I have a 7x20 5 ft v nose. In the time I have had it I pulled it with a 14 1/2 Chevy with a 6.2. 5 different HD chevys with Duramax’s and now a 21 2500 Ram with a Cummins. The 1/2 will pull it just fine, but the bigger truck is more stable at speed. If you are comfortable at the 55-65 speed use a 1/2 if you need to travel faster than that buy a HD diesel. I would say the big truck allows 10-15 MPH. If you can’t fit a HD into your life, slow down or put up with the fact that setup will scare years off your life every time you pull any distance.
Agree with this, except the diesel part. I have a 6.0 gas, and a Duramax. Both same trucks, crew cab long bed 3500.
The Duramax eats money for no good reason every single day. I'm probably extra pissed I just replaced a $900 DEF heater that I replaced last year.
It was spend the $900, or get speed limited because the diesel exhaust fluid freezes at about 15*, and if the emissions doesn't work you don't drive.
150k miles and it's needed $4k into the emissions garbage in the last 3 years.
My gasser has 300k miles, and only difference is it's way cheaper to run down the road and it likes rpm on the hills.
Sure, my Duramax gets 16mpg while my 6.0 gets 13mpg, but the oil changes are 1/3 the cost, fuel is $1/gallon cheaper, and it's never been in the shop for emissions failure that put it in limp mode.
Gas also doesn't gel in the winter, and you always have extra gas for the sleds in the trailer in an emergency, right?