Heavy Duty Pickup Shootout

[Dmace]

You need to fix your charted weights. Fords and Chevys can both go right up to the 26K line and keep on going. Dodge stops at 25400, period. Right off of the link to GM that you posted.

And as I've posted before, 7 mile long 5% grade, Dodge Ram dually Diesel will get out run by a Chevy 8.1L gas engine pulling the same GCWs.

And you need to learn how to read the ENTIRE POST before replying. I stated those were the max tow capacities while staying UNDER 26K GCWR! Can you see that now?
Gm and Ford's available GCWR's DO NOT go right up to 26K. GM goes from 24,500 to 29,000 (Not "right up to the 26K line"). Ford goes from 23,500 to 29,000 (Again, not "right up to the 26K line"). If you find different, I would love to see it and see what the tow capacity is with a GCWR UNDER 26K.

A GM gasser out-running a diesel up a grade while towing. :laughing:
That huge 8.1l will get about 5mpg up that hill and any newer diesel will probably get 15+mpg.

 

[redneckford]

anything rev'ing over 2500rpm isnt heavy duty to me... Those sure are heavy pickup trucks, but not heavy duty...


yep, thats what i mean. They are all designed for an intended buyer public. When you design something that will get sold only to commercial users, you know you're going to be measured for the cost over about a million miles of full loads. When designing a pickup truck, horsepower bragging rights and electric butt heaters in the seat, will result in more sales at lower cost price (=profit) than building the best truck.

so renze why do we see alot of big trucks and vans in europe but not many if any 1/2 ton 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups-----does europe need to buy a truck company or two---wait "dime--ler" already owned one!!!! which of the big three FORD CHEVY or DODGE do you see most on the roads of europe!!!

 

[Renze]

so renze why do we see alot of big trucks and vans in europe but not many if any 1/2 ton 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups-----does europe need to buy a truck company or two---wait "dime--ler" already owned one!!!! which of the big three FORD CHEVY or DODGE do you see most on the roads of europe!!!

In Europe there are vans (high revving passenger car derived engines) and there are heavy duty trucks: Using the Cummins QSB4.5 at 2200rpm 180hp or the 6.7 from 220 to 280hp, or the Merc 4.7 liter four at 230hp. Those are heavy duty small trucks, with a heavy driveline and 17.5" truck tires, with a GVW of 7.5 to 12 ton, and a GCVW of up to 24 ton. Not as much bragging rights as a ram 3500 cummins of over 375hp, but they will outlast them by far.
Why you dont see half ton, 3/4 or 1 ton pickup trucks in Europe: its because they are so inefficient. The same Cummins engine in a DAF 45 or 55, in heavy duty configuration, at lower power and lower revs, will live a million km and burn less fuel, cruising at 1400rpm, with the same empty vehicle weight but a 5 times higher payload and double the tow rating.
Sure, you wouldnt drive these " small HD trucks" as a means of personal transportation for fun, let alone bragging rights, but as a means of transporting cargo, a pickup truck of the same unloaded weight cant touch them.
Unlike our "small HD trucks" and light duty vans, pickups do provide a bit of both personal transportation and cargo transportation, though they arent the most efficient means of either.

 

[Ford tractor]

E

After getting burned on stocks by Government Motors, I wouldn't consider one.

I drive a GM product every day, so does my wife. Will I ever buy a GM product again ? Not a chance. Same answer for the Dodge.

Greedy unions are not better than greedy government which is not better than greedy corporations.

 

[Duffster]

For anyone interested in the FMCSA's interpretation of GCWR.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...n/182004-fmcsa-interpretation-gcwr-dmace.html

 

[FlaDon]

One has to wonder how you prove or disprove that you are commercial.

Very easy to prove commercial. Who owns the truck? A business registration = commercial. Registered as Private = Non-comm but might require showing what is in the truck/trailer. Get caught trying to pass off a comm as non-comm and it is fine time.

