What makes a truck 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc.? [Archive] (2024)

Walleye Message Central > Walleye Message Central > General Discussion > What makes a truck 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc.?

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GBS

04-01-2015, 07:45 AM

Reading another Ecoboost thread got me to wondering, since I'm a bit new to the truck world. What is it that still classifies a truck as a "1/2 ton" or other? Yeah, I know in the really olden days it was the payload capacity, and that got identified with specific models of trucks. But is an F-150 that now can easily have a capacity of over 2000 lbs really "just" a 1/2 ton, or should it be called what it is - a "1 ton", or in the most top end case, a "1 1/2 ton"???

There seems to to a lot of misconception about what the trucks are/are not equipped to handle, based on what seems to be a pretty old classification system. Are there distinctions in the classes I am not understanding?

3M TA3

04-01-2015, 08:26 AM

The typical Ford F150 has a load capacity of less than 2000 lbs and that includes the passengers. You should actually call it what it is, an F150 or an F250. But, you could always leave the window sticker on the truck so that anyone can see what the spec is and that way you wouldn't have to walk around telling folks that yours is bigger than theirs.

bigwalleye1

04-01-2015, 08:42 AM

Typical half ton has a smaller, 5 or 6 lug nut axle, while a 3/4 or 1 ton will have, at a minimum, an 8 lug axle. Stronger axle, larger gears, beefier suspension, larger frame, all goes to the larger carrying capacity.

CKM

04-01-2015, 08:47 AM

yea it's a term that's been carried over since the inception of the truck. the terms really don't hold merit in regards to capacities anymore. but it's what people are used to doing.

Phil T

04-01-2015, 08:50 AM

Although it often requires an axle/suspension option package, the newer much stronger fully boxed frames make higher payload capacities possible.
It's up to you to read the factory brochure to learn what the payload or tow rating is, and which options are needed to get the rating you want. Before pickups were sold by car salesmen, you could ask the sales person and get a knowledgeable answer. Well you could at a rural dealership, anyway. No more. Now you have to do the homework and apply due diligence to not waste your $$$ on something that won't do the job.
The salesman is most interested in selling the vehicle that's been on the lot the longest or the one with the most bells and whistles.

last chance

04-01-2015, 09:24 AM

x2 its just what bigwalleye1 said.

Leinie

04-01-2015, 11:01 AM

Don't forget the tires- the tires a truck is equipped with will have a lot to do with it's capacity.

brigeton

04-01-2015, 11:11 AM

Even though a 150 or 1500 depending on brand may have a higher payload it still has the smaller rear end gears, axles and axle bearings. I pull a 5th wheel that does not exceed 1/2 ton tow rating but I had a 1500 Dodge and a 150 Ford and had rear end trouble with both.

eriksat1

2catch1

04-01-2015, 07:48 PM

ERICSAT you're way off here fyi.

3/4 tons are real trucks. Bigger axles, brakes, FRAME, trans, cooling, transfer case, suspension, tires and so on. I've been at a GM dealer for almost 20 years. If you put the two trucks in the air on a hoist and start looking at things you'd pay the money for a 3/4 for towing just about anything. Lucky me I have one of the few 2500 Suburbans. Other than body panels and interior it isn't the same truck as a normal grocery getter sub at all. The newer trucks keep getting higher payload and tow ratings, time will tell but IMO they aren't going to hold up well when put to work.

Pig Doc

04-01-2015, 09:16 PM

I don't think there is any difference between basic frames on 1/2 to 3/4. It's only a weight difference of pay load of 500 Lbs.

So why did you bring a 1 ton into the conversation? A F250 is a 3/4 ton.

The F150 is a 1/2 ton and a completely different truck than the 3/4 ton F250 so your original post on this is wrong.

The F250 and F350 are identical other than rear springs.

dutchboy

04-02-2015, 01:16 AM

Today I own 2 one ton trucks and 1- 3/4 ton. In the past I have owned 3 -1/2 ton pick-ups. Anybody that can't tell the difference between the 1/2 ton and the larger by ride alone must be dead.

Suspensions are where it's at.

northernbite

04-02-2015, 08:30 AM

Today I own 2 one ton trucks and 1- 3/4 ton. In the past I have owned 3 -1/2 ton pick-ups. Anybody that can't tell the difference between the 1/2 ton and the larger by ride alone must be dead.

Suspensions are where it's at.

Amen to that, I just pickup my 3rd 2500 Silverado HD. I guarantee if you ride in it you will tell the difference. My cousin and I do a 3600 mile trip to NW Ontario every year with 10 foot truck camper and a 16 foot boat following. Bottom line I don't want any 1/2 ton under me. :)

Paul

jopes

04-02-2015, 10:00 AM

The F150 is a 1/2 ton and a completely different truck than the 3/4 ton F250 so your original post on this is wrong.

The F250 and F350 are identical other than rear springs.

1/2 vs 3/4 fords are totally different animals. 3/4 to 1 ton are about the same with just different suspension packages.

If you plan to tow heavy all the time. Get a 1 ton for the stiffer springs.

Heavy towing once and a while go 3/4 ton and if you need add a set of air bags in the rear. Your ride while unloaded will be much smoother.

