I just bought a Nissan Titan and I plan on towing 16' deck over axle trailer with my k5 on it and was wondering if anybody else had one how it towed.

:grinpimp: I pulled my cj8 on a 16' trailer 450 miles with my Titan . I had to keep looking to make sure 8 was still back there . You shouldn't have any trouble , just make sure you get a good brake controller for trailer .

have either one of you guys played with the dana 44 in your titans? i have heard that its a 33 spline d44. im just curious if it is a 33 spling or not. thanks

I just bought a Nissan Titan and I plan on towing 16' deck over axle trailer with my k5 on it and was wondering if anybody else had one how it towed.

Dude, should have been asking this question BEFORE you went out & bought a new truck. IMO, towing a full-size rig, you're a bit overloaded for a 1/2 ton tow-rig. Should have plenty of power, but you're marginal at best for suspension & brakes.

TEX

I too tow with a Titan. Big tow package, 9500#. Only done one trip on it. Other than being extremely sensitive to trailer loading, it did fine. Almost lost it before I had the load set right. Once I got it dialed in, head on down the road. Do invest in a brake controller, and Im about to get a WD hitch just cause Im over the 5000# limit for a NonWD hitch.

And Simbisig, havent even looked at that axle. Dont really intend to either, unless I gots to. :)

Its rated at 9500 lbs. Thats quite a bit more than your average 1/2 ton. Very close to 3/4 ton ratings.

Its rated at 9500 lbs. Thats quite a bit more than your average 1/2 ton. Very close to 3/4 ton ratings.

Nope, just another 1/2 ton - unless you count chvies ;) Toyota guys keep hyping the Titan like it's got some huge advantage over the others. Pretty much the same with a smaller axle.

F150 max rating 9500
Ram 1500 9200
Chevy 1500 8600

Its rated at 9500 lbs. Thats quite a bit more than your average 1/2 ton. Very close to 3/4 ton ratings.

Yup, close to 3/4 ton ratings, nowhere NEAR 3/4 ton CAPABILITY. I wouldn't tow more than 7k with ANY 1/2 ton, and even then only in an emergency situation. No more than 6k on a "regular basis".


TEX

Its rated at 9500 lbs. Thats quite a bit more than your average 1/2 ton. Very close to 3/4 ton ratings.

Yes, but that rating means nothing in my book. That's about the top of what I would pull with my 3/4 ton HD diesel, and I'm sure that little thing has no where near the brakes or weight or stability of the big truck. Yes, it may have tons of power, but in the overall scheme of things, that's about the least important attribute to have. Weight and brakes are what you need most.

My personal system of rating is to use the weight of the tow rig. (not gvw, but actual weight including tougne weight) Pulling up to 1/2 of this weight is no problem at all, don't even need trailer brakes. 1/2 - 100% of the tow rig's weight is what I'd consider to be normal loading, trailer brakes are a really good idea, and some caution is required. Over 100% I would say should be done with signifiganty caution and routinely towing in this range may mean you should get a larger truck. Over 150% is overweight and should be avoided.

To explain a bit better, here's an example. My truck weights about 6000# light, so figure 7 with trailer tounge wieght. up to 3500# you don't even notice is back there, and 3500-7000 is the range I usally run in. Incedentally, 7000 towed would be 14k gcwr, which is right in line with the ford ratings. I do not like to take over 7000#, but have done it a few times, and she hauls it okay, but it does require some caution. For the titan, assuming it weights in the neiborhood of 4k (5 with trailer) 9500# would be about double what I would consider safe on a normal basis.

This system is also validated by semi trucks and most other comercial rigs. For a normal semi, the truck will be about 35k#, so a groos weight of 80K is within the 100%-150% region I spoke of above. Yes, some rig will be higher gvw (triples, heavy equiptment) but the drivers are typically very skilled and also drive with great care.
-John

I have a titan with the big tow package as well. So far I am very impressed with the truck. I put a prodigy controller in it and have pulled my camper 4 times with it and hauled a little kubota 23 horse 200 miles with it. I drove slow with the kubota on it for two reasons. Never pulled that much weight with the titan and I was unfamiliar with the trailer. I have to say that so far it is a much better tow rig than my 2500 v10 dodge was. Power is about even (power to the ground, dodge had more torque, but nissan has better gearing). I don't think I would pull that kubota or a heavy rig every day with it. If you have to tow a heavy load, get a heavy truck. I beleive the titan curb weight is 5600lbs. Max towing on the king cab is 9500 but the gvwr is not that high. Basically it is rated for 9500 with one passenger and no gear. I don't think I would go over 7-7500 and be confident in an emergency situation.

