1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

[Gary H NC]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

I drive a Dodge 3500 Dually hauling 48 ft car hauler trailers.Cant say enough about the torque those engines have.Pulling a 7% grade i can pass cars with nearly 20,000 pounds hooked to the back at 75 mph.
Add a performance chip to it and it will spin the tires loaded on dry pavement..
Thats a very fair price on that truck with very low miles for a Cummins.

 

[chaddemler1980]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

seems to me like your asking two questions... power and comfort. a half ton will easily do the power job for you a chevy half ton has plenty of power to pul your boat out of the water. remember the towing rate specified is for just that "towing on the open road for miles and miles safely" chevy does have the highest tow capacity and not to mention highest resale value "BY FAR" so you can alwyas expect to get more of your money back out of it if you decide to sell. both 1/2 and 3/4 ton have the same power plant so if your question is about power dont sweat it its the same "stock" as well as the f150 and f250. as far as comfort goes a twenty minute drive is fine for a 1/2 ton to handle. the price difference in a 1/2 verse 3/4 ton is big. but you can get the same options for the 1/2 ton. most people think of a 1/2 ton as uncomfortable to tow big loads the reason is they are driving stock trucks, a 3/4 ton truck is set to haul and pull comfortable, but you can get a 1/2 ton to dothe same its just about what you drive, for example if you want a 1/2 ton to pull more comfortable than get one by chevy or gmc that has the Z 71 off road package... the ride will be far better and it will not sag as much in the rear end and will still be cheaper than a 3/4 ton. or if your buying new ask the dealership to add a tow package to the deal THESE ARE VERY CHEAP compared to the 3/4 ton stock price tag, and it will come with heavier duty springs, trans cooler, and an rpm boosting swicth for when your hauling. either way make sure you get a 4x4 and not let that big issue slip your mind. cant say it enoughy buy chevy or gmc.... better power plants than anything on the road "every see FORDS there commercials on how how strong there frame is now and how strong there bolts are now.. best in class they say" well you ever hear them say best in class towing or best in class power plants? NOPE chevy and gmc "both gm" have the best hands down. and just look at the resale value for each? IT IS SHOCKING!!! buy the half ton you will save money and be very happy... but dont forget the tow options you have available, better to go with the tow option over the z 71 for your needs.

 

[chaddemler1980]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

a reply on my previous post. if you have the money then yes a 3/4 ton is your best bet by far. but i would not recommend a dually "usually 1 ton anyway" not to realistic for daily driving. chevy 2500 is your best bet and even better is if you find one in your price range with the duramax diesel and allison trans combo... this will pull anything you can imgagine behind you... and your boat will feel like your towing a lawnmower. but these are pricy. i had one and i also had a 3/4 ton silverado... i traded it for 2006 chevy 1/2 ton and used the extra money to get one with a TOW PACKAGE. trust me on this any 3/4 ton is gonna suck more gas by far. best part is this truck is NEWER, better on gas, set up factory to TOW, VERY high resale value "do comparison shopping, check the price of any truck 2002-2006 with same milage f150, dodge, gmc, and chevy, you will be impressed!" chevy/gmc wins any trade in value by thousands." and for your twenty mile trips a half ton will do the job great! again if money no issue than get a 2500 hd with the duramx diesel and allison trans... wont be beat... and check the resale on those, it will blow your mind! got to look at big picture, and not mans obsession with bigger is better. 1/2 ton is fine with the right set up, tow package, class four hitch, trailer brakes, brake controller. and a twenty mile trip is no reason to get a distribution hitch, On my kids life i haul probably more than most people on this site and i do it all with my 1/2 ton chevy setup and i haul easily 9,000 pounds atleast 4 times a week with my truck and car hauler, not one problem so far... and guess what i exceed the "recommended tow rating" every time by almost 1,200 pounds. never used a distribution hitch ever... my opinion its just added piece of mind if you dont feel comfortable with that little sway you get once in awhile while passing a semi. half ton is fine 3/4 ton is better. you choose. but do comparison shopping first.

 

[chaddemler1980]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

well since i was extremely bored i went and did some comparison shopping for ya. i cjecked the top three trucks for TRADE IN value. From kbb site.

the following for bone stock ONLY no options other than 4x4 and automatic trans. each is with there own v-8 power plant STOCK again no options at all, no towing nothing. all are for a 2003 1/2 ton, long bed, automatic, 4x4, with 85,000 miles on them. ranked highest to lowest.

Chevy/gmc= $ 6920
Dodge= $ 6565 "because of hemi option standard with long bed and 4x4"
Ford= $ 5940

The following are for 3/4 ton trucks with biggest diesel available, same everything else except the tow option was added, same year and mileage and stock options. "note price for chevy is NOT for the allison trans option"

Chevy= $ 121885 couldn't find allison option and only 6.6 turbo Not duramax
Dodge= $ 12425 with cummins diesle HO diesel
Ford= $ 10685 largest available diesel offered

so there ya have it. best of the best that they have to offer. choose wisely. i still say save your money get a half ton chevy youll be fine.

