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tucsonjwt · 04-23-2018, 04:15 PM

For reference, I have a 3/4 ton 83 C20 with full floating 14 bolt 4:10 rear axle. It is a camper special. With me in the drivers seat (~ 200 lbs.) the truck weighs 5600 lbs., and gross vehicle weight rating is 8600 lbs.) So, effective maximum payload is 3,000 lbs.

If you load dirt or stone in the bed of a long bed pickup truck, then one ton will be about 10"-11" deep, maybe to the top of the wheel wells. If you know the payload capacity of your truck then you can estimate how much you can carry in a 1/2 ton. I suspect your payload is in the 1500-1800 lb range, but probably on the lower end of that range. That would be for a truck in OEM condition (good shocks, springs, tires, etc.)

If you rear tires are bulging and the rear bumper is close to the ground you have too heavy a load in your truck. Your steering will also feel very light with an overloaded truck. Hauling two small loads is always better than hauling one big load.

I have a dump hoist on my truck and I can loaded to the top of the cab with yard waste, tree limbs, household trash, etc. and it is nowhere near my payload capacity (3000 lbs. for a 3/4 ton). If I load dirt or stone I can only load to the top of the wheel wells and still dump it, because the effective lifting capacity of the hoist is only one ton.

04-23-2018, 04:15 PM	#9
tucsonjwt Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,188	Re: Bed cargo volume? For reference, I have a 3/4 ton 83 C20 with full floating 14 bolt 4:10 rear axle. It is a camper special. With me in the drivers seat (~ 200 lbs.) the truck weighs 5600 lbs., and gross vehicle weight rating is 8600 lbs.) So, effective maximum payload is 3,000 lbs. If you load dirt or stone in the bed of a long bed pickup truck, then one ton will be about 10"-11" deep, maybe to the top of the wheel wells. If you know the payload capacity of your truck then you can estimate how much you can carry in a 1/2 ton. I suspect your payload is in the 1500-1800 lb range, but probably on the lower end of that range. That would be for a truck in OEM condition (good shocks, springs, tires, etc.) If you rear tires are bulging and the rear bumper is close to the ground you have too heavy a load in your truck. Your steering will also feel very light with an overloaded truck. Hauling two small loads is always better than hauling one big load. I have a dump hoist on my truck and I can loaded to the top of the cab with yard waste, tree limbs, household trash, etc. and it is nowhere near my payload capacity (3000 lbs. for a 3/4 ton). If I load dirt or stone I can only load to the top of the wheel wells and still dump it, because the effective lifting capacity of the hoist is only one ton.