Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for

Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM, GMC, Nissan, Toyota, Ram
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Car buyers have a responsibility to be well-informed consumers. That's not always a very simple task, but some guidelines are self-evident. If you live in a very snowy climate, you generally know a Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro might not be as viable a vehicle choice as an all-wheel drive Explorer or Traverse, for example. If you want a fuel-efficient car, it's generally a good idea to know the difference between a diesel and a hybrid. But what if it's kind of tough to be an informed consumer? What if the information you need is more difficult to come by, or worse, based on different standards for each vehicle? Well, in that case, you might be a truck shopper.

For years, customers of light-duty pickups have had to suffer through different ratings of towing capacities for each brand. For 2015 model year trucks, though, that will no longer be a problem. According to Automotive News, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group have announced that starting with next year's models, a common standard will be used to measure towing capacity. The Detroit Three will join Toyota, which adopted the Society of Automotive Engineers' so-called SAE J2807 standards way back in 2011.

The standard was originally supposed to be in place for MY2013, but concerns that it would lower the overall stated capacity for trucks led Detroit automakers to pass. Ford originally passed, claiming it'd wait until its new F-150 was launched to adopt the new standards, leading GM and Ram to follow suit. Nissan, meanwhile, has said it will adopt the new standards as its vehicles are updated, meaning the company's next-generation Titan should adhere to the same tow ratings as its competitors.

While the adoption of SAE J2807 will be helpful for light-duty customers, those interested in bigger trucks will still be left with differing standards. There is no sign of the new tow standards being adopted for the heavy-duty market.Detroit 3 to implement delayed unified towing standards for 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Feb 2014 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It's about time. It reminds me of the old "gross HP ratings" before 1972 when they went to a standardized net rating. Now we can compare apples to apples.

right....there's been a lot of bullshit slung around for far too long. This should've happened years ago. This is why you see people hauling campers way to big for their half ton's on the highway. Next up should be camper companies. They claim "half ton towable" on far too many campers. My 5th wheel is listed as half ton towable because it's an ultra-lite model. It has a pin weight of 1300#'s dry. So yes you can tow it with a half ton if you don't have anything else in the camper but who travels like that? What you end up with are people that don't do their research and they're buzzing down the road with a camper that's one good bump or wind storm away from killing someone.