OK, all you truck wonks...

RobertRyan wrote:

MM49 wrote:

Powerdude wrote:
US manufacturers deliberately under-rate the payload of some of their products so that they can drive the sales of the higher margin, heavy duty products.

There is no earthly reason why a $45k truck would otherwise have a 900-1100 lbs payload.

Ford might be an exception to that rule.

An Australian Toyota Hi-lux can carry 2 tons. Yes, it does have a different frame than the American Tacoma (the Tacoma frame is joined at the cab...i.e. not one piece) but I've seen off-roaders really abuse their Tacoma's and be just fine.

Totally ridiculous specifications that are driven by marketing departments, not engineering departments.

Yes there is reason. Federal requirements. The
OEM could report a much higher payload if they could test to a differnt requirement. The forein market comparisions are a differnt vehicle. Lot's self serving people on this site.
MM49

Very Different indeed. The IVECO Daily 70c is the current payload champ in the small 3 litre Diesels having a payload of 10,300lb

Another good example of bait and switch. The foreign market vehicles are nothing more than pumped up versions of vehicles from other successful markets. I admit that the US vehicles aren’t specified for nine passengers in the bed with a 50 cal machine gun and 10,000 rounds of ammo. There isn’t much of market for these vehicles.
MM49