the loads it rates it's trucks for? Typical Ford over-rating...
Good to know some people know not to trust most specs.

 

[jejeosborne]

So why doesn't Ford recommend the proper air pressure for the loads it rates it's trucks for? Typical Ford over-rating...
Good to know some people know not to trust most specs.

Lets see your door sticker and tire sidewall assuming they are stock.

 

[sd455dan]

Yes sir! Same thing with all my trailer tires.

I am very **** about tire pressures. I lower them down in winter unless towing but keep them up the other 9 months.

This is not a ford specific issue but I see you want to make it one.

OOH boy -I've gone and done it now, I was not trying to start a Ford, Chevy war here.
But it just seems odd that ANY truck with a high tow rating, and fairly high payload would actually put a P rated tire on a vehicle that potentially could be used for (example) to say move a family on a long trip through the desert heat, fully loaded with a loaded trailer, those sidewalls are going to get hot (4 ply rated?) especially if run at the sticker specified 35 psi. It would make me somewhat nervous after running close to 70mph for hours in the heat, then descending a mountain grade- with the brakes on, wheels begin to get hot sidewalls will be under a lot of stress flexing keeping the speed down and loaded to max rating this just sounds like a recipe for an accident..
As far as the Firestone tires go - I think the blow out part rests mostly on Firestone , anybody old enough to remember the Firestone (500)? how many people were killed by those tires-they would separate the tread and then boom, tire shrapnel.
Now I will probably take heat for this, but- if most of the readers of this worked at a rental yard and someone shows up with a a truck, with what can be called car tires, would you let them rent a heavy piece of equipment and drive away with it... I can see why they might put a blanket policy in place, to exclude 1/2 ton trucks...

 

[Dmace]

Lets see your door sticker and tire sidewall assuming they are stock.

Difference is Dodge doesn't market my truck as "Heavy Duty" or give it ridiculous payload ratings that might max out it's components.
Funny your "HD" package truck has a weaker front axle (by 300 lbs) than my 9 year old "regular" truck and the rear axle is only rated 150lbs more. The Dodge/GM trucks may look weaker on paper compared to an overrated Ford but that's because they under rate their trucks.

 

[brain55]

Difference is Dodge doesn't market my truck as "Heavy Duty" or give it ridiculous payload ratings that might max out it's components.
Funny your "HD" package truck has a weaker front axle (by 300 lbs) than my 9 year old "regular" truck and the rear axle is only rated 150lbs more. The Dodge/GM trucks may look weaker on paper compared to an overrated Ford but that's because they under rate their trucks.
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=310867"/>

Omg, shut up already

 

[Soundguy]

i go by tire specs.. not door jamb specs for airing tires? what's everyone else use. i knew we already have some responses to this.. etc..

 

[brain55]

i go by tire specs.. not door jamb specs for airing tires? what's everyone else use. i knew we already have some responses to this.. etc..

Tire specs

 

[Dmace]

I go about 2-4 psi under the tire specs. The door specs are recommended from the manufacturer for the best ride and tire wear combo. Constantly running at the tire spec max will cause excessive wear in the center of the tire.