¾ ton vs 1 ton SRW
I am looking to purchase a new truck, probably later this year. In the Ford brochure under the heading of “Mechanical” it lists “Rear Suspension” and shows “Axle rating, 6,200 LBS (F-250); 7,280 LBS (...
Forum Discussion
I see the price differential for 3/4 versus 1-ton trucks but it is bogus in the real world when buying a truck. I saved $7,000 buying a 2011 3/4 ton diesel truck at the end of the model year as compared to special ordering a new 2012 1-ton truck. In all of Northern California there was a grand total of 5 1-ton trucks sitting on dealers' lots and three had regular cabs and two had crew cabs, neither type that I wanted. With the GM trucks the 1-tons have a 1/4" larger rear router and an extra leaf pack - that is all the difference between the two trucks.
With Ram the 2013 3/4 ton has the old frame and the 1-ton has the new stronger frame so I would not be buying a 3/4 ton Ram pickup. With Ford there are axle options and heavy load options and towing options and these increase the capabilities of a 3/4 ton truck. With my 2011 GM truck I got an axle option that increased the GVWR by 1000 lbs and put in on par with the 1-ton trucks.
What is overlooked is the difference in the rims and wheels that are provided on different truck models. With GM the Z71 "offroad" model the 20" wheels kill the payload while the 1-tons have 18" rims and the 3/4 ton trucks come with narrower 17" rims and this also affects the available tires that will fit. My truck came stock with tires that had a 3195@80 PSI load rating and I replaced them with ones that have a 3750@80 PSI. This provided an extra 1100 lbs. of payload capacity at the rear axle. The axle and wheel bearings is manufactured by AAM and rated at 10,900 lbs.
The load rating depends a great deal on the type of cab as the manufactures subtract 150 passenger lbs. per seat. That is why a payload for a regular cab is so much greater than for a crew cab.
With Ford there are many more options and it will take more research to get what you think you want as their brochures are terrible at providing much in the way of useful information (and I would not trust the average salesperson either). It may also help to read Ford's own official statement regarding GVWR:
- "Gross Axle Weight Rating is determined by the minimum component of the axle system (axles, computer-selected springs, wheels, tires) of a specific vehicle. Front and rear GAWR's will, in all cases, sum to a number equal to or greater than the GVWR for the particular vehicle. Maximum loaded vehicle (including passengers, equipment and payload) cannot exceed the GVW rating or GAWR (front or rear)."
Change the springs, change the wheels, change the tires, add airbags, add an anti-sway bar, and the load rating can be increased or decreased from the manufacturers' stated GVWR for any vehicle. What cannot be changed is the GCWR which is how much of a load can be carried or towed by the engine, drivetrain, frame, and suspension. Too great a tow load can generate forces that greatly reduce the life of an engine or a transmission or result in a cracked or twisted frame - look at the sled pullers.
With Ram the 2013 3/4 ton has the old frame and the 1-ton has the new stronger frame so I would not be buying a 3/4 ton Ram pickup. With Ford there are axle options and heavy load options and towing options and these increase the capabilities of a 3/4 ton truck. With my 2011 GM truck I got an axle option that increased the GVWR by 1000 lbs and put in on par with the 1-ton trucks.
What is overlooked is the difference in the rims and wheels that are provided on different truck models. With GM the Z71 "offroad" model the 20" wheels kill the payload while the 1-tons have 18" rims and the 3/4 ton trucks come with narrower 17" rims and this also affects the available tires that will fit. My truck came stock with tires that had a 3195@80 PSI load rating and I replaced them with ones that have a 3750@80 PSI. This provided an extra 1100 lbs. of payload capacity at the rear axle. The axle and wheel bearings is manufactured by AAM and rated at 10,900 lbs.
The load rating depends a great deal on the type of cab as the manufactures subtract 150 passenger lbs. per seat. That is why a payload for a regular cab is so much greater than for a crew cab.
With Ford there are many more options and it will take more research to get what you think you want as their brochures are terrible at providing much in the way of useful information (and I would not trust the average salesperson either). It may also help to read Ford's own official statement regarding GVWR:
- "Gross Axle Weight Rating is determined by the minimum component of the axle system (axles, computer-selected springs, wheels, tires) of a specific vehicle. Front and rear GAWR's will, in all cases, sum to a number equal to or greater than the GVWR for the particular vehicle. Maximum loaded vehicle (including passengers, equipment and payload) cannot exceed the GVW rating or GAWR (front or rear)."
Change the springs, change the wheels, change the tires, add airbags, add an anti-sway bar, and the load rating can be increased or decreased from the manufacturers' stated GVWR for any vehicle. What cannot be changed is the GCWR which is how much of a load can be carried or towed by the engine, drivetrain, frame, and suspension. Too great a tow load can generate forces that greatly reduce the life of an engine or a transmission or result in a cracked or twisted frame - look at the sled pullers.
