Diesel Truck Classes: Half-Ton, HD, Dually & Chassis Cab

Start with what the truck must carry

Truck classes help organize research, but the labels are not literal payload allowances. Put people, cargo, tools, added equipment and loaded hitch weight into the same plan before deciding whether a half-ton, HD pickup or completed chassis cab is the right starting point.

• Check both the trailer weight being pulled and the vertical load carried by the truck.
• Separate a single-rear-wheel pickup from a dually where carrying capacity and daily width change the decision.
• For work bodies, account for the installed body's weight before estimating useful capacity.