Anyone miss their 1 Ton pickup for hauling?

About to replace our 2001 F-350 with a 3rd gen Tundra. Should tow about the same (12,500 vs 12k). Where I really think I will miss the F-350 is hauling gravel and concrete. Have frequently bought a pallet of bagged concrete or cement from Lowe's. Also made dozens of trips hauling 3k lb of sand or gravel. Of course, at least one of those times I had to get towed home because the dealership stripped out the CPS and I couldn't replace it with my spare on the side of the road.

How did you make the shift? I have a flatbed but don't have sides that will hold gravel. Don't really want to buy a dump trailer.

What will the composite bed really hold if I add in Timbrens or airbags? The gravel yard is only 15 mins from my current home and less than a half mile from the house I am building.

 

There's zero comparison. Buy a 1 ton.

 

I find it hard to believe this is a serious question.

 

Thank you! I think we may need to keep my F-350 as a farm truck but right now I feel like the maintenance is over-running me because we use it every 3 weeks to haul a 22' enclosed trailer 1500 miles. If we pick up a 2023 Tundra, downsize the trailer load to keep it around 10k loaded then we stop worrying that every trip is going to result in a tow. The F-350 should be fine around town where I can get it towed back home if quits on me. In 15 years I have had it towed 3 times: stripped out CPS, broken clutch rod, and a blown fuel line.

The trailer sides are brilliant! Maybe I can modify the stakes sides I have now to do the same.

 

6 years ago I had 3 trailers (single, double, and 3 axle all flatbeds) and downsized to a single 16' flatbed but then added a 22' enclosed car hauler last month. Hate to add another set of wheels and tires and bearings and lights... But if I follow ColoradoTJ and add some plywood to my flatbed I may be able to do it all with just the 2 trailers.

We want the Toyota reliability but just can't justify a truck that won't work, particularly at the 3rd gen prices. I think the key is exactly what you are saying and that is plan to use a trailer more frequently.

 

Buy another 7.3L or go with a 5.9 from the other brand. Diesels tow better period. Those two engines aren't going to give you issues either.

 

I went from a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 cummins, to a F-150 1/2 ton.

The F-150 tows 10-12k better then the Dodge ram drove empty..... I have no doubts that the new tundra would do just as well.

 

If you are going to be regularly carrying the loads, I'd look at another 1-ton. If these are intermittent loads, limited use, you _should_ be fine but remember you are putting the truck over maximum.

I am to the point I have my Tundra built exactly how I want.... but we have been looking at larger travel trailers. So, we will see what happens at the end of this season, but I have a feeling a 1 ton is in my future.

 

If I were in the process of building a house and I was the one picking up materials, I’d stick with a 1 ton. Utilizing a utility trailer to haul loads is a good idea, but inevitably there are going to be times it would be nice to just get in the truck and go pick up whatever it is in the bed without taking time to hitch up a trailer. Plus the 1 ton will tow the trailer better, including the 22’ car hauler.

As far as dump trailers go I’ve used one but don’t own one. Still very handy, and if I were hauling gravel, sand, or dirt regularly I could see buying one. I’m admittedly also willing to try unloading palletized loads from one. I did that once from the dump bed of an F550 onto a retaining wall… the results were uhhh mixed if I’m being totally honest….

 

As for the gravel and concrete, why not just have it delivered? Get the 1/2 ton that you want to drive everyday and leave the heavy stuff to the professionals.

 

Clearly you do not have the same disease that us old retired guys have with lots of free time. We enjoy DIY and use the slightest benefit of cost savings to justify tool purchases. Building my own house, this was how I bought all of my tools back then from a compressor to planer to jointer/table saw, etc.

 

To update this thread I wound up buying a 2018 5.7 long bed with 65k miles. My 7.3 has continued with drama and broke down on my last 300 mile towing trip (thankfully in the driveway) due to a clutch sensor that I just replaced 4 years ago. Didn't need a tow but required me to hand unload a flatbed trailer and all of my tools. Yeah, I remembered a few hours later that I could have jumpered across the starter solenoid but that usually doesn't earn me points at every fueling and rest stop since I am by myself.

I tried to find a 3rd gen long bed but never saw an SR5 version that didn't sell before delivery and I still don't understand why Toyota derated the SR. My yearly mileage is pretty low so the additional price to go from 2018 to 2023 didn't justify the fuel savings anyway.

Trying to haul gravel today (a dump truck can't unload in my driveway due to low power lines and low hanging trees) and the local Vulcan yard won't load my 7.3 pickup bed anyway so back to the above idea of a flatbed with sides. That was the last job for the 7.3 so it is time to get it listed for sale.