Towing and payload capacity

[jwfrede]

Originally Posted by Tigger1

As I mentioned in my first post I looked at different sources for reliability other than Consumer Reports.

Here’s one of those sources. It is a 15 year look back by J.D. Power of some 80,000 surveys by actual owners on the topic of dependability and reported by pickuptrucktalk.com April, 2019

“The results WILL surprise you and, if you are a loyal fan, probably make you upset.“

“When it comes to pickups, most buyers really want to know one thing: how dependable will it be.“

https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2019/04/...last-15-years/

Fits my experience I mentioned earlier in this thread, Ranger good, F150 not so good.

However, Toyoda hasn't taken any risks in updating their design in like 10 years with Al body and higher performance engines for example. I wish they had because performance also matters.

There is probably a new thread every week on how big of a truck you need for pulling some trailer. Inevitably its the cargo capacity limiting a half ton truck. They have the hp for 12000 lb but usually can only pull something around 7000-9000 lb because of hitch weight impact on cargo capacity.

I don't care about brand loyalty, I care about performance, reliability and cost. I may be looking at a 5th wheel next and a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. The GM stuff looks good on reliability. Anybody know the breakdown?

I know how great diesel performance is but I would probably go with a 3/4 gaser due to the tremendous extra cost of diesel and the fact I would I likely be at the low end of the 5th wheel size. So if the reliability advantage of GM was mainly due to diesel performance that might change the answer.

[Tigger1]

Originally Posted by Bhrava

Those JD Power surveys are usually filled out soon after purchase, not years down the road. Look at the used car market for real reliability, those that have a lot of miles on them.

And of course define reliability.

Edmunds, Cars.com, and a few other sites like these can give you a better look at reliability than CR and especially JD Power.

The surveys which J.D. Power used were done three years after purchase.
Notice there are two columns:
Survey Year Model Year

It also seems too convenient to write off places like CR, J.D. Power, etc. for reliability. I’ve used Edmunds and cars.com for years for pricing. I wouldn’t rely on them for reliability.

[babock]

Originally Posted by Tigger1

“When it comes to pickups, most buyers really want to know one thing: how dependable will it be.“

And will it tow my trailer. Sorry...I can't buy a pickup that only has 1200# or less payload. This is what I saw when I looked at Toyotas. If I just want a grocery getter, I would buy a Toyota.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by babock

And will it tow my trailer. Sorry...I can't buy a pickup that only has 1200# or less payload. This is what I saw when I looked at Toyotas. If I just want a grocery getter, I would buy a Toyota.

Have to agree, even though it's a well built truck with a strong engine.
I spent 2 years looking for a a good tow 1/2 ton crewcab to replace my Avalanche, which had 1357lbs of payload capacity.
Every CC Tundra I looked at, had much lower payloads than my Avalanche. Most were in the 1100-1200lbs range. Some were in 800-900lbs range.
That's how I ended up with my F150 3.5 Ecoboost.

[Bhrava]

My fully loaded Platinum has 1557 pounds payload. Only thing it doesn't have is a moonroof. One driver and 12,200 pound trailer @10% is what it can actually do. I wouldn't though if it were a travel trailer, more like 7000 tops with 13% TW.

[timfromma]

Personally, I like to have 1000lbs of payload capacity left over after the trailer is connected to accommodate passengers and gear in the truck.

[Tigger1]

Originally Posted by babock

And will it tow my trailer. Sorry...I can't buy a pickup that only has 1200# or less payload. This is what I saw when I looked at Toyotas. If I just want a grocery getter, I would buy a Toyota.

1380 - 42 factory add ons = 1338 payload. Plenty enough for my trailer. Room to spare with the way we pack. Can make the payload work, just don’t buy too big a unit. In my case I also use a light weight hitch. It all adds up.

But I certainly understand there are people who need a bigger unit based on family size. Everything in the RV world is a compromise based on priorities. As far as the tow vehicle goes, ours happens to be reliability.

But not to disappoint, I don’t use it to get groceries. Just for towing. That makes the mpg comparison between the F-150 3.5 EB, which is what I initially liked before research, to the Tundra kind of a wash. 8.5 to about 10 towing depending on terrain so far. If yours gets a couple more, good for you.

