frame differences

It is a sales thing and nothing more. There is no federal standards on towing performance or true load capacity so Detroit has gotten kinda carried away with rating. If you follow guide line on some 1/2 ton they will be real slugs at times.  

i guess what im asking is are the older 1/2 tons really built as heavy or heavier than say a 1995 1500? and so on with the 3/4 and 1 tons.  

Yep yep.... Just look at the rear spring stack in a HD 1/2 ton of 70 and 80's and then a new one. Same with new 2500 and a 2500 of mid 80's. Same with 3500's too  

yeahi have noticed the new 1500's have weaker springs than my 92 toyota. they've really castrated trucks in the last 10 years.  

speaking of tow ratings my dad had a 1978 k10 with 36x14 ground hawgs and he pulled 12000lbs water tanks countless times many miles from farm to farm without any problem.  

I used to tow 23000 lbs grain trailers in late 70's with a stock 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4. Power was not really a issue. You were kinda traction limited starting load on on hot county tar roads you would start to tear up road when starting out in granny and take top 1/2 inch or so off road as tires looked to bite. The fun part was stopping. I had a brake failure on trailer once load and it just kinda pushed me thru a intersection in slow motion with all truck tires locked up and I could do nothing but ride it out.  

damn lol. i agree with what alot of people say. you cant beat the old heavy metal chevys because thats what they are: heavy and were built to do what a truck was meant to do. and do it alot better than new ones as far as im concerned.  

Most wheeler today do not even have a clue what "trucks" once where long ago before they civilized them to boost sales.  

yep and its a shame really. making them more like cars for the new york city slicker type.  

Heck I can remember a time when the family station wagon or sedan had full frames and could be had with a big block (all the brands too) and had some serious power and with right hitch they could have easily out towed most of today SUV's.  

your right with that. i have even heard talk of GM makin the tahoes and suburbans unibodys. that just aint right.  

i dont think you have really answered this but is there and strength differences or thickness differences between a 3/4 ton and a 1 ton frame or are they the same chassis with just different axles?  

Depends on year. Basically any difference there were was minor. From 73 to 87 GM 1 ton frames had a somewhat wider hat/top section on C channel but not a big difference. Latest models they are the same with GM anyway.  

so nothing to really make a difference as far as strength? and what year models had the best frames and what were they made of?  

Pre 88 truck frames being stronger and with pre 73 being slightly stronger in front and pre 67 GM truck frame really being built. GM is boxing frames on new 1500 now but they are using a thin alloy to do it and did it to reduce metal weight. I look for a lot of trouble with those frame when they get some age and rust on them. Box frames look cool on paper and for some apps but old heavy C channel frames are tuff, flexible and forgiving.