what defines a 3/4 ton?

ShinerBock wrote:

Yes, it is opinion. Just go to the GM forums and see them debate whether a 2500LD was actually a 3/4 ton. Half say yes, and half say no. Then there is the Ford light duty F250. Half say it was a 3/4 ton and half say no. Then their is the F350 that gets de-rated into a 10k GVWR. Most say it is still a 1 ton while others say it is now 3/4 ton. Then there is the F250 with the camper package which essentially gave you the exact same truck, suspension and all, as an F350, but with an F250 badge. Some say it is still a 3/4 ton because of the 250 badge and others say it is a 1 ton because it has the exact same components as the F350.

So yes, it is all opinion.

Friend of mine had a cab fire in a old F-750. A few weeks later, one of his F-250s was rear ended hard. Then he needed to downsize his company, sell a bunch of equipment. We put the cab off the 250 on the other truck. Weight watcher looks at cab ID number, no issue for no CDL...

Bedlam wrote:
I've always thought of a half ton truck as using many parts you would find in a full sized body on frame sedan and utilizing a semi floating axle. Now that the few remaining large sedans are mostly uni-body and there are many more uni-body SUV's, I still see some crossover of parts.

Looking at the three quarter ton and larger trucks, I expect a full floating axle, heavier frame, and larger capacity brakes.

That is actually why many in the GM and Ford forums say that they 2500LD and F250 light duty was not a 3/4 ton. Both had semi-floating axles just like the Titan XD does now which is also in the same class as most other class 2B trucks. However, many others disagreed saying that it was a 3/4 ton.

I've always thought of a half ton truck as using many parts you would find in a full sized body on frame sedan and utilizing a semi floating axle. Now that the few remaining large sedans are mostly uni-body and there are many more uni-body SUV's, I still see some crossover of parts.

Looking at the three quarter ton and larger trucks, I expect a full floating axle, heavier frame, and larger capacity brakes.

Just to add to the confusion, word on the street the 2020 F350 will have a max GVWR of 12,400. Same truck as 2019 but now they add an add'l 900 lbs. Go figure.

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:


Yes, but as I keep saying, that is your opinion which you are allowed to have. However, opinions change from one person to the next. There are no set criteria on what constitutes a truck being a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, or 1 ton. It is all subjective depending on who you ask.

Nope, not an opinion unless you want to say that 98% of the truck buying population is of the same opinion.

Everyone knows when they walk onto the lot which are 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks (again with the exception of the asian brands which are a tiny percentage of the market anyway)

Yes, it is opinion. Just go to the GM forums and see them debate whether a 2500LD was actually a 3/4 ton. Half say yes, and half say no. Then there is the Ford light duty F250. Half say it was a 3/4 ton and half say no. Then their is the F350 that gets de-rated into a 10k GVWR. Most say it is still a 1 ton while others say it is now 3/4 ton. Then there is the F250 with the camper package which essentially gave you the exact same truck, suspension and all, as an F350, but with an F250 badge. Some say it is still a 3/4 ton because of the 250 badge and others say it is a 1 ton because it has the exact same components as the F350.

So yes, it is all opinion.

ShinerBock wrote:


Yes, but as I keep saying, that is your opinion which you are allowed to have. However, opinions change from one person to the next. There are no set criteria on what constitutes a truck being a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, or 1 ton. It is all subjective depending on who you ask.

Nope, not an opinion unless you want to say that 98% of the truck buying population is of the same opinion.

Everyone knows when they walk onto the lot which are 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton trucks (again with the exception of the asian brands which are a tiny percentage of the market anyway)

Terryallan wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
1/2, 3/4, 1 ton. Those terms are obsolete and have been meaningless for years. But old habits die hard.

Exactly right. It is better if you just go by the manufacturers designation of F150, 1500, F250, 2500, and F350, 3500 series. Those will tell you which is the more heavy duty.

Most F150s, and 1500 series trucks have had more than 3/4 ton of payload for years. After all that is only 1500lbs. few if any (except diesel) F150s, 1500 series have only 1/2 ton, or 1000lb of payload.

Ditto, and you can add 2500HD to that.

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:



Then what is a Titan XD? Some people say it is a 1/2 ton and others say it is 3/4 ton due to its GVWR. What about the F450 pickup? Is is a 1 ton since it is in the same GVWR class as the rest of the 350/3500 trucks or is it a 1 1/4 ton? People have different opinions about that as well.

Already addressed in previous posts:
- The asian trucks are odd man out not following industry convention and it shows in the sales numbers.
- 4 series and higher aren't being bought as grocery getters. The people buying those are almost exclusively looking at the ratings not the series. They really aren't marketed to the general public.

Yes, but as I keep saying, that is your opinion which you are allowed to have. However, opinions change from one person to the next. There are no set criteria on what constitutes a truck being a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, or 1 ton. It is all subjective depending on who you ask.

Just like the old GM 2500LD and 2500HD pickups I mentioned. People used to debate whether the LD is a 3/4 ton or 1/2 ton all the time with no definitive answer. It was purely based on opinion which changed from person to person and nobody could really say the other is wrong since there are no set criteria on what defines a 3/4 ton.

There used to be definitive rules what determines each truck type decades ago. A 1/2 ton was only rated to haul half a ton, a 3/4 ton was only rated haul three quarters of a ton, and a 1 ton could haul one ton. These rules no longer apply because you have trucks that many consider to be a 1/2 ton able to haul more than a ton.

So whatever set criteria you have as to what constitutes a 3/4 ton to you or anyone else is purely opinion because there are no rules. Again, you are more than allowed to have that opinion, but you have to keep in mind that it is purely opinion and not fact. So you can't expect others to have the same opinion.

ShinerBock wrote:



Then what is a Titan XD? Some people say it is a 1/2 ton and others say it is 3/4 ton due to its GVWR. What about the F450 pickup? Is is a 1 ton since it is in the same GVWR class as the rest of the 350/3500 trucks or is it a 1 1/4 ton? People have different opinions about that as well.

Already addressed in previous posts:
- The asian trucks are odd man out not following industry convention and it shows in the sales numbers.
- 4 series and higher aren't being bought as grocery getters. The people buying those are almost exclusively looking at the ratings not the series. They really aren't marketed to the general public.

philh wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
The F150HDPP has a 4800 rawr which is small and limits it to approx 2400-2500 lb payload in the bed.

Where does one find the RAWR for a specific truck?

Certification sticker is on the drivers side door post and looks like shiners picture. Your looking for a fawr and rawr.
The F150 has had over a dozen different gvwr numbers from a low 6200 on up to a 7850 and 5 or so RAWR numbers.
Fleet Ford specs can show number like...
7850 gvwr and 4800 rawr for the HDPP.
7550 gvwr and 4550 rawr..
7050 gvwr and 4050 rawr...
6800 gvwr and 3800 rawr...
and even lower than that.
As you see ya' gotta' have the HDPP for carrying hitch loads from a 8k-10k 5er.


The 3.5 Eboost engine or the 5.0 with the right gears has the power to pull the 10k 5th wheel trailer.

As you see depending on which F150 is being cussed or discussed make a big difference.

Any 3/4 ton gazz or diesel will have no issues pulling a 10k 5er or carrying its hitch load.