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Old 05-14-2012, 05:51 PM   #10
rhagfo
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
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Quote:
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
smiller, The worst "white knuckle" experience I've had while towing RV's for the considerable time I've been behind the wheel was in a 3/4 ton superduty turbodiesel towing a 34' Holiday Rambler travel trailer. Trailer weight of 7600 lbs with a GVW of 10000 lbs. Properly set up weight distribution hitch, good tires, good sway control and excellent driving conditions on a new stretch of super highway at 65 MPH. A sudden gust of wind, a semi passing at the same time and I was all over the road, trying to control a trailer that desperately wanted to pass my truck. I got it stopped, quite shaken and not really wanting to drive any further. I've never experienced that kind of situation in a half ton truck. (I'm not suggesting it isn't possible, just that I've never experienced it)

So, to suggest that replacing a half ton truck with a 3/4 ton truck somehow will "improve quiet confidence while eliminating white knuckle driving" and decrease laboring engines is just not what I've found to be the situation. A "white knuckle" situation can --and does-- happen in 3/4 ton trucks, in fact, it probably happens regardless of the size of the truck being driven.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Halibutman214 View Post
As for me I didn't take smiller's post anywhere close to what your saying here and not sure I get your point. I've had white knuckle experiences with just about anything I ever drove and my worst was with a VW Bug. When I moved from a 1/2 to a 3/4 ton however it wasn't a "constant", white knuckle experience when towing and in fact it was day and night even after numeruous upgrades to the 1/2. The only thing in my book that will eliminate the reving is a Diesel and that was a day/night difference as well. Happy trails
The biggest issues with taking a 1/2 ton to the "Limit" or beyond is that as a rule 1/2 tons are more like "Heavy Duty" Cars, and a 3/4 or 1 ton PU is more like a small big truck.

All 1/2 tons run "semi floating" rear axles where the driving axle is also supporting the payload. If the axle were to break, you will loose the tire and wheel.

Most 3/4 ton and all 1 ton PU use "Full floating" rear axles, this is where the weight of the payload rest on a set of bearings, and all the axles do is just turn the wheels, if you break an axle you just stop moving nothing falls off. These have much more weight carrying capacity.

There are some light duty 3/4 ton PU that still run 6 lug semi floating axles, I tend to stay away from those.

If you stay with in the load margins a 1/2 ton will tow a correctly sized trailer just fine and safely, I have always felt more secure in a 3/4 ton, with a camper or trailer.
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