All in all it is the best half ton I have owned, just remember that it is a half ton and don't expect it to do a one tons job.

We regularly towed with a Tundra, trailer loaded and all equipment in the truck was right arround 6K pounds, trailer/boat combo was right arround 5500 by itself. The truck towed like a dream, we even had surge brakes and never had a problem, even in an emergency stop. The Tundra stopped, accelerated, and handled better than the 3/4 ton dodge van it replaced could ever have dreamed of with the weight behind it. While i still think a Titan is marginal for towing a fullsize, it should handle it just fine, as long as you know what to expect and dont drive like an asshat.

The Titan also doesnt weigh 4K pounds, its 5K empty, so figure 6K loaded with a trailer.

Dude, should have been asking this question BEFORE you went out & bought a new truck. IMO, towing a full-size rig, you're a bit overloaded for a 1/2 ton tow-rig. Should have plenty of power, but you're marginal at best for suspension & brakes.

as far as I know the Titan is not a 1/2 ton truck nor does it claim to be a 1/2ton truck..or 3/4 ton for that matter. 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton are simply outdated classifications for Trucks. People on the RV forums are towing at or near the tow limit for the Titan with no problems. Some did come from the factory with too little rear end oil, though, so make sure that is ok.

I have no problems trusting the tow ratings manufactures give their trucks assuming you follow all of the towing instructions in the owner's manual.
Think about the liablity manufactures would be up against if those tow ratings were inaccurate.... That is usually motivation enough to make sure their vehicle can properly tow what it is rated at.

as far as I know the Titan is not a 1/2 ton truck nor does it claim to be a 1/2ton truck..or 3/4 ton for that matter. 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton are simply outdated classifications for Trucks.

It comes with the same rear axle as a Jeep Wrangler, so is it a 1/4 ton? :p

As for feeling comfortable with towing at or near the max of the MFG tow ratings, take it from someone who has DONE it with a "1500". You don't want to go there.

TEX

PS The Titan is rated to tow only 500lbs less than my 9,200 GVWR 1-ton. My truck has a 10.5" full-floating rear axle compared to a D44. Is my truck really only about 5% "better"? ;)

Toyota guys keep hyping the Titan like it's got some huge advantage over the others.

Why would Toyota be hyping the Titan... made by NISSAN? :shaking:

As for feeling comfortable with towing at or near the max of the MFG tow ratings, take it from someone who has DONE it with a "1500". You don't want to go there.



You've never done it with this "1500" (which it's not). :p
Honestly I can only say what I have seen and people are impressed. My opinion is biased but if you want to compare them as 1/2s the Titan is VERY hard to beat.

Toyota guys keep hyping the Titan like it's got some huge advantage over the others. Pretty much the same with a smaller axle.


Well...us Nissan guys are talking them up pretty good because they do have a great advantage over everyone else. around 305hp 375lb/ft with a 5spd auto that's "always in the right gear". So far no major reliablity issues, 100% built in america...and around here a reasonably equiped 4x2 can be had for 22-23k, around 27k for a 4x4. Admitedly it isn't a heavier frame diesel, but Nissan is working on that as well..

This system is also validated by semi trucks and most other comercial rigs. For a normal semi, the truck will be about 35k#, so a groos weight of 80K is within the 100%-150% region I spoke of above. Yes, some rig will be higher gvw (triples, heavy equiptment) but the drivers are typically very skilled and also drive with great care.
-John


There is no validation in your example - Tare on our 9400i is 7800KG/17,200#s with a GVWR of 60,000#'s and you will be hard pressed to find a modern tandem axle tractor over 20K. So licensed for 80K gross we are hauling a weight equal to 365% of the tare. We are set up for B-trains so licensed gross is 63,500KG/140,000#'s (720%)

You've never done it with this "1500" (which it's not). :p
Honestly I can only say what I have seen and people are impressed. My opinion is biased but if you want to compare them as 1/2s the Titan is VERY hard to beat.



