1/2, 3/4, 1 TON

[egarant]

Please educate me on why one would purchase a 3/4 ton pickup for a truck camper.

I've owned all three and I do remember the capacities between the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton were minimal at that time (1980). I don't know if that is the case today. The capacities between the 3/4 ton and 1 ton were much greater.

I ask because I just saw a post where a TC owner purchased a 3/4 ton and a friend of mine purchased a 3/4 ton short bed for a Wolf Creek TC.

What am I missing? Why are people not going straight to the 1 ton, especially for a TC?

[twodownzero]

My Lance 815 overloads my 1 ton SRW.

I'm really curious what those of you who actually care about GVWR are doing with your 3/4 ton trucks.

Those of you with 1/2 tons, I already know the answer. You're ignoring capacity and hoping for the best.

[DWeikert]

cewillis wrote:

jimh425 wrote:
most people would say they are nearly identical in every respect with the exception of tires, spring block, and badging.

Except tires, wheels, and springs for GM in 2006. But 2500HD instead or 3500 (in 2006) because GM would not make a shortbed, extended cab 3500.
So I made one myself (actually, better)

Same for 2008. 🙂

[Grit_dog]

run100 wrote:
When we were first looking at rv's back in 1998, Ford used to offer a light-duty 250 and a Super Duty 250. Honestly, we didn't understand the purpose of a "light-duty" 3/4T. I guess nobody else did either, because Ford discontinued it not long after.

I would not be surprised to see 3/4T eliminated altogether sometime in the future. Although that would seem impossible today -- never say never.

That 7 lug wanna be 3/4ton was a ploy to get a truck in the mix to cover having a "F250" to offer the year they didn't offer any HD trucks. 1998.
Not a bad truck, but just a F150 that made you think you were drunk when you counted the lug nutz!
But ask Fish, they were da bomb with the exclusive air ride option!

[mkirsch]

Ford still does offer a "light-duty 3/4 ton," but they call it the F150 with Max Payload package.

What manufacturers SHOULD do is upgrade the 3/4 ton, 25 series, trucks to SRW 1-ton capacities, and eliminate 1-ton SRW trucks.

Unfortunately that would mean the loss of a lot of sales because of stupid municipal laws and HOA rules that limit the GVWR of the truck you can own if you live there. Not to mention the huge jump in licensing costs in many states when you cross that 10,000lb GVWR threshold.

[run100]

When we were first looking at rv's back in 1998, Ford used to offer a light-duty 250 and a Super Duty 250. Honestly, we didn't understand the purpose of a "light-duty" 3/4T. I guess nobody else did either, because Ford discontinued it not long after.

I would not be surprised to see 3/4T eliminated altogether sometime in the future. Although that would seem impossible today -- never say never.

[Strabo]

Grit dog wrote:
Be right back.....
Going to get the popcorn.

No kidding.

[jefe_4x4]

The terms; 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1 ton are archaic now. The new normal is series 1, series 2, and series 3. Don't forget series 4 and 5. That covers all brands. Now, this is where it gets weird. For a lot of reasons, you can now buy almost all these trucks in many weight ratings, mostly to do with platform: i.e.: 4WD/2WD/Diesel/Gas/ stripped or loaded. The boundaries of say, 1 series trucks, especially with Ford has stretched out mostly to the higher weight rating side with a much wider splay of offerings. Some 1 series trucks can actually out carry some 2 series trucks with the right choices.
jefe

[youngm357]

I limped in to the local ram dealer last week pretty sure I could not afford anything bigger than a 1500. Much to my surprise I got a 2016 ram 2500 for $11k off the $43k sticker price. It's the tradesman model so it has the lowest options BUT I got what I really needed which is a huge increase in my payload and towing capacity over my f150. I couldn't justify $9k for a diesel so I got the bigger 6.4l hemi. The standard equipment is a huge upgrade and I couldn't be happier.

[sonuvabug]

eichacsj wrote:

egarant wrote:
Please educate me on why one would purchase a 3/4 ton pickup for a truck camper ...what am I missing?

When I saw the title my thought was "why does anyone go with anything less that a 1 ton if TC is in your plans" ... snipped ... And if you are going with a large one (over the tailgate it better be a dually.

I disagree with eichacsj. I do not need or want a DRW truck. However, I guess it depends on your definition of "a large one". Our TC is "over the tailgate" (no slides) and with the only modification of adding rear Sumo Springs, it is set up just fine to handle our needs.

Area13 wrote:
... snipped ... I bought my F250 with the camper package before I got a TC. I'm pretty sure a lot of guys get into campers AFTER they already have a truck and learn that way.

... snipped ... I got lucky having the camper package with overloads on my F250.

Agree and that's how we did it too. We bought our F-250 used (before purchasing our TC) and it also had the camper package from the factory including the rear overload spring and thicker rear anti-sway bar.

It has plenty enough power for us (including pulling a 3,000 lbs. cargo trailer while carrying our TC). With the addition of the rear Sumo Springs (rated at 2,800 lbs.) to supplement it's physical weight carrying abilities, it sits, rides and handles rock solid. Couldn't be happier.

[hotrodfords]

I've had all 3, but currently roll with a 3500HD SRW. There's almost no such thing as too much payload capacity, LoL. Go with the 3/4 ton as a minimum - you wont regret it.

[TomP40]

I have a 1 ton f350 with a GVWR of 11400 lbs.
With my 97 Lance 3000 short bed that says 2130 dry weight, all loaded out last week for the first time with my 200lbs and my dogs 65lbs the scale said 11360 lbs!
Granted I have a diesel and the curb weight of vehicle is 8000 lbs, still that means I have 3400 lbs to play with.
And the 2100 lb camper just made that.
So do the math.

[Tom_Anderson]

I bought the truck I needed for what I do, then decided to add a camper later. So I bought a camper to suit my truck.

A dually or a long bed crew cab SRW wouldn't fit in my garage and would be a pain to park, etc, so I bought an extended cab short bed, which suited my needs perfectly and works well with my camper.

[KD4UPL]

Ignorance, availability, and lots of "truck type" rules about licensing, parking, etc. don't apply to trucks with less than a 10,000 pound GVWR

[MORSNOW]

Resale! Used 250/2500's are more popular and sell quicker and at a better price, 350/3500 are assumed to be work trucks (abused) and resale is less. Many of us know this not to always be true, but it is assumed by many buyers.

[jimh406]

Nothing to see here ... move along. 🙂