what defines a 3/4 ton?
If it's payload capacity, then why isn't a properly equipped F150 considered a 3/4 ton truck?
Forum Discussion
103 Replies
- So does this 3000+ pound pallet of wall blocks(between the rear axle and tail gate) make my 3500 SRW a 1.5T truck? BTW stock leaf spring rear suspension, no air bags!
The metal and bearing technology they use today is not the same they used twenty years ago
I doubt that it has improved enough to make an appreciable difference.... Now the lubes that go into the axles have improved markedly.
Regardless, these types of improvements are not limited to the 1/2 ton stuff.... The heavier duty stuff benefits as well.- Several pages arguing which marketing badge...which class, but the constant rating that most ignore and or forget...GVWR RGAWR does not change
Nissan and Toyota gets it and does not play the marketing game most all are caught in...that sells many more AFTER folks realize they need more truck...
{Edit}..."ride quality" and MPG are not that high on my lists...ride quality is very low on my nice to have....MPG is on my have to have. Ratings & truck performance way ahead
Another of mine...never like just good enough...more is always sought after in my "have to have"....BenK wrote:
Forget marketing badges, they change willynilly to suite marketing chasing whatever is selling
Best to use real numbers, and that is arguable
GVWR, GAWR are what I look for
"Half ton" rear GAWR tops out around 5,000 lbs (7 lug wheels and what I refer to as fake half ton). Most in the 4,000 range
There are other attributes (8 lug wheels, bigger frame, etc) but the RGAWR is my main determination Terryallan wrote:
Lynnmor wrote:
philh wrote:
If it's payload capacity, then why isn't a properly equipped F150 considered a 3/4 ton truck?
Because it is still a lightweight grocery getter? :W
but it is more heavy duty than a 2004 2500
And weighs 1,000 pounds less, wow!- I just look at the specs and buy what I need. It doesn't matter what anybody calls it as long as it's what is needed for the job.
- So the consensus here is that even though the terms 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton used to mean what the truck can haul, it is not based on it's model/name designation since trucks have outgrown these ratings decades ago. So anything with a 1 in its name/model is a 1/2 ton, anything with a 2 in t's name/model is a 3/4 ton, and anything with a 3 in its name/model is a 1 ton regardless of actual capabilities and ratings.
In that case. What about a Toyota Tundra? It has no number in it's name and neither does the Titan. Then there is the Titan XD which is in the same class 2B as most other 250/2500 trucks. Then there is the new GM 2500 trucks which have more capabilities than previous years 1 ton trucks. Lastly there is the F450 pickup which is in the same class 3 as the other 350/3500 trucks. Is that considered a 1 ton too or a 1 1/4 ton. Is there someone making up the rules on what truck is considered what that we must all have to follow or does it change from person/age group from another based on opinions.
Another thing to consider is the age of the truck. If someone says they are towing 12k with a SRW 1 ton, then most here would probably not question it yet they would if they said it was a 3/4 ton. What if the 1 ton was a 1995 gaser and the 3/4 was a 2017 diesel. In that case, if you are going by the ratings of the truck, is the old SRW 1 tons still a 1 ton even though they have less capabilities than a modern 3/4 ton or even some 1/2 tons? Huntindog wrote:
A 3/4 ton truck used to have 8 lug wheels and a full floating rearend. These are signifignant things.
But the manufacturers have been marketing 1/2 tons which do NOT have those important items as having 3/4 ton capabilities.... Sadly it has gone on so long now that many do not remember, or never knew the difference.
All of the F250/2500 3/4 ton pickups I have seen have 8 lug wheels just like my two PSD Excursions that I had before I got my 1 ton 3500 Express van.
Huntindog wrote:
philh wrote:
Yes. To put it simply: There are certain things in which size matters. This is one of them.
If a vehicle is rated at 1500lbs cargo cap, does it really matter if it has 6 or 7 or 8 lug bolts?
It is not uncommon when I go to the dump to pass a heavily load 1/2 ton, which had it's axle C clip let go. This is easy to diagnose as I pass by...... As the tire is extended from the wheelwell about 2 feet.... with the axle shaft clearly visable. That cannot happen with a full floating rearend.
C clip axles (semi floating) are the same design as what is used in cars.
I have seen the same symptom on class 8 trucks. Now, a semi floating is more likely to break the axle at the end, let axle walk out. Flex in a full floating axle housing is more likely to break in center, and stop driving the truck. But overloaded bearings can shear the lock, back the bearing retainer off, let wheels hub axle and all walk out.
And over the years I have overloaded light trucks, had lug studs break, but never on a semi-floating axle...valhalla360 wrote:
ShinerBock wrote:
Manufacturers use the terms externally with customers because most are ignorant to the vehicle class system and would not know what the term class 2B means, and even if you told them what it means they will likely still use the term 3/4 ton because most are resistant to change. They would rather keep doing what they always do even though it is incorrect instead of changing to what is correct.
If you are talking about the engineers doing the design work...they talk about actual payloads and parts specs.
The whole 15XX/25XX/35XX is for the customer to differentiate. As a few people have pointed out, even using the series, trucks have moved into different govt. weight classifications over the years depending on how you spec the truck when you order it...so by your logic, those are also outdated.
Yes, the truck class system is outdated as well. I have said that multiple times in this forum through various threads. However, once a government regulation is in place regardless if it is valid or is actually doing any good, it is hard to reverse it or change it especially if that regulation involves multiple state regulation. This is my biggest contention with EPA emissions and CAFE numbers. They were made up by a bureaucrat with no real data behind them and yet many will blindly follow them as canon. The truck classes should be updated along with DOT commercial vehicle regulations.
The reason why these terms and even the class system become outdated is because technology and even metallurgy improve over time as processes become less expensive. People tend to forget this and apply what was valid twenty years ago to today just like this discussion of full or semi float axles. The metal and bearing technology they use today is not the same they used twenty years ago so it may be that semi-float axles can easily handle 1,500 lbs, but some may not agree because they are basing their opinions on technology from twenty years ago. That is like comparing making opinion on today's engines using engine tech from the 90's.
Although I do find it ironic that some of the same people saying that a 150/1500 can not handle 1,500 or even 2,000 lbs due to its semi-float axles, even though those are the manufacturers ratings, are the very same people that say that you should abide by the manufacturers ratings on the 250/2500 trucks. So in their view we should not trust manufacturers numbers and in another case we should. :h- Double Post. Delete.
