Forum Discussion
182 Replies
- blt2skiModeratorDOT class 1 truck, up to 6000 lbs gvwr, ie half ton
Class 2 light duty 6001-8400 lbs. ie heavy half, light 3/4 ton, most 15 series badged trucks of today.
Heavy duty 8401-10000 lbs. IE most 3/4 or 25 series trucks, Could include a lot of 35 series badged SW trucks, and many duallys up to around 1995-2000 depending upon the brand.
Class 3 10001-14500 Most would call a 1 ton. Includes many duallies from about 2000 on forward, and some sw rigs over the last 5 yrs or so.
Class 4 14500-16500 includes a few 35 badged duallies over the last couple of years most of the 45 series trucks, but ford does have a 450 that falls into the class 3 relm. Most 35 trucks over the last 5 yrs or so, would fall into this catagory if the gvwr was GRAWR + GFAWR, not the 10-15% derate that most manufactures use.
Class 5 is 16501-19500
Class 6 is 19501 to 26K
Class 7 26001-33K
Class 8 usually over 50K gvwr, ie something with tandem rears. Altho Single rear axel rigs can be considered class 8's, if they tow trailers that put them over 50K lbs total gvwr including trailer(s) wt. I use plural on trailer, as many tow tandem/triple 20-25' box trailer upwards of 80-100K lbs
Shall we look at the numbers this way?!?! then in reality, there is no such thing as a half ton today! unless you are buying a really small pickup. Even my sons toyota tacoma with a 4 bangers has a gvwr just over 6000 lbs, licensed at 8K lbs......so a dot class 2 truck it is!
Marty - Buck50HDExplorerMany also think that their 10 or 15 year old 3/4 and 1-tons are equivalent to a 2014 model.
And, these new ratings pass the highly acclaimed and anticipated J2807 standard:S - TystevensExplorer
RoyJ wrote:
These arguments never end.
What defines something as a "1/2 ton", "3/4 ton", or "1 ton"? There's no Holy Book of Engineering that says past a certain frame thickness and/or cross section you're into "2500 territory".
Take a 1970s 3/4 ton, I'm willing to bet a modern 1/2 ton beats it in nearly every category.
I like to look at hard facts, such as F/R GAWR, GVW, payload, and drivetrain (power, gradability and startability). If a truck meets those specs, what difference does the badge on the door make?
Yep, I agree. The old terms are just convenience now, but really meaningless as far as quantitative terms go. As long as you are within the ratings, that is what matters. - fx2tomExplorer
buddyIam wrote:
Haha
you can carry a gunny sack of potatoes and a bag of chips more than me. :>)
Depends how much I had ate that day lol :-) - RoyJExplorerThese arguments never end.
What defines something as a "1/2 ton", "3/4 ton", or "1 ton"? There's no Holy Book of Engineering that says past a certain frame thickness and/or cross section you're into "2500 territory".
Take a 1970s 3/4 ton, I'm willing to bet a modern 1/2 ton beats it in nearly every category.
I like to look at hard facts, such as F/R GAWR, GVW, payload, and drivetrain (power, gradability and startability). If a truck meets those specs, what difference does the badge on the door make? - buddyIamExplorerHaha
My 1980 regular cab weights right at 4500 lbs at the scales. I'm guessing you're about 5432 lbs empty for a crew cab. Just short of 1000 lbs more than me.
My gvwr on the truck is 6200 Lbs. That gives me a 1700 lbs payload. You get 1798.
You have a lot more truck than I.
But all the frills have cut into payloads a bunch. To the point that you can carry a gunny sack of potatoes and a bag of chips more than me. :>) - fx2tomExplorer
CKNSLS wrote:
fx2tom wrote:
CKNSLS wrote:
spoon059 wrote:
By the way... what 36' long trailer is light enough or has low enough tongue weight to even meet the specs of a half ton truck???
As a half-ton truck owner I don't believe there is one - after you take in to account all your other passengers/cargo.
2014 Surveyor SC321BHTS
Loaded weight 8,324 (per scales)
Loaded Tongue Weight per scales 994 (per scales)
Truck payload - 1,798
Driver/All passengers approx. 400 lbs. Nothing in the bed of the truck.
GVWR 7,230
GVCR 16,900
Total weight - 15,954
That's more trailer than I would want to pull. No disrespect intended. I pulled my 5,500 pound-29 foot as I mentioned previsouly-8,000 miles in 8 months around the U.S. I wouldn't wanted to pull your trailer on a trip like that, even with your truck-which is a 2500.
