what defines a 3/4 ton?

Huntindog wrote:

philh wrote:
If a vehicle is rated at 1500lbs cargo cap, does it really matter if it has 6 or 7 or 8 lug bolts?

Yes. To put it simply: There are certain things in which size matters. This is one of them.

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.

That anecdotal evidence is not really applicable. There is a difference between overloaded/abused and within specs. There is not any more reason to anticipate a "half ton" truck will kick out its axles when operated as designed relative to a 3/4-1 ton that is comparatively overloaded for its intended spec.

Must be the group as a whole was having severe withdrawal symptoms if this tired old subject got dragged out...

Time to burn your Literal Man underoos, fellas... "Itsh payload ishn't exactly 1500 poundsh so it ishn't really a three quarter ton truck." Yah we get it.

gmw photos wrote:
Yes, but if you really want to send the payload po-po into a frenzy, just mention this little Chevy mini-truck. The shame of it all, 4 lug wheels, and over 1600 lbs of payload capacity. :)

So will this F150HD....

Lynnmor wrote:

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!

Yes it is amazing what they are doing with stronger, light weight, modern material.

^ That just proves how underrated our full size trucks are.

Yes, but if you really want to send the payload po-po into a frenzy, just mention this little Chevy mini-truck. The shame of it all, 4 lug wheels, and over 1600 lbs of payload capacity. :)

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
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.

It's marketing as much as anything. If you have a 1/2ton truck with a 1000lb payload and next year, it ups to 1500lb...do you confuse your buyers by eliminating the 1/2 ton model...which is also the biggest and most profitable vehicle in your line up? Only an idiot would be pedantic enough to do that when everyone actually knows that it's a model designation not a technical spec.

The asian models...for whatever reason they have chosen not to follow industry convention but they really make up a minuscule portion of the market, so most don't care and those who are interested, can look up the actual specs. I would argue it's a mistake on the manufacturers end not to align with industry convention. They are fighting an uphill battle to begin with moving beyond the small pickups. Making it unclear where their truck models fit into the system means a lot of potential customers never bother to check them out as they don't market a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

The vast majority of people considering 450/550 and up...they know and understand the ratings, so there is no confusion.

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. I was asking people what makes a truck a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and so on. Since it is subjective and there is no set rule like the class system, it just boils down to personal opinion that may change from person to person. The terms 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton used to actually mean something, but they no longer do since trucks have outgrown these ratings. As far as Asian models, that also is opinion that can change from one person to the next just like some consider the Titan XD a 3/4 ton and others don't even though it is a class 2b truck like most other 250/2500 trucks.

I think the whole point of this thread is to ask people what their definition of a 3/4 is to them. The fact that we are getting so many different opinions is a testament to what I am saying that is just opinion that changes from one person to the next.

ShinerBock wrote:
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.

It's marketing as much as anything. If you have a 1/2ton truck with a 1000lb payload and next year, it ups to 1500lb...do you confuse your buyers by eliminating the 1/2 ton model...which is also the biggest and most profitable vehicle in your line up? Only an idiot would be pedantic enough to do that when everyone actually knows that it's a model designation not a technical spec.

The asian models...for whatever reason they have chosen not to follow industry convention but they really make up a minuscule portion of the market, so most don't care and those who are interested, can look up the actual specs. I would argue it's a mistake on the manufacturers end not to align with industry convention. They are fighting an uphill battle to begin with moving beyond the small pickups. Making it unclear where their truck models fit into the system means a lot of potential customers never bother to check them out as they don't market a 3/4 or 1 ton truck.

The vast majority of people considering 450/550 and up...they know and understand the ratings, so there is no confusion.

Chris, you only get to call it a 1.5 ton when you can put two 4' long pallets end to end in you bed! Otherwise, it's just a grocery getter! :B

As far as the rest of this goes.....has not mattered since I started buying trucks in late 70s. I've seen 6 lug GM 2500 badging, a dually with 9-10k gvwr door stickers. I licensed on at 16K, legal at 16K too! Full floating axles STOCK mind you in GM 1500 series truck. Should also note, this is trucks from about 1975 on!
I have to license my trucks, as does Chris at 1.5 times empty weight to next highest ton. BOTH of us have had 25/35 series SW trucks that weigh 7000 lbs, manufacture gvwr at 8600-9900, with legal max GVW registrations to 12,000 lbs. Been thru enough scales over manufactures gvwr, with out getting a overweight ticket, to know none of the manufactures badging, specs etc matter when it come to the person with blue lights on roof of vehicle. It only matters to the RV.net weight police. OR, as is the case hop err fully with OP, wants to know story behind terms.....which happened in a galaxy a long time ago! :):):)

Marty

Huntindog wrote:

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.

They have actually. Especially in regard to ball bearing versus roller bearing and the lubricants used in the bearing assembly. Enough to increase what a 150/1500 can carry by a considerable amount (way more than just half a ton) over the years and increase its longevity too.

I know the heavier duty truck benefit as well but they dont use semi float axle which was what I was referring to so that is a moot point.