The pickup truck is one of the most popular vehicles in the southern portions of the United States. It allows you to carry large items like furniture, your kayak, or building materials in the eight-foot bed.
You can get these trucks with a bench seat up front, a couple of bucket seats or captains seats, a back seat, and more. You have so many options available on these vehicles that you can create a custom unit.
Today we will look at the weight of these vehicles and a few other facts that might interest you.
How Much Does A Truck Weigh?
Trucks are divided into classes according to guidelines established by the Federal Highway Administration. The Federal Highway Administration uses the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) to determine the class a truck belongs to.
Classes of Trucks
- Class 1 includes trucks with a GVWR of 6,000 pounds or less. That is 3 tons or less.
- Class 2a are trucks with a GVWR of 6,001 to 8,500 pounds. That is 3 to 4 and one-half tons.
- Class 2b are trucks with a GVWR of 8,501 to 10,000 pounds. That is 4 and one-half to 5 tons.
- Class 3 includes trucks with a GVWR of 10,001 to 14,000 pounds. That is 5 tons to 7 tons.
- Class 4 includes trucks with a GVWR of 14,001 to 16,000 pounds. That is 7 tons to 8 tons.
- Class 5 includes trucks with a GVWR of 16, 001 to 19,500 pounds. That is 8 tons to 9 and three-quarters tons.
- Class 6 includes trucks with a GVWR of 19, 501 to 26,000 pounds. That is nine and three-quarters tons to 13 tons.
- Class 7 includes trucks with a GVWR of 26,001 to 33,000 pounds. That is thirteen tons to 16 and one-half tons.
- Class 6 includes trucks with a GVWR of 33,000 pounds and up. That is any truck they weighs greater than 16 and one-half tons.
Most people call trucks not by the class rating but as ½ ton, ¾ ton, and 1-ton vehicles. The ½ ton rating refers to the payload or the total weight the truck can carry.
- ½ ton trucks weigh less than 8,501 pounds
- ¾ tons trucks weigh between 8,501 to 10,000 pounds
- 1-ton trucks weigh 10,001 to 14,000 pounds
The payload classification was pretty accurate when the pickup trucks were first established, but today a ¾-ton truck can carry a lot more of a payload than it could back then. When set, the payload of a ¾-ton truck was 1,500 pounds or three-quarters of a ton. Today the ¾-ton truck is more likely to have a payload ability of 3,000 to 4,000 pounds.
Does Extending the Cab Increase the Weight?
Yes, extending the cab of the vehicle does increase the total amount the vehicle weighs.
Typically, the regular cab vehicle weighs about 200 pounds less than a crew cab truck with the same bed length.
Does 4-Wheel Drive Increase the Weight?
Yes. If you switch from 2-wheel drive to 4-wheel drive you will increase the typical weight of the truck by about 210 pounds.
Truck Weights by Brand
The manufacturer of the vehicle makes a big difference in the total weight of the vehicle. For instance:
A Ford F-150 has a curb weight of close to 4,069 to 5,697 pounds depending on the engine in it, the bed it has on it, and the size of the cab.
The Dodge Ram 1500 series has a curb weight starting at 4,798 to 5,372 pounds.
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has a curb weight starting at 4,257 to 5,155 pounds.
Which is Better: A Lighter Weight Truck or a Heavier Weight Truck?
The differences in the weight of the vehicles will affect different aspects of driving and how much the vehicle can carry or tow.
- Lighter Weight trucks will normally sustain greater amounts of damage than heavier-weight trucks do.
- When a crash does occur a heavier truck will continue forward momentum for a longer period of time and distance.
- Heavier trucks tend to use a greater amount of fuel than lighter-weight vehicles.
- Heavier weight trucks can normally pull or tow greater amounts of weight so they are better if you are towing a camper, a trailer, or a boat.
- Lighter-weight trucks normally have a greater speed capacity so they tend to drive faster than the heavier weights.
- Heavier weight trucks are better at climbing hills
- Lighter-weight trucks are much better on the sand and off-road terrain
FAQs
How Much Did A Pickup Truck Weigh In 1946?
The average weight of a truck in 1946 was 3200 pounds or 1451.496 kg.
What Was The First Crew Cab Pickup Truck Called?
A. In the United States, the first truck to have a crew cab was the International Harvester, made in 1957.
When Was The Four-Wheel Drive Invented?
A. In 1902, the Dutch brothers created a four-wheel drive race car.