 

[ebry710]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Chevy says its properly equipped 1/2 ton will tow 10,000#. I am not disputing that, but the ride on the new 2500's is pretty good and it's only a couple of grand more.

If you every try to rent a Kabota tractor or a bobcat and try to use a Hertz trailer, you will find that (at least in Ca.) they will not let you if you are driving a 1/2 ton pickup. Hertz Rentals insurance carrier sights inadequate brakes on half ton pickups. You can argue all day, but the won't rent you the tractor/trailer.

I use a ford E-350 to towing my 6000# travel trailer, but I cannot say that the van's brakes alone can maintain 12000# combined weight for very long down a grade, image a 150/1500 with 13,000# combined weight not including gear and stuff.

 

[dave11]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

I tow with an F-250 with the V10 gas engine. I just use the truck for towing. My boat weighs a little less than yours. I got the 250 because I didn't want towing to be an issue. Is it overkill in my case? Yes. I thought about the 1/2 ton. I decided I wanted a stouter platform. I didn't want to put a price on safety.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

elwopo, you and i are towing in like conditions, i'm towing close to 5,000 Chris Craft 230 deckboat, with a 1999 Surburban 1500, 5.7L. i would not want to add another 2,000 to the load, and i have surge brakes on both axles. we tow it to the Keys each year. go 3/4 ton, i will next time.

 

[Hondo65]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Wow, sounds like someone is a chevy dealer here! Not to hijack this thread into a truck brand war but the Cummins diesel has the most power at a lower RPM band. That is where you need the power for towing. The Cummins engine is also the longest lasting most reliable diesel out there. It is as relatively simple inline 6 cylinder with fewer and heavier parts. Life expectancy before recommended overhaul is 2-3 times longer than the Duracrap or PowerJoke. (sorry couldn't resist) Honestly all of the brands have their pluses and minuses. Some claim cushier interiors and softer rides etc. etc. I like my trucks truck like.
If you do go with a Cummins pm me and I'll give you the name of an awesome Cummins Diesel website much along the lines of IBoats.

Now back to the 1/2 ton vs. 3/4 ton. As someone else already stated here, the 3/4 tons have bigger brakes for stopping. All the more important than "going". Also heavier axles and frames and all of the running gear.You can set up a half ton to do it but why when you can get a 3/4 ton to do it now?


Just my penny and 3/4's

Hondo
Hondo

 

[bruceb58]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Too bad the Cummins goes in a Dodge chassis.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

As has been mentioned, there are a lot of 150/1500 series trucks out there with enough motor to pull a 7,000 lb boat. That really isn't the issue to me. I once pulled a 5,000 lb trailer from New England to Louisiana behind my 1989 Isuzu 4WD, which had a 2.6 litre 4-banger in it. The reason why I got away with doing this is because I had a $700 racing clutch in it, very low gears in the pumpkins, 31x10.50R15 tires on the truck, and surge brakes on the trailer. I also drove relatively slowly all the way and maintained maximum interval with cars ahead of me.

The key to picking a vehicle is to consider all of the factors involved. Getting the rig moving is only a small part of the consideration. Being able to stop it is much more important and having a rig that will last prevents a lot of unhappiness and lost boating time. Part of this is to make sure that the tranny and drivetrain are up to the challenge as well. In regard to the tranny, its not just whether there is a cooler installed - internal parts such as bearings play a large part in expected lifespan. For example, when I was researching the trip that I needed to make with my Isuzu, I knew I would be exceeding the manufacturers tow rating by quite a bit. What I found out after a number of phone calls, is that the bearings in my tranny were the weak point. The experts that I consulted, however, felt that one 1,700 mile trip wouldn't do any damage if I drove carefully and made the trip during the cooler months.

I agree that the Cummins powered Dodge would be a great choice. I'm not a huge fan of Dodges in general but the Cummins is such a great motor that its hard to fault the choice. This is true for a number of reasons but the main issue to me is that they are straight sixes just like a "big truck." Simply put, for a given displacement, the fewer the number of cylinders, the more torque a motor will develop. This is why you don't see V8s in tractor trailers much anymore and some (Frieghtliner FL110 for example) even have four cylinder motors in them. Its also why motocross dirt bikes are usually "one lungers."

One thing to be careful of, however, is whether or not the truck has ever been used in commercial service as a "hotshot" vehicle. If it has a fifth wheel in the bed, chances are that it was. This is an issue because many hotshot operators pull goosenecks at high weights on a daily basis. In such vehicles, it is not uncommon for the trannies to be in pretty bad shape - so much so that Dodge was apparently having trouble keeping up with the demand for replacement trannies at one point in time.

 

[ebry710]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

I do not think it matters what brand of 3/4 ton you have. I have camped at many trailer parks for vacations for many years. When Dodge came out with the Cummings, all you would see is Cummings. When Ford came out with the newer power stroke, well it was all Ford. Chevy comes out with HD and a Allison transmission, well all Chevy. Of course V-10's for the gas guys. One thing you would almost never see is a 1/2 pickup. Reason of course is power up the hill and braking down the hills and the suspension the rest of the time.

