This article first appeared in the July, 2015 edition of SportsCar Magazine. SCCA members can read the current and past editions of SportCar digitally here after logging into their account; To become an SCCA member and get SportsCar mailed to your home address monthly in addition to the digital editions, click here.
With half-ton pickups now capable of pulling loads that used to require larger trucks, gas-powered towing isn’t what it used to be
It wasn’t long ago that towing to the track with a half-ton pickup was a fool’s errand. Fifteen years ago, maybe less, half-ton trucks could get your racecar where you were going, but any obstacle (like a hill) would leave you wanting more. And, like with racecars, “more” is always better.
In the “more” category for tow rigs were the three-quarter- and one-ton pickups. Around that time, companies like Ford, Chevy, and Dodge made heavy-duty, gas-powered tow rigs capable of pulling 11,000 to 13,000lbs, with the diesel option bumping the 14,000lb arena. The half-ton versions of those trucks were sitting in the 8,000lb range, although some might say that number was optimistic.
But times have changed, and today’s trucks are nothing like they were at the turn of the century. Half-ton trucks now have tow ratings rivaling the three-quarter-ton trucks of yesteryear, making nearly any modern truck a realistic towing option for the average racer. Case in point, you can option a version of the 2015 Ford F150 with a 12,200lb tow capacity, while the Ram 1500 has a 10,650lb capacity and the Toyota Tundra can pull 10,500lbs.
If you’re still towing with a first generation F250 Super Duty powered by the gas-powered V10, you might be considering an upgrade to a new half-ton with all the bells and whistles since the tow capacities are similar. On the flip side, if you’re new to the racing game, you might be waffling between buying new and finding a low-mileage, used three-quarter ton.
The SportsCar staff happens to tow with modified versions of the 1999 Ford F250 V10 and 2014 Toyota Tundra V8. These trucks have similar tow ratings and both do an excellent job. But which is better?
The Old: 1999 F250 V10
We picked up our 1999 Ford F250 Crew Cab with a 6.8L V10 for a song. Nearly two years ago, we found this beauty with 130,000 miles on the clock being sold by the original owner. It had been immaculately maintained and, for $6,100, it was a steal.
1999 truck technology is every bit as amazing as you remember. The 310hp, 425lb-ft, 20-valve gas motor uses brute force to overcome the horrid 4-speed automatic technology of the day. But the combination is good enough to score a 10,800lb tow capacity, hitting 13,000lbs should we swap to the shorter final drive. Gas mileage, however, is in the dumps. Prior to modifications, our unladen F250 logged 14.5mpg on the freeway, 12.5 towing a two-axle open trailer with racecar.
While our used truck had no major issues, updates were needed. The stock shocks were weeping more than preferable, so we replaced those with Bilstein Heavy Duty dampers, which noticeably help control the truck both empty and loaded. The air filter was mighty dirty, too, so we upgraded to a K&N 57 Series FIPK intake system and matched that to a Flowmaster cat-back exhaust. The giant K&N filter offers a massive increase in airflow over stock, and has a 100,000-mile service interval. Combined, the intake and exhaust bumped up the fuel economy enough to be noticed.
Replacing the worn rubber is a set of Toyo Open Country H/T 235/85-16 E-range tires. The Toyos offer no road noise and handle the freeway with confidence. Toyo also offers a diesel-specific version of the tire featuring a bolstered belt package to take the sidewall distortion when towing with a diesel.
Two must-have items with the old F250 are a bed cover and a rear-view camera. Our short-bed truck came equipped with a SnugTop tonneau. While the bed length is more than adequate, older trucks suffer from shallow beds, meaning some tires couldn’t be stacked two high. This was remedied by swapping to a SnugTop Rebel shell. The shell offers almost unlimited tire stacking, effectively doubling bed space. We opted for the Rebel model specifically due to its smaller window size, making the bed’s contents difficult to spy, but at the same time the windows slide open and have a screen, offering ventilation.
Without a backup camera, connecting a trailer is an exercise in futility – and this feature is all but standard on modern trucks. For $180 and 30 minutes, we added an AmeriCam C5 rear-view camera and LCD screen. This feature is worth every penny.
