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What would have to be done? 1/2 ton towing question.

shady

shady

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I'm wondering what it is exactly that makes a half ton tow less than a 1 ton... Here's all I can think of,

1. Brakes
2. Power?
3. Beef (axle, tranny, drive shaft, springs)

Only other real difference I can think of is the frame is lighter. But I figured that's for actual load IN the truck, not so much for towing.

If I took a 1 ton drive train and put it in a 1/2 ton. Plus a brake upgrade. Would I be able to pull a trailer weighing roughly 8k?

Am I close?
 
Lots of things factor into towing ratings....

Trans coolers

Spring ratios

Beef of axles and trans/t-case

Brakes

Actual weight of towing vehicle.

Shock valving

Tire rating (# of plys)

Power output

Gear ratio
 
Most of which would be addressed with a 1 ton drive train. I found a classic full size, extended van that I want to convert the inside to a basic sleeping quarters. And I'd like to tow a 1 ton square body single cab that will have the usual stuff done to it. That way me and the family can go to all these meet ups and such and wheel our own rig.

Problem is the van I found is a 1/2 ton thats too nice and too cheap to wait for a different one to come around.
My thinking was that a 1 ton regular cab 2wd truck can be had pretty cheap, and used as a donor.
 
Most importantly.... The weight tag on the door frame...You know the one the DOT man looks at after the accident and your found to be overweight, then the real fun starts.
 
So what do you do when you swap a NICE 1/2 cab on to your 1ton truck that had a sh1tty body?
 
I think actual weight of the tow vehicle is the biggest factor..
The frame is larger,and the axles weigh at least double what a 1/2 ton one does,that helps keep the truck planted...
Longer wheelbase is also better for towing,many 1 tons are longer than a typical 8 foot bed pickup..

I have known some guys who raced stock cars,that turned 1/2 ton pickups into race car haulers--they used 1" bar stock tack welded to the bottom lip on the frame to beef it up,plus the "wedge" body for the car to sit on also was built solid and also helped stiffen the frame up..some extended the frames,others simply added more rails to the rear...
In the long run most of them decided the trucks were "too weak" to handle the tasks of hauling a car several hundred miles to a race and back again..many got stopped at weigh stations or pulled over by local cops and fined for being grossly overweight...ForMud is right in that respect..

I know a few guys who hauled vehicles all over using a full sized Chevy Van of 70's vintage with a car trailer,had no issues at all--vans seem to be well suited for towing--another guy I know had a 1977 Suburban C10 with a 454 TH400 setup that towed vehicles from NH to NC often and said it handled the trips quite nicely...
I don't think a dually would be a good thing to haul on a car trailer though..:eek:..

I have seen several old "cube vans" made into race car haulers,they were cheap,already had dual rears wheels,and more than one old van nosed RV camper or Winnebago,even school busses, cut down into a flatbed and used to haul them too..at least those are rated for the weight..
 
This would be all trailer towing and really not much weight in the van. I had thought about a body swap onto an e250 van chassis... But a van body swap if a whole nother ball game than a pickup cab swap or blazer tub. Both of which I've done. And it's an extended van at that. :doah:

But being an extended full size van I'm sure it'd have the weight going for it. Gotta weigh as much at least as a regular cab truck:dunno:

Its possible that it has a decent tow rating as is. But I'm sure not enough for a roughly 6k truck plus trailer.

There has to be a way to get a modified vehicle recertified to a higher rating.... Not sure how much red tape it would be though.
 
I'd use what I could of the donor, then get e350 parts from the same year for whatever didn't fit from that.

The weight rating tag is definitely an issue.... I'm sure it's possible but I'd have to look into it.
 
Or, you could get a cheap 2wd truck, stretch the frame, and set most of the van body back there behind the cab...
 
A little creativity can make you look like a superstar....

Maybe
 
Be easier to swap to another van frame, they aren't hard to find. Most of them vans are in a LOT worse shape than this one though. But the body tag would still be and issue and the fact that I have no place for another body swap. Axles n motors and stuff I can do, but I lost access to a big enough shop for a van body swap.
 
If you got the titles to both vehicles you could swap the tags and have it re-inspected to allow a higher GVW rating,if you put a 1/2 ton cab on a 1 ton chassis..at least here you can,but its a lot of hassles and they could shut you down too--not sure how anal other states might be..many wont allow any fudgery at all..you have to buy a legit truck rated for the purpose..

Today I saw a 1 ton truck listed for 1,000 bucks on Facebook marketplace--a 1991 F350 4x4 with a 7.3,5 speed...runs good supposedly,not rotted body wise,frame is "crusty" but solid..owner claims he's only selling it because MA insists he register it with commercial plates--anything over a certain GVW you have to go commercial I guess..

I have registered several 3/4 ton trucks with the GVW listed as 5000 lbs so I can use "passenger" plates,because I'll never carry the full 8500 lbs they were rated for,no one raised an eyebrow at the RMV..not sure how that works now though..since they charge by the weight rating, I'm sure they probably are now keeping close tabs on that now..
 
Well... The van I found turned out to be a 3/4 ton anyway, .... But it's sold :doah:

And I tried looking at my father in-laws van and also my Silverado and it doesn't list the tow rating on the sticker in the door on either one:dunno:

It lists the GVWR, which isn't the tow rating. And the gross axle weight for each. But that's all.

I also found out that an authorized conversion company can alter the tow capacity of a vehicle before it is titled the first time. That's it. Nobody esle can legally do it after that. It then went on to say that for the common man, weights and such aren't paid much attention to unless it LOOKS like you are over doing your tow vehicle. Like an S10 hauling a 30' fifth wheel camper.
I'm not sure how true that part is. But I do know of a guy that towed a 26' bumper mount with a trailblazer, and rolled it in a median because of it starting to whip. The cop didn't ticket him and just told him they were lucky. I talked to him shortly after it happened at a rest area down the road. The cop had driven them there to use a phone.. What happened later on I don't know...
 
With 1/2-tons, sometimes the GVWR is the deal-breaker anyway, before you get close to the more advertised "tow rating". With 1/2-ton springs and axles, the GVWR minus curb probably isn't enough to account for passengers, luggage and the real-use tongue weight. Hauling a 6k truck on a 2k trailer will put 800+ lbs on the back, plus several hundred more for passengers and their stuff (and we all know there is always tons of stuff).
 
Since the one I wanted is gone I'm now looking at a E350 super duty van. 10,000lb tow rating with 3000lb above curb weight GVWR. Should be good with that. Not sure if we're doing it or not though. The other van didn't require a loan and this one would be about 3k more than the cash we have.
 
Yeah rather than trying to build something I'd get something that is made to do it. I was going to suggest a one ton van, bonus if it's a power stroke.
 
The old body style ford van (late seventies) is my favorite and real hard to come by in and extended version. Then to find one in amazing shape with low miles was crazy. For $1000!!
That's why I was wondering about converting it to bigger components. But when I called I found out I was wrong and it was a 3/4 ton. So, better at least, but it was gone. I guess I'll end up with a new body one and live with it.
 
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