305G on half ton

[atc250r]

Within the last couple weeks I have seen a Nissan Titan 1/2 ton rigged up with a 305G and as well as an F-150, also with a 305G, alum reels, alum toolbox, etc. The F-150 had an extra leaf spring, not sure about the Titan. I realize the 305G is 505 lbs, so I guess that allows another 900 lbs or so for tools, etc. I guess if a guy's already got a half-ton, maybe its not such a bad idea.

[c wagner]

It might work as a short term solution, but I wouldn't want to do it for a long period of time. The newer 1/2 tons are getting some pretty impressive payload numbers these days so that certainly does help.
Oh yeah just remember that the welder is 505 lbs dry, you have to include the fuel and oil.

[reggie]

oxy/acet set up and materials add to the payload really quick.as does rough terrain adding to the wear and tear.get a truck that is rated heavy duty(,3/4 ton and up)will be cheaper in the long run...

[1havnfun]

I can't remember the weight of Gasolene
8-10lbs/gal...add 100lbs
welding leads ... add 300 to 500 lbs
filler .. add 10 to 100 lbs
O/A cutting ... add 100 to 150 lbs
You ... add 150 to 225 lbs. Yes you count on the payload and so does your helper.
materials ... add a bunch.
did I miss anything?

Have we bottomed out that 1/2 ton yet?

It'll work for awhile

[7A749]

Sounds like you need to build/buy/modify a trailer.

The newer 1/2 tons will carry some weight. I hauled my old Ranger 8 around in an S 10 for awhile. Not even a 1/2 ton, but it worked.

I wouldn't do that on a regular basis tho.

I put my TB 302 on a trailer & it works quite well for my needs. Plus, I can carry tools, welding lead & tanks for O/A cutting & MIG applications.

Just a thought. Easy to get some weight put together once you start loading your rig up.

[H80N]

My TB 301G rode around the back of a 92 Dodge Dakota 4x4 V8 for a couple of years... load carrying was not a problem.... but room to put everything was.. cab ended up being a big toolbox on the pass side.....
Next truck was a Chev Dually diesel w/covered Reading body.... lots of storage and a much better solution..... no longer do mobile... that is for the younger more limber guys....

[Black Wolf]

I really don't see what the big deal is...

An "Overloaded" 1/2 Ton is no different that an "Overloaded" 3/4 or 1 Ton...

There are coments all over the internet by people who have added Leafs into their Spring Packs, added Over Loads, or use Timbren Rubber Blocks to "Increase their weight carrying capacity" of 3/4 or 1 ton trucks and No-One says Boo... But someone talks about using a HALF TON, and everyone gets a twist in their knickers...

The biggest advantage to a 3/4 or 1 ton is the Full Floating Rear Axle, as opposed to the Semi-Floating Rear Axle found on most 1/2 tons...

Overloaded IS Overloaded.

Who here believes that a fully loaded 1 ton dually with a welding deck pulling a 30-some foot 5th wheel is LEGAL, and NOT "Over Loaded"??? And how many Pipeliners do it EVERY DAY?

People.... PLEASE.

If driven, and used correctly, even a 1/2 ton truck used to Maximum Capacity will give several years of reliable service... I would suggest that special attention be paid to the wheel bearings (Annual Inspection) and to budget for annual spring replacement, but aside from that, there should be no real issues.

I have been toying around with the idea of rigging up a NISSAN TITAN with a 305G just to prove that it CAN be done... Just looking over the payload of a Toyota Tundra, and it is PLENTY for a skid rig.

Your mileage may vary.

[c wagner]

An "Overloaded" 1/2 Ton is no different that an "Overloaded" 3/4 or 1 Ton...

There are comments all over the internet by people who have added Leafs into their Spring Packs, added Over Loads, or use Timbren Rubber Blocks to "Increase their weight carrying capacity" of 3/4 or 1 ton trucks

Your first statement rings very true, the only difference would likely be that the 3/4 or 1 ton's overall weight will be even greater than the overloaded 1/2 ton... that would make overloading one of the bigger trucks an even bigger deal.

