Tow Rig Question

First, sorry that I'm posting this, as I know there have been a bunch of tow vehicle threads in the past, but I haven't really found and answer to my questions. I've always had trucks that were far heavier duty than what I really needed to tow. I now want something a little less HD but still able to meet my towing needs.
My towing requirements 99% of the time are vehicles around 3000 lbs. The other 1% of the time, I need to tow my tractor, which weighs 7000lbs. These weights do not include a trailer, as I currently don't have one.
I've looked at Chevy/GMC, Dodge, and Ford. Diesels are pretty much out of my price range (< $10000) and I don't really want one anyway. I'd like to go with a 1/2 ton truck, as they ride nicer than a 3/4 ton and have more economical engines. They are also more plentiful and cheaper. I'm leaning pretty heavily towards a Chevy/GMC, so I'll use this as an example.
A 1500 has a tow rating of 8100-8400 lbs. My tractor would exceed this rating. But can I upgrade the truck to handle it? I'd stick with the 5.3 engine. I can add helper springs or air bag helpers, and the appropriate coolers. The towing of the tractor is on relatively flat ground, and not for more than 50 miles at a time. Again, being that I've always had heavier trucks (1 ton dually's), I don't know what I can get away with. What do you guys think?

The rating on my Nissan Titan as it sits is around 7000. If I used a load leveling hitch setup, I could go to 10k. Look into the possibility of load leveling to get that rating. Trailer brakes will be essential to make this happen

Miata with an LS1 and an uprated frame?

Full size half ton and full size gas 3/4 ton will get similar mileage.

A diesel 3/4 ton will get better economy, drive nicer when loaded, and have a much better resale than a gas 1/2 ton or gas 3/4 ton.

I used to tow a big Bobcat on a trailer with my F150 with a 302. It was dubious at best and not for the faint of heart. It was also very hard on the truck and the truck labored hard to tow it.

Get a Dodge Ram with a Cummins, and you will be sitting great.

93gsxturbo wrote: Full size half ton and full size gas 3/4 ton will get similar mileage.

Really? So a 4.8 liter will get the same mileage as a 8.1 liter in a heavier truck?
Can you state where this information comes from?

bravenrace wrote:

93gsxturbo wrote: Full size half ton and full size gas 3/4 ton will get similar mileage.

Really? So a 4.8 liter will get the same mileage as a 8.1 liter in a heavier truck? Can you state where this information comes from?

He pulled it out of his ass. Our 06 CC is rated at 7400lbs and pulls a 3k lb trailer/car combo with no issues. Unloaded it will (and does) see 24mpg on the highway at around 70mph. around town is about 19-20, the more "in town" it sees and it will drop to about 18mpg. Find me a gas 3/4 ton truck that can do that, and I'll eat my hat.

As for your initial question, I would rent/borrow a larger truck to handle your tractor if it's only used rarely.

bravenrace wrote:

93gsxturbo wrote: Full size half ton and full size gas 3/4 ton will get similar mileage.

Really? So a 4.8 liter will get the same mileage as a 8.1 liter in a heavier truck? Can you state where this information comes from?

They will get similar mileage while doing the same work. My 8.1 Chevy got 10 mpg towing a Civic over 1000 miles. My buddies 6.0 Chevy got the same 10 mpg towing the same load over the same distance. The difference was, his struggled a bit in the hills and he had to keep it around 70, while mine didn't know that hills existed, and was very happy at 80 - 85 mph.

The catch is that mine does a best of around 13 mpg unloaded. His will approach 20.

Still, when I faced my first panic stop in the new rig on Friday and it stopped like I was in the WRX, and not 12,000# worth of tank, I was really happy to have the 13" rotors, heavy duty springs, massive swaybars, and Bilstein shocks.

I had two K1500 Suburbans (5700 Vortec)... the brakes on these older trucks are horrible and even with good trailer brakes, I was uncomfortable anytime i got over about 6000lbs... especially in hilly areas. I got 16-18 on the highway with these, around 10-12 towing hard.

I now have a 2002 Avalanche 5.3. The brakes are infinitely better (though still in the "good" and not "great" category), the transmission is programmed much better, but the engine isn't as torquey and gets poorer mileage than the 5.7's did (about 14-15 on the highway, single digits when towing hard). I'm comfortable to about 7000lbs with this. (The Avalanche really excels as a multi-purpose, do-everything with one vehicle type of SUV... I got rid of a G-Wagen for this and like it better... just wish it wasn't so hideous.)

Now Dad has a 1999 K2500 Suburban with the Votec 454. Gets about 12mpg unladen on the highway, about 10 towing 7000lbs, and single digits towing 10k+... which it does comfortably. The ride is not as good as my Suburbans was, but by no means as bad as a 3/4 ton pickup (or a 1 ton dually which is what he had previously... that would beat you to death).

Just a few more data points for you.

Bill

whatever you do, don't do like I saw yesterday and load you and 4 of your buddies in a 94 Ford Ranger to get the weight up above the flat bed trailer with no surge brakes and Chrysler station wagon you're towing and then roll down GA-400 at 60 MPH and start swaying across 2 lanes of traffic, almost resulting in a flipped Ranger, oh and 3 of the 4 buddies were in the truck bed....