Dumb payload question

[biglump67]

So how much weight, can you put in a 1/2 ton Chevy p.u? 1/2 ton=1000lbs. I was flipping thru small truck literature, and a Toyota Tacoma,and a Ranger both have a payload of about 1500lbs. I would think an old Chev would be rated at that at least wouldnt it?
I am going to try one last clutch in my 65 econoline. If it still chatters it is outa here. There is an awesome 72 Chevy longbox for sale locally, about the nicest I have ever seen. There is also a slide in camper, with a pop-top, for a good price. The camper weighs just under 1500 lbs. I was wonering if a 1500 lb camper would be too heavy.
I might look for a panel or an old van with an auto, as vans go so cheap. I still kick myself for not buying this 72 Chevyvan that was for sale locally, $1200.oo no rust California van. I spent more having my engine rebuilt on my old van
Most of the stuff around here ( Michigan) is overpriced rusty old junk.

[TP from Cntl PA]

I have found from actual use that GM extremely under-rated their load capacities. We have a '69 C-10 with a 250/3 spd and we used it like a 1-ton on the farm. I remember hauling wood out of the woods and the load was higher than the roof of the cab. We would chain it up and it would walk off from the stuck 4x4's.

You get a yota or carpet ranger to just haul the same amoung of ash, and oak and I'd be amazed............Then chain it up and wade through mud, I'd be seriously impressed.

Actually I'd pay to see it because neither would do it

[biglump67]

So a 1/2 ton would be fine for a 1500 lb camper?

[Longhorn Man]

The legal answer would to be look at the VIN tag in the door jamb. It tells you what the truck can weigh. Anything more, and you CAN have problems with a cockey cop...it doesn't happen much though.

The answe based on the actual truck, it'll handle it.

I had about 2200-ish pounds in the back of my old SWB, and it did fine. She was slow as heck, but looked sweet doing it with the 8 or so inch slam in the back.

[BigDave]

Don't be fooled by the new breed of truck from the econo box makers.

My father in law is a contractor. He took a Nissan salesman up on a bet. The deal was if the new full size Nissan Titan pulled his double axle trailer loaded with work materials as good as his 3 year old Silverado, he would buy it on the spot. Needless to say he's driving a new Silverado.

He said the thing was a pig outta the hole with a load on it and it took forever to get up to highway speed. Other than that he said it rode well. I told him it didn't suprise me because it was a DOHC engine. OHC or DOHC equals NO TORQUE in the low RPM's where it counts for pulling loads and launching the quickest cars/trucks.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

I can say my C20 rode alright with a 2000lb welding machine in the bed. It wasn't even squatting that much. It's a coil spring rear end with the G50 HD springs. It has a 7200 GVW rating on the VIN tag, but I think that welding machine was the heaviest thing that my truck has ever hauled since it was new.

[LONGHAIR]

Alright, you gotta explain this one to me.

OHC or DOHC equals NO TORQUE in the low RPM's where it counts for pulling loads and launching the quickest cars/trucks.

What does the placement of the cam have to do do with torque?
I know that the OHC type engines can rev higher because they don't have all of the inherent inefficiencies of pushrods/rocker arms, but that alone wouldn't necessarily hurt the torque making ability.

[Green Machine]

Many years ago we had about 3100 lbs of old iron in our 68 C10, made her squat and the brakes didn't stop so good then. On the way to iron yard, a small rock poked right through the tread on right rear tire. Had to use factory screw jack to put on spare, what a pain with that load and trying to get spare out from under !!!. Another time in my 71 C20 we had over 4500 lbs of old iron in back. With myself and two others in front the gross weight was just a tad under 10,000 lbs !!! Glad we didn't get stopped by the cops LOL

[cableguy0]

the overhead cams have nothing to do with the amount of torque its the small cubic inch motors that are designed to be freeway runners with more top end horsepower

[TP from Cntl PA]

Originally Posted by Green Machine

Another time in my 71 C20 we had over 4500 lbs of old iron in back.

I bought a hoop building over the summer and it weighed in at close to 4000 lbs. The guy that brought it with the Semi and 53 ft trailer asked me what I was going to haul it with.................I pointed and he laughed. Well his pallet jack would barely lift it as the pallet was so long. But we managed to get it halfway on to my trucks stake body. Me and my grandfather wrapped a log chain around it so it wouldn't tip off. I pulled away and boy was that frontend light. I pushed it on the rest of the way and up the road we came

Then I go over at my neighbors acouple days later and he tells me the trucks years ago would never hack a gooseneck with a tractor on it.............Then he goes on to say how hard that 4 ton load of hay on his GN trailer pulled down his PSD Ferd. I just laughed...................I hated to tell him that I had half that on the bed of my "Ancient truck"

I have seen what these old buggers will do, and everytime I think their is a limit to them, they prove me wrong.

