Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Best 1/2 ton 4x4 truck on the market?

Agree in part but they could be heavier than you think. A Ranger 521 Comanche is about 1960# for the hull. Add 250 hp engine, three batteries, a trolling motor, and gas it's going to be pushing 3000# without the trailer. Add fishing tackle and other junk let's say 3200#. The trailer itself weighs approx 1100# according to Ranger. So you are conservatively at 4000# to possibly 4500# with a typical tournament bass boat. That's about what my 21 1/2' Center console boat weights sitting on an aluminum trailer. Something like the largest Moomba is going to be around 5000# on the trailer.

I think what fburgtx was saying is that there just really aren't nearly as many people that will buy a half ton truck and expect it to regularly pull more than 5000# as those that tow a fraction of that or nothing at all. I think that's a reasonable assumption for the masses even though all the manufacturers have jumped into an arms race as if every truck owner was going to pull 8000# behind their half ton.

Ford is hedging that bet more this coming year when they introduce a new F150 with a lot more aluminum which they claim is 700# lighter than the current F150. It has an option for a smaller 2.7L Ecoboost with smart start tech. There are rumors (I will believe when I see) the 2.7L gets in the high 20s which would be pretty amazing for a gas burner. They'll be the first to admit it's not the truck for the crowd that actually loads them down, but their market research shows the largest chunk of truck buys don't even come close to current limits and would trade off capability for economy. Again, I guess we'll see.

It guess it's depends on where you live too. I live on the fringes of the city and it seems the majority of people around here are just pulling bass boats, smaller pleasure boats, ATVs, or they don't tow at all. I can't say I really know anyone that tries to pull much over 5k pounds with a half ton but I am sure many do. There are also plenty of folks that drive around here with lifted 6.7L Powerstrokes and they don't even tow. I'm not sure I get that one either.



Yes indeed, it does seem like we're going backwards in many ways.

Buzz, I agree with you on most all of that. Actually, how many people really use a 3/4 or 1 ton the way it's built to be used? Not many. Same thing I believe with a diesel motor, seldom are they used for the extensive towing and hauling and I guess that's why I don't see the point in a half ton. That said, I have no doubt the manufacturers won't be adding one if they don't have positive data that they will sell like hot cakes. I'll bet they can't keep them on the lots and yes, they will be taking kids to soccer practice and getting milk and eggs a lot more than towing and hauling anything semi large. Most of the time big and/or 4x4 trucks are more of a status symbol than they are a used tool.

Out here in NM, sure you get in the country and trucks are used and abused. In the city, they are a gee whiz look what I've got and a diesel is only icing on the cake. I can't tell you the number of 3/4 and 1 ton diesel's with stacks I see in Abq. It's a joke. They will sell but I won't be buying one. After all, remember a "stock Tundra" towed the space shuttle!!!!!! Yeah and the man in the moon was probably in it!!!!

As a current ecoboost owner, I'm interested to see what specs and real life real world performance of the 2.7L boost will actually be. I'm in the "non towing" crowd outside of throwing a 4 wheeler in the bed so if the newer, smaller boost had noticeably better economy, I would sacrifice power all day long. I like having a big truck but I don't need the power this truxk has.

The best 1/2 ton I have owned is a GMC Sierra with a 5.3 and automatic. It tows my Bobcat sometimes and my flatbed auto trailer with hay frequently. So far (56,000 miles) it has been fine. Is it the best? Probably not as I think all the big three 1/2 ton models are great.

Where I live there are very few Tundras seen but the few here seem to be highly thought of, at least by the owners.

I haven't heard that Toyota announced a diesel for the Tundra yet. If they did/do, I would be first in line....

From my understanding, the Tundra frame is strong enough to handle 3/4T loads. The axles might make it, but yes they'd have to upgrade the suspension for sure.

I personally hope that if the Tundra goes diesel, they put one of the Toyota turbodiesels in it. I drove a turbodiesel Landcruiser overseas a few years ago, and it had gobs of power. It was getting way better mileage than my 5.7 gasser, too. In any other part of the world outside of the US, Toyota has been putting diesels in their trucks for many, many years.

For me, the main point of any Tundra diesel would be to get a fairly heavy duty truck that was reliable, and got better mileage than my 5.7.

They are going diesel for 2016. There is a thread about it on the campfire section.

Best for what I wanted was a 2013 Tundra Rock Warrior Double Cab.I bought it for $34,000 and change and put a few options on it and got it near $35,000. I just spent $2K on a canopy but that is just cost of doing business.

It replaces my 94 Chevy K2500 4x4 when I get it set up like I want it. The Chevy has done all that I asked and is still in great shape but I am retired and want to travel with my trailer and wanted a little more power and probably better reliability.

The Tundra is an amazing package. Gobs of power, good ride, etc.

I had some electrical problems with a couple of Dodges so stay away from them.

It is probably unfair to Ford but my 84 SW 4x4 was so unreliable I do not plan on ever owning another. The front suspension went out a couple of times. The computer chip blew twice and the carburetor literally shook apart.

It is a little off topic but I hope Toyota starts building the Hi-Lux diesel for this market and goes back to a ladder frame. The current Tacoma's [a son and a friend own them] have such soft rear springing that a trip to Oregon spring is the first stop if you want to use them for much.

The Tacoma is currently designed to tow but not haul much.Not my choice.

FourWheeler magazine just published the results of their annual best off road pickup contest for 2014 in their March issue. While the Tundra didn't win, it was most impressive when performing off road, better than the 1/2 ton Chevy or the 3/4 ton Ram they tested.
The other thing I've noticed is that Toyota is giving the "baja treatment" to the Tundra as well as the Tacoma later this year. Now that should make for a really nice hunting rig. E

Wow great news. I'd rather have a Toyota sourced diesel, but the Cummins would be fine too.

there's not a computer chip in a 1984 ford. How did it "blow twice"?

I was wondering the same thing

I bet it was the ignition module.

I currently drive a 2010 Chevy Crew 4x4 w/ 5.3 and LOVE it. I tow a 6900 lb (dry) camper w/ it, a tractor, a race car, and a 18ft boat and the only issue I've had w/ it is a some type of motor went out on the transfer case and wouldn't allow it to go into 4 low but it would go into 4 high....It's being fixed under warranty. I get 17 MPG on average and when towing my camper to Talladega last race got 9 MPG. I love Toyota's but their gas mileage is not as good but they do have a good resale value...I'm not a hater of any ride out there and they all are making some good looking sleds, although most are proud of them and it shows in their pricing!

If Toyota would put the 5.0 cummins in the tundra. I might have to get one of those in a crew cab 4x4(and a second mortgage).