Well...us Nissan guys are talking them up pretty good because they do have a great advantage over everyone else. around 305hp 375lb/ft with a 5spd auto that's "always in the right gear". So far no major reliablity issues, 100% built in america...and around here a reasonably equiped 4x2 can be had for 22-23k, around 27k for a 4x4. Admitedly it isn't a heavier frame diesel, but Nissan is working on that as well..

and around here you can get a diesel for 29k. So why would you want to spend the money on a half ton?

There is no validation in your example - Tare on our 9400i is 7800KG/17,200#s with a GVWR of 60,000#'s and you will be hard pressed to find a modern tandem axle tractor over 20K. So licensed for 80K gross we are hauling a weight equal to 365% of the tare. We are set up for B-trains so licensed gross is 63,500KG/140,000#'s (720%)


Does that include the trailer weight?? With the hay truck we run back home, the tractor is only about 16-17k light, but with a loaded trailer, it's closer to 35k with a 80k total gross. I am not using light tare weight, but rather total weight of the tow rig with that load.

Well...us Nissan guys are talking them up pretty good because they do have a great advantage over everyone else. around 305hp 375lb/ft with a 5spd auto that's "always in the right gear".

So, how does that 300 horse motor help you stop??? Or stay in control during radical maunouvers? And irregardless of what they say, I'm sure a ford 10.5 rear end is much stronger and more durable than a d44.
-John

I agree on most points..
I bought my truck because I didn't want it to be "enough".. I felt a lot more comfortable in my CTD 2500 empty and towing than any 1/2 ton would make me feel.. Towing isnt just about being able to pull.. its also about being able to stop what you are pulling.
Scott

Why would Toyota be hyping the Titan... made by NISSAN? :shaking:

Oops. :emb: Guess my point, however poorly made was that my 02 2wd F150 has pretty close to the same specs as a Titan, except that it's got a bigger rear axle. The titan is just another 1/2 ton. (Made by Nissan apparently) :flipoff2:

As far as the question later in this thread "why wouldn't you buy a diesel" mostly it's because 95% of the time the truck is used to haul my butt to work and that's it. Not worth the additional cost of the truck, the noise and the much higher maintenance and fuel costs. (I'm only towing about 5500 lbs normally)

...As far as the question later in this thread "why wouldn't you buy a diesel" mostly it's because 95% of the time the truck is used to haul my butt to work and that's it. Not worth the additional cost of the truck, the noise and the much higher maintenance and fuel costs. (I'm only towing about 5500 lbs normally)

Mine (diesel) is my daily driver too. Get's 18 mpg. Up till recently, diesel has been cheaper than regular unleaded. Now it's about the same price. Higher maintenance? Please explain?

Mine (diesel) is my daily driver too. Get's 18 mpg. Up till recently, diesel has been cheaper than regular unleaded. Now it's about the same price. Higher maintenance? Please explain?

Higher maint - cost is what I meant

Cost of oil changes, filters, valve adjustments. Here diesel cost more and I get 16-18 MPG unloaded. Drops to 10-12 while towing though.

This is MN though - it's fairly flat :D

And Simbisig, havent even looked at that axle. Dont really intend to either, unless I gots to. :)


Look at it, pronto... some units came off the line w/ about 1/3 the amount of lube that should be in the diff. Some folks complained about rusty paint on the diff( it was baking off due to high temps due to lack of adequate lube). A few have failed outright.

Pull the fill plug and dip a pinky.

You've never done it with this "1500" (which it's not). :p
Honestly I can only say what I have seen and people are impressed. My opinion is biased but if you want to compare them as 1/2s the Titan is VERY hard to beat.


Nobody is putting them down in comparison to other 1/2 tons. Simply stating that it IS a 1/2 ton, and it doesn't compare to a 3/4 ton - which is what most of us feel is an "appropriate" truck for hauling a 5-6,000lb rig on a 2-2,500lb trailer (as described by the thread starter).

