What Does Half-Ton, Three-Quarter-Ton, & One-Ton Mean?

For trucks, the terms "half-ton," "three-quarter-ton" and "one-ton" help compare the maximum payload capacity of a truck. These categories are based on early military classifications for horse-drawn wagons and then were later expanded to include motorized vehicles. Originally, the designations were literal: A half-ton truck could carry 1000 pounds, a three-quarter-ton truck could haul 1500 pounds and a one-ton truck had a payload of 2,000 pounds.

But as trucks have become more powerful, payload capacities have increased. Today these classifications are less specific and are used to give a general indication about the size and power of a truck. Here's a deeper dive into this overall topic to help you find the right used truck at Grand Valley Auto Grand Junction, CO.

A definition of payload

Payload refers to the maximum weight that a truck is rated to carry in its bed and in the cabin. Payload includes everything inside the truck's cabin, including passengers, as well as cargo in the bed. It also includes the trailer tongue weight which is the weight that a trailer places on the tow hitch.

How the meaning of truck tonnage has changed over the years

As mentioned earlier, the tonnage measurement in a pickup was originally a direct reference to the amount of payload that a truck could haul safely. Thus, a half-ton truck could carry 1000 pounds of cargo, passengers and trailer tongue weight. But as the payload capacity of trucks has increased, the original tonnage designations now refer only to the relative capabilities of a pickup.

For example, most of today's half-ton pickups have a payload capacity that's more than 2000 pounds, or a full ton. In addition, many three-quarter-ton pickups can give Fruita drivers two tons of payload and one-ton pickups can haul even more than that.

What are some examples of half-ton pickups?

Half-ton pickups are also referred to as "full-size" or "light duty", and those are the most common pickup classifications today. These trucks are numbered either "150" or "1500" and include best-sellers like the Ford F-150, the Chevy Silverado 1500, the Ram 1500, the Toyota Tundra and the Nissan Titan. The payload capacity in these full-size half-ton pickups can range from 2,290 pounds in the Chevy Silverado 1500 to 2,370 pounds in the newest Ram 1500 and tops out at 2,455 pounds in the new Ford F-150.

What are some examples of three-quarter-ton trucks?

As knowledgeable truck buyers in Clifton know, three-quarter-ton trucks are most often referred to as heavy-duty models. These trucks are typically numbered by the designation "250" or "2500." Examples include the Ford F-250, the Chevy Silverado 2500 and the Ram 2500. The payload capacity in a brand-new Chevy Silverado 1500 is 3,975 pounds, in a new Ram 2500 it's 4,000 pounds and 4,260 pounds in a Ford F-250 Super Duty truck.

What are some examples of one-ton trucks?

One-ton trucks are the most capable consumer-focused trucks and they also get the designation "heavy-duty" since maximum towing and hauling capabilities are their top priorities. Some of these trucks are equipped with dual rear wheels, larger engines and trailer brakes. Some one-ton heavy-duty trucks can tow more than 35,000 pounds. The three best-known one-ton trucks are the Chevy Silverado 3500 HD with a payload capacity of up to 4628 pounds, the new Ram 3500 with a maximum payload of 6,830 pounds and the Ford F-3500 Super Duty truck with a payload of up to 8,000 pounds. So at the highest level, the one-ton Ford 3500 heavy-duty truck actually has a maximum payload of four tons, or 8000 pounds.

We can help you find the right used truck

At our used vehicle dealership, we have a variety of trucks ranging from half-ton to three-quarter-ton to one-ton trucks from great brands like Ford, Chevy, Ram, GMC and Toyota. We can help you find the used truck with the payload and towing capacity here with our sales and finance team.