Reference chart
Truck Payload Capacity Chart
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Quick answer
Payload is everything the truck carries: passengers, cargo, accessories, the hitch, and the trailer's tongue or pin weight. The chart shows each model's best-case payload, what remains after two adults (370 lb) and 150 lb of gear, and the loaded trailer weight that remainder supports at a 13% tongue weight. Your own truck's payload is on its door label, and it is usually lower than the figure here.
Highest recorded payload by model
| Model | Years in database | Highest payload | Left after 2 adults + gear | Supports trailer at 13% tongue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-350 | 2020–2024 | 7,650 lb | 7,130 lb | ≈54,800 lb |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD | 2020–2024 | 7,200 lb | 6,680 lb | ≈51,400 lb |
| GMC Sierra 3500HD | 2020–2024 | 7,200 lb | 6,680 lb | ≈51,400 lb |
| Ram 3500 | 2020–2024 | 6,570 lb | 6,050 lb | ≈46,500 lb |
| Ford F-250 | 2011–2024 | 4,050 lb | 3,530 lb | ≈27,200 lb |
| Ram 2500 | 2020–2024 | 4,010 lb | 3,490 lb | ≈26,800 lb |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD | 2020–2024 | 3,530 lb | 3,010 lb | ≈23,200 lb |
| GMC Sierra 2500HD | 2020–2024 | 3,530 lb | 3,010 lb | ≈23,200 lb |
| Ford F-150 | 2004–2025 | 3,315 lb | 2,795 lb | ≈21,500 lb |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 2007–2024 | 2,060 lb | 1,540 lb | ≈11,800 lb |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 2009–2024 | 2,060 lb | 1,540 lb | ≈11,800 lb |
| Nissan Titan | 2004–2024 | 2,000 lb | 1,480 lb | ≈11,400 lb |
| Toyota Tundra | 2007–2024 | 1,940 lb | 1,420 lb | ≈10,900 lb |
| Ram 1500 | 2009–2024 | 1,880 lb | 1,360 lb | ≈10,500 lb |
| Jeep Gladiator | 2020–2024 | 1,710 lb | 1,190 lb | ≈9,200 lb |
| Toyota Tacoma | 2021–2024 | 1,705 lb | 1,185 lb | ≈9,100 lb |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 2015–2024 | 1,684 lb | 1,164 lb | ≈9,000 lb |
| GMC Canyon | 2015–2024 | 1,640 lb | 1,120 lb | ≈8,600 lb |
| Ford Maverick | 2022–2024 | 1,500 lb | 980 lb | ≈7,500 lb |
| Ford Ranger | 2019–2024 | 1,430 lb | 910 lb | ≈7,000 lb |
| Nissan Frontier | 2022–2024 | 1,430 lb | 910 lb | ≈7,000 lb |
Payload figures are the highest recorded for any year and configuration of that model in this site's database. The last two columns are arithmetic: payload minus 370 lb of passengers and 150 lb of gear, then divided by 0.13. They are a best case for comparison, not a rating.
Your door label, not the chart
Most manufacturers publish payload only as a "maximum available" figure for the lightest suitable configuration; a few, such as Toyota for the Tundra and Ram for the Tradesman, publish it by grade or cab. The payload of your specific truck is on the tire and loading information label in the driver's door opening, on the line "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed…". Options fitted at the factory are already deducted from that figure.
Everything that comes out of payload
People, pets, tools, fuel cans, bed toppers, aftermarket bumpers, winches, roof racks, the weight-distribution hitch, and the trailer's tongue weight all draw on the same number. Accessories bolted on after the truck left the factory are not on the door label, so subtract them yourself using the weight the accessory maker lists.
How the trailer column is calculated
The final column takes the model's best-case payload, subtracts 370 lb for two adults (the CDC's measured average US man and woman) and 150 lb for gear, treats the remainder as available tongue weight, and divides by 0.13 to get the loaded trailer weight that produces it. Carry more people or more gear and the supported trailer weight falls quickly: every 100 lb aboard costs about 770 lb of trailer.
Payload is not the only carrying limit
GVWR caps the whole loaded truck; GAWR caps each axle separately. Because tongue weight lands on the rear axle, the rear GAWR can be exceeded while total payload still looks fine. Both are on the certification label. Weigh each axle, not just the total, when the numbers are close.
Worked example
Worked example (hypothetical): reading a door label correctly
A crew-cab half-ton with a door label reading 1,780 lb, fitted after purchase with a bed cover, running boards and a winch bumper. The accessory weights are assumed; use the weights their makers list.
| Line item | Weight | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Door label payload | 1,780 lb | Factory options already deducted |
| Bed cover | −60 lb | Added after purchase |
| Running boards | −70 lb | Added after purchase |
| Winch bumper and winch | −180 lb | Added after purchase |
| Effective payload today | 1,470 lb | What the truck can still carry |
| Two adults and gear | −520 lb | 370 lb people, 150 lb gear |
| Available for tongue weight | 950 lb | Supports about a 7,300 lb trailer at 13% |
Three accessories removed 310 lb, about 17% of the label, and with it roughly 2,400 lb of supportable trailer weight. The door label is a starting point, not a running total.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my truck's payload capacity?
On the tire and loading information label in the driver's door opening. It states the combined weight of occupants and cargo that must not be exceeded for that specific vehicle.
Does tongue weight count against payload?
Yes. Tongue weight or fifth-wheel pin weight presses down on the tow vehicle and uses payload exactly like passengers and cargo.
Why is my payload lower than the chart?
The chart lists the best-case configuration. Cab, bed, drivetrain, trim and options all change payload: Toyota's 2024 Tundra brochure runs from 1,940 lb on an SR5 4x2 down to 1,485 lb on its lowest-payload configuration. Accessories added after purchase reduce it further.
Can I increase payload with airbags or stronger springs?
No. Those change ride height and how the truck carries the load, but the payload, GVWR and GAWR on the labels are set by the manufacturer and do not change.
Further reading
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