FWIW, my brother-in-law is in TN at this moment building Titan frames & my Dad recently test-drove one (possibility of green-sheet). Says they ride WAY nicer than the GMC 1500's. Now, since both the Titan & GMC have IFS & leaf-sprung rears, it only makes sense that the reason the Titan rides better is that it's probably sprung SOFTER. At the very least, it damn sure isn't stiffer. And since I know for a FACT that the GMC 1500 is NOT an appropriate tow rig for such a heavy load, it seems a VERY fair assumption that the Titan isn't either. I couldn't care less about the power. My GMC 1500 had 210HP, but the engine was NEVER an issue. The issue is having a truck that gets pushed all over the road by a heavy trailer.

TEX

Does that include the trailer weight?? With the hay truck we run back home, the tractor is only about 16-17k light, but with a loaded trailer, it's closer to 35k with a 80k total gross. I am not using light tare weight, but rather total weight of the tow rig with that load.


I apologize, once I reread your post it makes sense. Truck weight when pulling a full load is 45-49K depending if the trailer has a scale system or not. When pulling a tanker B-Train where the load is evenly distributed and you are familiar with the scale system you can get close to max. legal GVW (49,600).

It may cost more for oil changes and such, but IMHO, thats fairly irrelevant, especially with the new CTD.. according to my manual, the first oil change wasn't necessary until 7500 miles instead of the 3k or 5k miles most are. Sure, it takes 12 qts of oil and a bigger filter, but it still only cost me $22.00 to change my own oil and filter..But I do get better prices on that stuff than most.... full retail cost of oil and filter would have cost about 35 bucks.. and thats about how much jiffy lube charged me to change the oil in my jeep.
Scott

..Cost of oil changes, filters, valve adjustments....

Oil changes cost more... But they occur 1/2 as frequently. "Severe" service recommendation on new CTD is 7500 miles. Reg service (doesn't really apply to us, just pointing it out) is 15,000 miles. Nice when you have 14 quarts inside rather than 5.

As far as filters and such... A cheap filter you can replace every 20K miles or so... VS a integrated filter/pump that costs about 300 or so...

I'd bet over the long haul, maintenance costs between the two (gas vs diesel) is a wash.

...Here diesel cost more and I get 16-18 MPG unloaded. Drops to 10-12 while towing though.

This is MN though - it's fairly flat :D

Yeah but if you're wheeling.. who wants to ~stay~ in MN??? :D

Yeah but if you're wheeling.. who wants to ~stay~ in MN??? :D

Spoken like someone who's never been here ;) But that's OK we like it that way :D

Spoken like someone who's never been here ;) But that's OK we like it that way :D

Yup.. Never been. But maybe someday you'll show me the ropes! Until then, I know I like wheeling in places that make me really appreciate towing with my diesel over the mountains.

Iron Range definetly has some cool rocks.....

Interesting how the thread has wandered. Initially everyone was saying that the Titan has enough get up and go, but not enough stopping power. That has now been replaced by talk of Diesels.

Hmmm...back to the power/torque argument. If anything diesels have less braking power than their gas mates because of the extra weight (assuming that you have enough weight to use all of the tire capability). I'd take 4 wheel ABS disks on 17" wheels any day over drums.

Interesting how the thread has wandered. Initially everyone was saying that the Titan has enough get up and go, but not enough stopping power. That has now been replaced by talk of Diesels.

Hmmm...back to the power/torque argument. If anything diesels have less braking power than their gas mates because of the extra weight (assuming that you have enough weight to use all of the tire capability). I'd take 4 wheel ABS disks on 17" wheels any day over drums.


Huh? The ford superdutys have 4 wheel discs, and they are going to be bigger than the Nissan's 1/2 ton brakes.

You are also forgetting that the additional tow rig weight can be a highly valued asset when towing heavy loads. If the truck is too light the trailer is gonna steer the truck instead of the truck being in control.

