Tip Wanting to get travel trailer what is most reliable half ton for towing

[Kevin D Pem]

Don't mis-understand.......I'm not saying a 1/2 ton won't do the job. Shoot, I pulled a 24' Jayco travel trailer from Iowa to Arizona and back without incident. The following year, it went up into Michigan, again without incident.
I now have a Coachmen 5er that just nudges up against the tow capacity of my 1/2 ton, and I've had it out twice. Got plans to pull up into South Dakota this fall.

All I'm saying is that by kicking the tow vehicle up a notch, one opens up the possibilities for a mobile "residence", and gains some additional safety margin.

Roger

Thank you for this! It helps the poster get the picture he wanted help with

 

[Bigblockyeti]

The most reliable halfton is definitely the 2007-2021 Toyota Tundra.

^ This.

Be sure to get the 5.7L engine and not the 4.6L. The 4.6L burns almost as much fuel as the bigger engine but doesn't have nearly the towing capability.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

^ This.

Be sure to get the 5.7L engine and not the 4.6L. The 4.6L burns almost as much fuel as the bigger engine but doesn't have nearly the towing capability.

Does the Toyota 5.7 utilize multi displacement???
Don't expect great mileage while towing, it won't happen. The average overall will depend on the mpg epa ratings.

5.7 is a 350c.i. engine, for us old folks. With multi displacement my RAM achieves 21 mpg at 50% tow ratio. Is it reliable? Not everyone gets the same results! My truck is trouble free at 110k, but that is break in mileage for a truck. If you have trouble with a truck with less, than get a real truck!!!

 

[Rosy]

Does the Toyota 5.7 utilize multi displacement???
Don't expect great mileage while towing, it won't happen. The average overall will depend on the mpg epa ratings.

5.7 is a 350c.i. engine, for us old folks. With multi displacement my RAM achieves 21 mpg at 50% tow ratio. Is it reliable? Not everyone gets the same results! My truck is trouble free at 110k, but that is break in mileage for a truck. If you have trouble with a truck with less, than get a real truck!!!

I've talked to guys who tow their travel trailers with the Toyota 5.7, Dodge/Ram 5.7, GM 6.0 and Ford 3.5EB and they all get 10 mpg or less when towing. The others might do better unloaded than Toyota's (as you say, no displacement on demand system) but it's a stout motor that will run forever.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I've talked to guys who tow their travel trailers with the Toyota 5.7, Dodge/Ram 5.7, GM 6.0 and Ford 3.5EB and they all get 10 mpg or less when towing. The others might do better unloaded than Toyota's (as you say, no displacement on demand system) but it's a stout motor that will run forever.

I get 13 towing. It boils down to preference!!!

 

[A-Texan]

Coming from a former Ford Senior Master Technician (auto tech for 16 years, but left the field to become a math teacher several years ago), go with the Toyota Tundra.

 

[GTS225]

Coming from a former Ford Senior Master Technician (auto tech for 16 years, but left the field to become a math teacher several years ago), go with the Toyota Tundra.

Oh! Now that hurts! A master Ford tech just told me that my '04 F150, with the 5.4, 3-valve Triton engine, that has extended tip spark plugs that can break off in the head, and "cam phasers" that can't last for as long as needed, is crap. I'm hurt!.....Scarred for life!
(Psst! I'm trying to do the guilt trip thing.....is it working?)

Cam phasers.......one of the stupidest things I've ever seen in an engine. Wasn't nothing wrong with solid cam sprockets. They worked on even the 60's vintage overhead cam engines that had ONE very long timing chain.

Just my opine.....Roger

 

[A-Texan]

Oh! Now that hurts! A master Ford tech just told me that my '04 F150, with the 5.4, 3-valve Triton engine, that has extended tip spark plugs that can break off in the head, and "cam phasers" that can't last for as long as needed, is crap. I'm hurt!.....Scarred for life!
(Psst! I'm trying to do the guilt trip thing.....is it working?)

Cam phasers.......one of the stupidest things I've ever seen in an engine. Wasn't nothing wrong with solid cam sprockets. They worked on even the 60's vintage overhead cam engines that had ONE very long timing chain.

Just my opine.....Roger

I am not a fan of the 3 valve engines either, in all honesty while the three valves do perform much better it did hurt the reliability of their vehicles. I left the field several years after they started heading that direction so they may have gotten the bugs worked out by now, but I personally would only purchase a Ford if I needed a F250 or F350. Its not that Ford trucks are bad, in my experience Toyota's just hold up better. I only have one Ford left, everything else we drive is either a Toyota or Lexus and with them (well over 150k on some of them) all I have ever had to do is change the oil, air filter, battery and brakes, etc., really basic maintentance. I honestly can't say that about my 5.0L Mustang GT (money pit), but I like the car so I still have it and my grown kids haven't been able to talk me out of it yet.

