I can't get a straight answer from any of my friends on this. What does the designation of 1/2 , 3/4 or 1 ton refer to. Is it axle weight, capacity? I know that if you have more to do / haul you get the bigger # but I don't really know what it stands for.
Look foward to responses. Thanks

 

I don't thnk it refers to axle size. My Ranger has the 8.8 they put in the half tons. I believe the closest thing you'll find it referencing to is payload (amount the factory says it's rated to haul in the bed). I know that fact is even off by today's standards, because I've loaded the Ranger down to where the axle is bouncing off the bump stops, but back in the day, that might have been a dead on fact. And then you can get into the discussions of a heavy half-ton, or a light 3/4-ton, etc. Any other suggestions?

 

Here is Sportdeck262's quote regarding these designations:

"In the very old days, it used to mean that the truck had a 3/4 ton load capacity, or 1500 lbs."

I hope this helps.

 

Essentially the above is correct.

In reality, a 1/2 ton can carry 1,000 pounds. That includes driver, passenger, gear, fuel and accessories.

Go figure! Leagally a 1/2 ton pickup with 3 guys on board (200 lbs each for easy math), 150 lbs in tools, 25 gallons of gass (200 lbs) a 150 lb canopy, your overloaded.

A few years ago, commercial inspectors with a mobile scale were stopping pickups on the freeway outside of Vancouver Canada and writing tickets for overloads. One guy and his work partner had an F150, a small Tidy Tank and a tool box and were cited fro an overload.

98% of 1/2 ton pickups heading off to go camping with the family are technically overlaoded. The reality of the matter is that the trucks can handle it. If you do the math on most vehicles, like mini vans that seat 7 people (lets try the 200 pounders again), they can't handle what they are sold to do. That's one of the reasons full size 15 passenger vans on 1 ton chasis are discontinued.

On paper, anything less than a 3/4 ton is a glorified station wagon. In reality, load an F150 with 1200 lbs of gravel plus fuel plus you and you'll get home.

 

I dont think any manufacture has made a half ton full size truck in over 20 years. You can get a F150 now with a GVWR of 7700#, So if the truck wieghts 5,000 pounds, you will have 2700 pounds of capacity left.