The New: 2014 Tundra V8
Our 2014 Toyota Tundra CrewMax four-wheel drive is equipped with the 32-valve 5.7L V8 engine producing 381hp and 401lb-ft of torque, and is rated to tow 9,800lbs (some two-wheel-drive models pull as much as 10,500lbs). The sticker price for our model was just north of $40,000. The Tundra uses a slick 6-speed auto transmission that offers great fuel economy and always keeps the motor humming in the sweet spot. We’ve seen as high as 18mpg on the freeway without the trailer and 16mpg towing our open trailer and racecar.
Our Tundra features the standard bed, meaning the bed is about a foot shorter than our short bed F250. While the bed is deeper than the Ford’s, the length results in the same problem: limited bed space. To maximize bed space we installed an A.R.E. CX shell. We also opted for the compression boot so we could utilize the Tundra’s vertical sliding rear window, and we optioned side access win-doors. This feature offers tool access without having to climb into the truck’s bed.
We also went another direction with the tires. We swapped the factory 20-inch wheels for 17x8-inch TRD Rock Warriors and mounted E-range 285/70-17 BFGoodrich All-Terrain TA KO tires. These tires look aggressive, offer plenty of load-carrying capacity, and can be used both on and off road. However, the new wheel and tire package did cost about a half-mile-per-gallon on the freeway.
We also swapped the intake and exhaust, installing a Corsa exhaust and Volant intake. The Corsa adds a nice rumble to the otherwise quiet Toyota, and being a baffled setup, it will never increase in volume. The Volant boasts a 100,000-mile service interval, so chances are good we’ll never touch that again, either. We saw about a half-mile-per-gallon increase on the freeway, negating the loss from the tire swap.
Like many modern trucks, the Toyota comes with a backup camera. Unlike some, however, it doesn’t have a factory-installed trailer brake controller. For that, we wired in a Prodigy P2 unit. In fact, we liked this brake controller so much that we also put one in the F250.
An item we didn’t touch was the suspension, and this is probably the weakest point of modern half-ton trucks. More than ever, half-tons are now family transportation that can tow, meaning the ride is soft and supple, and heavy loads can quickly bottom out the suspension.
And the winner is...
Which is right for you? For racecar towing duty, we discovered both old and new required a number of modifications. That aside, our Tundra certainly pulls 5,000 to 6,000lbs up hills smoother than the F250. With six gears rather than four, the 5.7L V8 finds itself at peak power regardless of speed. Conversely, the F250’s transmission has a couple speed sweet spots you have to tow around, so you’re relying on the V10’s torque.
Modern transmissions (along with 15 years of engine technology) also means the more modern half-ton trucks get better fuel economy than the three-quarter-ton trucks of the past. We regularly see a 3mpg differential between the two, both towing and empty. So in a straight comparison using our 5,000lb racecar and trailer combo, the new half-ton will out tow our older three-quarter ton. But that isn’t the whole story.
It turns out, modern half-ton trucks are so softly sprung that they’re frequently hitting bump stops once loaded. Meanwhile, the older three-quarter-ton trucks are cavity rattlers unloaded, but get downright comfortable with a trailer connected. In our case, a couple hundred dollars in shocks brought the F250 back to life; meanwhile, the price of a full suspension upgrade or airbags for the Tundra is tall enough that we just keep a keen eye on the tongue weight. In a pinch, we’ve added helper springs to the Tundra temporarily when pulling larger trailers, something we’ve never felt a need for on the F250.
Which is the truck for you? Are you looking for a truck that can pull a modest load and also act as daily transportation? If so, a modern half-ton is certainly the way to go – but the cost of entry is high. Does the bottom dollar trump fuel economy, modern conveniences, and a car-like ride? If that sounds like you, then an older three-quarter-ton might be in your future – and you can buy a lot of gas with the money you save.
Which does the SportsCar staff prefer? We’re actually split. Some like the modern conveniences of the new half-ton, while others feel the used car price of the decade-and-a-half-old F250 overcomes its shortfalls. But what we’re not split on are the modifications – everything we did was essential to a successful tow to the track, so whatever you choose, also budget for some add-ons.