[Bhrava]

I use my F150 as a daily driver too, 640 miles per week before we all got shut inside for the past going on 4 months now. 21 MPG, nothing to complain about. Towing 7-10, whether its the travel trailer or my 6 x 12 enclosed, same towing MPG.

I have a dedicated tow truck now, gets 13 MPG towing the same trailer the F150 got 7-10 with. Will be interesting to see what it gets towing the fifth wheel which is at least twice the weight.

[Tigger1]

My payload on the Tundra is actually more than the door sticker of 1380 - 42 factory add ons = 1338.

Took it to a CAT scale a couple weeks back, full tank, nothing else, I stepped out, 5643.

GVWR 7100 - 5643 = 1457

That’s with a Line X spray on liner and my tonneau cover.

Not sure this would hold true for other Tundras, but it’s worth getting the curb weight from the scales.

[babock]

1338? LOL you think that is a lot? I would be over payload with that truck and my trailer.

All I have is a 25' trailer!

I get around 11mpg towing which is over 25% more than the tundra. Kinda makes sense since a Tundra gets 15 while my f150 gets 21 on the highway.

Gotta love Tundra owners.

Originally Posted by Tigger1

1380 - 42 factory add ons = 1338 payload. Plenty enough for my trailer. Room to spare with the way we pack. Can make the payload work, just don’t buy too big a unit. In my case I also use a light weight hitch. It all adds up.

But I certainly understand there are people who need a bigger unit based on family size. Everything in the RV world is a compromise based on priorities. As far as the tow vehicle goes, ours happens to be reliability.

But not to disappoint, I don’t use it to get groceries. Just for towing. That makes the mpg comparison between the F-150 3.5 EB, which is what I initially liked before research, to the Tundra kind of a wash. 8.5 to about 10 towing depending on terrain so far. If yours gets a couple more, good for you.

[jwfrede]

Originally Posted by Bhrava

I use my F150 as a daily driver too, 640 miles per week before we all got shut inside for the past going on 4 months now. 21 MPG, nothing to complain about. Towing 7-10, whether its the travel trailer or my 6 x 12 enclosed, same towing MPG.

I have a dedicated tow truck now, gets 13 MPG towing the same trailer the F150 got 7-10 with. Will be interesting to see what it gets towing the fifth wheel which is at least twice the weight.

For daily use I get maybe 22 MPG living in the country, 20-21 MPG in the winter.

My last trip to Yellowstone I got about 9-10 MPG on the way out pulling a 25 ft 6000 lb trailer. As much as 12 MPG driving 55 MPH with no headwind and as little as 7 MPG driving uphill against the wind in WY. Parked the trailer and got 26 MPG while tooling around Yellowstone at 45 MPH.

The best its done is 34 MPG for about 40 mi in the Everglades going about 43-44 MPH(about the slowest speed that will stay in 6th gear). Then I stopped once and it dropped to 28 MPG by the time I got up to speed again.

The 3.5 ecoboost looks like the best compromise for combined daily and tow vehicle for gas mileage.

[timfromma]

Originally Posted by Tigger1

My payload on the Tundra is actually more than the door sticker of 1380 - 42 factory add ons = 1338.

Took it to a CAT scale a couple weeks back, full tank, nothing else, I stepped out, 5643.

GVWR 7100 - 5643 = 1457

That’s with a Line X spray on liner and my tonneau cover.

Not sure this would hold true for other Tundras, but it’s worth getting the curb weight from the scales.

The heaviest trailer I would tow with that would only weigh 2250 lbs.

[Tigger1]

Originally Posted by babock

Gotta love Tundra owners.

Thank you!

[Tigger1]

Originally Posted by jwfrede

For daily use I get maybe 22 MPG living in the country, 20-21 MPG in the winter.

My last trip to Yellowstone I got about 9-10 MPG on the way out pulling a 25 ft 6000 lb trailer. As much as 12 MPG driving 55 MPH with no headwind and as little as 7 MPG driving uphill against the wind in WY. Parked the trailer and got 26 MPG while tooling around Yellowstone at 45 MPH.

The best its done is 34 MPG for about 40 mi in the Everglades going about 43-44 MPH(about the slowest speed that will stay in 6th gear). Then I stopped once and it dropped to 28 MPG by the time I got up to speed again.

The 3.5 ecoboost looks like the best compromise for combined daily and tow vehicle for gas mileage.

That is pretty impressive mpg.