Truck ton ratings....

[Retiredguy2]

I have never quite understood why people continue to use the antiquated system of rating trucks by half ton, three quarter ton, one ton, etc. This would include both light trucks and medium duties...indeed, the last medium duty truck I drove for a living was termed a 3 ton truck by the old system although it was rated by the factory for over 30,000 GVWR and the base chassis weighed only about 14,000 pounds. I say it is time to update the ton ratings and not just go by the classes 1 thru 8.

 

[vsteel]

Because tradition is the hardest thing to start and stop. Look at how long we have been trying to convert to the metric system.

90% of the people have no idea on the class system and would just ask, "Is it a half ton?".

 

[WilliamBos]

It's like trying to get people to stop calling a performance tune or programmer a 'chip'. Pulling an ECM to install one has not happened in ages.

Rating by class is the best way.

 

[Retiredguy2]

Because tradition is the hardest thing to start and stop. Look at how long we have been trying to convert to the metric system.

90% of the people have no idea on the class system and would just ask, "Is it a half ton?".

That would probably be easier to remember than asking: "Is it a 453.592 kilogram?". To me the metric system never has and never will make any sense at all.

 

[Parkanzky]

That would probably be easier to remember than asking: "Is it a 453.592 kilogram?". To me the metric system never has and never will make any sense at all.

The metric system is much more intuitively designed than the antiquated imperial system.

In the metric system, 1 cm = 10 mm, 1 m = 100 cm = 1000 mm, and 1 km = 1000 m. 1 kg = 1000 g and 1 ton = 1000 kg. Water freezes at 0C and boils at 100C.

In the imperial system, 1' = 12", 1 yard = 3 feet = 36 inches, 1 miles = 1670 yards = 5280 ft. A pound is 16 ounces and a ton is 2000 pounds. Water freezes at 32 F and boils at 212 F.

That's the reason that while it's not the "official" system in the US, just about any real work that gets done in science and engineering anymore takes place using the metric system. There's a good reason that every country in the world save the US, Liberia, and Myanmar (great company!) are on the metric system now. Even the British have abandoned the imperial system!

 

[bcp]

Metric will never be comfortable to you if you keep converting. Just use it. For length, what worked best for me was to get a metric only tape measure and use it for a year or two. It became much easier than calculating and remembering fractions.

I'm still at the converting stage on weight, though. If something's weight is listed in KG, i don't have a feel for what the weight is without converting.

Bruce

 

[WilliamBos]

The metric system makes more sense than imperial. You have no left overs, no fractionss, exactly why it's used by science and commercial building.

A 20 pound propane cylinder is an 18kg cylinder, which holds 18 L of Propane.

The imperal system is the global minority.

I still prefer miles per imperial gallon, which is 4.554l over litres per 100km.

 

[check]

The metric system makes more sense than imperial. You have no left overs, no fractionss, exactly why it's used by science and commercial building. A 20 pound propane cylinder is an 18kg cylinder, which holds 18 L of Propane. The imperal system is the global minority. I still prefer miles per imperial gallon, which is 4.554l over litres per 100km.

Miles per IMPERIAL gallon? OMG you mean there's more than one type of gallon??!!!

 

[4570Man]

The truck ratings have never made sense to me. A 1 ton truck is more than twice as capable as a half ton, and a 2 ton is more than twice as capable as a 1 ton. A 3/4 ton is a big step up from a 1/2 ton.

 

[Retiredguy2]

The truck ratings have never made sense to me. A 1 ton truck is more than twice as capable as a half ton, and a 2 ton is more than twice as capable as a 1 ton. A 3/4 ton is a big step up from a 1/2 ton.

My point exactly. I am glad someone seem to understand that !!