Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[Renze]

A half-ton truck typically (in the last 15+ years) has about a 10,000# towing capacity. That's capable of a mid-size skid steer. If that's "not enough to tow anything useful" then I'm confused.

At the trailer manufacturer i worked untill 2008, we had a customer who bought trailers from us, legally 7500 pound but loaded mostly 10.000, carrying a pressure washer, buffer tank, grit tank, they were specialised in graffiti cleaning, and they had a thing with US pickup trucks. When they got a brand new half ton through grey import, they first came to us to install a set of Firestone assister airbags because it drove like a drunk whale with this load behind. Whether it was chevy or a Tundra. Last thing we sold them was a VW Crafter with a PTO driven pressure washer.

That's the most stereotypical pile of horse doo doo I've seen in a long time. Gas, while not as high as Europe for sure, is over $3 a gallon which isn't exactly cheap.

3 Dollars a gallon is 72.9 eurocents per liter. Here the average price is 1.80 per liter, 2.5 times as high.

And again, most folks with pickup trucks I know are using them regularly for hauling and towing things a car could not. Or at least not nearly as comfortably and safely.

When i was in Canada in 2004 i saw pickup trucks in front of the smallest rental homes. It sure is a cultural thing in North America.
And America has always had a different view on comfort vs. handling than Europe... Europeans see precise handling as comfort, where Americans see, being detached from all feel of the road, as comfort. Thats why Ford bought an English racecar as a starting point for their F40 in the 60s to beat Ferrari..

Never seen an SUV here (and I'm not talking about crossovers like a RAV4 or Highlander, though many of them have hitches too) without a tow hitch. That's just standard.

Not here. In Britain they call it a "Chelsea tractor" because for many people it serves no other purpose than being posh. Most Audi Q7 or BMW X5 are without a hitch, and when they do have them, its usually the 2nd owner that had it installed.

Your understanding of the state of things in America is way off. Where do you get these odd stereotypes?

Stereotypes are an exaggeration to illustrate a general trend. And its not just in the States, in Europe the guys buying US pickups also buy them as a lifestyle statement, rather than practical need. They often live in a small rented house. Same as i saw in Canada in 2004. Cheapest homes, newest trucks.

That obviously doesnt apply to the TBN crowd who enjoy a rural lifestyle, nonetheless you know a bunch who really buy a half ton truck to just haul beer and impress friends, while they live on a post stamp sized lot and have a factory job. We have them also, just not as many.

 

[WinterDeere]

In the states, yes. A half ton truck is a ridiculous poser object, it doesnt have the suspension to tow anything useful...

I use my 1/2 ton truck to pull trailers almost every weekend. It pulls my 7000 lb. landscape trailer, loaded usually with logs (we heat our house with wood), but sometimes loaded with my tractor or yard waste. It also pulls my two boat trailers, for sailing at the local lake or intercoastal waterway thru NJ.

It has a towing capacity around 13,000 lb., which is plenty for my needs. Not sure why you'd call that a "ridiculous poser object".

Mine is configured from factory with 3.93 posi rear, heavy-duty rear springs, and trailer brakes. 5.7L Hemi thru a ZF 8HP70 tranny gets the job done, at least for my weekend warrior needs. And if the weather is too bad to drive my SRT car, I'll also pick up kids and groceries in that truck.

That said, after picking on you, I do agree in general with the point you were probably trying to make. Too many buy a pickup truck just for image, when a sedan or a wagon might actually suit their needs much better. Personal choice, I don't care what anyone else drives, even if it is a little silly.

 

[BigBlue1]

Height. Loading an ATV or mower on a low trailer is much easier and safer than in a high truck bed.

I got very practiced at loading 2 dirtbikes in the back of a 4x4 SuperDuty. Knew where to tie the ramp. Had a painter's step for myself, walking beside, drove the dirtbike up (engine running, slipping clutch). Much harder with friend's Rekluse equipped KTM 300 than my Husaberg FE450 with traditional clutch.

