Chevrolet 1/2 ton diesel

Ralph Cramden wrote:

IdaD wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
For those mentioning to buy a bigger truck, the lament is that the half ton is no longer a half ton once a heavy diesel is installed. If they address that, then no big deal. Why buy a huge, rough riding truck that won't fit in your garage because you need a couple hundred more pounds of payload?

Heavy duty trucks aren't any bigger than half ton trucks other than being a little taller. They ride rougher but it's not like they're tractors anymore.

I am with ya, never quite understood how people claim trucks up the capability ladder from 1/2 tons take up more space or are harder to park and drive, when they use most of the same body panels and are the same wheelbase. As far as ride, most 1/2 tons are set up to ride like cars for when the wife runs out for bread and milk. Its not that heavy duty trucks ride rough, it's more that 1/2 ton trucks ride too soft. I will put the ride quality of my 2015 GMC Sierra 2500HD up against anything out there, including my 2013 Ford F150.

1/2 ton trucks used to be trucks until about 1990, then they turned into glorified cars.

True about half-tons turning into cars. Mostly that's what people use them for these days. But there are exceptions, like the off-road trucks. Our 2009 Tacoma TRD had a lot worse ride than our current RAM 2500, but low payload and towing capability.

We're very pleased with our 2500's ride. Perhaps the rear coils really help. And if you lower the tire pressure some it's even better, so I'm told. Nice trade-off between ride and tow/haul capability.

But I would say the Cummins+68RFE combo is definitely less smooth and less quiet and more tractor-like than most half-tons. But that's a big diesel. I imagine any of the gasser/tranny combo's would be better, except when struggling under heavy loads :).