trailer safety factor

[Bob_Skurka]

Although it has a V8, the Explorer is not rated to tow what a 1/2 truck would.

You're right about that! I have a V8 in a Mountaineer (the Mercury version of the Explorer) and it is barely able to tow a trailer and a small tractor. I have a V6 in a VW Touareg and that will tow 7700# a lot easier than the Mountaineer will tow 4000#!

 

[Highbeam]

You'll get a lot of flack and manly grunts from the american truck crowd anytime you wnat to tow something substantial with an import. The Toyota has a 4.7 liter V8, very small, and the truck itself is not a full sized truck so it is kinda like a dakota. It is quite capable of a good many things but I would not want to overload it. If the tow rating says 6500 then I would stick to that.

Now the Tundra is not in the same league as an F150. The new half ton trucks have tow ratings in the 8000 lb and up range so it is entirely possible to do the job with a real half ton truck but they too have ratings.

What you have failed to bring to the table is the actual weight of the trailer/tractor. If you are within the ratings of that tundra then I would tow with it.

You will have a nicer tow with a big manly diesel 1 ton ford but it might not be necessary. I tow a pretty heavy package with my half ton chevy pickup and it does very well. Brakes of the tow vehicle are not relevant since the trailer has brakes.

 

[RedRocker]

You only have to go with a Ford if a Dodge isn't available.
I'd go no smaller than a 3/4 ton truck. Towing is only part of the equation, stopping and manuvering are in there too. Trailer brakes are nice, but they only help, so having a big truck with big brakes is a plus.

 

[Birdhunter1]

The new half ton trucks have tow ratings in the 8000 lb and up range so it is entirely possible to do the job with a real half ton truck but they too have ratings.

I can't speak for Chevy or Dodge but I do know my 06 F-150 (supercab 4wd ith a 5.4 and 3.55 LS rear end) is rated to nearly 8000 lbs. I don't know what they say the max is but I haved towed a Bobcat 325 Mini-ex (trailer and machine was near 80XX lbs.). The truck towed it fine, the trailer had surge brakes and stopping was not a problem. Now if I was towing that load everyday I'd want a 3/4 ton (base V8, V10 or deisel) just for the heavier suspension, but since I rented it I wasn't going to trade my capable truck in on a bigger new one.

Now what do I consistently tow with the set up I have.....an 18' flatbed equipment trailer and a MF135 with whatever I want behind it (though I haven't yet towed the tractor with my 6' landprde bushhog but I know my boxblade is almost as heavy as teh bushhog). The trailer is in the 2000 lbs-2500 lbs range, the tractor is in the ballpark of 4000 lbs. then add in equipment, fuel, whatever tools or other stuff you have in the bed... regardless there is no where I'd hesitate to haul my tractor with the truck and trailer I have.

 

[Birdhunter1]

FYI, on Ford's website they have an interactive towing guide http://www.fordvehicles.com/towing/popup.asp

It lists my truck as an 8300 lbs. towing limit and I will say that it will do it's rated limit very well, though I wouldn't want to do it everyday.

 

[bones1]

So you are telling me I should not tow my tractor-3600lbs with loader and trailer-2000lbs approx with my 2004 Dakota 4x4 V8.I haven't tried it yet and after reading here maybe I shouldn't.

 

[Lou_B]

If your truck is rated to tow 6500# and the trailer/tractor adds up to 5600#, you are within the design limits of the vehicle and it should do the job just fine.

With a 5600# load, your trailer's tongue weight would need to be about 800# if towing without a weight distributing hitch. Your hitch needs to be able to handle that tongue weight or you will have to go with the weight distributing setup.

Lou Braun

 

[roxynoodle]

Be sure and check what your hitch is rated to tow also. Most trucks come with a class 3 and I believe those are only rated to 5000 lbs. I always change mine to a class 5 to be able to take advantage of my max tow capacity.

A Dodge Dakota may very well tow higher than you think. The ones with the R/T package tow nearly as much as the half ton Ram does.

 

[bones1]

Dodge says 4800 with 3.55 gear and 6000 with 3.70 gear. Guess I'm out of luck on this one.I have the 3.55 gear and class 3 hitch.Thanks for the help anyway.

 

[century3045]

My empty trailer weighs 2200 lbs., I believe. My compact utility tractor weighs 3,890 lbs. The loader another 1325lbs. and the woods back hoe another 1,000 lbs. and I keep a set of woods 48" pallet forks hanging under the side. I am pulling off the bumper with my GMC 2500 Duramax diesel and it pulls it very well but sometimes I wish I had bought a gooseneck instead of bumper pull trailer. At the time I hated drilling and cutting in the bed of my new truck.