truck advice

[TMGT]

I think the real question is what was wrong with the delivery guy's truck? That has me wondering.

Yup, definitely something wrong with that truck, maybe it was a 6.4L ............

 

[KYBOTA2320]

I have never felt unsafe in my 1/2 ton. Sure it takes a little more pedal to get going with a large load, but for occasional hauling it does just fine. I think it is a bit overkill to fork out the money for a diesel to pull a tractor twice a year. And I wouldn't go down the 3/4 ton gasser road either. I had an '03 3/4 ton Hemi Ram and it got at best 10 mpg's. Get a trailer with some brakes and a good sized 1/2 ton and you'll be fine. IMHO, trucks don't do work, people do!

 

[Sysop]

Agreed. My 2015 F150 handles 10k fine. 3.5L Ecoboost moves it great, big discs all around stop it great. Upgrading from the factory tires is a must. Factory tires are too soft in the sides.

 

[wagne223]

I have never felt unsafe in my 1/2 ton. Sure it takes a little more pedal to get going with a large load, but for occasional hauling it does just fine. I think it is a bit overkill to fork out the money for a diesel to pull a tractor twice a year. And I wouldn't go down the 3/4 ton gasser road either. I had an '03 3/4 ton Hemi Ram and it got at best 10 mpg's. Get a trailer with some brakes and a good sized 1/2 ton and you'll be fine. IMHO, trucks don't do work, people do!

I used to feel the same way until I was pulling a 30 ft travel trailer with a mild cross wind in a 1/2 ton.
A little pressure on the trailer and that truck could not stay in the lane. The trailer was driving the truck.

I upgraded to the same truck in 3/4 and make the same trip every year in the same or little worse conditions. I can feel the trailer moving around with wind gusts but the truck is solid and has no trouble staying in the lane.

That experience is why I would never recommend anyone pull large or heavy loads with a 1/2 ton.

Sure they will do it but I don't feel it is safe.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Y'all think that a 1/2ton will maintain traction pulling 10k up a 14% grade on (I assume) gravel?
If it maintains traction, think it will have the torque and cooling to pull it?

 

[ericm979]

It's paved. One of the reasons we bought the place.

With as little time as I'd be towing the tractor (none if things go well!) I don't see a point in getting a 3/4 ton. None of the regular uses will stress a reasonable 1/2 ton. If a high capacity 1/2 ton can't handle it I'll rent a 3/4 ton if I need to haul the tractor.

Not having done any test driving the Tundra and F150 Ecoboost are the current candidates.

 

[timswi]

I've been pulling a 9+k 32' TT with GMC 1/2 tons for years. They pull the load and handle it just fine with no issues whatsoever. The 6.2 has somewhat more nuts on steep hills than the 5.3 but not really enough to justify the cost difference in my opinion...Unless you are towing every week.

 

[Cataclysm]

We haven't had a truck for a while but increasingly need one. We'll most likely get a late model used truck, no larger than a "half ton". My wife wants to drive it, we live on a narrow road and parking spaces in town are small. I had a GMC C3 (first year of the Denali) for a while and I was comfortable with it's size but don't want much larger than that. Most use will be hauling stuff from the lumber yard and feed store, some commuting.

My Branson with loader and loaded tires weighs about 5800 lbs. Add about 3500 lbs for trailer and you get 9000 to 10,000 lbs. Some "half ton" trucks have a towing capacity that high. I don't expect to tow the tractor anywhere except to the dealer, and that'd only happen for warranty work or repairs that I can't do myself. But renting a truck for the four hour trip each way to drop it off and retrieve it would cost around $1k. So I'm considering getting a "half ton" that'll tow that much.

The question I have is this: we live on a steep road. There's a mile of 9% grade, then a couple miles of lower average grade with some short steep pitches, and the last half mile to the house averages about 14%. The guy who delivered my Branson, box blade and rotary cutter had a brand new diesel Ford and it was rattling and smoking out the hood when he got here, and left a puddle of diesel. Maybe there was something wrong with it or he didn't use a low enough gear but I'm wondering if a 10,000 lb capacity "half ton" could handle doing it a few times.

You will be fine with the Tundra or F150 if you drive it like your pulling a load. Put some Timbren's on the rear and Rancho 9000 xl's shocks all the way around. We put Timren's on my dad's Tundra and it completely changed the way it tows his tractor. He only tow's occasionally and takes it easy.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I realize you seem to want to steer clear of 3/4 ton trucks, but a 2004-2010 GM 3/4 ton 4x4 with the 6.0 gas motor would be reasonably priced, smoothest ride of the big 3. Doubt you would notice much ride quality or economy difference between 1/2 & 3/4 ton of the same model/year, but the brake and cooling system improvement on the 3/4 ton is there when you need it...