For example I have a Yamaha FJR1300. I would not run it up the ramp into the back of the truck. I would if I had a loading dock at both ends of my route. My Kendon Dual Stand Up trailer is very low to the ground and has hauled everything up to a GL1800.

Sure. In that case. But in my case a pallet of concrete bags or a pallet of LVL flooring gets loaded by forklift when I pick it up and by my CUT with forks when I take it off. So height is irrelevant. Again, it's all context and your context isn't my context. I'm just trying to point out the unwarranted critiques above and how the person making the assumptions is often not understanding things. In my case, to go pick up a pallet of 3000# of LVL flooring in a busy metro area of the Twin Cities I'd much rather just have the truck and not be pulling a trailer around in busy multi-lane traffic or maneuvering it in a warehouse pickup area.

 

[Renze]

It has a towing capacity around 13,000 lb., which is plenty for my needs. Not sure why you'd call that a "ridiculous poser object".

Read the rest of what i said: For those living in a rental home on a poststamp sized lot in the suburbs, its ridiculous that they have a full size pickup. Their financial priorities dont add up.

If you live rural, you clearly have good use for its capacity. Even though i would most probably add another leaf of a 3/4 ton truck to increase stiffness when towing 10k pounds to increase handling, like we used to do with a SRW Sprinter: Slap on the 3rd leaf of a DRW Sprinter or add assister airbags. But thats personal preference.

 

[BigBlue1]

At the trailer manufacturer i worked untill 2008, we had a customer who bought trailers from us, legally 7500 pound but loaded mostly 10.000, carrying a pressure washer, buffer tank, grit tank, they were specialised in graffiti cleaning, and they had a thing with US pickup trucks. When they got a brand new half ton through grey import, they first came to us to install a set of Firestone assister airbags because it drove like a drunk whale with this load behind. Whether it was chevy or a Tundra. Last thing we sold them was a VW Crafter with a PTO driven pressure washer.

And my 2010 Ram 1500 pulled a full-size skid steer on a trailer at around the towing max of 10K total like a champ. Your customer's situation is not everyones'.

When i was in Canada in 2004 i saw pickup trucks in front of the smallest rental homes. It sure is a cultural thing in North America.
And America has always had a different view on comfort vs. handling than Europe... Europeans see precise handling as comfort, where Americans see, being detached from all feel of the road, as comfort. Thats why Ford bought an English racecar as a starting point for their F40 in the 60s to beat Ferrari..

How does someone's residence dictate what they haul? I'm sure there are a lot of folks living in trailer houses that also pull loads regularly.

And the handling topic is ridiculous too. Your stereotypes are just goofy. Maybe with 1970's luxo-barges like a Caddy Fleetwood that was true, but that's not now. Geez.

Not here. In Britain they call it a "Chelsea tractor" because for many people it serves no other purpose than being posh. Most Audi Q7 or BMW X5 are without a hitch, and when they do have them, its usually the 2nd owner that had it installed.

OK. But that's not how SUVs normally come fitted in America. So your lack of actual context misleads your assumptions.

Stereotypes are an exaggeration to illustrate a general trend. And its not just in the States, in Europe the guys buying US pickups also buy them as a lifestyle statement, rather than practical need. They often live in a small rented house. Same as i saw in Canada in 2004. Cheapest homes, newest trucks

Yeah. But when they miss the mark so badly they need to be called out. You need to get better info or stop thinking you understanding things. I don't stereotype Europeans because I don't have knowledge of things there... just calling out dumb things.

 

[BigBlue1]

Read the rest of what i said: For those living in a rental home on a poststamp sized lot in the suburbs, its ridiculous that they have a full size pickup. Their financial priorities dont add up.

If you live rural, you clearly have good use for its capacity. Even though i would most probably add another leaf of a 3/4 ton truck to increase stiffness when towing 10k pounds to increase handling, like we used to do with a SRW Sprinter: Slap on the 3rd leaf of a DRW Sprinter or add assister airbags. But thats personal preference.

