WHAT'S IN A NAME? More than you might think

The Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, a full-size truck, is a uniquely North American vehicle.

Jil McIntosh

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

You'd think trucks would be fairly simple: cab up front, box in behind. But there is still a lot to know.

You will discover many essential terms that describe trucks and their type of cab, the vehicle's rating and its capacities.

Truck sizes

The three Detroit-based automakers each make two sizes of truck: compact and full-size. Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon and Ford Ranger are compact trucks. Chrysler is alone with the Dodge Dakota, which is considered mid-size. All three make full-size trucks: Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra, Ford F-150, and Dodge Ram.

Unlike Japanese automakers, they also produce heavy-duty versions of the full-size trucks.

Two make trucks based on SUVs, but with pickup boxes: Chevrolet Avalanche and its upscale sibling Cadillac Escalade EXT, plus Hummer H3T; and Ford's Sport Trac, derived from Explorer.

Among Japanese manufacturers, Toyota produces the full-size Tundra and compact Tacoma, while Nissan makes the full-size Titan and compact Frontier. Mazda offers the B-Series, a rebadged version of compact Ford Ranger; Suzuki sells the Equator, a version of Nissan Frontier.

Honda offers Ridgeline, unique in the segment: it's unibody construction (all others are body-on-frame) and its all-wheel-drive system runs primarily in front-wheel.

Cab names

Pickup trucks are designated by the style of their cabs, but manufacturers often use their own terms.

Everyone uses Regular for the smallest cab, which has two doors and, depending on the seat, holds two or three passengers.

The next step up has four doors, but in two different configurations. On some, the rear doors are hinged in front; on others, they're hinged at the back, and the front doors must be opened before the back ones can be operated. Each company uses its own name: Ford Super Cab, Dodge Quad Cab, Chevrolet Extended Cab, Nissan King Cab, Toyota Double Cab and Mazda Cab Plus.

The largest have four full-size doors, all front-hinged and opening independently. All companies call them Crew cabs, although Ford prefers Super Crew, and Toyota uses CrewMax. Dodge also offers an extra-long crew cab – now only on its heavy-duty models – called Mega Cab.

The driveline

If a truck is two-wheel-drive (4x2 or 2WD), it's the rear wheels that get the power. Most are also offered in four-wheel-drive (4x4 or 4WD), with two types of systems. Part-time 4WD runs primarily in rear-wheel-drive, and you must activate the system, usually via a dial on the dash, to engage all four wheels. Depending on the truck, 4WD operation may be limited to driving on slippery or loose surfaces, and shouldn't be used on dry pavement (check the owner's manual).

Carrying capacity

Full-size trucks are rated by their tonnage – how much weight they can carry, which is also called the payload. Although modern trucks can haul more than their designation, the terms half-ton, three-quarter-ton and one-ton are used.

Only the Detroit automakers make trucks rated higher than the half-ton. The Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra are half-ton trucks.

GM and Dodge use the terms 1500 (half-ton), 2500 (three-quarter ton) and 3500 (one ton); Ford uses F-150, F-250 and F-350. One-ton trucks can be ordered in single- or dual-wheel, which puts two tires on each side of the rear axle.

The weight capacity, or payload, isn't just the cargo you put in the box. It's everything you put in the truck, including passengers and whatever you're carrying in the cab. The configuration makes a difference: the weight of bigger cabs and more options will cut into the available payload, with the base regular cab usually able to carry the most.

Towing capacity also depends on variables: the truck's configuration, the type of trailer hitch, and if the truck has a towing package, which can include heavier-duty components and a tow-specific rear axle.

Whether the cargo is in the box or pulled behind, it's important not to load the truck past its limits. Overloading strains the brakes, tires, suspension and steering components, and the truck won't stop or handle properly.

Luxury models

Once sold strictly as work vehicles, trucks can now be outfitted like many luxury cars. It's common to see side and curtain airbags, electronic stability control and tire pressure monitoring systems, along with specialized features such as trailer sway control, which helps to bring a trailer back in line if it starts to weave.

As with two-seater sports cars, make sure you can turn off the passenger side front airbag if you use a child seat in a regular cab pickup.

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