1/2 Ton Pickup can haul tractor?

[KubotaSteve]

One other thing I forgot to mention would be the legality. I don't know how it is in your state but in WV your vehicle is licensed for a certain weight and that would push into a different class in WV.
I used to tow my old man's MF-135 with rotary cutter on his car trailer (combined weight around 8,000 lbs) with a Chevy S-10 pickup. It had electric brakes and had the heavy duty payload package with transmission cooler. I only used it for short trips (less than 10 miles). That brings me to the next point that the truck may be rated for it, but do you really want to take a 500 mile trip pushing the envelope like that.

 

[HGM]

Well, at best it looks like with the optimum configuration you'ra rated at 7700#, most are in the 6000# range though..

Check this page

 

[Highbeam]

Whoops, that's GVWR as in the sum of the weights of both truck axles. The 7700 is a very nice option to have. The GVWR is on the sticker in your jamb. The only really important #s are on that sticker.

 

[HGM]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Whoops, that's GVWR as in the sum of the weights of both truck axles. The 7700 is a very nice option to have. The GVWR is on the sticker in your jamb. The only really important #s are on that sticker. )</font>

OK, so, I looked at the two trucks I have available right now..

Ranger 4x4 door sticker - GVWR 5440lb rating(=both axles)
Excursion 4x2 door sticker- GVWR 8900lb rating (=both axles)

My question is, how does the info on the door sticker differ from what was on that chart? The F-150 fits nicely between these.. This has always been a little cloudy to me.... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

From the owners manual of the Ranger-

GVWR(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the maximum fully loaded vehicle (including all options,passengers,equipment and cargo)

GCWR-(Gross Combined Weight Rating) Maximum allowable weight of vehicle and loaded trailer including cargo,etc........

The towing vehicles brake system is for its GVWR not GCWR. Separate brakes should be used for safe control..



To me, that reads that if you are towing a trailer and the GCWR is 7700# w/o trailer brakes, your overloaded..

So, anyhow... Check this one out..

 

[Highbeam]

"My question is, how does the info on the door sticker differ from what was on that chart?" The chart is meaningless brochure propoganda. The sticker in your door jamb is reality for each number that it provides.

So what's your other question? The GCWR is not 7700 for the F150, that's the GVWR. The ranger has a lower one and the expedition higher because they are smaller and larger vehicles. Also remeber that the GVWR is the total so to get allowable cargo weight you need to cubtract actual curb weight from the GVWR.

Try and find the GCWR for these vehicles, the F150 will likely be around 12000 and the expedition will be several thousand more. The GCWR is not usually on the door jamb sticker which agrees with the concept that it is a guide for good performance and not a real rating. I was able to find my tow rating in the owner's manual and the GCWR from giving my VIN# to GM.

Yes, in the owner's manual most trucks require trailer brakes for trailers over 1000 lbs. The brakes are made to stop the truck and not the combined weight of truck and trailer if that trailer is over 1000lbs.

 

[HGM]

This one seems to agree (depending on engine)5500-8700lbs is within reason..

This one , though for a new truck, seems to agree that the 1/2 ton Ford truck is capable of safely towing between 5600-9300lbs..

Either way, like I said this topic has always been a bit confusing the way things are worded.. But These charts might help with the decision.. I believe that in this case, 500mi would be a long way to have the pucker factor going because of pushing the truck..

 

[GaryM]

Many moons ago I owned a F-100 PU. I don't remember the numbers, but with two persons in the cab and a full fuel tank, we were only 450 pounds below the GVWR. It was quite shocking to find that what was commonly called a "half ton PU" by most folks wasn't. Most neophytes, as I was then, didn't consider the fuel and passangers part of that "half ton".

I'm smarter now! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[RonR]

Not to stray too much off topic, but I also was shocked yrs ago to look at the GVW of my Chrsyler minivan. It was the 7 pax model. I'm 100% sure if you put 5 adults + 2 kids and luggage for each in it like we did, it was OVER that GVW.

ron

 

[Jstpssng]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For a one-time move, it may be less expensive to hire someone.
)</font>

If you go this route talk to your insurance agent; and/or go with a fully licensed, insured carrier. If you do it yourself you still need to talk to your agent, (I pay $90/year for liability on my trailer, in addition to my truck insurance) plus the comments about registration are very true. States can vary, but you may suddenly find yourself under commercial classifications; i.e; because you're going more than 100 miles you may be required to keep a log book just like a long haul trucker. Once you boost your weight rating these requirements apply ALL the time; not just when you're loaded.

 

[keeney]

Its not always the brakes that are the limiting factor on GCWR. It might be the engine power is insufficient to maintian reasonable speed, the tongue weight rating is insufficent to balance the combo, or a limitation in the cooling system of either the engine or the transmission.

Most light cars and trucks are significantly under-cooled for the max output of their engines. Running the engine at full power for a sustained amount of time will overheat them.

For example, my old Dodge Dakota had a tow rating of 5000 lbs. My boat trailer (about 5200 lbs, loaded) has brakes on both axles, and seemed to stop plenty fine. However, if I tried tow the boat at anything much above 50 MPH or up any kind of slope for any prolonged amount of time in hot weather (the gas peddle being pegged to the floorboards most of the time), the truck would overheat. The radiator was the limiting factor!

I have since upgraded to a 3/4ton full-size with a tow rating of 10,000 lbs bumper-pull (12,000 lbs with a 5th wheel) and do not anticipate any such problems (until such time as I upgrade to a much larger boat).

- Rick