Water IS a load - 8.33 lbs/gallon. I offered my truck as a support vehicle for the walk that I take my member name from - back in '95-96. I hauled (well my poor truck did) two full 55 gallon plastic water drums, plus four full 6 gallon cans, then filled the rest of the bed up with firewood, and packs on top of that. I loaded the bed until the rubber stops got to one inch from the axles, and that was my limit. Drove (in little segments) from Oklahoma to Santa Barbara, CA that way, lol. Three months. In fact near the end of the walk, another support vehicle - a full-size Dodge van - broke down as we made our way over the mountains above Santa Barbara. To all the above, I attached a tow strap and hauled the fully-loaded van up and over the mountain. I had to put it in 4wd low range to get the poor clutch to engage - but that little truck did the trick. Great truck.