75% of truck owners tow 1/year or less?

[Hay Dude]

I like vans. They’re great for carrying tools. The downside is no 4x4 and they tow bad.

I’d prefer a utility body or enclosed utility body if you really need shelter.

 

[4570Man]

I’d prefer a utility body or enclosed utility body if you really need shelter.

I’ve looked at those and I’ll probably get one eventually but I don’t really like having all the separate boxes where everything is inside the van. But they do offer 4x4 and offer better towing.

 

[Yander]

Really depends on what we are calling off road. If I said I'm taking my truck off roading, I think dry lake bottom, sand pit, clay pit, or squeezing a fulled sized truck down ATV trails. Have done all of that when I was younger with a 2500HD, now, I dont in my truck.

But, if by Off roading, they mean what I would call normal use, dirt roads, muddy WMA fire roads, a pasture, or backing a boat into a lake without a ramp; that's different.

I meant the later. I don't take my truck off road to tear it up. But anyone who uses a truck for truck things, is going off road. Into a field, yard, woods, etc. pulling a trailer is just a bonus. A surprising number of truck owners do not own a trailer, I don't see that as a bad or negative thing, just surprising. But if a truck owner just uses their truck for commuting, that is what I find funny. There are a lot more economical means of commuting. Of course, when buying a used truck, I like to see the ones that have never had a trailer hooked to them.

 

[paulsharvey]

I'm not going to spend the money for it, and I don't work out of my truck anymore, but the Decked System does seem pretty useful, for tool storage, will keeping a full sized (not full depth) bed for large items.

 

[paulsharvey]

I used to have a 5x10 landscape trailer that got me through the dry spell of not having a truck. I then upgraded in 2020 to a 6'4x16 landscape trailer, a
that honestly I didn't use more than 3 or 4 times per year for most of that time; however, I have used it probably 20 times this year, and atleast 10 times last year. That's not That much, but if I had rented a trailer, even at $50/day, each time; I'm now at break even point, and it's still worth about what I paid for it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Those cube van trucks are pretty cool. One with 4x4 would be nice on a jobsite with the ramp that slides out. You could probably get a diesel motor, too if needed.

 

[paulsharvey]

Also, my truck is 4wd, and yep, I only use it a few times per year; But if it was 2wd, I would back down to a lake with a jon boat, I'd park further away and drag it. I would avoid many of the "2 tracks" and all of that.

Not a Ford guy, But the F150 with E Locker rear end can dang near replace 4wd in many cases.

At the new place, as well as old place, during hurricanes/tropical storms, staying home is not an option; I have to be out in it, and wife is an ICU nurse, and she has to be at work, hurricane or none. I always send her in the Ram during that kinda crap. New place, has a sand/dirt drive going up a hill, that likes to wash out, and 4wd is a bit of peace of mind.

 

[paulsharvey]

Those cube van trucks are pretty cool. One with 4x4 would be nice on a jobsite with the ramp that slides out. You could probably get a diesel motor, too if needed.

As a 100% work vehicle, yes, I know guys that Love them. As a daily, eh, crap visibility, parking sucks, and does give off a bit of a creeper vibe

 

[Hay Dude]

As a 100% work vehicle, yes, I know guys that Love them. As a daily, eh, crap visibility, parking sucks, and does give off a bit of a creeper vibe

But higher load capacity than a “kidnapper” van.

 

[grsthegreat]

My work trucks have all had shells and CargoGlide bed slides. They extend 100% out of bed. hold 2200 lbs. more than enough for my work.

 

[KennyG]

Sounds like a click bait article, but the part that gets me is less than 30% have been off road in the last year. I'd guess less than 5%. Of course, to me a dirt road or gravel road is still a road. My F-150 4x4 has never been off road and I don't intend for it to be.

 

[Torvy]

People here at TBN may typically be pickup drivers. However, they are not the typical pickup driver.

There are millions of people who drive a pickup to compensate for something. They drive them to work or out on the town, but rarely put more than groceries in the bed. I used to live in a FW suburb. Lots of pilots, medical specialists and other professionals with high incomes. Go to an event and 2/3 of the vehicles in the parking lot are pristine trucks.

To be fair, a few tow a boat to the marina at a nearby lake. The vast majority wouldn't have the first clue how to operate a hitch.

 

[bcp]

Some trucks are tools, other trucks are ornaments.

Bruce

 

[LittleBill21]

Someone above I think, missed what I think may be the biggest advantage of truck bed vs van/suv (not talking trailers at all), nasty stuff. You don't feel bad with a couple yards of mulch in the bed with a tarp; or manure or 5 gal buckets of oil. Those kinda things such in a van/suv.

Now, I know everyone says they would buy X, until it's actually available and all that; but I do wish US market would have some higher Payload medium trucks. Yep, the Ranger can tow 9000 lbs; but some of the foreign medium trucks have bed payloads over 2000 lbs, which too me, would be great. I would take a 2000# bed/6000# trailer ability over a 1000# bed/9000# trailer

Dump trailer deals with all of that for me. and I don't need to unload it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Some trucks are tools, other trucks are ornaments.

Bruce

I don’t care what someone wants to drive.
As of now, we are still free to drive what we want!
My hope is it stays that way

 

[Jstpssng]

I don’t care what someone wants to drive.
As of now, we are still free to drive what we want!
My hope is it stays that way

Best post yet.

 

[oosik]

You are absolutely correct - paulsharvey. I'm retired. I bought my Ram 2500 Power Wagon - brand new in 2018. I did not want a vehicle for towing - nor hauling. About 40% of my miles are off-road looking for and finding new adventures.

And - as I told a fellow at the gas station - I get 16.5 mpg. I sure as hell would not have bought this Power Wagon if I were wanting high mileage.

I got EXACTLY what I wanted. No regrets - no second thoughts. It is my FUN vehicle. Thank you.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

There are times when I only tow something with my 3500 three times in a year.

On the other hand, it doesn't get driven unless there's a trailer behind it, which is why it sees just under 5,000 miles per year on average.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have always viewed cars/trucks/etc same as trailers. No one type can do it all. It's what works the best based on what you can afford. For me, my E350 suits my needs. It's an eleven passenger but I keep the two of the three back seats in storage so there is room in the back for coolers, my wife's wheelchair, a half a dozen bags of grain, etc. Every now and then I remove the passenger seat, coolers, etc and take a load of "stuff" to the flea market.

It pulls my 10k trailer with 100 bales of alfalfa/orchard hay just fine. I have pulled a 20' 14k trailer with a Kubota backhoe and I did have to watch the swaying but that was a once and done deal.

The traction is pretty lame but we don't get much snow and I don't have to go out if I don't want to. If need be when I need to get a load of hay to my barn when the ground is soft then I just chain up.

While I still have my CDL, my van with windows is plated as a passenger vehicle and I kind of fly under the radar so to speak.

 

[5030]

Some trucks are tools, other trucks are ornaments.

Bruce

..and some truck drivers are tools as well..