[Fred T]

Originally the weight designation was how much the frame weighed, which was relative to how much the truck would haul.

I've always been notorious for overloading trucks. Had a 74 I bought new, but didn't look at the tonnage rating. It was only rated for around 650 lb. Subtract the 250 lb driver, and it wasn't much. Springs were light, but I did haul a load of sand once that was heavy. The loader wouldn't stop pouring until the bed was almost full. I even shoveled some out. Got the weight slip, showed 4,300 lb of sand. I drove slow the 2 miles to the house.

[toddtheodd]

The last time I moved, I decided that I didn't want to do a lot of trips. I got all of the furniture in the bed at one time (lwb). That is a solid oak 3 piece desk, entertainment center, 2 end tables, dresser, 2 night stands, coffee table, dining room table and 4 chairs, couch, loveseat, recliner, and king size bed with both boxsprings. I had straps all over the bed holding all of that crap in. It was almost 6 foot higher than the top of the cab. And the tailgate wouldn't shut either.
It did 65 all the way to the new place like it wasn't a problem. 2 years previous I had to use my friends s-10 because I hadn't bought my truck yet. That thing needed almost 10 trips to do the same amount.
Todd

[68C15]

I have a pic on the other computer where I hauled some scrap metal. the scale slip showed a load of 4420 lbs.!
just last weekend I pulled a 4000 lb trailer with 2 complete cars on it to the scrap yard. combined truck, trailer & laod came to over 12400lbs!
that was kind of scary without the brake controller hooked up yet.
I used to have an 80 K20 with a new set of 9 leaf springs on the back & 6 leaf pack in the front. when I lived in northern Ill. I hauled 14 core return engines to Kansas City. NOW THAT WAS A TRUCK!!!!!

[Gary Lee]

I put a pallet of top soil, 50 40lb (200lbs) bags plus the pallet and plastic holding it together in the 72 gmc... drove it 45 miles put it right over the rear axle, she did just fine, but the front end was a wee bit light.... put a ton of pelletized lime in it and drove it 50 miles to the hunt camp and backinto the woods to our food plots... just take those bump as slow and easyas you can... they haul more than a half ton, just don't drive very well doing it....

[72 CustomCamper]

I know for a fact that my C/20 has been loaded 6 times with 12,000 lbs of stone. Yep 6 tons in 1 trip. My uncle was building a stone fireplace and a stone patio. All he had at the time was the 72 C/20. Another time he had a 30 ton bulldozer and trailer hooked behind it. I'm still waiting for him to find the pic of it.He's also hauled a Bobcat dozer in the bed...

Chuck

[biglump67]

If I buy a pickup and put a camper on it, I plan to leave it on all summer. I was wondering if that would be hard on the bearings in the rear axle? I read on another thread that they did make 1/2 ton camper specials. I am not talking about the super big campers that hang out the back3 feet. This one will fit with the tail gate shut, and the roof is a poptop, so I would get less wind drag on the hiway. I am just playing with diff ideas.
I might be better of with a 3/4 ton, but I dont want super low gears. I would like to cruise 65-70. I have a little 12 ft pull behind camper, which is great for going up north where I will be in the same place for a week or so. I was thinking a van, panel, or truck camper would be great for just taking off, and spending a night here, or there, or exploring the mountains.
I got 6 in of snow in the driveway today, so I will not be putting a new clutch in this van anytime real soon. I am always searching the boards for cool oldies, eventually I will find something closer, than 5 states away worth buying.

[Castiron9]

You mean theres a load limit on these trucks...............

[ryanroo]

Load, what stinkin load, that all these old birds know. my green K20 was the farm truck from the day it was bought new and grandad didn't treat it like any cream puff. i remeber one pallet of seed beens in the back and two on the truck, then the fourth hand stacked in the extra space in the box, and then any more we could toss on the hood. no sense in making two trips... grandpa also had to weld an extra 1/2" of plate steel to the bumper because the first time he hauled water to the sprayer with the old girl the bumper decided against that idea. not sure how much it weighed, but it had to be damn heavy.
Ryan

[Brainchild]

Originally Posted by Castiron9

You mean theres a load limit on these trucks...............

