Gary RV_Wizard said:
look at the Tire and Capacity placard on the door frame? It would have told you exactly how much that particular truck (tire) can carry, (payload of CCC).
Yes, that is the max weight
that vehicle (with those tires) is designed and warranted to carry under average driving conditions by the manufacture. But it can actually structurally safely exceed that amount for a limited time and under certain conditions.
As far as the law goes, the Yellow sticker can be removed from a private vehicle, you can legally modify any "non-commercial use vehicle" to carry any load you want. You can cut the frame, extend it, add axles if you want, (as done on many motorhomes) Only if it is viewed as an unsafe vehicle by a cop is it ever considered "Illegal". (usually enforced by tire limits). A commercial truck is different, the registered weight limit is the max limit, anything over that you can not drive it on the roads. (for tax reasons, not safety)
Tire load rating is the most important thing, (remember the Ford Explorer fiasco ?) Change the wheels tires, add overload springs etc... and you can (legally) improve your safe load carrying ability. (in conjunction with good driving skills

).
Why buy a 3500 series pickup truck, when it would be nice to have one for a 2 week vacation every year ?