wintersun wrote:
When you add the weight of a diesel engine to a vehicle with a fixed GVWR the payload goes down but it is an artifice. The two trucks will usually have the same rear axle and wheel bearings and the same rims and tires and the same rear springs.
In terms of payload the axle and wheel bearings are only the limiting factor with DRW. With SRW it is the rims and the tires and these can be upgraded to either higher rated tires or all the way to 19.5 rims and tires.
Where the diesel excels is with tow loads over 12,000 lbs. with nearly double the torque HP and with more control on downgrades with the exhaust brake. The value of the diesel is proportionate to the load you will tow and the type of terrain over which you will travel.
Easy to confirm this with a visit to a dealer and look at the payload ratings on different trucks with the same gas engine and see what is different. Sometimes it is the additional passenger seating as each seat subtracts 150 lbs. from the factory payload rating. Usually it is the springs and rims and tires provided at the factory.
