Half tons can be built up just like a 3/4 ton to handle the weight..I remember well one of my good friends coming over to pick me up with his dad's 1960 chevy 1/2 ton with a 10ft truck overhead camper on it...It worked but was a bit squerly to drive..His dad finally beefed up the springs and added stuff to which it was much safer to drive..
Never understood why so many are 1/2 ton bashers..I had a super heavy 8ft overhead sturdi built camper on a 1957 GMC stepside 1/2 ton and even pulled horses with it in some of Idaho's worst backcountry roads..Once I had the springs rebuilt,it drove okay..