Truck Hauling & Material Guides

Practical, plain-English guides to hauling building and landscaping materials safely with a pickup truck — how payload limits actually work, how to read the numbers on your truck, and how to plan a load without overloading it.

• Payload vs. Towing Capacity: What's the Difference?

  Payload and towing capacity are not the same number. Here is what each one means, how GVWR and GCWR set the limits, and how to avoid overloading your pickup.

• How to Read Your Truck's Door-Jamb Payload Sticker

  Your truck's yellow door-jamb sticker lists the exact payload it can carry. Learn where to find it, how to read the numbers, and how to calculate your real available payload.

• Cubic Yards, Tons, and Bags: A Material Conversion Guide

  How to convert between cubic yards, tons, and bags for gravel, sand, soil, and mulch — with the density figures and formulas that make the math work.

• How Much Gravel Do You Need for a Driveway?

  Calculate how many cubic yards and tons of gravel a driveway needs, how many truckloads that is, and which base and top layers to use.

• What Happens If You Overload Your Truck?

  Overloading a pickup risks tickets, tire blowouts, brake failure, frame damage, and a voided warranty. Here is what actually happens and how to stay legal and safe.