Yup all you can stack on it,or until the tires rub,then take one piece off

[68C15]

it goes somethimh like this

[TP from Cntl PA]

Dang, I thought 7 tons of 2B's on my '69 GMC 3500 was hard to beat, but I am seriously jealous of what I am seeing here

[stickshift_or_walk]

Originally Posted by biglump67

If I buy a pickup and put a camper on it, I plan to leave it on all summer. I was wondering if that would be hard on the bearings in the rear axle? I read on another thread that they did make 1/2 ton camper specials. I am not talking about the super big campers that hang out the back3 feet. This one will fit with the tail gate shut, and the roof is a poptop, so I would get less wind drag on the hiway. I am just playing with diff ideas.
I might be better of with a 3/4 ton, but I dont want super low gears. I would like to cruise 65-70...

biglump,

My Dad bought a '68 C10 brand new to put a cabover camper on and travel the western US. It didn't hang out the back, but it wasn't the pop-up kind so it was probably a little heavier than yours. The only problem he ever had was a rear wheel bearing that got so hot it blew the rear passenger tire, right outside of Denver (Thornton). Not knowing the problem, but smelling something hot, we changed the flat and stopped at the big Chevy dealer at the next exit (clean living, I guess). They replaced the bearing (under warranty) and sent us on our way.

So you've hit upon the only concern I would have about full-time camper hauling. If Dad had bought the C20 instead, we would probably never had THAT problem.

SSOW

[Green Machine]

I have a set of variable rate rear springs from my 68 C10 one year old LMC part #34-2820 that might help. Raises the rear bumper about 2 in over stock unloaded. A little too stiff for me as I'm unloaded 99% of time. I needed new springs at the time so I thought I would try them. Went back to stock type springs. Had them on when hauling a car trailer loaded with my 1970 c10 project and they worked great. Might be what you need. $40 plus the shipping. PM if interested

[biglump67]

Originally Posted by Green Machine

I have a set of variable rate rear springs from my 68 C10 one year old LMC part #34-2820 that might help. Raises the rear bumper about 2 in over stock unloaded. A little too stiff for me as I'm unloaded 99% of time. I needed new springs at the time so I thought I would try them. Went back to stock type springs. Had them on when hauling a car trailer loaded with my 1970 c10 project and they worked great. Might be what you need. $40 plus the shipping. PM if interested

I dont have the truck yet, but thanks for the offer.I do have a 79 4x4 short box Chevy though. If I buy a truck to put a camper on it will be a 72 or earlier 2wd longbed.

[BigDave]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

Alright, you gotta explain this one to me.


What does the placement of the cam have to do do with torque?
I know that the OHC type engines can rev higher because they don't have all of the inherent inefficiencies of pushrods/rocker arms, but that alone wouldn't necessarily hurt the torque making ability.

It's true OHC and DOHC engines can rev higher because of the advantage they have over the parasitic loss from pushrods in the traditional engine. However, it's not that they can't make torque or a lot of it, it's where the torque starts in the power curve. Pushrod engines typically make torque way down in the RPM range as opposed to OHC/DOHC. The torque curve in a traditional engine is very flat. It usually has the full amount available from the start of the powerband to the end. The OHC/DOCH applications look like mountain peaks starting very low, building constantly, and achieving full torque higher in the powerband. The advantage they have is they can stay in a higher torque range, during higher RPMs, where a traditional V8's power would be dropping off.

The best comparison I have is the pushrod GM 5.7 LS1 V8 compared to the Ford SVT 5.4 DOHC from the 2000 Cobra R. Depending on who you believed in the advertised horsepower and torque ratings for the LS1, they varied from Chevy in the Camaro SS to Pontiac in the WS6 and Chevy again in the Corvette. Regardless of what they were in, in reality these engines were in the range of 330 HP and 320 ft lbs torque. The SVT Cobra R equipped with the 5.4 DOHC produced 385 HP and 385 ft. lbs of torque. However, the big difference, and where it counted the most from a dead stop run, was where this torque was made. The LS1 had all 320 ft. lbs of torque available at 2,000 RPM's where as the Cobra R needed to get up to 4,250 RMP's to make all of theirs.

Interestingly, in 2000 both engines could propel their cars to nearly identical quarter mile ET's even though the Cobra R had much more HP and torque. However, the Cobra R was a very limited production, $55,000 pro touring car mainly bought by race teams while the LS1 Camaros, T/A's, and Vettes were daily drivers and could be had for between $10,000 to $30,000 less.