Ok, this may be a stupid question but I never knew why the 2500's are labeled 3/4-ton, 3500's are 1-ton, etc... Is this something that just stayed from history?

 

Exactly. In the old (very old) days, this was the payload capacity of the truck:

1/2 ton = 1000 lbs
3/4 ton = 1500 lbs
1 ton = 2000 lbs

Of course, those numbers are way light today - the typical "1/2 ton (labled 1500 by Dodge and Chevy, and 150 by Ford) really does have about a 3/4 ton (1500 lbs) or more payload.

Today, it's just a convenient way to label the beasts.

 

IMHO, IF you consider the weakest link (brakes) I think those numbers are still valid for everyday driving habits.
But I'll admit to driving carefully and defensively hauling at 10,000 lbs GVW with my 3/4 ton CTD.

RJ

 

Yeah, it's from the "old" days. I pull hay trailers 16,000 GVWR with the CTD's in sig easily.

 

Wait a minute... Then where does 1500 (or 150), 2500 (or 250), etc. come from?

 

Well the old dodges used to be 100-300 then in like 81' they became 150,250,350 in 94 started 1500,2500,3500. So maybe its an evolution of that somehow. Where they came up with the idea originally I dunno.

 

That's just an arbitrary number. Back in the '70's they used even numbers. Dodge had the D/W-100/200/300 and Chevy had the C/K-10/20/30.

 

the changes from 100 to 150 to 1500 reflect the change in price over the years.

 

I always thought it was the percent of profit.

 

haha ...

 

I wonder the same thing. Fords and Chevys dont even compare to Dodges for weight ratings. I've hauled hay with guys that have a '06 F250 Ford Powerstroke and late '90s 2500 Chevy 454 and i've had more of a load than them and my '01 2500 sits down a couple inches lower with the load and they are bottomed out.

 

personally, i think the 1/2 ton, 3/4, 1ton ratings are silly nowadays. I have had well over a ton in my 1/2 ton, and right around 3900 lbs in the bed of my 3/4ton ctd. cant be scared to fill em right up

 

I prefer the way the military does/did it (for once):

1/4 ton (jeep)= 500 lbs. off-road, 1000 lbs. on-road
2 1/2 ton (aka "duece-and-a-half") 3000 lbs off road, 6000 lbs. on-road
etc....
Not sure what the HUMVV is rated at, but the older Chevy CUCV 6.2l diesel pickups were called 5/4 tons (2500 lbs.), and were civilian K10s (3/4 ton).

(I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong )

 

I have had my GVW at 13,640# in my 3/4 ton. My truck scaled in at 7320# (I had 6320# of wet sand in the bed!) I do have 2 extra leaf springs on each rear corner.
The truck started out, drove, stopped, and handled suprisingly well!

The typical 3/4 ton today is rated to carry atleast 2000#. I know with my truck, it weighed about 6600# from the factory, and it has a 9200# GVWR, so that puts the payload at about 2600# including passengers.

 

WOW! Better you than me.

With 3 tons in the bed, I'm surprised your outboard tires did not blow, the first time you turned a corner....

BUT - 10 tons+ of hay on a goose neck trailer may have about the same load on the rear axle. Anyone know?

RJ