Can you carry & pull wood w 1/2 ton?

[mrd1995]

Your not kidding, I know a lot of people from your area and the dot guys don't joke around in your section of PA, friend got busted for truck rust 2 years ago, he was moving his father's plow pickup to his property to take the old bed off and build a wooden deck bed, the officer wasnt having it and gave him a nice ticket.

Guys at work bust me for towing light, waiting to laugh at them when they get nailed. We had a DOT officer down toward Pittsburgh that pulled us over 2 or 3 times in one summer trying to get us for the tie down method on our tracked skid steer at work. Never got us.

 

[brenndatomu]

Modern F150 trucks have almost the same payload and tow ratings as my 2000 F350! Really.

And yet, if I'm hauling heavy I'm going to want to use the F350 everytime...modern F150's may be beefed up, but they still don't come with Dana 60 axles (or whatever HD axle you have) and 10 ply tires...

 

[yinpin]

I fill the back of my Quad Cab 1500 often with rounds or split wood over the rails and will also pull a 6x12 trailer with rounds.

 

[Highbeam]

And are you going by an actual 2020 f150 door tag? Or are you going off ford's specs for that figure? If they are off by 1000 lbs on yours how much are they off on the f150?

Newer trucks have an actual sticker in the jamb that shows payload “rating” but you are still on the hook to comply with the GVWR. In theory, manufacturers know what each empty truck weighs. Still, with that sticker you have a reasonable excuse if caught overloaded.

If I, or anyone else, is considering a new truck I would suggest test driving and rolling over a scale to make sure you are getting the payload capacity you want.

To @brenndato’s point, I would rather haul at the limits with an F350 than at the limits with a half ton. I’ve worked on all parts of the bigger trucks (It is a Ford!) and they are built stronger than half tons. More margin I would think.

 

[bholler]

Newer trucks have an actual sticker in the jamb that shows payload “rating” but you are still on the hook to comply with the GVWR. In theory, manufacturers know what each empty truck weighs. Still, with that sticker you have a reasonable excuse if caught overloaded.

If I, or anyone else, is considering a new truck I would suggest test driving and rolling over a scale to make sure you are getting the payload capacity you want.

To @brenndato’s point, I would rather haul at the limits with an F350 than at the limits with a half ton. I’ve worked on all parts of the bigger trucks (It is a Ford!) and they are built stronger than half tons. More margin I would think.

So basically you are questioning my intelligence for comparing ford's published specs to ford's published specs. But you are comparing the door tag on your truck to ford's published specs of a new truck. That makes perfect sense.

You then go on to agree that older heavy duty trucks can handle more than new light duty ones which is what you have been arguing against this whole time.

 

[Highbeam]

So basically you are questioning my intelligence for comparing ford's published specs to ford's published specs. But you are comparing the door tag on your truck to ford's published specs of a new truck. That makes perfect sense.

You then go on to agree that older heavy duty trucks can handle more than new light duty ones which is what you have been arguing against this whole time.

You have completely misunderstood everything. Don't know what to tell you but I'm not looking for one of your fights so have a nice day.

 

[bholler]

You have completely misunderstood everything. Don't know what to tell you but I'm not looking for one of your fights so have a nice day.

Yeah ok

 

[brenndatomu]

Don't know what to tell you but I'm not looking for one of your fights so have a nice day.

Dude, your head would explode if you couldn't find at least 3 "lively discussions" per week

 

[NickW]

I definitely agree with making sure you leave plenty of extra braking distance with a 1/2 ton. Power to pull it with a half ton doesn't equal braking power to stop it. Had a bad experience avoiding someone who pulled out in front of me when I had the 1/2 ton truck full and was pulling a trailer loaded up. Locked it up and skidded along, then bit the ditch. Bent the trailer axle from the bounce... Yeah, I was probably overloaded... . That being said, 1/2 tons probably pull more campers and haul more wood than 3/4 and 1 tons combined. Just exercise good judgement and safety.

Chuckled at the comment about the front tires off the ground. Overloaded the old 1/2 ton and trailer at Menards once with patio blocks and sand. Had to take back roads and drive slow to steer. I got much wiser and prudent about loads since those 2 experiences and love the 1 ton diesel I've had since 2010. Plenty of pulling AND braking power...

 

[coaly]

What's nice about a trailer is less lift height. If I could only master backing one up. I used to have a small 4 x 6 trailer, when backing up empty after going back and forth several times sometimes I'd just get out and lift the thing up and swing it a foot or so. I've heard longer trailers are actually less challenging to move in reverse.

Once when I was backing it up a ramp years ago at the transfer station a guy there said just use the driver's side mirror. I did that, didn't look in the overhead rear view or passenger side mirrors. I thanked him because I was successful after that.

The smaller the trailer, the more difficult to back up. 30 footers stay straight easier.

Two tips; when backing, do not turn the wheel bringing your hands above the center of wheel. Instead, feed the bottom of wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go. The shorter the trailer, the quicker you have to correct it. #2, always try to bend towards drivers side so you can see where the trailer is going. Backing blind to the other side is difficult for anyone. Those two tips will make you look like a pro in no time.

 

[blades]

Please note that moderately recently E range tires no longer have 10 true plies - we are now getting stuck with less plies that are supposedly as good as 10 ply. I am not a particular believer in marketing hype . Last time i looked there were 2 grades of E range tires, which is what prompted my more in depth search. Sure didn't get any cheaper though. Personally i have never blown out a side wall, but have had belts slip slide around under the thread- does really weird things to your ability to steer. Kinda acts like an alignment problem or real bad ball joint - hit bump and change lanes all by itself.

