What do you drive for a truck?

[kozal01]

Those ratings can be an interesting subject.

But realistically, most any law enforcement would go by what the axles and tires are rated at, not what the official GVWR is.

Heck, I haven't looked into it, but my so-called 5-ton supposedly weighs about 40,000. I did put a bracket for a SWM triangle on it, though. Because it isn't registered and sure isn't fast.

The truck itself weighs about 22k and can pull around 15k and of course the payload is 10k. They actually aren’t that slow, we use the one that I was driving in the pic I posted to pull a 14k pound Vietnam era riverboat and it can very easily maintain 65 MPH doing that.

 

[Williy]

2003 Dodge 2500 5.9L 4 door 6 ft box was used to
pull camper now sold and have a 14 ft inclosed trailer
and a small trailer for hauling 4x8 sheets of plywood
2x4s but mostly the works collect dust. only drive truck
every 4 or 5 months 148,000

willy

 

[Too many Kubotas]

The truck itself weighs about 22k and can pull around 15k and of course the payload is 10k. They actually aren’t that slow, we use the one that I was driving in the pic I posted to pull a 14k pound Vietnam era riverboat and it can very easily maintain 65 MPH doing that.

Maybe mine could do 65 mph, despite weighing some 40,000 lbs. and "powered" by 250 hp, but I wouldn't want to be in it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Its actually a perfect truck for hay farming, but it’s difficult to get from buying one to actually using it with a 24’ bed without a lot of expensive mods.
No AC, either. lol

I’ll end up with some kind of tandem eventually….

 

[LouNY]

Those ratings can be an interesting subject.

But realistically, most any law enforcement would go by what the axles and tires are rated at, not what the official GVWR is.

Heck, I haven't looked into it, but my so-called 5-ton supposedly weighs about 40,000. I did put a bracket for a SWM triangle on it, though. Because it isn't registered and sure isn't fast.

The "official" GVWR is most certainly what law enforcement or DOT are going to go by, regardless of the axle and tire ratings are unless the tires are lower then required for the load and have caused an issue.
An SMV on a vehicle designed and capable of traveling faster then the SMV is designating is an improper use of the SMV, which used to be 25 mph but has been changed in many places to 36 mph.

 

[Hay Dude]

The "official" GVWR is most certainly what law enforcement or DOT are going to go by, regardless of the axle and tire ratings are unless the tires are lower then required for the load and have caused an issue.
An SMV on a vehicle designed and capable of traveling faster then the SMV is designating is an improper use of the SMV, which used to be 25 mph but has been changed in many places to 36 mph.

Yeah true. Our cops around here go by door jamb tag and your documents.

 

[MossRoad]

I've driven hundreds of 5 tons out of the AM General factory in South Bend, IN back in the 80s during a government refurb program. We'd drive them to rail spurs all over northern Indiana for shipment. Never had a problem maintaining 60 on the local highways.

Not sure what years yours are, or manufacturer. Fun trucks. We'd lock in the front axle and take them through the test track at the factory once in a while. Lots of different configurations. Troop carriers, wreckers, but the worst to drive on the highway were the dump trucks like this.



They didn't have cabs, and when you drove at highway speeds, the guard over the cab area would blast wind into the back of your head and force it into the steering wheel.

 

[tacticalturnip]

The 900 series 5 ton trucks were one of my favorite vehicles to operate. The newer trucks, F/LMTV's, drove like a Cadillac compared to other tactical vehicles- but the tractor feel of the M900's might give it an edge up.

We had a wrecker, a 900 series, that we couldn't pin down the hydraulic leaks and after a time we just emptied it out and parked the truck on the line. We had two other wreckers in the unit, so it wasn't an issue, but we couldn't get rid of it either. The Army, lol. I thought I had a picture of that truck, what an absolute slug, but I can't find it.

 

[sixdogs]

I'm typical rural and need a new truck. I tow a little, get groceries at times and do rural stuff with it. It stays pretty clean.

What do you drive?
And what do you do with it?

I'm the OP and here's an update. I split things and bought both a car AND a sweet, used Ford diesel pickup. I could never find one.

Fate found me a '97 F250 Super Duty 7.3 Powerstroke diesel from a retiring neighbor. 160,000 and it purrs like a kitten. Good tires, clean interior and good looking. It sat in a heated barn for a few years so it needs some work.

Back brakes and drums, etc are NG as are the rubber brake hoses and some brake lines. Belts, exhaust system and batteries are NG and all fluids and filters need changed. The car makes the wife happy and the truck makes me happy. Win-win.

Thanks for the input. Pictures soon.

 

[tacticalturnip]

A little money into it and that truck will be an absolute gem; excellent find!