How much weight can a pickup truck carry?

[FJ and G]

I've got a dinky little 4X2 Toyota Tacoma and I need to visit my local quarry to pick up $17 worth of crusher fines (which they call "crush and run"). Weight is one ton for $17.

I tried to determine how much weight my pickup can haul but when I went to the specs page, I found a whole variety of weights such as curbweight, torque weight etc etc.

Here's the site.

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2006/tacoma/specs.html

BTW, I'm using the crushed rock for ballasting my toy train track outside (to a depth of about 6 inches).

Thanks in advance b/c shortly have to catch my VRE train home and may not get to see any replies until tomorrow morning.

[SPFan]

Dave, You need to subtract the curb weight of your vehicle (usually stated on the registration from the Gross Vehicle Weight (~4500). It should be about 1200 lbs.
Do you have a bed liner? Do you care about the paint around the bed? The gravel pit will take a front end loader and drop the gravel in your bed. It ain't neat. A better bet would be to rent an open trailer.

Pete (speaking from experience)

[DSchmitt]

It is rated at at least 1/2 ton (1000 lbs)

A friend familar with pick-up trucks informs me that it should be able to carry 1-ton (2000 lbs) safely as long as most of the load is kept forward so the rear axel is not overloaded. He once drove from Caifornia to Michigan with more than that in an older model Toyota 1/2 ton (not a Tacoma).

Good advice from SPFAN

[jonadel]

I own a Toyota Tundra and have hauled plenty of "stuff" which is the big brother to your Tacoma and I would think twice about putting anything over a 1,200 pds. in it. If they would allow it, make two trips.

Jon

[Roger Bielen]

I've a Ranger which is probably about the same size and I limit my loads to 1/2 ton +/-. I had an S-10 years ago and filled it with sand to the top rails, I think my front tires were off the ground at every bump. Be sure to boost your tire pressure to max. rating.

[dougdagrump]

If you decide to do it though watch your rear tires if you have radials.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Dave, have you asked about delivery?

Having them deliver it to your driveway is probably at least 3 times the cost of the material. However, it may be worth it when you consider that you will have to hand unload it from your truck. They just dump it. There is also any potential damage to your vehicle to consider. In the long run, it may make the delivery charge a bargain.

Is one ton the entire project, or will you be needing more later?

[jonadel]

Big Boy is right on with delivery. You won't get much product with one ton of rock. If you think you might need more in the future you can always stock pile it which really makes sense. Whether you buy one ton or 17 it's the same delivery charge and well worth it IMO. Been there-done that several times with rock/sand/dirt.

Jon

[Brutus]

What Roger said - I filled up my old Ranger with gravel I got for free just for coming and taking it away from a co-worker's house. Me and a Buddy shoveled it in and then put bags of gravel on top. We had it spread out pretty evenly in the back of the truck, but man it was sitting really low! Anyway, we discovered that if we sped up over about 40 miles per hour, the front wheels would start rising up! I guess the torque of the wheels was enough to do it??? Had to drive from Columbia Illinois, on the highway, to Arnold MO, which is about 20 miles on the road, with the emergency blinkers on the whole way.

We would have been better, in hindsight, to have put all the bags of gravel up right behind the cab.

You should rent a trailer to get a whole ton. I'm pretty sure what you are describing is used as the base for outside pavers, retaining walls etc. I bought some of this in bags before. It makes a dense load, so you might be able to fit it in the back of the truck, but this would be bad, because the max load on your truck is probably about 1000 to 1100 pounds, and I'm pretty sure that would include the driver etc. Don't break your axle, man!

PS - IF you have the Deliver it, have them put it beside your driveway, not on the driveway. It might kill your grass, but grass grows back. Having a ton or 3 of material dumped on your driveway could probably do serious damage to the driveway itself.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[dougdagrump]

Whatever you decide to do look on the bright side, you're not in Ca. Out here you would probably need environmental impact reports, building permits and not to mention the HOA's. Everybody needs to stick their nose into everybody else's business.

[dbaker48]

As I am finding out, you also have to notify the Tax Accessors office for the increase of real estate at that location. Also, the school board in the event you decide to raise another child on that increased area.

[laz 57]

DAVE,
Most GIZ at least up here deliver the stuff you need for 5 or 7 bucks ask and they will give you a delivery price.
I get all my mulch delivered for and extra $7 .
laz57

[Anonymous]

Dave,
Consider buying it by the bag, at Home Depot or Lowes. You can do a little at a time, without a big pile in the yard.

It may cost a little more, but you can do it in several trips, if necessary.
I have gotten it both by the load from the quaarry and by the bag at Lowes.
If you are going to the quarry on Rt 29 and try to carry the whole load at once, it will be an interesting trip. Get someone to follow you.

Bob "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once."

[riverrailfan]

Its there when you check capacities. 1370 with manual trans and 1350 with auto.

