Should I Buy a Half-Ton or Heavy Duty? Should I get a Gas or a Diesel? (Ask TFL)

2019 ram 1500 rebel hd power wagon
Ram 1500 Rebel or Ram HD Power Wagon?

How does a half-ton compare to a heavy duty truck on a daily basis?

A great review video would be a comparison of a heavy duty truck vs a light duty half-ton. Please show actual differences in parking, towing, maneuvering, light off-roading for weekend recreation: such as hunting, fishing, camping, loading, back seat child hauling, mpg, etc.

Jason P.

Half-ton or Super Duty?

The latest heavy duty trucks are getting more advanced, more comfortable, capable, better riding, and more luxurious than ever before. Using a heavy duty truck as a daily driver is becoming more common. Still, the question between a half-ton truck or a daily drive boils down to getting just the right amount of truck for your needs. A heavy duty truck is simply larger than a half-ton in nearly every dimension. An HD truck is inherently less fuel efficient because it is heavier. The only time a heavy duty truck is better as a daily driver, it’s when it is also required to do some heavy hauling and towing. We are talking about payloads of over 2,000 lbs or trailers over 10,000 lbs. It does not have to be all work. It can also be something fun like carrying a truck camper in the bed or towing a large boat. 

We will do more half-ton vs heavy duty truck comparisons in the near future. Please stay tuned. In the meantime, here are the F-150 and a F-250 diesel trucks.

Gas or Diesel?

We are retiring in 1-2 years. We will be traveling out west from Ohio, in the Smokies, White and Green mountains, etc. We will be towing 8-9,000 pounds. We keep our trucks for 10+ years. Which truck should we buy (gas or diesel)? I find your YouTube videos to be very informative.

Mark D.

Towing a 9,000 lbs trailer over mountains and across the country is a job for a heavy duty truck. Yes, a half-ton truck can technically do it as well, but a heavy duty truck can do it with more confidence and last longer. Mark’s requirements suggest that a 3/4-ton gas-powered truck will do the job nicely. Also, all three heavy duty truck manufacturers are thoroughly updated or all-new. We have not tested the new gas-powered 2020 HD trucks, but we will complete our Ike Gauntlet towing and hauling testing around November 2019.