I have a trailer that, when fully loaded with 4 sleds, comes in at just under 4000 lbs. dosent like overdrive and who knows how hot the tranny got, but it pulls it.

we pulled a similar load, maybe closer to 3000 through the mountains with my buddys 08 chevy 1500 and the tranny temp gage maxed out at 210 and we were well over that Im sure.

Its all relative. If the company is asking for "1/2 ton pickups" to move campers, I'd say they need to expand their perameters!

 

For everyone who is talking about having hauled 2-3k lbs of stuff in their beds, let me just say one thing... Just because the leaf springs can take it, think what you're doing to your rear axle. There is a reason 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have full floating rear axles. On 1/2 ton and smaller, the axle shafts have to hold up the weight of the truck and they put that force on the bearings. Keed it up and there is a good chance you will snap one of the little 8 1/4 inch axle shafts.

Why go through the trouble of adding 1 ton leaf springs and not change out the rear axle?

 

I hear ya brother....like I said I would not do it again. I was between a rock and a hard place an needed to get those blocks home. I had future pallets delivered right from the manufacturer. I like my truck too much to beat the crap out of it like that again. I even went so far as to take the cap off til I replace the broken leaf springs and shocks.

 

haha, alright. I'll get my buddy to take some pics of it with his camera so they are good, better than my phone anyways.

As far as why not change the axle... cause they are tough man! my old one had so much play it had re ABS reluctor wheel through the diff cover, the POSI
did NOTHING at all. just made some dirty noises when stuck in 2WD.
The axles had over 1/2 an inch in/out play when pulling/pushing on them, i TRIED to break it... nothing.... it had about 450.000 KM on it to.

Only reason i changed it... cause i bought a whole truck for parts.
As for the front diff. I have never broken and axle, but i did snap/shear the spider pin once. I had a chance to get a free full sized diff. turned it down!
its all tough enough for me and i beat my truck