I think it was some old goofy truck classification system of the past? The rating of a 1/2 ton, up to 2 1/2 ton trucks. Many old military trucks are rated that way, and like most all trucks we all are familiar with will carry safely way more than that classification claims. As A kid I think I had a book that mentioned it, but no longer have it. So what say you all on this topic?
The factors that went into rating years ago were way different from today. Tires, spring rating, axle housing thickness. Springs were narrow multi stack, tires were bias, and axle housings were on the thin side. Plus the average pickup box would only hold a 4'x6' of anything. Plus truck frames were not heavy material. But in the thread Overload of the Day you can see the ratings of today don't matter either and make about as much sense.
From experience a MV (military vehicle) rating capacity is for how much it can safely carry "off road" through diverse terrain. While on road it can carry twice the capacity.
Spud I didn't know that, that's cool! To me, if it's a Ford you can haul more, other less...........
The military hasnt used alot of Ford stuff after WW ll for some reason . History is a great teacher although the best car i ever owned was a Ford it got my Ex along ways from here.
Small trucks picked up the nomenclature years ago but since then the manufacturers have increased the payload capacities of these trucks. The "1" series (C/10, F100/150 or 1500) were half tons, "2" series (C/20, F250 or 2500) were 3/4 tons and the '3" series (C/30, F350 and 3500) were one tons. I thinks today's F150 can carry over a ton, the F250 I'm sure is more than a ton and the F350 about 2 1/2 tons. The gross weight ratings have increased substantially.
I think my aluminum F150 is only good for just shy of a 3/4 ton payload. About 1600 lbs give or take.
Military and government never buy stuff because of quality, value, or reliability and I don't should be ever used as a reason something I'd good or bad. My favorite take is saying the ar-15 is military grade, hey man, don't insult my rifle like that and assume it's cheap worn out junk
Built by the lowest bidder and pocketed the rest. Only reason something ever comes of quality or such from the service is by purely accident. Military grade anything means they followed the nomenclature the service has for specifications of how something is built, not cause it's going to hold up any better than the next item similar to it. There is military grade paint, is it going to stick on a wall better, no, just certain color shade and CARC paint that makes it not readable by heat signature easily. Better wear respirator mask sanding any military equipment down with all doors open outside if possible.
There was an Admiral by the name of Rickover who the news media asked "how long would any piece of military hardware last in a war." His answer was "about three weeks at most." I took that to mean that it would be destroyed by the affects of war. When I was in the military I learned that only things like submarines and some air planes had any real quality to them.