I have no doubt that the Titan is a good pickup. The fact is that it still is a 1/2 ton truck which has its limitations as to how much you could safely pull. If you are thinking that a Titan is a replacement for a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck, you are mistaken. The intended market should be obvious by their choice for a rear axle alone. When was the last time you found a SF D44 in the back of a 3/4 ton tow rig? Nissan is simply aiming to take some of the market away from GM, Ford, Dodge, and Toyota for their "1500" or 1/2 ton truck market. After all, the average guy likely doesn't need or want a super duty to drive to work, nor do they need one if they are just driving it around like a car.

You can't buy a diesel pickup in anything as light as a Titan (any more) So think of it as a metaphor for a 3/4 ton or better pickup. IF the guy was asking if he could tow with a 6.0 Chevy 2500HD or hemi Dodge 2500, people would tell him he is short on power (I know Tex, it works for you, just an example) but these trucks all have big brakes (13"+ discs on all four wheels) HD frames, FF rear axles, etc.... Simply put, the Titan would be a nice truck to tow a sled trailer with or pop up camper, but requires a lot more effort to pull a big trailer then a comparable 3/4T+ pickup.

I have pulled with my 1500, and it did lack power primarily but was a lot squirrlier and braked poorly then pulling the same load with a true HD pickup.

Interesting how the thread has wandered. Initially everyone was saying that the Titan has enough get up and go, but not enough stopping power. That has now been replaced by talk of Diesels.

Hmmm...back to the power/torque argument. If anything diesels have less braking power than their gas mates because of the extra weight (assuming that you have enough weight to use all of the tire capability). I'd take 4 wheel ABS disks on 17" wheels any day over drums.
:rolleyes: sounds like you've really done your research.. My 2004.5 Cummins 2500 4x4 long bed has 4 wheel discs with ABS and 17" rims..
Scott

:rolleyes: sounds like you've really done your research.. My 2004.5 Cummins 2500 4x4 long bed has 4 wheel discs with ABS and 17" rims..
ScottAnd your Dodge's rotors are the biggest, at 14" in diameter. :)

87YJ, yes a diesel does weight more, which would in therory decrese the avalible tow weight, but a diesel is a much better towing engine, so it balances out. Also, the weight is on the front axle, where you want as much weight as you can get when pulling a bumper pull to counteract the tendancy of the front end to lift. (applies to goosenecks as well, simply because you want lots of weight on the steer tires, assuming their not overloaded) Further, another 500# is a relitivly small amount when you're taling about 16k gross rigs. Also, it's pretty easy to add a comprssion brake to a diesel, whereas with a gasser, you're pretty much stuck with what you're got stock.

Now, on the next part, I first have to ask WTF 17" rims have to do with towing? Yep, I'm sure the scnazy I'm a wanna be white rapper who paid too much for this lowered pos truck look really helps tow. :rolleyes: You might be able to make a case for higher load rating, but if I can get 3500# 16's, what would more help? Further, if you're going that way, just run 19.5's and do it right.

On the brakes, yes ABS is good, but tell me how many trucks made after about 1990 don't have them? I think most new rigs run 4 wheel discs as well, and even then, drums worked just fine for how many years?? And guess what? Almost all semi's run drums, so I guess they can't be that bad, huh? And if you're going to campare them, remember that you have to consider not just size, but also pad size, portportional area, line pressure, pad material, rotor metualurgy, venting, etc. Not nearly as cut and dried as it seems.

Bottom line, get the right rig for the job. I'll stick with me old POS underpower smoking 80's ford, and let ya'll worry about all this new fazled junk. And ya know, you may be able to blow by me pulling the hill, but when that new dingbat thing breaks down, mine'll still be pulling. :) Either that, or when you screw up and wrap that little 1/2 ton around a tree, I'll be there to pull you out.
-John

And your Dodge's rotors are the biggest, at 14" in diameter. :)
Gotta love that :D

And your Dodge's rotors are the biggest, at 14" in diameter. :)

Don't forget the massive dual piston calipers yanking on those 14" rotors!

http://www.solidaxle.net/Ram2500/123-2323_IMG.JPG

:D

Interesting how the thread has wandered. Initially everyone was saying that the Titan has enough get up and go, but not enough stopping power. That has now been replaced by talk of Diesels.....

This thread wandered to diesels because money (vehicle cost) was brought into the picture.

