A ton of wood pellets in the bed of a 1/2 ton?

[Loco-diablo]

I usually get the wood pellets for my pellet stove delivered right to my driveway, but was thinking about buying a ton somewhere other than where I normally get them and just going to pick them up myself to save the delivery charge.

I have a 2017 Silverado 1500 double cab, 5.3, Z71 midnight. 

Is a TON (pallet of 50 - 40lb bags) too much to be hauling in my bed? I don't want to overload the suspension. I'd be hauling the load about 14 miles.

[Squished]

Max payload is 2230 on that truck.  I say go for it.  Be sure the pallet is over the axle, strap it down and off you go.  I put close to 4800 in the bed of my 2009 2500HD before.  Truck didn't like it but it worked out OK.  Haven't tried the max on my 2015 yet though.

[L86 All Terrain]

Cake walk. Just push the load as far forward to the front of the box as humanly possible, to get some of that weight on your front end to help with weight distribution, don't load it to the back of truck.  

[m3n00b]

I did a well over a ton of tile and cement during my remodel. Truck was a little saggy but Lowe's is only a block from my house.

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[diyer2]

31 minutes ago, 10SierraA.T. said:

Cake walk. Just push the load as far forward to the front of the box as humanly possible, to get some of that weight on your front end to help with weight distribution, don't load it to the back of truck.  

This.

Not over the rear axle.

[redwngr]

If you can't get the load far enough ahead to not overload the rear, you could do 2 trips.

 

Fro GM order guide, 2017 double cab payload rating

2wd - 1890 lb

4wd - 1840 lb

But these numbers only available when shared between the front and rear axle.  

 

I've forklift loaded a bunch of pickups with bags on pallets and (as pointed out in posts above) getting the load far enough ahead was often a problem (since owners of newer trucks usually don't want the pallet slide on the bed floor)

 

Assuming your not hand bombing the bags , and depending on the forklift 'reach'  it might be helpful to take the tailgate off so the forktruck can get the pallet further in.

[Gary13]

Have a 2014, 1500. It tows a ton of pellets with no issue! 

[aseibel]

The truck will hold the load. just beware that you will either be riding on the bumper stops or very close. take it easy, especially over known bumps like railroad tracks. Plus it wouldn't hurt to make sure your tires are well inflated for the trip.

[2017_LTZ]

If you don't feel comfortable I say just rent out a Uhaul trailer and tow it.. but you should be ok having it on the bed...

[NWI Denali]

16 minutes ago, 2017_LTZ said:

If you don't feel comfortable I say just rent out a Uhaul trailer and tow it.. but you should be ok having it on the bed...

^this. 19.95 to rent a 5x8 uhaul trailer if you dont want to pay the delivery charge.

[wmgeorge64]

Ditto, and when they ask what your going to haul tell them a mattress.  I have had Rental places tell me whatever is too heavy and they won't rent to me.  BS.

[grizz_wi]

You are fine, I've hauled many tons with my 94 k1500 with 0 issues, wont have a issue with my 2017 i imagine.  my dad sells wood pellets you should see some of the vehicles we load 1 ton of pallets on lol. s10's, rangers, mini vans, etc

 

 

[nay327]

I say go for it, check my posts I’ve had a tote with close to 400 gallons of driveway sealer in the bed of mine and it was able to pull it fine.. it swayed a little in higher speeds and put me on the bump stops but it didn’t break anything so I say you’re fine. I have a 2016 rcsb 5.3/3.42 2wd


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[Donstar]

I use my 1/2 ton to haul many bulky items.  For the heavy, dirty or potentially damaging loads I use my 51 year old homemade utility  trailer.  If I didn't have this trailer, I wouldn't hesitate to rent a u-haul for such loads.

[Cowpie]

7 hours ago, Gary13 said:

Have a 2014, 1500. It tows a ton of pellets with no issue! 

It better or you would be wise to get rid of it.  It should be able to tow several tons with relative ease.