What makes the ride of a 1/2 Chevy so nice is the same reason you don't usually pull a 7000 pound rig with it. Air bags, extra leaf springs, gas shocks and air shocks all allow a 1/2 to take the bounce of a heavy trailer. Going down to the lake pulling a Boston Whaler Outrage it does not make a difference, but towing a 7000# unit it does. If you have the budget for it, spend the extra couple of grand and buy the rig designed to tow. It doesn't even have to be Diesel or a V-10, if taking your transmission off overdrive or down shifting to third doesn't bother you. For me a 5.4/5.7 L is just fine.

 

[dingbat]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Gee.... I was very comfortable pulling my #6700 boat / trailer combo all over the place with a 6.0L ?Burb? until I read this.

I guess I never noticed that I bounced down the road and I couldn?t stop in a reasonable distance. I have 4 wheel disc brakes on both the truck and the trailer and ?Autoride? for the suspension so neither is an issue. Just put it in tow haul mode and go fishing.

Guess I better trade it in for a dully or maybe even a Kenworth T2000 since I never know when I might want to tow a boat that weighed #8000.

 

[ebry710]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Sometimes the statement "properly equipped" is forgotten. Your truck is not the standard 1/2 truck. You've go the 6.0 and nice brakes, and your suspension is balanced for your rig. Not all stock 1/2 tons have that and not all rigs are balanced like that.
Even my one ton does not have 4 wheel disk brakes.

 

[elwopo]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Again....can't thank you guys enough! The amount of information I've received in a matter of days is amazing.

I can really see that it's more than just numbers and "max capacity". The points made about transmissions, brakes, and suspension parts all make sense.

I've found an 05 chevy crew cab, diesel, allison tranny, hd towing kit, 4x4, and 42,000 miles for $25k. I'll be taking a look at it this weekend. Pictures make the body look showroom perfect.

I'll bet THAT would pull the boat!

Unfortunately the great boat deal was sold out from under me. I posted in the general topic about what I'm looking at now. If any of you guys could look at that and give me your opinion, I'd appreciate to hear what you think.

Tony

 

[kyle f]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Well, I towed my 4000# boat and trailer for a year with a 1/2ton frame (Expedition) and now I have an F-250 with a Diesel. I Hardley know its there now, in fact the truck rides better with the trailer connected. I get better milage, the brakes are much more adequate at stopping, and overall I just feel more comfortable wile towing.

If you can, go 3/4 ton.

 

[ebry710]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

I've found an 05 chevy crew cab, diesel, allison tranny, hd towing kit, 4x4, and 42,000 miles for $25k. I'll be taking a look at it this weekend. Pictures make the body look showroom perfect.

I'll bet THAT would pull the boat!

Tony:
Now that sounds like a properly equipped truck. Yeah, I think that will pull a boat

 

[dingbat]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

Sometimes the statement "properly equipped" is forgotten. Your truck is not the standard 1/2 truck. You've go the 6.0 and nice brakes, and your suspension is balanced for your rig. Not all stock 1/2 tons have that and not all rigs are balanced like that.
Even my one ton does not have 4 wheel disk brakes.

I agree but in my case the truck is completely stock. Burbs and Tahoes that year came standard with 4 wheel discs and the Autoride was part of the LT package. The only thing I added was the heavy tow package that was being offered by Chevy at the time.

 

[chewy7097h]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

New to the forum here, but I have 500,000 miles of OTR and Local Doubles experience, so I may be able to offer some insight. A 3/4 ton will pull your new boat no problem, pretty much stock, nothing to it. A 1/2 ton will pull your new boat no problem, but with a couple conditions. Condition number one: You MUST be willing to take it easy, take it slow, sit back, and enjoy the drive. Extra caution will be required, as will extra stopping distance and lower speeds. Condition number two: You will have to equip the 1/2 ton with a WDH, tranny cooler, and probably some help for the suspension.

Ultimately, the point is that if you select the 1/2 ton, you will have to equip it and drive it like it is maxed out in its towing capacity. if you select the 3/4 ton, you can drive it like you'd drive your Astro with a 17' Bowrider behind it. You'll have to consider how much you want to spend, how safe you want to be, and how long you want it to last. The 3/4 ton is safer, will last longer, and costs more. The 1/2 ton CAN be safe, won't last as long, and costs less.

Chewy
2001 Suzuki XL-7, 1987 17' Invader

 

[ebry710]

Re: 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton for 7000 pounds

I agree but in my case the truck is completely stock. Burbs and Tahoes that year came standard with 4 wheel discs and the Autoride was part of the LT package. The only thing I added was the heavy tow package that was being offered by Chevy at the time.

I have not looked at Suburbans. With Chevy half tons even the 6.0 is an option. You can buy a half ton with a 4.3L V6 to a your 6.0L V8. One can tow a small boat and the other can two 7000# if "properly equipped" like your Suburban.