It is a lot of trailer, I'll agree with that. On paper everything is fine with the weights though. The weights I provided are from my old F150, not the current truck. - CKNSLSExplorer
fx2tom wrote:
CKNSLS wrote:
spoon059 wrote:
By the way... what 36' long trailer is light enough or has low enough tongue weight to even meet the specs of a half ton truck???
As a half-ton truck owner I don't believe there is one - after you take in to account all your other passengers/cargo.
2014 Surveyor SC321BHTS
Loaded weight 8,324 (per scales)
Loaded Tongue Weight per scales 994 (per scales)
Truck payload - 1,798
Driver/All passengers approx. 400 lbs. Nothing in the bed of the truck.
GVWR 7,230
GVCR 16,900
Total weight - 15,954
That's more trailer than I would want to pull. No disrespect intended. I pulled my 5,500 pound-29 foot as I mentioned previsouly-8,000 miles in 8 months around the U.S. I wouldn't wanted to pull your trailer on a trip like that, even with your truck-which is a 2500. My payload is 1444 - that would be too much trailer for my truck. - fx2tomExplorer
spoon059 wrote:
fx2tom wrote:
No, you did take them out of context by implying that a driver towing relaxed is driving recklessly.
You are towing with a 1/2 ton truck and a 25 ft trailer. That is not the equivalent to towing something 11 feet longer.
Towing with a 3/4 ton makes me more comfortable. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my equal-izer set up. The one part we do agree on is that an idiot can screw up towing regardless of TV.
Dude... seriously? Read the WHOLE thing I wrote, not just the two sentences that got your panties in a bunch...
I wrote that if someone drove a half ton that was improperly set up, then moved up to a 3/4 ton and still didn't fix the issues (weight distribution hitch, too little tongue weight, too little tire on trailer, etc) then he was just masking the problems. Normal, everyday driving would "feel" better in the 3/4 ton with everything done wrong. However, when you have an emergency situation or high winds and your hitch and sway controller aren't right, or your tongue weight it too low, you are still going to have the same problem that you did in the improperly set up half ton. The only difference is that you will "feel" more comfortable until the fit hits the shan.
It doesn't make it safer, it just masks the symptoms.
Its kinda like having a cold. You can take cough medicine, decongestants, Tylenol, etc to mask the symptoms... but you still have a cold.
If you are towing within your weight limits... ALL your weight limits... and the truck is properly set up with a weight distribution hitch, sway controller, brake controller set up right, you have adequate tires (LT, not P rated), the brakes on the trailer are properly adjusted, the axles/tires on the trailer are sufficient, the tongue weight is 12-15% then you will be FINE with a half ton. Yes, a 3/4 ton will probably tow it with more ease. So will a 1 ton, so will a class 5 truck or a class 8 truck.
The question, however, is WILL A HALF TON SAFELY PULL THESE LOADS? The answer is YES... if it is properly set up.
No different that a 3/4 ton can safely pull within its limits if properly set up. No different than a 1 ton, etc etc.
However, if the tow rig is not properly set up it is unsafe. Pulling with a heavier truck will mask the issues the majority of the time... but it is still unsafe.
I didn't twist your words, I didn't pull them out of context. I simply disagree with your blanket statement that a 3/4 ton truck is inherently safer as a tow vehicle than a half ton. I never said a relaxed driver is reckless. Quite the contrary. I am very relaxed when I tow... but I pay attention. A dumbass that is unaware he is a dumbass and pulling something that he isn't prepared to handle is reckless.
Sounds like you might have a guilty conscience...
Where did I blanketly say that a 3/4 ton is safer? I did say this: "The one part we do agree on is that an idiot can screw up towing regardless of TV"
Do I have a guilty conscience? Nope. I know my hitch is set up correctly, I know everything has been weighed. I know everything is solid. I THOUGHT that was the case in the F150 (weights were right, it just didn't hold up). I was simply stating that I feel better driving the 3/4 ton and can tell the difference when towing. As I also said that is a PREFERENCE thing that makes ME more comfortable. - fx2tomExplorer
CKNSLS wrote:
spoon059 wrote:
By the way... what 36' long trailer is light enough or has low enough tongue weight to even meet the specs of a half ton truck???
As a half-ton truck owner I don't believe there is one - after you take in to account all your other passengers/cargo.
2014 Surveyor SC321BHTS
Loaded weight 8,324 (per scales)
Loaded Tongue Weight per scales 994 (per scales)
Truck payload - 1,798
Driver/All passengers approx. 400 lbs. Nothing in the bed of the truck.
GVWR 7,230
GVCR 16,900
Total weight - 15,954
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