Lets hear some heavy bed hauling stories

[74k20]

Time for a fun post.

Upon some basic internet research clarification, a factory 1/2 ton can haul (not tow) about 1000 lbs.  3/4 ton 1500 lbs, 1 ton 2000 lbs.  Generically speaking at least.  There are also factory camper specials or added overload springs, and the actual door jam rated info.  We can assume these factory rated numbers are actually quite low from what people "really" haul.  Also most of our older rigs have now been modified.

So lets hear some heavy load hauling stories, with or without good outcomes.

I'll start with 2.

#1 simple:  Since I'm still new to my truck, I'm still establishing what I can safely haul.  74 k20 350/th350, 2 week old Skyjacker 2.5" springs with Rancho 9000 shocks turned to #7 in rear.  Ran the scale by my house at 8200 lbs of wet firewood last weekend.  Weighed the truck empty at 5600 lbs, so 2600 lbs of wood.  Not much sag at all and surely didn't feel like that much weight.  Drove great, but I don't really think it was too much.  Drove the highway at 55 and felt safe & secure.

#2 is my dad's regular hauling of gravel.  I feel it's VERY unsafe and have told him MANY times.  He only drives about 2 miles from the pit to his home.  All original 1980 Toyota 4x4 long bed 200k miles, he has about 55 receipt, each with 2 ton loads (yes 4000 lbs).  He keeps the receipts as trophies.  I'm just waiting for the call from him in the middle of the road busted up.  Believe the rock place had him sign a waiver also.  He also only lets one guy load his truck gently.

[slammed79]

I rolled 3/4 ton of scrap metal in my 74 c10 about 7 months ago, the freeway was hairy but in town was okay. That was before shocks. I then hauled my new Jimmy tub and its big block along with some miscellaneous parts to my lockup in Globe with no problem. Amazing what gas sticks will do!

[frogman68]

Heres 2 more.

Busted up a retaining wall with the front of my 76 C3500 with 4200 lbs of already busted concrete in the bed (dont hit a immovable object at 25 mph with that much weight in the bed took months to get the glass and last particles of concrete out) took it to the recycling yard and they were amazed that the truck could carry that.

Carried 4 tons of white rock (in the bags) for my neighbor guy at home depot was shocked that the bed only dropped a quarter inch I was able to get it to 70 on the Garden State Parkway too

[thirsty]

Not a square body but I used my old s10 that I was junking (it was used up and the motor finally gave up) to haul bricks from a fireplace that was being torn out. I backed it up to a window to toss the bricks into the back. Had some help to fill the truck while I tore it out. I looked out and saw the bumper about 8" off the ground. I debated about unloading some then decided to make the one mile round trip anyway. The motor had no oil pressure wouldn't idle anymore and I got about the same oil mpg as gasoline mpg. I had to use low range to move it with that much weight in it. It made it without breaking. Guess my help thought that it was a 1ton dump or something. Good little chevy.....

[87454westernhauler]

we haul 10 tons of hay on our 87 454 c30 every week for 200 mile.  8)no problem. these trucks are great haulers if you keep them up in running shape. fun trucks

[velojym]

When I moved to Amarillo on my motorcycle, my Dad helpfully loaded all my books and other belongings into my old '74 K10 and drove it to my new apartment complex. I was out on a run when he dropped off the truck, and didn't arrive until probably 14 hours later. It had rained heavily since.
Dry, I would imagine the load weighed 1000 lbs or so. After being soaked, I sadly drove the sodden mess to a line of dumpsters a few blocks away. The truck handled it just fine, but as I sorted through my stuff, I could tell it was a heapload heavier.

[choptop]

Used to haul 80-50 lb bags of Emu feed, and two molasses tubs (about 200lbs each) in the back of oldyellers 81 3/4 ton truck to a local farm about once every two weeks. Bags were easy to carry because you could stack them where the weight was centered on the truck. Never had allot of trouble, and didn't walk because like I said, the weight was distributed pretty good. It also had duties pulling and John Deere 410 backhoe around on a regular basis dont know how much it weighed but know gooseneck trailers are a big help), as well as hay hauling duties. Always has been a reliable truck, and worked ranch duties from 82 up to 96) Is doesn't have the work duties anymore, I think it has earned its keep and easy retirement tho I know it could do it again without any troubles. Truck has over 500,000 miles on it, its on its 3rd motor, and 3rd trans.

[mrboyy17]

hauled a whole yard of gravel in my 79 1/2 ton.   im not sure how much that weighs but one gravel yard wouldnt even load that much for me.  the other gravel yard did though and so i made three trips with a yard apiece.  lifted 4 inches with 35 in tires so i dont know if that makes a difference.

[Da67goatman]

Its not a pick up, it was an 1989 half ton 2wd Suburban all original with about 200,00 miles on it. My father and I get firewood all summer for heat in the winter.  A couple years ago we took truck and trailer to get wood and by the time we left, our 5' x 7.5' homemade trailer was stacked 7' high and the back of the Suburban was stack to the roof up to the 2nd row of seats.  The truck sat on the rubber snubbers about half loaded, but we drove home (30 miles) without any issues.  That truck performed everything we asked of it.

[SUX2BU99]

Just a few weeks ago I hauled an entire bed full of pressure dust, which is like coarse sand. Dude at the gravel yard loaded it with the front-end loader and the bucket I'd guess was about 1/3 full. My truck is lowered I think 3" and at about 1/2 the load he stopped and I said, "nah, put it all in there". It was sitting on the bump stops and my driveshaft was rubbing on the exhaust pipes all the way home (making a nasty clanking/rattling sound) but it made it fine the 1-2 miles home. When I hauled about 900 pounds of concrete paver stones, it leveled the truck very nicely and I got to see what it would be like if it was lowered level instead of the raked look I have

[Blazin]

I have hauled so many overloads I can't recall them in most every one of my Chevy's. Last summer i hauled just shy of 8000 lbs. of #1 steel in my 86 K30 dump. From the shop to the salvage yard about 15 miles.

[Mr Diesel]

When I was a kid and a complete idiot about such things I used a 1979 Chevy C10 with a 1barrel carb 250, no power brakes, and a 4spd muncie to haul about 7,000 lbs of hay and trailer about 65 miles.
It took miles just to get up to my top speed of 55mph, and almost that same distance to stop it. It pushed me down a long, steep, winding gravel road with all 4 tires locked up. Then I had to climb up the other side to get to the barn. The truck made maybe 10% of the way up that last hill before completely running out of power and dying. With all 4 tires locked up I was pulled BACKWARD down the gravel road and into a small ditch, teetering on the edge of a small ravine. Fortunately, the trailer stopped there when a bunch of hay fell off the back and kept us from going further. It was a long night.