We put two pallets of concrete in the back of a box van one time. Both sitting right out back next to the door. That's a crap ton of weight sitting four feet behind the rear axle. I got in hit the gas and the front wheels came off the ground Very exciting trip to the shop.
In reply to DILYSI Dave:
I used to work at a supply yard, loading trucks. You need a 1 ton dump to fit 5 yards of anything. I get mulch, top soil and gravel on a fairly frequent basis from my local supply yard. Two yards is heaping in my dually.
That reminds me... I had 13 concrete parking curbs in the back of my 73 Impala Station wagon once.
She was hurtin'
this is what 2900 pounds (a little load) of steel makes my truck look like.. it actually sat higher than that, but it was sitting in a spot that has some funky grading too it. it was just about level on this trip and it rode like a caddy...
There's a thread on the pirate4x4 forum called big dumb loads, or something of the like, that I stumbled upon a few months back. Lots of arguing and dick swinging about what constitues a big dumb load, but there is also quite a bit of genuinely amusing content.