Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

[mike343]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

Go to the TBM website and check out the tow vehicle capacities. Any of the half ton trucks with over 5 liter engines and 3.73 rear ends will tow more than 7000#, most nearer 8000.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

Go to the TBM website and check out the tow vehicle capacities. Any of the half ton trucks with over 5 liter engines and 3.73 rear ends will tow more than 7000#, most nearer 8000.

Tow rating isn't necessareily the issue. I looked hard at an '03 F-150 rated for 7400 lbs. Using that rating alone I nearly talked myself into it. I figure tongue weight on my rig to be somewhere between 700-900 lbs. Again, marginally okay as long as I don't put much weight in the bed. GCWR was 14,000. At the end of the day I decided that my boat and trailer were pushing all the truck's capacities to the max, and I got the same result with all the 1/2 tons I researched. Upsizing was NOT an easy decision to make- half-tons are a helluva lot easier to find. Took me 3 months to find a good 3/4 ton at a good price.

People conveniently forget (or purposely ignore) the fact that there are 3 ratings to consider, all equally mportant. To be safe and legal you need to cover all 3.

 

[mike343]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

As JoLin says, once you get close to 7000# you need to watch the tongue weight. At 7 percent (close to average for boat trailers) you are close to the 5000# dead weight limit on most half tons. So it's either a 3/4 ton or a WD hitch. Unless there is a difference in the power train, the 1/2 plus WD hitch would be my choice. But the 3/4 probably (?) has bigger brakes.

 

[rbh]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

you know that spot on the road were you hit the bump and all the trailer weight seems to push down on your hitch and the front wheels seem to come off the road slightly, thats a fun feeling isnt it.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

you know that spot on the road were you hit the bump and all the trailer weight seems to push down on your hitch and the front wheels seem to come off the road slightly, thats a fun feeling isnt it.

LOL

Yes, that sense of adventure. Exploring the unknown. The smell of napalm in the morning...

Did I remember to tell the boat and trailer which direction I plan to go? Have they changed their minds and come up with their own plan?

 

[tmfd]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

I have been more than impressed with my Tundra.

Ya, Tundras have options for some very serious horsepower, more than the big three for equal classes, what power do you have in your truck.
I have an S-10 2wd w/V6 and a GMC Somoma 4wd also with a V6. Not pulling much weight though myself.

 

[Tea Bag]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

well, i pulled my boat out for the first time with my Dodge Hemi 5.7 - I was pretty amazed how easily it pulled it out of the water. On the highway it struggled a little bit but overall it seemed to do fine.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

well, i pulled my boat out for the first time with my Dodge Hemi 5.7 - I was pretty amazed how easily it pulled it out of the water. On the highway it struggled a little bit but overall it seemed to do fine.

Gotta like a hemi. Make sure you take it out of overdrive when you tow it. But, I'm sure you know that already.....

 

[204Angler]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

Yes. four wheel drive is not necessary but nice on some steep, wet ramps. I never use my four wheel and my boat/trailer combo is only 5K and I am using an F350. However the weight of the boat will keep your tires gripping. The major thing to remember is that your engine, suspension and chassis can do it...but can the transmission. If your tranny has a cooler on it, definately. If not, it still can but you will want to get a cooler plumbed in asap. A lot of people underestimate a half ton

 

[JoLin]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

well, i pulled my boat out for the first time with my Dodge Hemi 5.7 - I was pretty amazed how easily it pulled it out of the water. On the highway it struggled a little bit but overall it seemed to do fine.

Congrats! I did the same this past Sunday, and successfully planted the boat and trailer in my driveway. I have the 3/4 ton Dodge Hemi and agree with you. A little slow on acceleration, but the rest of the time I barely knew it was back there.

I still have to winterize everything. You don't. I'm jealous

 

[HydroDog]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

I have been watching this thread with interest.
My wife has been bugging me that we should look for a bigger boat in the 25-26ft. range but we have a 1/2 ton pickup for towing. So after reading this for awhile I called my insurance agent and asked the what if scenerio if there was an accident and it was my fault and if the boat was greater the the towing capacity, would I be covered? With a big laugh came a NO WAY.

Now I'm trying to convince my that my old F-600 dump truck wouldn't look that bad at the ramp.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

Going to depend a lot on your axles, motor, and more. Most trucks have several optional axles and motors. As an example, my old 86 ford had several axle, transmision, motor combinations. Mine was only rated 3750 lbs, even though they had trucks with the same motor rated well over 6000. Now that was an older truck but my suggestion is to research this truck you have via the vin number, owners manual, etc. to see in writing what it is rated for. I would think most newer trucks would have a decent rating but you can't assume that....

 

[1970 Chieftain V]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

..... So after reading this for awhile I called my insurance agent and asked the what if scenerio if there was an accident and it was my fault and if the boat was greater the the towing capacity, would I be covered? With a big laugh came a NO WAY.

Not only that you would be held LEGALLY liable and could be prosecuted for manslaughter! Not a good idea to tow above any of the ratings posted on the vehicle placard.

Jason

 

[JoLin]

Re: Can I tow 7000lbs with a 1/2 ton pickup?

I have been watching this thread with interest.
My wife has been bugging me that we should look for a bigger boat in the 25-26ft. range but we have a 1/2 ton pickup for towing. So after reading this for awhile I called my insurance agent and asked the what if scenerio if there was an accident and it was my fault and if the boat was greater the the towing capacity, would I be covered? With a big laugh came a NO WAY.

Now I'm trying to convince my that my old F-600 dump truck wouldn't look that bad at the ramp.

And THAT was the crux of the matter for me. Look, my old 1/2 ton Chevy was capable of pulling my rig between the ramp and my home. But in my real-world experience people will do almost anything to avoid getting "stuck" behind me. I get cut off constantly, even on entrance and exit ramps. There's NO understanding of my total weight and what would happen in a collision. People are crazy!

So, what happens when my 14-15,000 lbs flattens one of these yahoos, and my RATED tow capacity, or tongue weight capacity, or trailer capacity, or GCWR, is less than my actual load? First, having a properly capacitized rig might have helped me avoid a crash, or mitigated the consequences of one. Second, does anyone think my insurance company will pay a claim if I was technically overloaded? Dream on.