Alaskan10 on a 3/4 ton utility truck?

[NaturalSight]

There are A LOT more used 3/4 ton utility trucks for sale than 1 ton utility trucks. Payload wise could you you put an Alaskan 10 on a gas 3/4 ton utility truck?

 

[kmcintyre]

Or another way to ask that (which I'm trying to figure out) is which platform (truck) is easiest to effectively make a 1 ton truck on a 3/4 ton platform. The biggest difference I can see is that the differential may be larger and some trucks have suspension that isn't easily upgraded. The one truck I think is easiest is the Chevy/GMC. Add a leaf on the rear and your've got a 1 ton (tires, etc. excluded). Any other inputs or things I've missed?

I've also tried to figure out the better platform and differences between a regular (bed) truck or chassis cab?

 

[ntsqd]

The suspension is the least concern, that's easily changed. For the weight involved any difference in ring gear size is moot unless the use is expected to be really extreme (i.e. Black Diamond trails and/or sub 10 second 1/4 miles with the camper in place kinds of use). So long as they are both full-float type rear axles I wouldn't look at the axles too deeply. GM, in particular, has been known to build 8 lug semi-float axled trucks. You do not want one of those.

I would look at the part numbers for the wear replacement brake parts and compare between the 1t and the 3/4t trucks. Rock Auto is good place to do this research. If they are the same then you're GTG. If they are not the same then dive in and figure out how they differ. Bigger/smaller caliper piston? Bigger/smaller brake shoe size? Bigger/smaller wheel cylinder bore? Etc. Also look at the brake booster type. If available you want the Hydra-Boost option over the vacuum boost option.

Then find a copy of Ackerson's "Standard Catalog of 4X4's" and compare the frame's Specific Modulus' if the truck that you're looking at is listed. This number tells you basically how strong the frame is in bending. The 3/4t & 1t may share the same frame. The C&C of the same wheel-base may or may not also share it.

 

[kmcintyre]

The suspension is the least concern, that's easily changed. For the weight involved any difference in ring gear size is moot unless the use is expected to be really extreme (i.e. Black Diamond trails and/or sub 10 second 1/4 miles with the camper in place kinds of use). So long as they are both full-float type rear axles I wouldn't look at the axles too deeply. GM, in particular, has been known to build 8 lug semi-float axled trucks. You do not want one of those.

I would look at the part numbers for the wear replacement brake parts and compare between the 1t and the 3/4t trucks. Rock Auto is good place to do this research. If they are the same then you're GTG. If they are not the same then dive in and figure out how they differ. Bigger/smaller caliper piston? Bigger/smaller brake shoe size? Bigger/smaller wheel cylinder bore? Etc. Also look at the brake booster type. If available you want the Hydra-Boost option over the vacuum boost option.

Then find a copy of Ackerson's "Standard Catalog of 4X4's" and compare the frame's Specific Modulus' if the truck that you're looking at is listed. This number tells you basically how strong the frame is in bending. The 3/4t & 1t may share the same frame. The C&C of the same wheel-base may or may not also share it.

Good info. From my research though, Ford and Ram aren't that easy to beef up the rear suspension. Chevy/GMC are leaf springs so adding another leaf would be easier (at least that's what I think I was reading).

 

[ntsqd]

Any of the leaf spring mfg's out there (Deaver, McCoy, Alcan, etc.) can build a rear spring to carry the load. Or if you have a 3/4t and need a little more then you can usually swap in the 1t springs. Be really careful about "Add-A-Leaf's", they are frequently very short and very stiff. Adding them tends to break the OEM leaves over time.

 

[So Cal Adventurer]

I've also tried to figure out the better platform and differences between a regular (bed) truck or chassis cab?

