Beefing up half-ton for gooseneck

[Brahmus]

What makes everyone think that "old" 1 ton is any better than a "new" 1/2 ton? The half ton does not have any worn parts, has more power, better braking, better handling, many more and better SAFETY FEATURES. All around it's a far suppior truck to a 1 ton even less than a decade old. I'd follow Highbeam's advice.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

So, buy the older relatively inexpensive 1 ton for hauling until your current lease is up.
Then sell the 1 ton for almost what you paid for it and lease or buy a new truck that is more suitable for towing your trailer. The operating costs on a used truck could be quite high though, if it breaks down on you a lot.

I'm sure all those fancy new 3/4 and 1 ton pickups that people are hauling their horse trailers around with aren't all bought. Some must be leased trucks.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Do you guys think it would be safe to pull that trailer with my F250?

No problem. I'm assuming of course your F250 is driveable!

 

[Duffster]

Also be careful when listening to folks that just refuse to believe that a half ton can do work, generally those folks own much bigger trucks and think that there is no other way.

All along here people have given one key point, stay within all of your ratings. If you do that then you will be fine. This applies to tires, axles, frames, etc. Yes, you can run right at the maximum of the ratings and be fine, that's why the ratings are set.

Trailer brakes are required and are an essential piece of equipment. If you feel that you can't trust trailer brakes then what other piece of your equpiment is not up to par? Maybe the bolts that hold your hitch to the truck, the tie rod ends, etc? Al simple devices that can have devastating consequences during failure.

I am the owner of a one ton truck that is perfectly willing to recommend towing within your ratings using a half ton truck. You need to weigh the truck and trailer to determine if you are within your ratings, no guessing, and that trailer looks heavy.

What makes everyone think that "old" 1 ton is any better than a "new" 1/2 ton? The half ton does not have any worn parts, has more power, better braking, better handling, many more and better SAFETY FEATURES. All around it's a far suppior truck to a 1 ton even less than a decade old. I'd follow Highbeam's advice.

Right there is 2 of the most intligent posts in this thread

 

[Builder]

What makes everyone think that "old" 1 ton is any better than a "new" 1/2 ton? The half ton does not have any worn parts, has more power, better braking, better handling, many more and better SAFETY FEATURES. All around it's a far suppior truck to a 1 ton even less than a decade old. I'd follow Highbeam's advice.

Because even an "old" 1-ton will have a GVWR typically 9,900-11,000 lbs or more. No 1/2 ton has that rating.

Because a 1-ton will also have a higher GCWR typically 20,000lbs or more. No 1/2 ton has that rating.

Because a truck is "old" doesn't mean it's "worn". All depends on maintenance.

My IH4800 is 18 years old and better maintained than a lot of 5 yr old trucks I see and is still fully capable of towing like a new one.

More power? No 1/2 ton can match an older Powerstroke, GM 454 or 8.1L in torque. Torque moves loads.

No 1/2 ton has load range E tires as standard equipment.

No 1/2 ton has a GM 14 bolt 1-ton rear or a Dodge dana 70/80 hybrid rear or even a Ford Sterling 10.5" rear.

Most 1-tons have tranny coolers, most 1/2 tons don't.

Just because a truck is 10 years old doesn't mean it can't be well maintained and fully capable of doing the work it did when new, maybe even more with upgrades.

Worn parts can be replaced. Door decals with light GVWR's in 1/2 ton pickups can't be replaced.

I'll take a 10 yr old 1-ton GMC or Ford or Dodge with a big block V-8 or diesel a 10,000lb GVWR and 20,000lb GCWR with a Dana 80 rear, bigger brakes, more wheel lugs, heavier wheels, dual load range E tires over any of today's 1/2 ton tin can pickups with a "hemi"

 

[Builder]

Also be careful when listening to folks that just refuse to believe that a half ton can do work, generally those folks own much bigger trucks and think that there is no other way.

All along here people have given one key point, stay within all of your ratings. If you do that then you will be fine. This applies to tires, axles, frames, etc. Yes, you can run right at the maximum of the ratings and be fine, that's why the ratings are set.

Trailer brakes are required and are an essential piece of equipment. If you feel that you can't trust trailer brakes then what other piece of your equpiment is not up to par? Maybe the bolts that hold your hitch to the truck, the tie rod ends, etc? Al simple devices that can have devastating consequences during failure.

I am the owner of a one ton truck that is perfectly willing to recommend towing within your ratings using a half ton truck. You need to weigh the truck and trailer to determine if you are within your ratings, no guessing, and that trailer looks heavy.

I don't think anyone disagrees with you. I also think we're all assuming "healthy parts" to keep the discussion simpler to understand.

Your last statement "that trailer looks heavy", does that mean "that trailer looks too heavy for his 1/2 ton"?

I think we all agree that trailer full of its' cargo, is too heavy for his 1/2 ton, but it's all conjecture until the truck is weighed, the trailer is weighed, the cargo is weighed and all common denominators are checked against those weights.

If one is over the limit, then the trailer is too heavy.

My guess is the PIN weight will be too much and the rear tires are not up to the task, if they're stock load range C 1/2 ton tires.

 

[Duffster]

No problem. I'm assuming of course your F250 is driveable!

It is drivable and pulls on a daily basis

Also forgot to mention it is a Superduty

 

[Duffster]

I don't think anyone disagrees with you. I also think we're all assuming "healthy parts" to keep the discussion simpler to understand.

Your last statement "that trailer looks heavy", does that mean "that trailer looks too heavy for his 1/2 ton"?

I think we all agree that trailer full of its' cargo, is too heavy for his 1/2 ton, but it's all conjecture until the truck is weighed, the trailer is weighed, the cargo is weighed and all common denominators are checked against those weights.

If one is over the limit, then the trailer is too heavy.

My guess is the PIN weight will be too much and the rear tires are not up to the task, if they're stock load range C 1/2 ton tires.

I beleive the OP clearly stated that the trailer would not be "full"

If you beleive he needs "E" range tires then reccomend that since the OP did ask what he needed to do

 

[Highbeam]

Your last statement "that trailer looks heavy", does that mean "that trailer looks too heavy for his 1/2 ton"?

My guess is the PIN weight will be too much and the rear tires are not up to the task, if they're stock load range C 1/2 ton tires.

I think you're right builder that we are reaching a consensus about the abilities of a half ton truck.

By noting "that trailer looks heavy" I was just trying to say that the pictured trailer does not obviously fall within the light weight category. I would not assume that it is light as I would with an empty single axle utility trailer. Trying to encourage the man to weigh that thing to be sure.

I don't care what tires it has so long as they are rated for the load. Even a load range C tire will have a sidewall stamped weight rating that must be respected and I have never seen a OEM tire that didn't exceed the axle rating of a pickup, seen it on a cheap trailer though.

My diesel powerstroke makes big time torque but not power. Most any modern half ton truck makes more power than my manly 444ci diesel that makes only 235 HP. None of that matters though so long as all ratings are respected.

Some of these modern half tons are coming out with better than 10,000# tow ratings which baffles me but the rating is what it is.

 

[JB4310]

I'd say the lack of consensus on this matter is a clear indicator that it's right at the borderline of go/no go.

Plenty of experienced knowledgeable people here that can not agree on this question, raises the red flag in my book.

I wouldn't put my trust in that set up, not for long any way.

5th wheel hitch on a 1/2 ton, the hitch is probably half the payload

Never seen that before. agree it would be better than on the bumper but seems to be pushing the safety factors to the max if not over.

JB.