 

[FlaDon]

This is precisely why I have said before that there is no best truck. The Dodge is certainly not better than the Ford or Chevy, the Chevy is most certainly not better than the Ford or Dodge and the Ford is most certainly not better than the Dodge or Chevy. Each manufacturer makes a truck that is the best for some people. They are all good and capable vehicles. Some trucks work better for some people while others work better for others. It's as simple as that really.

As for all of the CDL talk, I don't see why that subject always comes up the way that it does. If you are not engaged in commercial purposes while towing, it doesn't much matter. So if you want to tow a 20,000 trailer with your backhoe on it to help your cousin do some work around his house, go ahead since you're not engaged in commercial activity you don't need a CDL. Same thing about taking your equipment in for service, if you're not engaged in commercial activity then why does it become an issue? The reality is that most people who are going to be towing anything heavy for commercial purposes are probably going to have CDL's anyway.

You can run afoul of the law if using a vehicle that is registered to a business. Even if for your own use that day. In some states the use of a flat bed or utility box bed on a F350 or 3500 will put you in the commercial ins requirements. Show a comm ins card and business reg to a DOT cop and what will they think?

 

[FlaDon]

And you need to learn how to read the ENTIRE POST before replying. I stated those were the max tow capacities while staying UNDER 26K GCWR! Can you see that now?
Gm and Ford's available GCWR's DO NOT go right up to 26K. GM goes from 24,500 to 29,000 (Not "right up to the 26K line"). Ford goes from 23,500 to 29,000 (Again, not "right up to the 26K line"). If you find different, I would love to see it and see what the tow capacity is with a GCWR UNDER 26K.

A GM gasser out-running a diesel up a grade while towing. :laughing:
That huge 8.1l will get about 5mpg up that hill and any newer diesel will probably get 15+mpg.

And your charted weight doesn't mean that at all. You can run 26K and not worry. Find me the GCWR on the door sticker. Nor do you find the weight of the truck there. So do some math. 26,000 - truck weight = load capacity available. = 18724 at 26000 GCW for the Chevy. Whereas Dodge has a limit of 25,400 GCWR, period. You can register the Chevy for 26K in many states without exceeding Chevy's rating while the Dodge would exceed the MFG's rating at 26K. The registered 26K would win over the MFG's 29,200. Same thing as done with trailers to keep below the 10001 point of needing a Class A CDL where the tires and axles are rated for over 10K.

I never have recorded anything near 5 MPG on a tank of Gasoline. The worst per tank has been 10 MPG. And normally pulls down 12 MPG with a GCVW of 17 to 18K on the highway including the grade I'm talking about. Tankful gets me from Orangeburg, SC to Ft Chiswell/Wytheville, VA including the long I-77 5% grade. And yes, those are weights pulled at certified scales.

 

[aczlan]

Very easy to prove commercial. Who owns the truck? A business registration = commercial. Registered as Private = Non-comm but might require showing what is in the truck/trailer. Get caught trying to pass off a comm as non-comm and it is fine time.

Not in NY. In NY any truck 1/2 ton or larger has to have commercial plates unless it is a "camper"

Source
Pick-up Trucks (Part 106.6 (c)). You can register a pick-up truck in the passenger class if the pick-up truck complies with all of these requirements:

1. The pick-up truck has an unladen weight of more than 5,000 lbs. and is used for non-commercial purposes.
2. The pick-up truck does not have any business advertisements.
3. A permanent camper top completely encloses the truck bed, and which has one or more side windows.
4. The pick-up truck has seats, seat fittings, or permanent camping equipment that are installed in the truck bed. "Camping equipment" indicates that you have a permanent bed, a permanent stove, or a permanent refrigerator in the vehicle. If this equipment is removed and you use the pick-up truck, you must register the pick-up truck as a commercial vehicle.

Aaron Z

 

[Lt CHEG]

Not in NY. In NY any truck 1/2 ton or larger has to have commercial plates unless it is a "camper"
Aaron Z

My 1/2 ton truck is registered as a passenger vehicle as is my uncle's 3/4 ton. Neither vehicle has a camper top or cap. I read the regulations that you refer to, and I don't dispute them however I remember from my time as a uniformed police officer in NY that there was also a section of the V&T Law which permitted registration of pickup trucks as passenger cars even if they were not campers.