# Who's towing with a 1/2 ton



## Quackerbox (Feb 6, 2006)

I've been in 3/4 tons since about 2000 with 3 of the 4 diesel. Considering going to a 1/2 ton for the ride alone. however afraid of having a truck without the cahones to drag my 21 foot boat which is now the heaviest load I've got. I realize there will be a significant change and running 75 with ease is gone.

whatever happens it will NOT be ecoboost.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

any modern 1/2 ton truck can pull your boat easy, just make sure it has a tow package so you get the lower gearing.


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## Tailgator (Oct 8, 2012)

Jolly Roger is correct. Before I bought mine I found a dealer that also sold used travel trailers. I talked them into letting me pull one that weighed close to 6300 pounds. The truck handled it good, and I was able to maintain 70mph. Hope this helps you.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

I tow my 20.5ft bay boat with a Mercury Mariner....HYBRID! Any 1/2 ton will do what you need.


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## Castaway2 (Aug 8, 2013)

I pull my 18 ft trihull with 1/2 ton. it has enough to get the job done usually run about 70 no problems keeping it there, plenty in reserve for passing when necessary


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I pull that same boat with a F350. My son pulls it with Chevy 1/2 ton Z71 with no issues.
If y'all ever get in a wreck towing a trailer, never admit you were going over 65. The ST trailers tires are rated for only 65. Some starving lawyer will be dividing up your assets.


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## Quackerbox (Feb 6, 2006)

redexpress said:


> I pull that same boat with a F350. My son pulls it with Chevy 1/2 ton Z71 with no issues.
> If y'all ever get in a wreck towing a trailer, never admit you were going over 65. The ST trailers tires are rated for only 65. Some starving lawyer will be dividing up your assets.


Still liking the shallow bay? Flippin love mine and the only time I miss the xpress is when I wash the SB.

Thanks for the input fellas and keep it coming. Currently reading about the new 8 speed 6.2l that's available in a half ton


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## Nitroexpress (Apr 7, 2010)

Modern Half tons will do it with ease - don't sweat the decision. 75MPH is not a problem with a bay boat.


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## Charlie in TX (May 4, 2012)

I have a '10 Dodge 1500 5.7l. The motor/tranny had no problem pulling my offshore boat from Dallas to Sargent at 75 mph. It is a 5000lb boat dry. Add fuel and trailer and I guess closer to 8000lb. It sucked the gas doing it. It I were to make the trip regularly I would want a diesel. 

For your boat, any of the v8s will handle it.


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## rclee (Aug 11, 2005)

I have an '07 F150 Crew Cab, 5.4L 3.73 gears and tow a 21' Sea Pro bay boat with no problems.


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

You'll be fine


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Quackerbox said:


> Still liking the shallow bay? Flippin love mine and the only time I miss the xpress is when I wash the SB.
> 
> Thanks for the input fellas and keep it coming. Currently reading about the new 8 speed 6.2l that's available in a half ton


 Heck yeah, I love it. Wish I could get it out more.
I don't want to get in the crowd in East Bay. Livingston is starting to clear up. We get a pattern going on whites & stripers I may go there. 
We just did the water pump, oil change, and fuel filters at 70 hours. Probably done 4 oil changes so far. Gonna wear it out doing maintenance on it! 
Ford putting the 6.2 in a half ton? That ought to pull it!


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## Quackerbox (Feb 6, 2006)

redexpress said:


> Heck yeah, I love it. Wish I could get it out more.
> I don't want to get in the crowd in East Bay. Livingston is starting to clear up. We get a pattern going on whites & stripers I may go there.
> We just did the water pump, oil change, and fuel filters at 70 hours. Probably done 4 oil changes so far. Gonna wear it out doing maintenance on it!
> Ford putting the 6.2 in a half ton? That ought to pull it!


I never did learn livingston. I've only got 25 or 30 hours on mine. Work and training for work. As for the 6.2 is actually a GM motor available for late 2015, bolted to an 8 speed tranny in a half ton


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## Heath (May 21, 2004)

1/2 ton z71 w/ 5.3 and 3.73 rear end pulls my 27 ft travel trailer as good or better than the 3/4 w/6.0 and 4.10 rear end I had before. And gets much better fuel mileage. 


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

Quackerbox said:


> I never did learn livingston. I've only got 25 or 30 hours on mine. Work and training for work. As for the 6.2 is actually a GM motor available for late 2015, bolted to an 8 speed tranny in a half ton


 I haven't learned Livingston either. I hang out on the south end and have managed to avoid running aground on Pine Island. lol
Out of desperation, I've been thinking about drifting for blue cats on Lake Houston.
A GM 6.2? Even better.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

If you want to tow it comfortably at 75 you will need an ecoboost, but any half ton will tow it at 60-65 without much problem. 