 

[countryflyboy]

I prefer the Ram trucks. Great running and the interior is 2nd to none. I towed 7500# loaded for many years with the half ton-no problems. I moved up to the 3/4 ton Ram when I purchased a heavier trailer.

I have a 17 model Ram 1500 with the 5.7 hemi. Im gonna be getting my first TT sometime this year hopefully. I have been slowly equipping the truck with things it did not come with to get ready for this. I installed the curt class 4 towing package, and I also got their flex electric brake control unit. I'm basically ready to hitch up now. I just havent decided on a TT yet. I plan on getting a 17 footer (since I dont need a lot of living space) with a dry weight ranging from 3300 to 4000 somewhere in that range. You got any pointers for me being a fellow Ram owner?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

You might want to do a test. Don't get me wrong, you have what I consider the best 1/2 ton trucks out there! Just the same, drive 55 on the highway and check your milage. Then without changing a thing hit the tow haul button, then check the milage again.

This will help you realize there's not much to gain driving out of tow haul, Only benefit. Anyone will benefit from that exercise, as overdrive is the weak link in a transmission.

Slow down at least 5mph before going down a hill, and use the cruise. The cruise will downshift your ZF transmission to keep you going as best possible 5mph over your set point. Because of the low friction transmission, you pretty much coast down a hill if not in cruise.

Because your information panel will show transmission oil temperature engine temp, I always set the screen so I can keep an eye on the vitals.

My 16 1/2 RAM will haul better than my 1ton Chevy by 3000lbs. For this reason I have ordered HD coils for the rear so it will handle my fifth better(small 26'), without any problems.

I guard the transmission. That said it runs like it did when new. I expect 300000 out of it. Not because I am hopeful, but because it has 110000 now with more than half towing miles. As well as the same history with my other Mopar trucks. Only minor issues, you know mouse stripping insulation from the ac clutch wire. That kind of issue. I can't even claim a brake job!!!


You'll do fine with your choice. I wish I had had the same results with other trucks I have owned.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

I've been casually shopping more recently after being tipped off to a 15% off all in stock Nissan Titans over memorial day at a dealership in the Phoenix area. I tried building what I want and there's two possibilities. FWIW, the 2023 Titan and Titan XD are both powered by what's essentially the same 5.6L V8 introduced by Nissan in 2005. Several refinements, including direct injection, now make 400hp @ 5,800rpm and 413lbft @ 4,000rpm both back by a fairly new 9-speed transmission. The Titan S crewcab 4x4 with zero options has pretty much everything I would want, except only a 5.5' bed which is too short for me. It weighs 5,691lbs, tows up to 9,167lbs, has 1,658lbs payload, 67" bed and starts at $44,930. The Titan XD crewcab 4x4 weighs 6,394lbs, tows up to 10,898lbs (bumper pull), has 2,406lbs payload, 78.7" bed and starts at $47,590. Add ~$1900 to either for shipping and that's it. The only option I might want is the hitch, trailer wiring & sprayed in bedliner for $1K, most of that being for the bedliner as it would be nearly that price along for an aftermarket sprayed liner. Pre-installed trailer light harness & hitch would be luxuries I normally take care of myself

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I've been casually shopping more recently after being tipped off to a 15% off all in stock Nissan Titans over memorial day at a dealership in the Phoenix area. I tried building what I want and there's two possibilities. FWIW, the 2023 Titan and Titan XD are both powered by what's essentially the same 5.6L V8 introduced by Nissan in 2005. Several refinements, including direct injection, now make 400hp @ 5,800rpm and 413lbft @ 4,000rpm both back by a fairly new 9-speed transmission. The Titan S crewcab 4x4 with zero options has pretty much everything I would want, except only a 5.5' bed which is too short for me. It weighs 5,691lbs, tows up to 9,167lbs, has 1,658lbs payload, 67" bed and starts at $44,930. The Titan XD crewcab 4x4 weighs 6,394lbs, tows up to 10,898lbs (bumper pull), has 2,406lbs payload, 78.7" bed and starts at $47,590. Add ~$1900 to either for shipping and that's it. The only option I might want is the hitch, trailer wiring & sprayed in bedliner for $1K, most of that being for the bedliner as it would be nearly that price along for an aftermarket sprayed liner. Pre-installed trailer light harness & hitch would be luxuries I normally take care of myself

Is that right! 1.25 ton payload???

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Is that right! 1.25 ton payload???

Yes, for the Titan XD which has been a quasi 3/4 ton from inception, a 5/8 ton truck if you will. This would be the max and be reduced by whatever weight adding options were included, in my case it would be at most a hitch, trailer light wiring & a sprayed in bedliner so together minus ~100lbs give or take.

That capacity is appealing to me from a hauling & towing standpoint but I suspect not so much when it's unladen.