Towing/hauling 1/2 ton Upgrades
 

To anyone thats done a lot of hauling and towing with half tons what have you done for upgrades to your truck?

I have a 1995 2500 6.5DSL Suburban I like but with 303,000 miles on it am starting to think of a different truck for towing and hauling. Have been talking to people about trailering and more and more guys are telling me to go with a 1/2 ton and just do some upgrades to it. I've owned 3/4 and 1 tons and like them when trailering stuff but the ride when not loaded down is a bit of an issue with the wife and kids. To stiff and bouncy. I'm use to it and don't care.

Do the air shock systems work well and are they long term reliable?

I would assume a trailering package on a 1/2 ton would be mandatory for a tranny cooler and such to do any moderate towing?

Have never looked much at half tons for towing, are trailering packages hard to come by?

I would assume anti sway bars, etc. are very helpful in hauling bigger loads?

Any insight into towing with a half ton would be much appreciated.

Thanks

A transmission cooler and a good weight distributing hitch will help. All the add ons people talk about will not raise the designed tow capacity built into the truck. The towing packages are usually the hitch platform, wiring and trans cooler.

1/2 tons are limited when towing real heavy loads. If the tow rating is say 7500, thats with one passenger in the vehicle. if you add passengers you have to deduct that from the 7500 lbs. Same with what you carry in the bed and tongue weight of the trailer has to be deducted.

People tow more than what is safe every day but they are lucky. Should you have an accident and are overloaded you could be held liable.

I tow a camper with my 1/2 ton but I stay under the limits. If the loads are heavy, a 3/4 ton is always better.

what are you towing now? how much are your loads?

Transcooler, good shocks and a good trailer with brake system. I've towed for many years, sometimes exceeding my truck limits. Without
the items I just suggested my truck would probably be sitting in a
salvage yard.