Towing heavy on a 1/2 ton

[Overtaxed]

I've got an F150 and am considering getting a 14K dump trailer. The F150 is rated, the way mine's configured, for a bit less than that (12-13K, IIRC), so I'd keep it under full to stay in range, but then, start doing a little more digging and realize that's only with a weight distributing hitch. Now, I haven't used a WDH in many years; but wow, they were a total PITA the last time I used one. Nightmare getting hooked up, dropped out of alignment at times, just bad. So, unless things have changed (if so, please educate me), I'm not too keen on fitting a WDH.

So, my other option is to get a gooseneck dump trailer and put the goose in the bed. I like towing a goose, and it's easy to hitch up (which is important for me, this trailer won't be an all day thing, I'll hook up, get something, drop it, and then perhaps hook up later and go get something else the same day, not running it "always connected" like some people do).

And, of course, there's the really expensive way to do this, get a F250/350 with a goose and call it done. Overkill for me, for sure, I probably haul about 5% of the time I'm in my truck, but that'll be the end of worrying about weights and capacity. Might as well go all out and get a 8 wheel dump trailer, that'll take me over 100K for the combo to move around some rock.

You know, reading the manual, it seems to say that any trailer over 5K on a F150 needs a WDH. What the heck is that?? I've never seen a WDH on a F150 in my life that's not a long distance car hauler setup. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a dump trailer hooked up using a WDH. Is this just corporate CYA? Or do I need to really be concerned here? My truck has the max tow setup, brake controller etc, I tow my 7K landscape trailer (which, apparently, I'm doing wrong!) all the time with it.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have never seen anybody get stopped for trailering issues when driving a pickup. The time that it matters is when somebody cuts you off and you smack them... then the only thing which matters is that you weren't following the letter of the law. Rather than buying a trailer why not go out and buy a ton truck with a dump body for that occasional use; take care of it, park it inside when not in use and you will be able to get your money back when you are done with it.

 

[plowhog]

There are lots of opinions about this, but my biggest concern about towing with 1/2 ton versus something heavier duty is braking. If my 1/2 ton can only pull 40mph up a grade, well, oh well. It's a short term inconvenience. But the 1/2 ton brakes are lower capacity than bigger trucks, so that is the issue for me.

If you are comfortable with the terrain you drive on, and the load you pull, then go for it. I've towed heavy trailers over *Monitor Pass* in California with a 210hp 1/2 ton Chevy Suburban. Peak elevation along a series of mountain passes there is around 8,000 feet. I could get down to 25mph on the uphill part, and it sometimes got very concerning on the downhill part. Only once was it dangerous-- my brake controller failed so I only had the brakes on the Suburban (no trailer brakes) going down Monitor Pass. By the time I got stopped on a shoulder the right wheel was smoking so hard I was worried it would catch fire.

So, my advice is if you feel OK with your braking .. go for it.

 

[YLee Kioti]

Just because it says you can does not mean you should.

Small truck, brakes, suspension, means a 14k rated trailer loaded up will push truck around and wear out brakes sooner and not be effective in the braking arena.

This is a topic in so many forums where an owner wants to use available vehicle to tow something at or just a hair beyond.

WDH has its place and especially with a small frame truck and a heavy 14k rated trailer.
The WHD is a big help when towing a huge box shaped trailer like a RV or enclosed trailer where the winds will whip it all over the place.
An open trailer not such a big deal for sway issues.
If you need a 14k trailer for your business then at least a goose neck will place the load over the axles providing a much more stable tow then at the end of a ball.
The real solution is a F250, gasser or oil burner. Looks like for your needs a gasser would fit the bill.
Below is a link on some basics from a guy that does a good job of helping answer this kind of question.
PERFECT RV for 3/4 Ton trucks! - YouTube

 

[fried1765]

I have never seen anybody get stopped for trailering issues when driving a pickup. The time that it matters is when somebody cuts you off and you smack them... then the only thing which matters is that you weren't following the letter of the law. Rather than buying a trailer why not go out and buy a ton truck with a dump body for that occasional use; take care of it, park it inside when not in use and you will be able to get your money back when you are done with it.

I submit that the truck would be a bad/costly idea.

