The 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 Has a Lower Payload Rating Than This Little Truck From 1996

Modern trucks are high-tech wonders, loaded with comforts that were once inconceivable in commercial vehicles. That comes at a cost to practicality, though, and at times, it’s embarrassing. Like when you find out a 1996 Ford Falcon Ute can haul a bigger payload than a brand new 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500, for example.

Now, that’s not to call the Silverado a slouch. It’ll gladly tow up to 13,300 pounds if you spec the right engine and the Max Trailering Package. But it’s in the payload stakes that it falls behind. Most V8 models get a max payload of 2,080 pounds at best, with the four-cylinders doing a touch better at 2,260 pounds. If you’re lucky, you might find a rare regular cab with the long bed that can haul a snifter over 2,500 pounds.

For the 1996 Ford Falcon Ute, though, heavy loads are no problem. That might come as a surprise for a unibody vehicle that was ultimately based on an ancient family sedan. And yet, this simple, no-nonsense design could best the Silverado’s payload numbers, no sweat. All this from a vehicle that weighs 3,350 pounds soaking wet!

Unibody Hauler

Ford offered the 4.0-liter straight-six Ute with the popular One-Tonne spec in 1996, which, with an automatic, would gladly haul over 2555 pounds, no problem. That was all down to uprated leaf springs at the rear, along with beefed up dampers and heavy duty wheels and tires to take the extra weight. Ford also fitted a different brake proportioning valve to ensure predictable handling with heavy payloads.

Even better, the panel van configuration punched that figure up to 2580 pounds. The Outback variants posted similar numbers, even with raised suspension and a heavy bullbar fitted. Meanwhile, the basic Falcon ute still acquitted itself well. It offered a healthy 1807 pounds of payload, though the sporty XR6 variant dropped that to a more humble 1230 pounds.

Amusingly, the XH Falcon Ute wasn’t even a contemporary design in 1996. It was still based on the XD Falcon from 1979, even as the sedan and wagon models had been through seven new generations since. Ford merely threw some new front panels on, and its latest EFI six-cylinder under the hood, while making minimal changes to the rest of the vehicle.

Ford wasn’t the only one playing in this space. In fact, Holden was the one that invented the category in Australia with the famous “One Tonner” Kingswood cab chassis ute. First built in 1971, it survived until 1985, winning favor with tradies across the land for its heavy-duty build and undeniable practicality.

Holden would later try to recapture the magic with a version based on the VY Commodore in 2003. The unibody Commodore didn’t have a frame, so Holden had to find a way to graft a cab-chassis rear frame on to the back of the passenger cabin itself. It was undeniably cool, and lived up to its namesake rating with a mighty payload of over 2750 pounds. However, it proved too complicated and expensive to build for its limited sales. Production ended after just over two years and 4,482 units built. It wasn’t a great success given the $55 million Holden spent on development.

Comparison’s Sake

In fairness, a lot of this comes down to optimization. The Silverado has, by and large, enough payload to satisfy its customer base. Plus, it’s a far better tow rig than a humble Falcon ute, which could safely haul 5,000 pounds at best.

You don’t actually need a big heavy truck to carry big payloads. A simple lightweight unibody vehicle like the Falcon ute can do the job, it just needs the right supporting equipment to do so. Suspension is the main thing, as the springs need to be able to support the load. Wheels, tires, and brakes are also upgraded on models with higher payloads, and transmission coolers and low gearing are often key players, too.

As our own Jason Torchinsky has explored previously, you don’t even need much power. The tiny Mahindra Jeeto has a single-cylinder engine with just 16 horsepower. And yet, it can carry 1,543 pounds, more than some variants of the modern F-150. [Ed Note: It’s worth noting: Most U.S. manufacturers rate their U.S.-spec vehicles by guidelines established by the Society of Automotive Engineers, with SAE J2807 detailing the requirements for establishing towing capacities and Gross Combined Weight Rating. It’s not clear if the Australian Utes or Mahindra followed those guidelines. Nonetheless, these are the official ratings for these vehicles as communicated to customers, so it’s still cool to see how huge of a difference there is. Especially since so many Australians actually loaded these things up to capacity. -DT]

Indeed, for many modern trucks, you’re better off with the lighter variants if you want more payload. Going for a two-door regular cab along with two-wheel-drive and a light engine is usually the way to get the most carrying capacity, even if you’ll usually give up some towing capacity in turn. Fundamentally, extra seats, bigger engines, and more differentials all add weight that takes away from the total payload your truck is able to carry.

Just remember—next time you’re shopping for a new American truck, what you really want is an ancient Australian ute with an upgraded suspension package. You’ll be able to haul more sacks of grain, even if there’s nowhere for your kids or dog to sit. But hey, that’s the game we all play.

Image credits: Ford, Holden, Mahindra, Chevrolet