2500HD

[SlickWillie]

What is the saying? One picture is worth a thousand words!

[Delaine and Lindy]

Well that does prove two points, One he likes toys, two you can put a tow hitch on the rear of a Montana and tow a good size boat. But we also have learned there is a difference in the 2500HD and the 3500HD. We just got back from a short trip to get DW's new car and seen several 2500HD towing 5er and all had the same look need air bags and the 3500HD were all level. But if you want to add after market equipment to make it look safer then thats you choice. Only in America can we have these choices. What a Country. GBY...

[sreigle]

After re-reading this thread I have to apologize. I did not catch the point that we may be talking about a 6.0 gas engine. In my opinion, Wally, the 6.0 GM engine is not a good choice for towing the weight of a Montana. I'm not picking on GM. I feel the same about Ford's 5.4L V8 and Dodge's hemi. You could probably do it but it will have a short life. It is just not designed to handle that much weight.

Oh, and the point of adding airbags has nothing to do with making the truck look like a bigger one. It has everything to do with leveling the truck for safety and handling purposes.

[bsmeaton]

quote:Originally posted by rvghostdriver

Bsmeaton you talk all th etime about towing with 3/4 ton not being safe and yet you tow a boat behind your fiver. Why is that? That is much more dangerous than what those people with 3/4 ton trucks are doing. Here is the picture in your profile bsmeaton.

Hey! - I wasn't paying attention and let this comment sip through without being noticed for a couple of days. Man, that was one heck of a pull - up out of Pagosa Springs on Wolf Creek Pass! and then back down!

I'll tell you a story about that. I strived for 10 years to get to a rig that I could pull both a boat and a camper. We see triples all the time here in Colorado and what worked for them surely would work for me. Well sometime in early 2006 I joined the MOC and proudly showed that picture on my signature. It generated tons of question and comments, both bad and good. My only response was - "it tows great" and "I've done it for years without any problems" (how many times has that been used lately). Ultimately, through comments and a plethera of information available on the MOC I started to learn more and more about my rig. As I did, I started calculating weights, talking to MIMF with Lippert, and pretty soon I looked at my DW and told her that after all these years of trying to get to this type of rig, I just don't think it is smart to do. I was overloading the truck hitch and putting too much stress on the frame in a full turn. From that very day, I never triple towed again. In fact, with the length restriction gone, we ran out and bought the full size Montana that we never could have originally.

I keep that picture in my file as a reminder that I'm not a hypocrite. I listen, learn, try to do the right thing even if it's not popular. I preach too much, but I always try to be accurate.

I never defend myself based on how many miles I traveled that way or how many states I drove through. Never will I tell you that is is OK because I got away with it. I will never jeapordize the newbie that asks me if it was OK just to save face for what I was doing. I tell the truth. It was overloaded and exceeded the limits - period.

I now am within all limits of my F350 and proud of it.

I'm glad someone finally noticed my pic ghostdriver and asked me to explain.

[sreigle]

I towed triple with an F150 heavy half (F250 suspension) back in the 1990's. The boat and trailer weighed 3800 lbs. The fw was 25 1/2 ft. I was within legal length limits for Kansas by 2 inches. I was towing 9600 lbs with a 9200 lb tow rating. The triple handled "ok" but not what I would call comfort inspiring. I never had an accident with it and the problems I did have were not related to towing safety (flat tires, etc.). But throughout the time I towed triple I always felt like it would not take much to get out of control.

For that reason I, too, stopped towing triple. I'm not going to tell anyone else it is right or wrong for them. It depends. Neither will I ever tell anyone it is safe to tow a Montana with a certain truck if I don't truly believe it and then only if I've experienced a similar situation myself over a significant amount of miles and time. The comments I make are based on facts as best I can ascertain them. And experience. In any case, I tell them they also have to make the decision whether it is ok for them to be over the published ratings. It helps to have some inside knowledge but there still is a judgment call to be made. And that means the decision belongs to each individual. And I will respect everyone's right to make the decision as they see best, whether I agree with it or not. I can only hope others will give that same respect.

[bsmeaton]

Oh my gosh - Now your F150 was really an F250!

I will never catch up with your number of posts if you keep one-upping me on every thread Steve. I feel like I'm running against you for public office - and the rhetoric has about the same value.

TRUCE - I ignore your nonsence, you ignore mine, and maybe someone else will get a chance to post - ya think!

[sreigle]

Brad, I'm sorry if I one-upped you. That was not my intent. Your post about triples inspired me to comment, hopefully adding to your realization (and mine) that towing triples is not always a great idea. If I offended you, I'm sorry. My comment about my F150 being a "heavy half" is accurate. You can google it if you like or ask other Ford truck people here.

Ford for years had two different GVWR's on the F150's, both less than the F250. The heavier one was known as the "heavy half". I do not remember whether they also had higher tow rating and gcwr. The original use of "heavy half" in the Ford line was to distinguish the F150 from the prior F100, both of which were produced in the same model year for a short time. The use of two different gvwr ratings including the heavy half was continued within the F150 line after the F100 was dropped. I believe Chevy also used the "heavy half" term for awhile and may have been first to use the term.

When Ford went to the new F150 body in 1997, they redesignated the heavy half as the "F250 Light Duty." It had the F150 body but the 3/4 ton suspension. They only kept the F250 LD for a few years and then dropped it. The following is from ford-trucks.com and is about when they dropped the F250 Light Duty in 2000 and again had the heavy option for the F150.
"F-250 (under 8,500) Replaced
The under 8,500 GVW F-250 has been discontinued. The over 8,500 GVW F-250 Super Duty remains a cornerstone in the overall F-Series lineup. Functions previously handled by under 8,500 GVW F-250 pickups now go to a new F-150 7700 payload group with all of the attributes of the F-250, including heavier frame, larger brakes, higher-capacity wheels and 8,800 pounds towing capability. "

I'm sorry if you see my posts as attempts to one up you. That was not my intent and I didn't mean for it to come across that way. I agree that since we disagree on some things we should just agree to disagree.