First there is the cost of truck registration v/s trailer registration. In your state of Maine, trailer registration is only $20/year. Truck registration in any state would be substantially more. Truck insurance for a year would be a significant expense. Trailer insurance (liability) is actually free, as it extends to the trailer from the towing vehicle. Then too there is truck maintenance v/s trailer maintenance.

A trailer is a very cost effective solution.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have a Duramax and thought I had the world by the tail. I'm not interested in getting a CVR and so the increased weight of the truck robs me of allowable towed weight. With one particular dump trailer, I can haul 500 pounds of cargo to be legal!

 

[Overtaxed]

If I went to a 250/350, I'm gonna go diesel, I won't have this problem again. But, at the same time, my uses for this are pretty limited which is why I think I might be able to "get by". The biggest thing (and heaviest) is gravel. I'm tired of paying for gravel delivery, I've already bought a dump trailer in delivery fees and see myself getting more pretty consistently as I try to reclaim the land from the red clay. So I would like to be able to go the quarry (about 15 miles) pick up ~5 tons of rock and drive it home. It's about 1/2 the cost per ton to do a pickup vs delivery, so.. Buying a dump at 5-6K, it doesn't take too many trips to the quarry before I start to approach "paid for itself", or at least "paid enough that I can sell it and wind up even" if I don't find other uses for the dump. If I had to estimate, I'd be towing maybe 1000 miles a year with the dump, 500 of them loaded close to the limit. The trip from here to quarry (or the mulch plant, another use for the dump) is about 30 miles round trip, so, 30 times a year.. 900 miles or so towing. I'm sure I'll find other uses for it, and I'd sell my landscape trailer getting the dump, so it would be used for HD runs etc, but none of that would ever get close to 10K in the dump bed.

Just don't see it making financial sense to buy a 250, it's cheaper to get it delivered forever vs the uplift to a 250 just to tow 1000 miles a year or so.

Do most people towing a 14K dump on any truck (where it's required) use a WDH? Like I said, I've never seen one on a dump trailer, I've only ever seen them on motorhomes/tag alongs and car haulers. It seems like something's fishy here, I mean, I should really have a WDH on my little 7K landscape trailer? You gotta be kidding me, I don't even feel that thing back there loaded with 5K on it, I have to keep it in mind to remember it's there so I don't take corners too quick!

 

[ning]

I'm curious about this as well. I've got a '97 F350 SRW (Powerstroke 7.3), and yes it's a 1-ton, but my guess is that a modern F150 can probably out-tow this in every way - tow capacity, braking ability - except raw weight (my truck is about 6,000lbs empty). I was considering the 14k trailer bit as well, until I realized that there's a reason why the 14k is heavier rated than the 10k - it's both longer and heavier built, meaning it's substantially heavier, and the truck's only got so much tow rating that that's eating into.

 

[plowhog]

I've got a '97 F350 SRW (Powerstroke 7.3), and yes it's a 1-ton, but my guess is that a modern F150 can probably out-tow this in every way - tow capacity, braking ability - except raw weight (my truck is about 6,000lbs empty).

I'm not a truck expert but that would greatly surprise me. I have a 2011 GMC Duramax diesel rated to tow 17,000 lbs. Before that was a Chevy 1500 and the Suburban 1500. The GMC 3/4 ton diesel is so far beyond the capabilities of those other two it is hard to describe. Better pulling, more stable ride, better braking.

 

[RandyT]

I have never seen anybody get stopped for trailering issues when driving a pickup. The time that it matters is when somebody cuts you off and you smack them... then the only thing which matters is that you weren't following the letter of the law. Rather than buying a trailer why not go out and buy a ton truck with a dump body for that occasional use; take care of it, park it inside when not in use and you will be able to get your money back when you are done with it.

The only time I have seen pickup trucks stopped is when the trailer looked overloaded, or was just a piece of junk. But if somebody wants to research there are court cases where people have been held liable for millions because they were not using the proper towing equipment at the time of the accident. I came across a case a few months ago where a elderly woman was killed by a DUI that ran a red light, but the insurance company didn't have to pay the life insurance (court decision) because the vehicle she was riding in was towing a trailer that exceeded the towing capacity of the vehicle. And it was like a 8K trailer behind a vehicle rated for 7.5K or something like that. Toy hauler or something like that trailer.