If you're in the market for a brand new, 4wd pickup as a tow rig... Someone said that you can get a Titan for about 29K. I don't know their sticker, or how obtainable that negotiated price is. I'll have to take their word for it.

Then I consider I got my CTD for 31.7k (negotiated, NOT sticker)... (4wd, auto, swb, Qc, SLT)... I think bang for the buck must definately be discussed... I'm getting a LOT more truck for just $2700 more.

I've got a big 11.5" full floating rear axle. Huge auto tranny that'll tow a 32 foot travel trailer all day long and maintain 165 degrees on the hills in o/d. 305 hp and 555 lb ft of torque at about 1400 rpm (IIRC on the rpm). 14" vented brakes with dual piston calipers all the way around. Diesel engine that, if cared for properly, will probably live 400-500K miles before any major work is needed. AND I manage to get 14 mpg fairly consistently when towing. 18 mpg unloaded in my daily commute mix of city/hwy. And because I've got more truck than I need, when I arrive at my road trip destination, I'm relaxed.

This is the tow rig forum. If you want to come here and talk about Nissans or Chevy Tahoes, just don't expect much of a reception. This is the place for discussing rigging equipment, trailers and vehicles where their primary use is towing - and towing heavy. Don't expect people to coddle you... Heck go to any 4wd or automotive shop, I bet there's a 1/2 ton Chevy on the rack right now getting it's rear end rebuilt - a different one at least weekly... That Nissan rear wont do any better if it regularly get's heavy use.

Funny... Go to Gen4x4 and post up with any marginal ideas for building a rig and you'll get flames with responses like: "60s, 60s, 60s"; "go big or go home"; "Atlas"...... But come in here and 1/2 the people say "oh, you'll be ok, just take it easy".... :rolleyes:

Simply put, the Titan would be a nice truck to tow a sled trailer with or pop up camper, but requires a lot more effort to pull a big trailer then a comparable 3/4T+ pickup.

Bingo!!! The Titan has a place for it definitely, and its place is being a light duty pickup. Leave the heavy towing to the heavy duty trucks.

Sure you may go down the road and see lots of campers or big trailers towed by a 1/2 ton truck and think to yourself that it must do ok or else they wouldn't be towing with it. Wrong! There are alot of morons out there that tow things and think their inadequate truck is fine when it isn't. Living in a state where there is alot of tourism I've seen alot of really stupidly loaded things being towed with vehicles that are too small.

Regarding brakes:
Umm, arn't the rotors on an F150 13" in the front and 13.7" in the rear. Twin piston calipers in the front as well. I know when I swapped the brakes on my neighbors SD F350 that the brakes were about the same size as the ones on my 1/2 ton. :)

Regarding brakes:
Umm, arn't the rotors on an F150 13" in the front and 13.7" in the rear. Twin piston calipers in the front as well. I know when I swapped the brakes on my neighbors SD F350 that the brakes were about the same size as the ones on my 1/2 ton. :)


How about caliper size though? I know that it seems like my dad's SD sure seems like it stops better than the F150s I've driven...

How about caliper size though? I know that it seems like my dad's SD sure seems like it stops better than the F150s I've driven...
Calipers were a big bigger, rotors are marginally thicker. And the SD has hydroboost. These all add up to more stopping power, but I know that when my brake controller failed my truck had enough braking power to handle the 5500 lb trailer for the rest of the trip back.

If you think about it a bit, most current 1/2 ton pickups are as beefy as 3/4 - 1 tons from the 70's and 80's. One of my neighbors has a 79 F350, and I'd say that it's much more comparable to my F150 than any current SD. And you probabally wouldn't give me any crap about towing 6000 lbs with one of them, even though the brakes are significantly weaker, and the frame is pretty much the same.


In the same way that my 53 F350 has more in common with my jeep in terms of frame strength than it does with even a modern 1/2 ton ;)

(Note: It's worth adding that I run E rated tires, not the stock passenger car tires - these are the most dangerous part of towing with a 1/2 ton in my opinion)

If you think about it a bit, most current 1/2 ton pickups are as beefy as 3/4 - 1 tons from the 70's and 80's. One of my neighbors has a 79 F350, and I'd say that it's much more comparable to my F150 than any current SD. And you probabally wouldn't give me any crap about towing 6000 lbs with one of them, even though the brakes are significantly weaker, and the frame is pretty much the same.