I run air bags on my 3/4 ton, not to increase the capacity but to keep the truck level and riding smooth. I've run my truck over the scale many times just to keep an eye on how close to capacity I am, I usually run within 300 to 500 lbs from the door tag, that depends on how much fuel is in the truck and the welder, if I have my wire feeder, mig mix and argon bottles loaded. I KNOW I've been over capacity a couple of times when I hooked up to a customers empty flat deck trailer to bring it home to do some work on it. I don't like running over weight that's why my new truck (if I ever get it finished) is a 1 ton. Theoretically that will allow me to carry everything I do now and have capacity left to haul an empty trailer. My welder cage, bottles and reels are all on one platform that can be easily removed if I need to haul a pallet or pull a trailer. I say theoretically because I'm sure with more space I'll be tempted to carry more stuff and of course I will have less "spare" capacity for emergency situations.

I'm not saying you CAN'T use a 1/2 ton, I'm just saying that if you do you will have to have a minimalistic approach to what you carry as far as tools and equipment go. Anything is possible, heck I remember hearing about the one guy in the Alberta oil patch that used a Honda Rigline.

[atc250r]

Yeah, I'm thinking too that for a newbie into mobile welding a half ton is prolly the way to go. With a 300amp gas, there is a little room to spare, and with air bags or an extra leaf, at least a guy would look legal! For the guy already established on the pipeline or atleast with a healthy customer base, sure, spend money on the new diesel pick-up, but if uncertain, why not use a half-ton?

[1havnfun]

3/4 Ton vs 1/2 Ton

Here is something to consider.
The frame on a 1/2 Ton truck is the same as the old stationwagons. The newer trucks have done some redesign to bring up the payloads.

On the other hand a 3/4 Ton from any of the BIG 3 use the frame of a 1 Ton from their line up.
I will use my truck for an example.
2006 Chev Silverado 4wd 3/4Ton with upfit box and stock rack.
I ordered my truck from the factory with industrial uses in mind. I talked with Customer service in MI.
When my truck was delivered I got a little surprize. My 3/4 Ton weight dry is 6000lbs. The combined GVW is 26000lbs, NO I am not pulling your leg. breakdown.
10K on the truck tires and 16K on BUMPER pull trailer with a nose ring.
The only way this can happen is they used a frame and brakes from a 1 ton truck and named it a 3/4 ton. I called customer service just to ask and was told all the 3/4 Ton trucks have this capacity because they use the heavy frames of the 1 tons, not always the brakes but you can upgrade those very easy.

This is not true for a 1/2 ton by anybody because the 1/2 ton is a 1/2 ton by itself.

So maybe an overloaded 3/4 ton is different than an overloaded 1/2 ton or even 1 ton.

Food for thought and I do believe there will be more to come.

[wronghand]

1/2 ton pick-up with a "bikini" skid, why not? Lots of pipeliners use this setup, as they only have to carry the welder (500 lbs), 20" of stinger (20 lbs), 75' of ground (75lbs), 6010 and 7010 rod (40lbs each), a grinder and a buffer (5 lbs each) and a helmet and sleeves (2-3 lbs?). With my limited welder math, that only comes to about 900 lbs, if you include you AND your lunch box.

Not criticizing OR saying do or don't. Just saying that it depends on what you want/need to haul.

[JSFAB]

I'm gonna chime in on this one .... I've been driving overloaded trucks for most of the last 25 years.

I started with a 3/4 ton truck, flatbed. Went to a one-ton, dual wheels, utility bed. Then got a IHC 1900 truck, DT466, air brakes, double frame. 32,000# GVWR. This was a steel flatbed, with toolboxes built-in.

In every case, the load expanded to fill the available space. Every one of my trucks were overloaded, at one time or the other. I will say, the IHC handled it better, and there were zero maintenance issues due to the weight.

Getting a bigger truck, really doesn't help, you are simply going to fill it up anyway.

I got the IHC mainly because I needed to haul around a 500 amp engine drive, plus air compressor, plus every tool you can think of, plus a ton or two of material,,, and I was still thinking I had to have the ability to carry ALL (or most) of my equipment all the time .... Even seven bottles of gas, could do anything, anytime, at the drop of a hat.

