Do ya know what every driver can benefit from? A good understanding of the weight and class of the truck they’re driving. This knowledge can help you avoid making any costly mistakes like ordering a bumper that doesn’t fit your vehicle.
Any pickup can usually fall within any of these three truck classes: half-ton trucks, three-quarter-ton trucks, or one-ton trucks.
Truck Classes
Popular Half-Ton Trucks
- Ford F-150
- Ram 1500
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- GMC Sierra 1500
- Nissan Titan
- Toyota Tundra
- Ford F-150 Raptor
Popular Three-Quarter-Ton Trucks
Popular One-Ton Trucks
Before the world of trucks expanded to so many new models, and brands started challenging the norm, you could also estimate the payload of every truck based on its class. The half-ton trucks would usually have a payload capacity of about 1,000 pounds while the three-quarter-ton trucks will go around 1,500 pounds of payload capacity, leaving the one-ton trucks with an estimate of 2,000 payload capacity.
However, these ain’t as accurate nowadays, where even a half-ton truck can achieve a payload capacity of 3,270 despite what’s expected of this truck class.
Which one is your truck?
If you drive a light-duty truck, something like a Ford F-150 or a Ram 1500, then you’ve got a half-ton truck. Meaning that you still get as much payload and towing power as you need but favor a lighter truck.
If, instead, you’re a fan of heavy-duty trucks and drive something like a Silverado 2500 or a Ram 2500, then you fall into the larger end of a three-quarter-ton class.
This doesn’t mean that all heavy-duty trucks are the same, though, as bigger trucks like an F-350 or Silverado 3500 would count as one-ton.
Truck Weights
If you were to calculate your own truck’s payload capacity, then you would need to know its weight. When it comes to figuring out the total weight of a truck, we need to rely on the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This refers to the weight of a vehicle when it’s fully loaded, calculating the weight of the engine, the truck’s body, the chassis, the fuel, and the maximum number of passengers & cargo allowed, excluding only the added weight of a trailer if you were to attach one. Knowing the exact GVWR of your truck will not only give you a better idea of what kind of bumper you can get for your vehicle but also help you avoid the dangers of overloading it. Don’t ya worry, though, as this magical number is usually included in your vehicle’s doorframe or in its manual. If you then subtract the curb weight of the vehicle out of the GVWR, you’ll discover your truck’s payload capacity.
In the truck’s weight scale, you can find eight different classes with their own subsections. For example, a full-size pickup falls into Class 2, and if it’s a half-ton then it counts as Class 2A while if it’s a three-quarter-ton it falls into the Class 2B category.
What if your truck is much smaller and doesn’t count as a full-size pickup but as a midsize pickup? Then it falls into a Class -1.
To give you a better average of the trucks’ weight based on the different types of trucks: light-duty trucks have a GVWR lower than 10,000 pounds, medium-duty trucks have a GVWR that ranges between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds, while heavy-duty trucks have a GVWR that goes above 26,001 pounds.
Now that you have a better idea of your truck’s class and weight, it’s time to start the search for the Best Bumper. Check out our Ultimate Bumper Guide to get a good idea of the types available, and get in touch either via live chat or by calling us on 281-404-2124 to get any advice.
