I've got a 1992 Cummins 5-speed D250, and I occasionally tow vehicles heavier than a car. I like it, but it lacks a lot of modern creature comforts that newer trucks have.

I can't wrap my head around paying $70K for a new Cummins truck, or even $30-$40K for a used one. So I started looking into the tow capacity of newer lighter-duty trucks and discovered something interesting.

From the info I've found, the towing capacity for my '92 Cummins 5-speed 2500 is listed as right around 11,900 lbs.

The towing capacity for a 2014 Ram 1500 with a Hemi is 10,450 lbs.

Both capacity ratings are higher than my 10,000 lb trailer capacity.

Has technology advanced to the point that 1/2 ton trucks are that much beefier than they used to be, or has something changed in how the "official" towing capacities are rated?

My 1998 Dodge 1500 is only rated at 7800 lbs.

Anyone with real-world experience want to chime in?