[Anonymous]

go with the delivery method, and get more than you will think you need. you cannot remove too much of that clay from your yard.

if you insist on overloading your truck; e-mail me and i'll share some of my tricks.
the limiting factors will be road and tire quality.

-rrick

[Jumijo]

Have it delivered, Dave, and save yourself a lot of potential trouble. You can get more than one ton delivered at a time and save money on delivery. Also, you don't have to shovel it out of your truck. Well worth what ever the delivery charge is. Moving and shoveling stone is hard work. Been there, done that. Having someone deliver it makes the job that much easier.

Jim

[Anonymous]

Don't overload it under any circumstances - in the event of accident your insurance company would most likely wriggle out of paying up and you could end up on the wrong end of a hefty lawsuit. If you decide to haul it yourself, consider hiring a twin-axle trailer (twin axles tend to have better balance, so you're not going over the maximum nose weight of your truck).

[FJ and G]

wow, thanks for all the advices! I may make 2 runs as the quarry isn't that far and I called and they said 2 trips is fine. I already busted my leaf spring on my jeep a while back carrying a full load of sand so I'll play it safe. Besides, big loads tends to make the vehicle swerve around curves. Predicting snow this weekend so I may just wait a bit. I'll be sure to take some pictures of the quarry, the load, and the ballasting project. [:D]

[Roger Bielen]

Dave, I don't know about your area but I'm used to CR having stones up to 1", sometimes a bit larger, with an abundance of fines. For Scale wouldn't a pea gravel be more appropriate?

[FJ and G]

Roger,

Pea gravel is a no-no for outside. Gets washed away too easily. Ballast needs to be rough, just like the 1:1. Thanks, tho.

[Anonymous]

If you load the truck with a ton 2000 lbs the bed will be pushed down. The springs are not meant to carry more than 1000 lbs 1/2 a ton. The bed will be bottomed out. the ride will be rough. You can do it but it is not recommended.

[jimhaleyscomet]

Just a tad off topic but once I carried home 2800 lbs of cement ready mix bags in an old full size buick (in the trunk and on the seats). I rode home on the stops. All was fine until I hit a road that ended in a T with a light. That would have been o.k. except they had just layed fresh gravel on the road. I was only going about 35mph but when I hit the brakes nothing happend! The wheels just locked up, all those little stones became ball bearings and I just kept going! The light was red as I approached with cars waiting to go. I would have hit them for sure if the light did not turn green as I got very close. Everything was sooo slow (I was doing about 20 mph when I hit the intersection) that I had a good long time to think about how dumb I was and what a dumb way this was to total a few cars . Even after the other cars left I still had to make that 2800 lbs turn 90 degrees. However I did just make it around and none the worse for the wear. I drove the rest of the way home about 10mph.

Jim H

[tschmidt]

Dave,

I agree with the delivery idea. Maybe you could check the paper and see if there is someone who delivers cheap. Saves the wear and tear on your truck.

TomS

[cmrj]

How about a concist of ore car's and a couple of SD80MAC's and couple mile's of track[(-D]. Dave when you load it up watch the spring's ,and stop loading when they just start to go flat, leave a little bit of an arch in them. I use my full size F150 4X4 for small load's like this all the time. Unloading it is good excercise if you take your time. Good luck Mike

[ChiefEagles]

As much as it can hold without the tires going flat. No joke. Seems some of yuz giz have not grown up on a farm.

[Anonymous]

I know it is a little late for a reply to this but if anyone does read this. I am a loader operator / back-up scale house weight master.
We have the truck pull on the scale empty for a weight AND check the registration card which has the Gross Vehicle Weight on it. (say your truck empty weights 5000 lbs. registered to carry 6200 lbs. a class 2 in PA. which the state will register the truck at say it is a F150, RAM 1500, etc. you are allowed to get 1200 lbs.
We will not over load and you will not leave over weight. I have seen a fine from a D.O.T. Statetrooper, the truck was 1000 lbs over and got a $274.00 fine
If your truck weights 5400 lbs. as does my 1999 Ram 1500 Quad cab and is registered for 5000 lbs. you will get sent away empty., because the G.V.W. is exceded.
If you want to be safe call State Police and see how the law is set up in your state.

Jim D.
a.k.a. SOCKO

[Boyd]

When you consider the load rating include your weight and the weight of other stuff in the truck. Some OLDER Toyotas have trouble with the frames rusting between the cab and the box, especially up here in the rust belt. Its not really worth it to risk what happens when you overload.

[cmrj]

Chief your wright truck's are built to work . The equipment and scrap we haul at work would make some of these giz's nervous. [:O]. Mike

[highrailjon]

David, I carried ballast in my pick-up. Once.[:D][:D]

[highrailjon]

I've got a dozer I could loan you!![:D]