 

[bholler]

Please note that moderately recently E range tires no longer have 10 true plies - we are now getting stuck with less plies that are supposedly as good as 10 ply. I am not a particular believer in marketing hype . Last time i looked there were 2 grades of E range tires, which is what prompted my more in depth search. Sure didn't get any cheaper though. Personally i have never blown out a side wall, but have had belts slip slide around under the thread- does really weird things to your ability to steer. Kinda acts like an alignment problem or real bad ball joint - hit bump and change lanes all by itself.

There are several load ratings covered under e range tires and a different rating if they are run dual. You need to make sure you are getting the right range for your truck. I always just get the highest available. I have only ever blown out the side wall when running loaded by hitting a chunk of concrete in the road and that wasn't fun. I saw it coming and got slowed down a bit but didn't have anywhere to go.

 

[Fat wood]

Get a good trailer but dont overload it like I do. 1500 did not like it. Can you believe this load of oak was going to the landfill.

 

[Stelcom66]

So you were able to intercept it before it went to the landfill? If yes, good catch.

 

[buc74]

I've been hauling many full loads for ten years now with no issues with my Tundra. Common sense does apply of course. I'll also haul my 6x12 trailer also if its a big score. You'll be fine.

 

[Fat wood]

So you were able to intercept it before it went to the landfill? If yes, good catch.

I have gotten so much wood from word of mouth. Plus i check craigs list, free firewood. Homeowners leave it right on the street. Why pay over $200 a cord when you can get it free.

 

[buc74]

Like most things its a matter of convenience I guess. I agree there is so much free wood for the taking if you want to put some work into it.

 

[Stelcom66]

That's the 'Silver Lining' of a power outage after a major storm. Wood free for the taking at the side of the road, or at the local transfer station. My town allowed residents to drop wood off even without the usual permit and $60 punch card that's required.

 

[ohlongarm]

I fill the back of my Quad Cab 1500 often with rounds or split wood over the rails and will also pull a 6x12 trailer with rounds.
View attachment 262911View attachment 262912View attachment 262913

In 2003 I hauled dozens of loads of hickory blocks round trip 110 miles,average weight 2500lbs to 2800lbs,never a problem. The 03 Tacoma,had 300,000 miles when sold,still running by the buyer in Flatwoods Ky.However after a summer doing this I blew out the rear shocks,and replaced them. The money was good hauling these from the mill in Holmesville Ohio.

 

[bholler]

In 2003 I hauled dozens of loads of hickory blocks round trip 110 miles,average weight 2500lbs to 2800lbs,never a problem. The 03 Tacoma,had 300,000 miles when sold,still running by the buyer in Flatwoods Ky.However after a summer doing this I blew out the rear shocks,and replaced them. The money was good hauling these from the mill in Holmesville Ohio.

So as a law enforcement officer you think it is perfectly acceptable to nearly double the payload capacity of a truck and drive it 55 miles on public roads?????? Or is this a do as I say not as I do situation?

 

[brenndatomu]

So as a law enforcement officer you think it is perfectly acceptable to nearly double the payload capacity of a truck and drive it 55 miles on public roads?????? Or is this a do as I say not as I do situation?

Same thought went through my head too...that and the load doesnt look very secure...I might consider hauling like that since I am only 20 miles from Holmesville, and can make the whole trip on back roads (township and county), but no way I'm getting on the highway without securing that with a HD canvas or something like that, at least...and would fully expect to see blue lights in my rearview if I tried it...

 

[bholler]

Same thought went through my head too...that and the load doesnt look very secure...I might consider hauling like that since I am only 20 miles from Holmesville, and can make the whole trip on back roads (township and county), but no way I'm getting on the highway without securing that with a HD canvas or something like that, at least...and would fully expect to see blue lights in my rearview if I tried it...

As you should. Hauling like that is dangerous

 

[Sawset]

Same thought went through my head too...that and the load doesnt look very secure...I might consider hauling like that since I am only 20 miles from Holmesville, and can make the whole trip on back roads (township and county), but no way I'm getting on the highway without securing that with a HD canvas or something like that, at least...and would fully expect to see blue lights in my rearview if I tried it...

Must have been in a previous life. Fine line between one side of the law or another yah know. But gotta get that brag in, no matter how foolish it looks.

 

[Woody5506]

The smaller the trailer, the more difficult to back up. 30 footers stay straight easier.

Two tips; when backing, do not turn the wheel bringing your hands above the center of wheel. Instead, feed the bottom of wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go. The shorter the trailer, the quicker you have to correct it. #2, always try to bend towards drivers side so you can see where the trailer is going. Backing blind to the other side is difficult for anyone. Those two tips will make you look like a pro in no time.

Another tip I got that helped me out a lot with learning to back a trailer is just GO SLOW! don't rush it and you're way less likely to screw it up. Ever since then I've found it's a piece of cake. Now, towing a log splitter on the other hand, and attempting to back that up......no way.

 

[Stelcom66]

Slow is key. Didn't even think of a log splitter, but yes - I'd imaging backing up with that would be a challenge. If (and I hope I do) I ever buy a log splitter I'll probably just go forward into my driveway with the truck, unhitch it, then manually get it into position.

I don't have a trailer hitch on my truck, but there's holes in the top of the bumper where I think I could mount a ball.