Real payload #'s for 3/4 and 1 tons

[Brougherc]

That's funny! Thanks for the humor!

[NB Canada]

That's funny! Thanks for the humor!

That is where mine is as well. Sorry for not detailing the location

[Brougherc]

I just didn't look hard enough and the truck was in my garage. As soon as I pulled it outside in the sunlight and opened the drivers door, boom....there it was!

[Riverbug]

I don't go by what the door tags say about payload - that number doesn't account for hitch, occupants other than driver, "stuff," etc. I fill 'em up, load the hitch, passengers, gear, etc., and head for the nearest CAT scales. Here are the numbers (rear axle/tire ratings - scale weights) for our previous truck and our current truck:

2013 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax/Allison 2WD CC 6.5' bed, Andersen Ultimate hitch, LT265/60R20E OEM tires: 3,120 lbs. "real" payload.

2012 Ford F-350 Powerstroke 2WD DRW CC Lariat 8' bed, PullRite OE Super Fifth 18K hitch for Ford puck system, LT245/75R17E 121/118S Michelins: 5,120 lbs. "real" payload.

Both of these trucks likely have higher payload numbers than typical because they are two-wheel-drive trucks (most diesels are manufactured and sold as 4WD trucks).

Rob

Hi Rob. I'm confused. Payload and Cargo Carrying Capacity are one in the same are they not? A truck with 10,000# GVWR that has a curb weight of 7,000# has a payload/CCC of 3,000#. But you are saying you don't rely on that tag at all? Ultimately, you would have your GVWR to start with, take the loaded vehicle to a scale, and see how your actual weight compares to GVWR. Just trying to understand how the tag is not representative of expected CCC/payload?

[NB Canada]

Hi Rob. I'm confused. Payload and Cargo Carrying Capacity are one in the same are they not? A truck with 10,000# GVWR that has a curb weight of 7,000# has a payload/CCC of 3,000#. But you are saying you don't rely on that tag at all? Ultimately, you would have your GVWR to start with, take the loaded vehicle to a scale, and see how your actual weight compares to GVWR. Just trying to understand how the tag is not representative of expected CCC/payload?

I believe he is stating that the number on the door jamb is not accurate as things are added

[Riverbug]

I believe he is stating that the number on the door jamb is not accurate as things are added

Thanks. I also just realized that the thread and Rob's response was from 2018. I kind of wish that there was a red banner or something to highlight when a post is more than a year old. Or, I just need to get better at looking at the dates of the original post before responding to anything.

[Second Chance]

Hi Rob. I'm confused. Payload and Cargo Carrying Capacity are one in the same are they not? A truck with 10,000# GVWR that has a curb weight of 7,000# has a payload/CCC of 3,000#. But you are saying you don't rely on that tag at all? Ultimately, you would have your GVWR to start with, take the loaded vehicle to a scale, and see how your actual weight compares to GVWR. Just trying to understand how the tag is not representative of expected CCC/payload?

What I was trying to say was the payload on the door tag doesn't reflect add-on options after the factory, the hitch, truck box (with contents), etc. You are correct in that I subtract the scale weight (with everyone in/on the truck) from the GVWR to come up with the weight that can be put on the fifth wheel hitch - as long as the numbers are still below the axle and tire ratings, of course.

Rob

[xrated]

Hi Rob. I'm confused. Payload and Cargo Carrying Capacity are one in the same are they not? A truck with 10,000# GVWR that has a curb weight of 7,000# has a payload/CCC of 3,000#. But you are saying you don't rely on that tag at all? Ultimately, you would have your GVWR to start with, take the loaded vehicle to a scale, and see how your actual weight compares to GVWR. Just trying to understand how the tag is not representative of expected CCC/payload?

Think of your actual/available payload as a floating number. It's always changing..sometimes by a little bit, sometimes by a lot. An example of it changing a little bit; Since your last trip out with the trailer, you gained 10 lbs over Christmas.....your available payload went down by 10 lbs. Example of it changing considerably. You added an aux. tank to your truck...say a 60 gallon aux. tank and it weighs 100 lbs. Then you add 60 gallons of diesel fuel in it and fill it up. Now your available payload has gone down 100 lb, plus the weight of 60 gallons of diesel fuel....roughly 420 lbs. What may have started out at the factory on your truck that had 3800 lbs of payload, now is down to 520 lbs less, or 3280 lbs at the start of the trip. Of course as you burn the diesel fuel out of the truck tank, the available payload will come back up by what ever amount of fuel that you burned....that why I say to think of available payload as a floating number.....it changes all the time. That's also why I say "available payload"...and not just payload

[Riverbug]

Thanks Rob. I misunderstood what you meant. It's already confusing for people to understand payload/CCC vs tow capacity and I was thinking you made it sound like that door tag shouldn't be relied on for anything. Now I understand what you meant. But for people not clear about it, it should absolutely be used to identify what your cargo capacity is for that specific vehicle; with the understanding that it's based on capacity leaving the manufacturer and does not include anything the dealer or previous owner (if used) might have added to it, or additional contents loaded into it. The only way to know exactly where cargo capacity stands at a given point is to have it properly weighed so actual weight can be compared to the GVWR. Ok, all good.