Today? a 2007 shortbed Chevy PU, 4x4, V-6 engine. 1/2 ton, single cab. One-quarter inch diamond plate aluminum skid, approx 4'x4', holds a knack box, torch bottles, and either a 301G or a Ranger 250, depending on whether I feel blue or red that day. Skid and toolbox hold the basic necessities .... grinders, a small selection of hand tools, layout tools, welding rod, etc. AS NEEDED, I can also throw specific items on,,, big clamps, chain come-a-longs, big hammers, wire feeders, etc. Plus whatever specific material needed for the job. Plus throw in a bottle of argon, CO2, 75/25, or trimix, depending.

I have found, that instead of carrying 30,000 pounds around all the time, with my knowledge, experience, and skills, I can do more with less, and just spending a few minutes measuring and looking over a job, I can bring exactly what I need to do the job. Figuring insurance, registration, fuel, I can drive the Chevy for a quarter of the cost of driving the big truck, and still charge the same money.

Other advantages .... the Chevy is much nicer to drive. It's more maneuverable, and many times can drive right up to the job. Big truck, oftentimes had to string out over a hundred feet of cable, cords, torch hose. I can actually turn around on a levee, if working out by the river, big truck several times had to back in or out a couple miles. In orchard country (lots of it here), I can drive right into the orchards, skirting around the sprinkler heads, not worry about branches,,,, big truck, carried two extra mirrors with me all the time, I could replace the broken ones before going home.

Note, about the shortbeds, the newer pickups have the same wheelbase as the old ones, the manufacturers have shifted the body/beds forwards on the axles in recent years, so there is more overhang in front, less bed space behind the rear axle, which is good for carrying a skid. My 1995 Ford never carried the load as well as my Chevy does.

Note also, trucks carrying a load in back, need to stay on top of the rear brakes. Years ago, rounding a curve in a rainstorm, going up to the Sacramento River levee, tapped on my brakes, immediately went into a spin. Recovered just before ending up in the river. I'm sure most of the people reading this are glad I did recover control, although I can think of a few that probably wish I ended up in the drink. Later, looking, found the self-adjusters were not working, cut them off. Drilled four holes in each adjuster wheel, took a torch and cut the adjustment and inspection holes bigger, made it a practice to adjust brakes manually every time I checked the oil. Passed a wire thru the drilled holes in the adjustment wheels, tied off to the axle so they wouldn't back off.

Also, anybody regularly carrying a heavy load, remember rear end oil gets hot, and will break down. My 91 Ford left gear teeth scattered all over the road one time, carrier broke and punched right thru the back cover. Stock gear oil isn't always good enough, keep the correct weight of oil, but switch to a better grade, synthetic if possible, and change it regularly.

Somebody made comments about the frame, before I did anything with this truck other than just driving it, I crawled underneath and inspected every inch, front to back. Understand, I've always been a Ford man, this was the first chevy I've ever owned, and I would have to say, I was impressed how it was engineered and put together. On my shortbed/single cab, I'm not worried.

All the preceeding comments, I am not saying you can do and get away with whatever you want, it takes a certain amount of smarts and intelligence to do it, and you can't drive like a wild man.

Sorry for the long, rambling book I just wrote ......

[Sberry]

I did it with an 84 150 for years, put a set of helpers on, had more stuff on it than I really needed most of the time.

[davinci2010]

JSFAB hit it on the head. I've had service trucks that ranged from 1/2 ton to a F-550. The more space you get, the more you will use. If I had to have fed that 550 out of my pocket, I would have ended up paying to work for the company. Be honest with yourself about how much you need to carry and how much you will actually carry. If you want a mobile shop that will have every thing at arm's reach, buy the biggest, most heavy duty truck ( semi ) that you can. If you can plan ahead and limit what you carry, you can do it out of a 1/2 ton. My next personal truck/ side job truck, will be a 3/4 ton diesel as it will fit my needs and still deliver some kind of fuel mileage.

[Rig Hand]

Within the last couple weeks I have seen a Nissan Titan 1/2 ton rigged up with a 305G and as well as an F-150, also with a 305G, alum reels, alum toolbox, etc. The F-150 had an extra leaf spring, not sure about the Titan. I realize the 305G is 505 lbs, so I guess that allows another 900 lbs or so for tools, etc. I guess if a guy's already got a half-ton, maybe its not such a bad idea.

That's what rig welding is coming to. Rangers and half tons.