But I drive a 3/4 ton diesel daily, as does my wife, I may be biased. But I can hook her Excursion to our trailers and pull them just as confidently as with my trucks, and often do, sounds like your trailering needs may be far less than ours.

 

[4570Man]

Y'all think that a 1/2ton will maintain traction pulling 10k up a 14% grade on (I assume) gravel?
If it maintains traction, think it will have the torque and cooling to pull it?

That would be the least of my worries. I would way rather pull the load with my 1990s 1 ton dump 6.5 diesel. My power output is probably less than a modern 1/2 ton but I've got them beat way bad on brakes and suspension.

 

[TMGT]

You said you were looking at used, since it's gas the price difference might not be much.

 

[4570Man]

You said you were looking at used, since it's gas the price difference might not be much.

It's still pretty drastic at least in the $ 10,000 range. I've been looking for a while and never found a diesel truck that fit the bill. I didn't want a 7.3 under most circumstances because they're pretty old. I didn't want a 6.0 because they're junk. I couldn't afford a newer Ford. That pretty much left a duramax. I never found anything under 150,000 miles around $10,000

 

[Sysop]

Y'all think that a 1/2ton will maintain traction pulling 10k up a 14% grade on (I assume) gravel?
If it maintains traction, think it will have the torque and cooling to pull it?

As far as around here, those sorts of roads are so rough you don't want to do above 5-7MPH anyways, so we use low range. Works great and could do it all day...

Over the recent holiday weekend my F-150 pulled my 3600lbs 14k equipment trailer loaded with my 6000lbs tractor and 500lbs rotary cutter across O'Dell's Knob onto Nutter Run in Harrison County, WV. Several steep areas, couple somewhat extreme transitions and sharp turns, all gravel and mudholes. No problem.

 

[vvanders]

It's paved. One of the reasons we bought the place.

With as little time as I'd be towing the tractor (none if things go well!) I don't see a point in getting a 3/4 ton. None of the regular uses will stress a reasonable 1/2 ton. If a high capacity 1/2 ton can't handle it I'll rent a 3/4 ton if I need to haul the tractor.

Not having done any test driving the Tundra and F150 Ecoboost are the current candidates.

Not sure if it's out of your budget but I'll throw in a recommendation for the Ram EcoDiesel. We picked up one with similar requirements and really happy so far. See about 28mpg and with the short bed it is reasonably sized but can still haul 8ft stuff from the lumberyard.

 

[TMGT]

It's still pretty drastic at least in the $ 10,000 range. I've been looking for a while and never found a diesel truck that fit the bill. I didn't want a 7.3 under most circumstances because they're pretty old. I didn't want a 6.0 because they're junk. I couldn't afford a newer Ford. That pretty much left a duramax. I never found anything under 150,000 miles around $10,000

I'm not sure if you ment to quote me, I was refering to 1/2t gas and 3/4t gas trucks not diesels. It's been a few years since I was seriously looking but remember the gas 3/4t being pretty close to the same pricing as the 1/2t in the used market, although maybe the 3/4t didn't have as many gadgets at the 1/2t trucks I wad looking at.

 

[white cloud]

I pull an equipment trailer with our tractor down to the farm on a regular basis. I suspect my total weight is about what your is. I am very happy to have a 1 ton truck and I sure don't have to contend with the grades you have. I would be especially concerned about going down them. That said, it doesn't sound like you would be making this trip often so if you got the right 1/2 ton and were pretty careful, i think you would be fine. I would also shop very carefully for that equipment trailer as it's role is very important.

 

[RobertN]

That's a shame. I should call my old firefighter buddies; all the Engines and Water Tenders at the station use Cummins. So do all the Medic units.

google RMS problems, Cummings is junk.

 

[RobertN]

Been around Santa Cruz towing a mid size 5th wheel. Liked having my 2500('01 Ram CTD) on those hills. A "1/2 ton" 1500 would tow 10klb, but I liked the heavier suspension of the 2500 series.

IF you go 1/2 ton/1500 series, I would consider getting the lowest gears you can. Or have it regeared low.

 

[oliver1555]

google RMS problems, Cummings is junk.

That's a shame. I should call my old firefighter buddies; all the Engines and Water Tenders at the station use Cummins. So do all the Medic units.

This really disturbs me. I thought my Cummins had served me well for 14 years and 225,000 miles. Now I find out it's a ticking time bomb. I may not sleep tonight!:laughing:

 

[gladehound]

I had a rear main seal replaced on a 1999.5 F250 7.3L PSD. Not a big deal. $1000 dollars on a truck that serves you well for several hundred thousands of miles. I don't see how that should be a show stopper for anyone.