Choosing a tow vehicle

[goodoleboy]

Ok I am narrowing down the choices for a used tow vehicle. Towing abilty plays a big part in this.
Ill probaly be towing a cattle trailer made for 2-4 cows, a few large round bales of hay. Also I will be towing a tractor about 35 hp and FEL. Im thinking about 7-8000 lbs (may rent some equip in the future).More than likely be towing about 15 times a year or so. Distance is unkown, depends on where ill buy my hay and some toehr factors could be towing 500 miles if i buy my tractor out of state.
How many of you tow with a half ton truck and does it do the job? I know engine size makes a difference on tow capactiy.
Im thinking moving up to a 3/4 or 1 ton but if a 1/2 ton can do the job for a few thousand less I dont mind going that route.

 

[MF1455v]

You should be just fine with a half ton. If you are in an area with some hills you might look for one with lower gears in the rearend. A 3/4 ton will handle the loads better but no more than you will be using it you should not need it. A 1 ton is way to much. Personally, I would make sure to add trailer brakes.

I'm have a 1 ton and do a lot more work than you said you are going to, and still do not fully work it.

 

[RobS]

I'd get at least a 3/4 ton. Much bigger brakes, thicker frame and generally heavier duty all around than a 1/2 ton. Just to be sure though, do some math. Add up your heaviest load and check it against the tow ratings provided by the manufacturers. You'll want to be sure you're within the individual axle ratings and the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating). You'll need to know the weight of the truck too but you should be able to get that from the dealers or web-sites.

Good luck /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Any time you talk about pulling a trailer, the bigger and heavier the truck, the better. But that doesn't mean that you really need a big heavy truck to pull a light load. Twice in my life, I've bought old used 3/4 ton pickups simply because I found them in good condition cheaper than I could find a half ton in comparable condition. When I lived down in the country, I had a good friend and neighbor rancher who was a rather unusual character. He had told his wife before they got married that they'd never have a new car; always bought older used vehicles and drove them until they died. So I moved there and met them in '95 and he had an '88 half ton Chevy with a 5.7 (350 cu. in.) engine for his farm truck (his '77 Ford and '81 Ford that had worn out and died were sitting in the pasture). He and I regularly pulled a tandem axle stock trailer with 4 cows and a 16' tandem axle trailer with 3 round bales of hay with that old Chevy. No brakes on either trailer, although the truck had a brake controller on it when he bought it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif The last time I drove it, it had 150k miles on it and that was 4 or 5 years ago. He still has it. In other words, for what you're talking about doing, you can certainly do it with a half ton pickup although a 3/4 ton would be a little better. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[GRUMPA]

You might want to look at this to narrow it down. It only covers four years worth, but it was sure handy for me.

WEIGHT TOWING CHART

 

[dmp437]

Everyone has their own "comfort level" of a safety factor. Half way through an accident or incident is not the time to be thinking "Hmmmm, shoulda went with that 3/4 ton we looked at."
Half ton trucks are essentially the chassis of a large rear wheel drive car with a truck body on it. The frame is the same gauge, the rear axle is the same, etc. The main difference are the spring packs. For tha reason I consider 5000 pounds to be the "safe" maximum for a half ton. What through everything out of whack were/are the advertising wars the manufacturers have been engaging in regarding towing ability. Each company kicks their truck's rating up a few hundred pounds to beat the competition. After a while we arrive at numbers that are meant only for perfect towing conditons; no headwinds, temperatures never over 70 degrees (the cooler the better), and trips of 50 miles or less.
For me personally, in your situation, I would get a 3/4 ton with the towing package, automatic, minimum of 3.73 gears. The towing package will include transmission, engine oil, and power steering coolers along with the trailer specific wiring ran to the rear of the vehicle. That's MY comfort level. The 3/4 ton truck (real 3/4 not a duded up half) has a full floating rear axle with much bigger wheel bearings, stronger frame, and much better brakes in case the trailer brakes fail.
You can tow with just about anything. I've seen 8000 lbs towed with a Ford Ranger SuperCab 4x4 before. The transmission was fried in 80 miles and the engine wouldn't do over 50 mph with the pedal floored. The driver's safety factor (and common sense) was less than mine /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[twabscs]

And here are some recent year tow ratings (2000-2004):

Towing Guides

That shoulds give you everything from 1997-2004

 

[Phred]

Well my two cents on this is get a 3/4 ton or a one ton single rear wheel (SRW) with a diesel.

I have owned all sorts of trucks from SUVs and compact trucks to 3/4 tons and my current one ton SRW.

I would ask myself what the real cost difference is. When I looked at dodge a few months ago I found that a one ton SRW was about the same cost as a 1/2 ton. Sure thats a pretty basic 1 ton 2 wheel drive, but its a lot more truck for about the same price.

Towing or carrying a load is totally different. I pull trailers from time to time that are 5K to 10K plus and the one ton diesel does quite a nice job. Maybe a little overkill for some trailers but again the cost was about the same and operating cost is also about the same.

Some think that the 1 tons or even 3/4 tons are a pain to drive due to their size but that is not so in the shorter wheel bases. Look at a dodge one ton SRW quad cab short box and a 1/2 ton quad cab. Length and width is almost identical and the hieght is only slight greater on the one ton.
These small one tons will fit in a normal garage with another car.

It is also so nice to go some place to get suppiles and just have the guy drop a full skid in the back of your pickup. Get home and use the loader to pull it right out.
Don't try that with a 1/2 ton, your head lights will be shinning at the moon.

Fred

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

First, a disclaimer. I buy and sell trucks for a living. That, however is not my goal in posting to this thread.

If you're looking at a used truck (which I personally have always preferred just because of the money), I'd lean toward a little heavier truck than a class one (commonly called a "half-ton") truck. You might even want to consider something you can use for more than just a tow vehicle. Since "towing ability plays a big part in this" you should get something that'll tow more than you think you'll need.

With hauling heavier loads remember that a dual wheeled rear axle will keep your load more stable. Consider looking at a used dump truck or stake bed if you might have the need for the other functionality of something like that. I've had a lot of customers in situations similar to yours find something like that to be a great idea.

I don't claim to know the market in your area but around here you could get a really nice older class three or four dually dump truck or stake bed for under $6,000. The same truck with just a p-u bed would be less, of course.

 

[InlineDieselFan]

My vote is for a 3/4 ton. If you are anything like me you will quickly overload your truck and trailer.

Just today I left the gravel yard in my Dodge Dually, at just shy of 14,000 pounds. It is rated at 12,000. It drove just fine and had plenty of brake and power left just overloaded.

I bought a 12.000 pound rated trailer I have yet to overload it but we just closed on 20 acres and it is time to start the building process. The trailer will soon be maxed out also.

It is better to have too much truck and trailer than not enough!

steve