(Note: It's worth adding that I run E rated tires, not the stock passenger car tires - these are the most dangerous part of towing with a 1/2 ton in my opinion)


I don't think I would argue with you about that, because most of the old 3/4 ton trucks used pretty close to the same running gear as a 1/2 ton truck. That doesn't mean that I would enjoy or consider towing with one of them either though if I had access to or could afford to buy a newer 3/4 or 1 ton truck. The big thing that has already been addressed dealing with that in this thread is the fact that for the price of a new Titan you could either find a good used 3/4 ton or 1 ton diesel truck for less or buy a brand new one for only a little more. I would imagine that you could get a gas 3/4 ton truck for about the same price as the Titan too, if having a diesel isn't your thing.

Its definitely a good thing to have the correct tires, especially if you are planning on running a smaller, lighter truck close to its limits. It could turn out to be a very bad thing if a tire "firestoned" at the wrong time and the trailer ended up steering the truck instead of the truck having enough weight to keep it under control.

This is the tow rig forum. If you want to come here and talk about Nissans or Chevy Tahoes, just don't expect much of a reception. This is the place for discussing rigging equipment, trailers and vehicles where their primary use is towing - and towing heavy. Don't expect people to coddle you...

I was with you until this... Keep in mind for most of we're talking about towing a one-place. That's NOT "HEAVY". "Heavy", to me, is over 10k trailer. I had an '01 Silverado 2500HD D/A CC that I just sold to lease an F150. I won't get into why, but suffice it to say the 2500 was a GREAT tow rig. On a couple occasions I towed a ~14k load about 1500 miles. Did great! the rest of the time it was pulling a one-place which it did effortlessly => more truck than I needed...

Problem was the payment & driving that monster every day. I just got an F150 for a good lease (wife's at Ford), the wheelbase on the SC/SB is 144.5" (I'm surpised nobody has brought up wheelbase in this "towing" discussion), the frame and everything else is better than most 3/4 trucks from the 80s and even 90s (I said most). I only get to wheel 4-5 times a year, and the rest of the time I was driving a big truck which I didn't care for how it drove (didn't say "crappy", just I didn't care for it, even w/ Bilsteins & IFS!). The new truck, probably much like the Titan, is GREAT! Yeah, when i'm towing I'll probably feel that the Siverado was marginally better. I don't have any expectation that the F150 will not be up to the task in any way though.

The latest "1/2 tons" on the market are quite suited for towing one-place trailers. If I towed all the time, then a 3/4 or 1 ton make more sense, but saying a 1/2 ton isn't up to the task is like saying a family of five can't live in a 3 bedroom house.

My thoughts anyways...

I was with you until this... Keep in mind for most of we're talking about towing a one-place. That's NOT "HEAVY". "Heavy", to me, is over 10k trailer...

Sorry, let me clarify my statement.... By heavy, I mean heavy weight, or heavy use (mileage or frequency).

When was the last time you found a SF D44 in the back of a 3/4 ton tow rig?


hell when was the last time a SF 44 was used in the back of any REAL 1/2 ton truck? 60's? early 70's maybe??
I would be hard pressed to put a titan in the same catagory as newer 1/2 tons even. Sure it has a big motor, but that doesn't mean shit for safety.

The latest "1/2 tons" on the market are quite suited for towing one-place trailers. If I towed all the time, then a 3/4 or 1 ton make more sense, but saying a 1/2 ton isn't up to the task is like saying a family of five can't live in a 3 bedroom house.



For a typical 16' low-deck with a mini-truck parked on it, I agree. For towing a modded K5 on a deck-over trailer (like the thread starter mentioned), my answer is still "no".


TEX

For a typical 16' low-deck with a mini-truck parked on it, I agree. For towing a modded K5 on a deck-over trailer (like the thread starter mentioned), my answer is still "no".


