The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 16,000 GVW. What's the tonnage?

I'm sure this info is here somewhere, but I haven't spotted it yet. What is the GVW ratings for 1.5, 2, and 2.5 tons? I have '53 Chevy that is rated at 16k, a '50's GMC at 19k, and a '52 GMC at 35k.

The '53 Chevy is a 2-ton. The others I can't help you with.

My '53 6400 is rated as a 2-ton.
~Ron

Dunno what they get ya at your local DMV, but around here for a single axle the GVW is 1.5 times the scale weight.
If I get that right anyway, I can be pretty dense when the DMV is talkin to me, it's usually painful when I go there,... Either way, in my case, we figgured the truck as 8,100x1.5=12,150.
The extra 4,050 lbs gives me the 2 ton capacity I'm supposed to have, but again, depends on how the rig is set up & all that. I'm kinda thrown by the old GVW sticker on the side of mine says it's rated to 24K tho,...

I'd go by what your state does to figgure it, if for no other reason than keeping the local yokels off your bumper in the event you actualy mean to haul stuff with them. Other option is to see if there are owners manuals in the online libray that will give you the rated GVW for the year it was built.

What series are the two GMC's. My '52 GMC 450 series COE, was rated by GMC in '52 as a 3 ton. A 470 series was a 3 1/2 ton. I sold a '50 GMC 600 series, & it was rated as a 5 ton.

Wofford,

I not sure what figures you are searching for, but my 1 1/2 ton 4400 has a GVW of 14,000 lbs and a 2 ton has a GVW of 16,000 lbs.


Stuart

I'll have to check the series on the GMC's. The '52 is a tandem axle, but I believe it was converted by a company out of CA. The 2nd axle is just a tag axle, but is set up with regular walking spring suspension. What is really impressive is apparently the conversion co. pulled everything off the frame, sandwiched a 4" wide, 11" tall, 1/4" channel to both outsides of the frame, then redrilled and reassembled the truck. Of course that has to add a good 1000 lbs of weight.

Stuart, your 1.5 ton, is it the same size as a 2 ton, or the smaller 1 ton. Almost everything around here is a 2 ton.

Thanks everyone! More stupid questions to follow!

Wofford,

My rig is a 55/1st 4400 which looks exactly like the two ton rig. I have always used the front wheel dust cover as a clue to GVW. The 2 ton Chevrolet has 5 bolts holding the dust cover on as opposed to the screw on cover on the 1 1/2 ton rig.

Stuart

Your Tandem sounds like the one I had. I recently sold this 1954 Chevrolet 5400 series COE 16000lb. gvw 2 ton truck, that had a Trucktor Chaindrive Tandem Conversion. The rear tandems were on a separate frame rail that was slid over the factory frame. It went all the way under the cab. See it here, http://www.classiccoe.com/friends/spanky/1954%20Chevrolet5400-1a.jpg

Freq2002,
The 24K sticker is probably the taxable weight rating for the DOT. In most states, if you license your vehicle to haul 26,001 or more, you have to abide by DOT road and safety rules. You can actually license your truck for more weight (at least here you can), but you will be required to carry a CDL. This only applies if you're hauling for business and/or profit.

Spanky,
Trucktor doesn't ring a bell, but the conversion sounds the same. Did yours have air canisters on the tag axle? And, how did the chaindrive work?

The rear axle wheels stayed on the ground all the time on mine. My truck had large sprockets between the rears, on both sides.

My 55 6500 is rated for 16,000lbs and it's a 2 ton.

Spanky,
Sorry, I should have been more clear, the air canisters were for the air brakes.
I didn't realize they were still using chain drives in the '50's!

My 51' GMC 640 is rated at 27,000k 5-ton single axle according to the plate on door, and the U.S.Navy plate on the dash.

Sorry, meant 27,000 lbs.

Spanky;
My GMC parts truck has a conversion luke you describe,but it's V-belt driven,and is missing one pulley.Looks like it'd be miserable to get belts for.
Speed

I was more than happy to go with the lower GVW when I registered my truck, the differenace in tonnage fee between 12K & 24K was painful!
Woulda registred it as a collector vehicle, but then the only thing I can legally haul with it is whomever can fit in the bench seat. Not much point in a truck you cant haul nothin with!

Freq2002 I started with 26,000 on my 64 GMC and had to go to 32,000 to pull my equipment trailer and excavator. It was nice to find that I didn't have to pay FET when I bought the trailer it's a 12 ton 24,000 GVW I like this smaller stuff use to have to buy 105,500 GVW for the KW and it's pup trailer.

Until I get my CDL I'm limited to 26K anyway. Lookin to get that out of the way around this time next year thru the program at Skagit Valley Coll.
I have been eyeballing a smaller trailer and an old tractor with a bucket on it. Could make some chage on weekends clearing & hauling on smaller jobs. The need is there as getting a truck out to your property around here is pretty rough these days with all the construction goin on.

Gotta get an engine first tho, one step at a time!

The Load Capacity Chart in my 56 shop manual list my 56 with a GVW of 18,000 pounds and a GCVW of 32,000 pounds. But the same truck with a Taskmaster V8 as the only change was rated at 19,500 GVW and 32,000 GCVW that doesn’t make much sense to me but that is how they where rated.
In case you may be wondering GCVW is Gross Combination Weight otherwise the total weight of truck and trailer in combination. One would think if a motor is good to pull 32,000 on a truck and trailer combo it should pull a truck at 19,500 but the manual plainly states same truck different motor.

By the way close to 32,000 with the 64 GMC is slow enough with a small block 350 I don't think I would want to try this with a 261 6 in the truck. Anyone out there done this? Wow it's hard to picture.

16,000 gvw is 16,000 lbs or 8 tons total max load including truck, bed, laod a driver.

Class 4 trucks are 14,001–16,000 lbs

Spanky, one of my GMC's (the smallest one) doesn't have a GVW tag, but it is a 300 series. I'm guessing 2 ton. Wofford

A 300 series GMC would be a 14000lb. gvw 1 1/2 ton. 350 series is, 2 ton, 400 series 2 1/2 ton, 450 series 3 ton, & 470 series 3 1/2 ton, according to my info.

Spanky, I finally went out to my land to look at the '52 GMC. It has no series designation on the hood, but the ID plate has it rated at 19,000 GVW. It may have been military. I haven't seen another one with a single axle and 10 bolt wheels front and rear. It has another plate inside the glove box with axle and tranny info (like CLARK trans.) It also has a 302. Did you have reach a certain GVW to get the 302?
Terry

That plate on the glove box lid is called the "GMC Truck Service Parts Identification" plate. The series of your truck should be in the upper left hand corner of this plate. 302's were first used in 1952, on 450-470 series trucks.

Spanky, I checked the plate on the '52 with the 19,000 GVW tag. The number on the ID plate in the glove box, top left corner, says it's a 475. It only has a single axle. You said a 470 series was a 3.5 ton. What the heck is the 475?

Your truck is a 470 series 3 1/2 ton. The "5", in 475, denotes 197"in. wheelbase. My 450 series COE has 452, on the glove box plate, but it's actually a 450 series. The "2" in 452, denotes 137"in. wheelbase.

Hey curios anyone here ever pull around 32,000 pounds with an old Stove Bolt 6. I am doing it with a 350 V8 and it’s a slow go, (I see the middle finger a lot HA HA) not really but I always feel like I am in the way.

HevyHauler, combined weight oof 32k, or trailer weight of 32K? Probably doesn't matter, either way it has to be slow. I haven't hauled that much combined yet, but by fall I plan to have one of these rebuilt into a construction service truck and I have to find out the hard way.