Ford Truck Names: What the Heck Do They Mean?

Earlier this week, we talked about Curb Weight and payload capacity and also how “tonnage” slang doesn’t really apply any longer.  Now, let’s put all of that great knowledge to use by deciphering the name’s of Ford, Chevy, and GMC trucks.  In this article, we’ll focus on Ford, which is a bit easier to understand than our earlier post on Chevy truck names.  For your reference, the automotive slang is in “quotes.”

Ford Truck’s

F100 Truck = “1/2 Ton”
(1953-1982) 4000-5000 GVWR

F150 Truck = “1/2 Ton”
(1975-Current) ~6000 GVWR. The F150 started life as a heavy duty alternative to the F100 (“Nicknamed the “Heavy Half Ton”, it was allegedly intended to dance around new emissions regulations.)

F150 Truck with “7700” Package = “1/2 Ton” Heavy Duty
(1997-04) 7700 GVWR

F250 Truck = “3/4 ton”
(1953-1999) 8500 GVWR

F250 Heavy Duty Truck = “3/4 ton”
(1992-97) 9000 GVWR (Essentially an F350 with F250 badges)

F250 Super Duty Truck = “3/4 ton”
(1999-Current) 8800 GVWR

F350 Truck = “1 ton”
(1953-1997) 10000 GVWR

F350 Super Duty Truck= “1 ton”
(1999-Current) 9900-11200 GVWR

F450 Truck AKA “F-Super Duty” cab & chassis
(1987-96) 15000 GVWR.  Only came as a cab and chassis, no beds included

F450 Super Duty Truck
(1999-Current) 15000 GVWR. Beds now included if you want one!

F550 Super Duty Truck
(1999-Current) 17500 GVWR

Ford Truck Reality Check

A 2002 Ford F150 Regular Cab, short bed, 4.2L, manual transmission truck has a curb weight of 4002 lbs.  It has a payload capacity of 2045 lbs which brings its GVWR to 6047 lbs.  This means that the F150 truck that is widely known as being the “1/2” ton truck, is a 1 ton truck in reality!  What the what!?!  Yes, that just happened.

To be continued………….