I can only speak for Dodge here, but the frames on the chassis cabs are night and day different than the trucks. They are completely flat making add on builds out a ton easier, and they're are a lot more options (dual tanks, aux output from fuel pump, etc..)offered with chassis cabs that arent in the gas trucks to make them ideal platforms

I am currently planning a chassis cab for my next build

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Any of the leaf spring mfg's out there (Deaver, McCoy, Alcan, etc.) can build a rear spring to carry the load. Or if you have a 3/4t and need a little more then you can usually swap in the 1t springs. Be really careful about "Add-A-Leaf's", they are frequently very short and very stiff. Adding them tends to break the OEM leaves over time.

Or you can go for Sumo Springs or Timbrens. Plenty of YouTube videos showing them being installed and in action on the road.

https://www.supersprings.com/products/sumosprings/

https://timbren.com/timbren-ses/

 

[klahanie]

There are A LOT more used 3/4 ton utility trucks for sale than 1 ton utility trucks. Payload wise could you you put an Alaskan 10 on a gas 3/4 ton utility truck?

ON EDIT just realised I miss read the above OP as "would you", not "could you". Sorry, didn't mean to bore about me !

Assuming you're talking steel body, I wouldn't, as most likely I'd run out of legal payload. I know the Fords best so I'll use those numbers...

1,050 lbs steel Service Body 56CA
Reading SLU98, Knapheide 696LP

minus 450 steel PU box and bumper delete

2,250 10' Alaskan wet

300 passengers

= 3,150 lbs, give or take

2016 F250 (for used eg) specs show max payload of 4040 (2x4) and 3580 (4x4). That's for reg cab. Any other cab size, options over base, or truck mods reduce those max payload numbers.

So the difference is allowable "stuff" or gear to carry. I prob wouldn't buy 2x4 so that's out. Leaving me a max of only ~400 lbs. Now, if you can make that work great, but remember, there's a fair bit of storage in that 10' and a bunch more in the service body. No point in buying them to haul around air...

A high GVWR 1 ton could give another few hundred of payload but you have to check the ratings.

HTH

 

[klahanie]

I've also tried to figure out the better platform and differences between a regular (bed) truck or chassis cab?

A few more thoughts on a C&C ... referring to 60" CA and oem SRW models. Again I'll talk Fords but I think it generally applies to the Ram and GM

I'll skip over legal payload as I take it is not too important right here.

#1 is no provision for storing a spare tire (under frame). The consequences can range from irrelevant to a pain in the axe.

Frame will be ~ 1' longer rear overhang. Chances are you'll use that space, increasing a rear loading bias and decreasing rear departure angle (planned camper length dependent)

Fuel tank could be mid ships (and smaller than PU version) or aft of axle which again increases rear loading (maybe + 200 lbs vs the PU, spare tire version). And effective load increases the further back from the axle.

Rear spring pack length and make up could be different. Ford increased the eye to eye length in 2005 (?) for the PUs and changed the rear shock orientation to opposed. Both changes were to improve ride. C&Cs didn't. But our 2010 did have a nice factory 10 leaf pack.

Also diff gearing might be deeper. Our diesel stayed 3.73 while the diesel PUs moved to taller gears. And there may be a few other work oriented goodies. Like stabilizer bars, manual T case, HO alts etc.

Resale market would likely be different.

Finally, as a bare chassis the vehicle is useless. Used you'll prob have a body attached. But if that is disposed of while you are working on a replacement and then there is a delay or things don't work out the vehicle is a lot less useful and perhaps valuable than if it had a PU box on it. Not a biggie but still something to be aware of, imo.

 

[ntsqd]

Or you can go for Sumo Springs or Timbrens. Plenty of YouTube videos showing them being installed and in action on the road.

https://www.supersprings.com/products/sumosprings/

https://timbren.com/timbren-ses/

I wouldn't, no. That's just me though. IMO those will make good bump-stops, but I wouldn't use them as springs.

 

[NaturalSight]

Thank to all for the input. On the basis of all that have decided not to go the utility truck route. The Ford payload went up to 3400 lbs for the F250 Supercub 4x4 long bed in 2017 so I am exploring its ability to carry an Alaskan 10. I am going to start a new thread for that discusion.
thx again!