1/2 ton for towing, I would only want to tow a boat with these, and I don't mean a 35 ft scraab

LOW1

04-02-2015, 10:00 AM

Interesting discussion. I am by no means a car or truck guy and had never even considered what the payload capacity of my half ton crew cab truck is. It's about 1500 pounds, which is not really very much since as I understand it this number includes the passengers. Five cornfed Iowans and a case of beer starts to push this limit real fast.

I bet there is a lot of overloaded vehicles out there.

jopes

04-02-2015, 10:04 AM

I bet there is a lot of overloaded vehicles out there.

No need to bet. There are a lot of them, and a good number of them are poorly maintained.

Steven Pederson

04-02-2015, 10:17 AM

So the older Chevy 1500HD's... 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

dieduck1

04-02-2015, 10:29 AM

The big difference between light duty and HD trucks is over and under 8500# GVWR...The trucks ability to handle weight or overall payload. Most HD trucks have much heavier load bearing (floating) axles...Half ton trucks have a much lighter rear axle.

last chance

04-02-2015, 11:33 AM

I don't think there is any difference between basic frames on 1/2 to 3/4. It's only a weight difference of pay load of 500 Lbs.

im not trying to start a stink. but the 3/4 ton I had many yrs ago had a bigger tranny and rear end and took 8 lug wheels and 16" tires. im sure they still beef up the 3/4 ton truck over the 1/2 ton. just my opinion.

northernbite

04-03-2015, 07:35 AM

The GVW on my HD 2500 Silverado is 9400#

Just a FYI, Paul

Phil T

04-03-2015, 08:17 AM

Similarities between specialty models of 1/2 and 3/4T pickups isn't new. I have a '73 Chevy 3/4T "Camper Special." It was my father's retirement pickup. The rear springs and axle housing are identical to 1T models. I used it for carrying a 9 1/2' slide-in camper for 17 years; my father towed a 27' 5th wheel trailer (just for fun, he hauled it over the Beartooth Pass 3 times).
I have a brother-in-law who has a '74 Chevy "Trailer Special." It's a 1/2T, so it would need an equalizing hitch for a big travel trailer. Its carrying capacity rules out either 5th wheel trailers or in-box campers.
Both have 4.10 gearing, Turbo 400 transmissions, and 454 V8 engines, the same power train, even the same color, but different purposes.

eye4aneye

04-03-2015, 03:40 PM

The typical 1/2 ton rear end carries all of the weight on the actual axles that drive the wheels. The typical 3/4 ton and above is a heavy truck style rear end that carries the weight on the housing and the axle itself only drives the wheels.

If you are going to routinely carry heavy loads, the 3/4 ton and above truck style axle is much more durable and is built for heavy hauling. It also is much heavier and that is part of what makes 3/4 tons ride rougher. That unsprung weight causes the ride to feel rougher.

For the poster who said they all have the same frame, that is not true at all.

For the poster who asked about the older 1500HD, that was GM getting into the 1/2 ton crew cab craze by taking a 3/4 ton and calling it a 1500HD. They didn't offer a 1/2 ton crew cab and Ford was killing them with the Supercrew 1/2 ton.

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What makes a truck 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc.? [Archive]? ›

What Is a 'Ton'? Half-ton, three-quarter-ton, and one-ton. In most examples, this would equate to 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 pounds. However, when it comes to consumer pickup trucks, the three descriptors have become vague classifications of their maximum payload capacities.

How do you tell if a truck is a 3 4 ton? ›

What Is a 3/4 Ton Truck? With more towing and hauling capability, these trucks are often referred to as “heavy-duty.” Models are often numbered “250” or “2500” and include the Ford F-250, Chevy Silverado 2500, and Dodge Ram 2500.

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Can a half-ton truck carry 2000 lbs? ›

Today, most half-ton trucks have payload capacities ranging from just over 1,000 pounds up to more than 2,000 pounds, depending on how they are equipped.

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Why is a F350 called a one-ton? ›

It's this cargo capacity that the whole “-ton” classification got started with. Back in the day, a one-ton truck had the ability to carry 2,000 pounds of cargo, a three-quarter ton truck could carry 1,500 pounds, and so on.

Is the Ford f150 a half-ton or 3 4 ton? ›

F-150: Considered a lightweight full-sized truck, the F-150 is Ford's half-ton go-getter. These trucks generally have about a 1,000-pound payload capacity, although this varies depending on trim, cab, and engine options, and can measure up to 2,300 pounds.

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What is the difference between a 1 2 ton and 3 4 ton truck? ›

As you move from 1/2-ton to 3/4-ton and on to 1-ton, the payload capacity increases. Historically, these classifications meant a 1/2-ton truck had a 1,000-pound payload capacity, a 3/4-ton truck could accommodate a 1,500-pound payload, and 2,000 pounds was the maximum payload weight of a 1-ton truck.

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How do I tell if my truck is a half-ton? ›

Half-ton pickups are rated as trucks that can carry at least half a ton of cargo both in the bed and in the cabin, including rear payload and cabin payload. That means that half-ton pickups can carry, at the very least, 1,000 lbs. However, most half-ton pickups of the full-size variety can carry much more than that.

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Why do they call it 1 4 ton truck? ›

Old school lingo. It used to correlate with the weight that could be hauled in the bed of the said truck. So one ton could haul 2,000 pounds etc. this of course is no longer used with new trucks.

What makes a truck 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc.? [Archive] (2024)

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What makes a truck 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc.? [Archive]? ›

How do you tell if a truck is a 3 4 ton? ›

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