TEX

Point taken. :)

You know, theres always a person or three who loves to knock the old technology, but simply stated simple always works (how often do miliatary 2.5 and 5 tons ever go down?) . I agree modern diesels and multispeed transmissions (meaning 4 and 5 speed) are good. Some may say these new diesels will go 300-500k, they may be right, but lets see. Ive seen a few Duramaxs with poor injectors already and Allison Transmissions that have leaked like a stuck pig, when they worked, they were great, but who wants to be stuck in the middle of Interstate 77 in NC with a 12k load? And the bill, not pretty if it wasnt under warranty. I was a Dodge Tech for over a decade, sorry guys the Auto Trannys from Mopar whether a 518 or 47re were piles of garbage, no matter what was in front of them. The old 727 hardly ever gave a problem ( state / local municipal accounts are usually bastards on the trucks and even those mindless wonders usually didnt fry those juice boxes). I will give credit due to Ford, they still build a damn good truck, I dont drive them myself, but Ill say one thing, I service them alot, and the old F series with a C6 was decent, even the Super Dutys are pretty good, I see alot less of them for major repairs. Anyways Ive towed with a 78 F350, dana 60s, 460/c6, and you know what, no problems, tons of torque, and no worry of Check engine, ABS, security etc. Ive towed with a 83 W350 with a swapped in 440, 727, Dana 60/70, 4.10s, no problems. A friend has a K30, 1980, 454/Th400/ Dana 60/14 bolt, 4.10s, tows unreal items with a gooseneck, the thing is reliable as hell. Yes granted no overdrives, so we cant zing down the interstate a 80mph, but with 10-12k on the trailer, and Joe Friday around the bend, and soccer mom and little ones in the car in front of you, who should be? Good for you if the law grabs you, and the DOT comes down on you for not having all ducks in line, your ass probobly had it coming anyway. The point being new trucks are like new clothes, they all wear out, but I still believe the old trucks were pretty durable for what its worth, and a lot cheaper to maintain and fix. Lets see how many of these modern marvels are still plowing and towing in 30 years, have a feeling they wont be, just my opinion

Oh as far as towing all that weight with a Titan, what are you on? crack? Jackknives happen. Titan is Ok for scooting around town, but sorry man, a 1/2 ton is a 1/2 ton. A sf D44 is still that. OK for the run to the home schlepo but dont try towing 9600 lbs with it, thats plain stupid. The truck appears to be another good vehicle on paper, but lets see how long this one goes for. Sorry if I pissed anyone off with the replies but this is how it is and you cant deny old school relability.

orange318, so what was your point? Everyone here was talking about how the Titan stacks up to other new trucks and how well it would tow. Nobody was arguing that the old trucks wouldn't tow large loads, they simply said that they don't think the older trucks were built with as much load capacity in mind as the new ones are.

Brakes are more advanced and bigger on the new trucks. I don't think you can dispute that one.

The motors have the same power or more than the old ones, and will live longer due to EFI, and get the same or better mileage too. I don't think you can dispute that one either.

Trannys are kind of a mixed bag in my opinion. Everyone wants the tranny to last forever, but I really don't think they ever will last that long. You say the Ford trucks are good, but are you forgetting about the 100k mile 4R100 trannys in alot of the newer fords? How are they any better or worse than a Dodge auto tranny?

I've never been stuck by the side of the road with my newer trucks. Neither has my dad. Its too bad I can't say the same thing for my old early '80's truck I used to have, or my old '69 Chrysler. Both of them had alot of problems due to age and left me on the side of the road more than once.

I would agree that these new trucks likely won't last 30 years like the older stuff has. But we are creeping up there with some of the first EFI cars, and there are still enough of them running around to make it debatable.

You know, I was so taken by the whole thread I called a friend who actually bought a Titan, fit and finish was excellent on this truck, we hooked it up for a run with a 7k total trailer weight, The trucks got plenty of power, but gets pushed around (and yes we had trailer brakes) at 55-65mph. Trailer was a 18' full deck job loaded with a 4700 lb land yacht. As to the Old truck/ new truck deal, hey I dont want to piss anyone off, so drive what you can afford and drive it / maintain it for the safest tow possible, good enough? as to the titan, great little truck but tow within capabilities. Have a nice day, and hey, if money wasnt a object, yeah I would go for the dodge with the CTD and the 6 speed, but for now the old 440/727 is just gonna have to do.