I pull 6500# pretty regularly with a 13 F150 EB. 75 mph isn't a problem.


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## Quackerbox (Feb 6, 2006)

Gottagofishin said:


> If you want to tow it comfortably at 75 you will need an ecoboost, but any half ton will tow it at 60-65 without much problem.
> 
> I pull 6500# pretty regularly with a 13 F150 EB. 75 mph isn't a problem.


Was conned into taking an ecoturd on a colorado elk hunt. Towed 2 700 rangers on a 20 foot trailer and passed everything but a gas station. The only time we broke 75 was downhill from a mountain pass. We stopped 2 to 1 with the other vehicle a 3/4 4x4 dmax with a 6x14 in closed trailer with a 500 Honda atv, 4 quartered elk and 6 deer.

Most overrated engine ever. Matter of fact it was traded for a 6.7 a month later. As they say.....no replacement for displacement


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Quackerbox said:


> Was conned into taking an ecoturd on a colorado elk hunt. Towed 2 700 rangers on a 20 foot trailer and passed everything but a gas station. The only time we broke 75 was downhill from a mountain pass. We stopped 2 to 1 with the other vehicle a 3/4 4x4 dmax with a 6x14 in closed trailer with a 500 Honda atv, 4 quartered elk and 6 deer.
> 
> Most overrated engine ever. Matter of fact it was traded for a 6.7 a month later. As they say.....no replacement for displacement


Thats not my experience, but I admit to being a flat lander. Going to visit a friend in CO later this Summer and towing a trailer. We'll see how I do, but like I've said... The only bad mouthers seem to be those that don't actually own one.


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## GoneSouth (Jun 4, 2010)

Hmmm. My 6.2 L f250 pulls my 23 ft boat with 300 verado fine. And so does my expedition with ecoboost. Ford used to put the 6.2 L in the platinum f150 and raptor. But not this year, f250 only. To be honest my raptor was only rated for 6000 lbs. Expedition is rated for 9100. I have not had any problem towing boat or a tandem axle cargo trailer at or above speed limit (Texas only). This is my first ecoboost. No problems so far. And very responsive. 


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## hightide82 (Dec 2, 2011)

My tundra pulls my 23 ft boat no problems.


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## acoastalbender (Jul 16, 2011)

Charlie in TX said:


> I have a '10 Dodge 1500 5.7l. The motor/tranny had no problem pulling my offshore boat from Dallas to Sargent at 75 mph. It is a 5000lb boat dry. Add fuel and trailer and I guess closer to 8000lb. It sucked the gas doing it. It I were to make the trip regularly I would want a diesel.
> 
> For your boat, any of the v8s will handle it.


Here I thought I was the only crazy one....:rotfl:....I have an '09 1/2 Ton 5.7 hemi that I tow my 18ft GC between CC and H town. 75+ no problem, now my 30ft offshore rig is more of a challenge...:rotfl:....approx. 10K, but I don't trailer it more than 20 miles anywhere and it's just for maintenance or detailing. As long as I have a good 1/4 mile run at the JFK causeway bridge we're good...:biggrin:

.


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

There's guy shredding a field across from my hotel with what looks like a 40 horse John Deere that has a front end loader and a good size shredder on it. It was pulled on a tandem low boy with a 1/2 ton chevy.


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## FishermanSteve (Jun 24, 2014)

*use to tow a*

18' Bluewave v-bay with 115 Yam. with a Tacoma 4.0 v6 235 hp, new Caney to Port Mansfield 70+ mph no problem. any 1/2 with 300+ hp will not have a problem, usually you run into stopping problems long before you have hauling problems.


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## Run_aground12 (May 2, 2012)

I pull a 24' haynie with a dodge 1/2 ton with a hemi and it pulls no problem. Just squats a little

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## tail trailer (Aug 8, 2013)

ive towed a 4wheeler in the bed of the truck then had a 4wheeler on the trailer along with a new holland tractor with the bucket up on the 4wheeler and a brush hog out the back running up 45 from houston to leona. i did that with a 2002 chevy z71 with well over 100k on it and it was like it wasnt even their


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## Addicted&Broke (Mar 26, 2015)

I have a 2015 CC chevy with a 5.3L I pull a 22' center console it pulls it with no problems at all. Speed is not an issue. It will drink the gas pulling anything.


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## mfnlonewolf (Aug 27, 2009)

I am towing a 21' RFL with a 2008 Tundra 5.7 No problems pulling or stopping.:brew2:


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