HD F-150 or 3/4 ton truck?

[mike69440]

I think that is just a matter of overall numbers. There are more privately owned 1/2T than 3/4T and 1T, so naturally more are involved in accidents; although I'm with Diamondpilot on the point, I've personally not seen any higher instance of wrecked 1/2 tons as anything else on the road.

You're correct, there are classifications for a reason. But a blanket statement that a 1/2 ton is not near the truck a 3/4 ton is, is not entirely accurate. For a given model year, yes, the 3/4 ton is a stronger truck than a 1/2 ton. A 3/4 truck from 1970 isn't near the truck todays 1/2 tons are. A 1/2 ton truck of today is more equal to a 3/4 ton of the year 2000. What the 1 tons are hauling these days required a semi-truck not too many years ago.

My Blue Thunder 1970 GMC Camper Special would spec equal to today's F-150HD 1/2 tons with max payload package tons with a few exceptions. Brakes have greatly improved and a few have higher as high a payload if specked with a payload package. The 1970 had a GCVW of 7,500 Lbs and was a stout truck.

 

[TMGT]

Actually, a high percentage of 3/4 ton models are now using semi-floating rear axles.
I haven't checked, but I think those semi-floating types also use that "wonderful" C washer to hold the axle shaft in.

Do you have any specifics? Dodge and ford through '17 I know use a full floater as does gm I believe.
The description above makes it sound like the axles with integral bolt on outer hubs are semi floater but they are not, there is still a independent hub from the axle that the the wheel attaches to.

I'm kinda curious what axle the new 150 has under it? Haven't looked them up and a quick search didn't really bring up anything.

 

[jwstewar]

Curious how many folks on here have actually had 13k behind a 1/2 ton truck?

I usually like a gooseneck for that kind of weight.

This weekend I decided I would haul my 55hp tractor and bush hog on my bumper pull. Weight is around 9k counting trailer. Truck did fine but I can tell you there's no way I would want to pull it on a bumper pull very often.

Just for the record I'm not bashing 1/2 ton trucks and I agree they are far more capable then in years past. I just think manufacturers are over rating them just to say ours has a higher towing rating.


View attachment 520856

I actually have had 13k behind my 1/2 truck. It is a 99 Silverado. This was back in '99 or 2000. Didn't realize (I know ignorance is no excuse) how much weight I had behind the truck until after the said trip was over and I started adding up all the weight of everything I had. It was a local trip ~12 miles or so each way. Some highway, but obviously not a lot. Started and stopped fine with trailer brakes. Haven't done that since, but I do tow our 8k dry camper regularly. I'm guessing it is 9500 or more when it is loaded.

 

[4570Man]

I actually have had 13k behind my 1/2 truck. It is a 99 Silverado. This was back in '99 or 2000. Didn't realize (I know ignorance is no excuse) how much weight I had behind the truck until after the said trip was over and I started adding up all the weight of everything I had. It was a local trip ~12 miles or so each way. Some highway, but obviously not a lot. Started and stopped fine with trailer brakes. Haven't done that since, but I do tow our 8k dry camper regularly. I'm guessing it is 9500 or more when it is loaded.

I don't know how you managed that unless you had it loaded terribly back heavy. I had a 1700 pound pallet of fabric and on another occasion a 2000 pound pallet of shotgun shells in the back of my 2000 Silverado and that's about all it could handle.

 

[Snobdds]

The only engineering specs I have access to are for GM. The current 6200 pound axle used in the 3/4 ton is a semi-floating type. I have seen commercial Ford cutaway vans with semi-floating axles also.

I have not seen a semi float on any generation of the big three 3/4 ton plus trucks. However, I loved to be proved wrong.

 

[WilliamBos]

Simple how many 1/2 ton's you see flipped over on the high way with the so called "1/2 ton towable" camper that weights 9k vs 3/4 ton?

there are classifications for a reason at the end of the day a 1/2 ton is still not near the truck a 3/4 ton is no matter how you slice the pie boys.

Do t blame the truck - blame the driver. Lower speed limits/commin sense should be used when trailering.

 

[jwstewar]

I don't know how you managed that unless you had it loaded terribly back heavy. I had a 1700 pound pallet of fabric and on another occasion a 2000 pound pallet of shotgun shells in the back of my 2000 Silverado and that's about all it could handle.

It was almost bottomed out for sure. The most weight I had in the bed of it with the stock springs was about 2500. I've since swapped it over to 2500HD springs and I've had over 3000#s in the bed multiple times and 3500 at least once. I haul feed home every 28 days (about 40 miles) and it is usually around 28 or 29 hundred pounds.

 

[gladehound]

I'd say yes. This is an F-superduty ( 450 ). It weighed 22 k with that load. View attachment 520882 . My 3500 hauls 4 ton. View attachment 520883. As far as towing I don't have any heavy bumper pull trailers, and use a 22k goose neck for that.

I like it! Just not sure I could park either in the underground garage at work!

 

[Snobdds]

One example from 2017.
View attachment 520979

Well, there it is.

I have no idea why GM with this route. It makes no sense to me. It seems to be a step in the wrong direction.