That's simply not true. Those folks might have hobbies where they haul or tow things frequently. Maybe the guy in the city apartment rides dirtbike or ATV most weekends. Or pulls a fishing boat. Or, or or...

Maybe those folks are saving money on their residence to do those things.

 

[WinterDeere]

Read the rest of what i said: For those living in a rental home on a poststamp sized lot in the suburbs, its ridiculous that they have a full size pickup. Their financial priorities dont add up.

I don't disagree, but probably also don't care as much about what anyone else does. I routinely see people driving nicer vehicles than me, who I'm quite certain don't even make one-tenth of my annual household income, but I don't really care. I like a shiny expensive truck as much as the next guy, but I don't tie my identity to it.

BigBlue1 has a good point, the guy with the big truck in front of the small house might be using that truck for his expensive hobby or business, and just not need a larger house.

 

[Renze]

How does someone's residence dictate what they haul? I'm sure there are a lot of folks living in trailer houses that also pull loads regularly.

Yes, self employed construction workers can live in trailers. They do haul for a living. Every stereotype has exceptions.

And the handling topic is ridiculous too. Your stereotypes are just goofy. Maybe with 1970's luxo-barges like a Caddy Fleetwood that was true, but that's not now. Geez.

Well this customer, despite being fond of US trucks, didnt like the way they handled and insisted on suspension upgrades. Off course 2008 is 16 years ago and sway bars and springs may have been upgraded with the ever higher towing capacities, but back then, this customer deemed it unacceptable and asked us for a solution.

OK. But that's not how SUVs normally come fitted in America. So your lack of actual context misleads your assumptions.

Its YOUR lack of context. I stated how me and my mate laugh when people are showing off their Q7 or X5 which doesnt have a hitch. Theres no America within the context of that statement.

Yeah. But when they miss the mark so badly they need to be called out. You need to get better info or stop thinking you understanding things.

You shouldnt think every stereotype is about you. Like i said, this stereotype doesnt apply to the TBN community as they, generally speaking, are living rural, and the distances they cover with loads beyond my trailer, are too long to cover with a tractor.

 

[Renze]

I don't disagree, but probably also don't care as much about what anyone else does. I routinely see people driving nicer vehicles than me, who I'm quite certain don't even make one-tenth of my annual household income, but I don't really care. I like a shiny expensive truck as much as the next guy, but I don't tie my identity to it.

Thats exactly my point. Theres a guy half a mile away who lives in the nearby castle. That was his youth dream, to live in a castle. He made his fortune selling high end pet food, produced at the big manufacturers of cheap bulk petfood, packaged and branded premium, sold at a premium price in Asia, where people often have a pet instead of a child, and even pet food is subject to status (to throw in another stereotype, if anyone takes offense) His money sloshes against the cabinet doors, yet he drives a 15 year old 1st gen Q7 his sister discarded years ago: He always drives his sisters used car, his previous was an A6 Avant. He really doesnt give a rats arse about status, just about comfort. Probably because he made his fortune tapping into the status sensitivity of the Asian pet food market.

I havent checked if his has a hitch or not, but that joke doesnt touch his insecurities anyways, so theres no fun in it

 

[Jstpssng]

By and large the used trucks on dealer lots here have no scratches on the truck beds

That'd be me. My truck has to last me another 10 years so I take care of it. Spray on bedliner, rubber mat and a lot of care when I load it. It also comes standard with 2 chainsaws and fuel. This time of year it also contains my garden tools and a bucket of fertilizer. It is true that I don't haul soil, gravel or firewood in it as that's much more convenient in my dump trailer.

Height. Loading an ATV or mower on a low trailer is much easier and safer than in a high truck bed

It's also safer and more convenient to haul my ATV or snowsled in the pickup bed. When I was commuting 500 miles to New York, the last thing I wanted to do was drag a trailer. When I am working, the last thing I need to do is drag a trailer.