 

[4570Man]

I like it! Just not sure I could park either in the underground garage at work!

I doubt you could get the superduty pointed toward a parking garage. That truck has about a 60 foot turning radius. The dump actually drives pretty good.

 

[TMGT]

Well, there it is.

I have no idea why GM with this route. It makes no sense to me. It seems to be a step in the wrong direction.

I just looked up a 2017 2500 chevy with a 6200lb capacity rear axle, it's a full floater just like the previous axles. I believe they are still using the AAM axle same as Dodge.
Not sure why it says semi floating on that sheet.
I'm using the ASE definition for semi vs. full, maybe it's semantics with gm?

 

[TMGT]

I doubt you could get the superduty pointed toward a parking garage. That truck has about a 60 foot turning radius. The dump actually drives pretty good.

I use to have a 2000 F550 cc longer whelbase with a western hauler type bed, 2wd that I couldn't make a U turn on a 4 lane divided highway workout almost hitting the guardrail, decent sized medium too.

I would have loved to have then turning radius of that older SD!

I was once running with a buddy of mine, he was driving the low 5th wheel parking lot, I had my 50ft wedge behind the 550. Went to pull into a dealer and I told him I wouldn't be able to make the turn, he laughed since he could make it with the low 5th.
He couldn't believe it when I had to do a multi point turn to jackknife the truck to get in there, worst truck I ever owned.

 

[om21braz]

I drive nearly 50K per year and have never seen a flipped rig. Sen one or two on the net.

Not nearly the issue you are making it out to be!

It probably is relatively rare, but I know of one. My neighbor was towing his RV with a 1/2 ton Suburban on I-40 near Asheville, NC and had a strong wind blow camper and Suburban over on the side. The good - no one injured, the bad? - he won't tow a lawnmower trailer with less than a dually now.

 

[sd455dan]

Do you have any specifics? Dodge and ford through '17 I know use a full floater as does gm I believe.
The description above makes it sound like the axles with integral bolt on outer hubs are semi floater but they are not, there is still a independent hub from the axle that the the wheel attaches to.

I'm kinda curious what axle the new 150 has under it? Haven't looked them up and a quick search didn't really bring up anything.

would like to know also - if they have switched to full floaters , my hat is off to them.

 

[TMGT]

would like to know also - if they have switched to full floaters , my hat is off to them.

If you're refering to the F150, all I found was that it's a heavier duty axle buy nothing else. Maybe I should stop by the dealer one day.

 

[mike69440]

Some F-150's and the Lincoln trucks came with a 10-1/4 ring gear rear axle I believe. At least in years past.

The std HD towing big engine option (3.5 and 5.8L) ones are 9-3/4 and the regular F-150 come with an 8.8

Not sure what axle comes with a 2.7L with tow package.

I think ther is more than one style 9-3/4" axle.

 

[gladehound]

Some F-150's and the Lincoln trucks came with a 10-1/4 ring gear rear axle I believe. At least in years past.

The std HD towing big engine option (3.5 and 5.8L) ones are 9-3/4 and the regular F-150 come with an 8.8

Not sure what axle comes with a 2.7L with tow package.

I think ther is more than one style 9-3/4" axle.

I found these in another forum (attached). Apparently there are two 9 3/4" axles - standard and HD. The fluid capacity is different. But even the HD is still a c-clip axle - not full floating. Axle capacity (4,800 pounds) is only a few hundred pounds more than the standard 9-3/4". This is all from 2015 documents. Don't know if anything changed for 2018. I'm guessing not.

 

[gladehound]

Resurrecting this because I discovered a game changer that affects my decision. The F250/F350 are out because they wont fit in the underground garage at work. Too tall. I need to be under 80".

This leaves the F150HD, Ram 2500 diesel, or Ram 3500 diesel (don't prefer GM for no logical reason). I don't really want the Ram 2500 diesel because the payload is marginal at around 2,000 pounds with CC & 4WD. This is the same as a non HD lightly optioned F150 XLT and 800 pounds south of the same F150 with HDPP.

So as strange as it sounds, I'm deciding between ordering a 2018 F150XLT HDPP CC 4WD 3.5EB versus a used 2014-2016 Ram 3500 CC 4WD Diesel. The big thing that makes me hesitate on the Ram 3500 diesel is reliability.

While I'd prefer the heavier duty platform, I absolutely don't want a truck that leaves me sit because of some exhaust issue! And I think I'll have more trust in the F150HD. Is my fear unfounded? Or should it be a real concern?

 

[dodge man]

I'd get what you want and/or need. That said, are you sure a Ram 3500 will be low enough to get in an underground garage? I'd make sure of that first. I bought a F150 5 days ago so you can guess my advice, but with a name like Dodgeman, I love the Cummins also.

 

[Sysop]

Just recently read an article that the F150 costs an estimated $482 per year to maintain, the least expensive (and apparently trouble-free) of all the full size trucks. Ram are the most expensive, with the Ram 1500 costing an estimated $863 per year and the Ram 3500 costing an estimated $1244 per year. Even a GMC Canyon is more expensive to maintain at an estimated $572 per year...

Source: Most Expensive Vehicles To Maintain And Repair