AutoGuide two thousand fifteen Strenuous Duty Truck Comparison

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Automakers love to play the numbers game, especially when it comes to big trucks. A latest spat inbetween Ram and Ford spotted both companies claiming the “best-in-class” towing title for their respective mighty duty pickups like kids in a sandbox arguing over who has the better castle.

Sure, specifications are significant, but they only tell a part of the story. And in the case of heavy-duty trucks, they only tell a fraction of the story. The common thought is higher numbers equal better spectacle, but the key and indeed the most significant consideration to any strong hauler is what it actually feels like when you’re towing. There is nothing worse than 20,000 pounds – or more – of steel rolling down the road feeling like it’s out of control.

In partnership with the Canadian Truck King Challenge, we tested each of the big three HD pickup trucks for 2015. To be clear, it wasn’t an empty parking lot test that consisted of determining which truck has the best cup holders. We loaded toughly Four,000 lbs of shingles into the bed of each truck the very first day, while the 2nd day consisted of pulling 15,000-pound fifth wheels and a utter day of driving. We also had fuel economy loggers hooked into the ODB II port for the entirety of the testing to see exactly how much diesel it takes to get the job done.

But the real joy took place at the haul de-robe. Yes, you read that right: haul unclothe! We sent each of these trucks down the haul de-robe, trailers in tow, to get the real story on acceleration. And the results may surprise you, so read on to see how each truck fared.

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I am not a powerful duty truck fan by all means but if I had my choice, I would lightly pick the Sierra three thousand five hundred Denali which I feel is the best looking truck on the outside.

I’ll take that Ram any day of the week… or year.

Yes, back in 2004, those fold-down center armrests needed to be big enough to guzzle a laptop. but today…

Is there any reliable ‘reliability’ data on these trucks? CR doesn’t truly do much on the Three/Four and 1-tons.

Who paid them off for these results? No-one I know would Take a GM much less a Ford in this category over a Dodge….None are as reliable, nor are as capable. Looks like pay for propeganda to me.

You haven’t driven one have you? Go do the right thing them come back and let us know how you messed up here.

Best looking doesn’t define a truck

Strange how they base so much on 1/Four mile speed and acceleration. Trucks aren’t meant to be sports cars. The truck that works hardest for the longest time with minimum repairs is the truck I want. Also not all fresh motors break in at the same time. Will the Ram get better mileage after 10-20 thousand miles…. you bet.

Evidently the Ram didn’t have the Aisin transmission & the Ford wasn’t a dually. What a strange way to do a comparison.

Pick up the best looking woman and find something draping inbetween her gams LOL

For a lot of people, they buy vehicles base on looks and I am one of those people regardless if it is a truck or a car. What is it to you if I or other people like a vehicle base on looks? That should not be your concern. It is people’s money and they spend it anyway they want.

All of these trucks have weaknesses but if you are pleased enough with it, regardless if it is best in class or not, then so hammer it.

We all would like the best truck to also look good. I’m just telling it’s truly not a good idea to base your purchasing decision with looks being on top.

You misunderstood. I could care less if the Sierra was third or 2nd place. That was not the reason I like the looks of it because it was very first place. I simply like the way the truck looks, that’s all. All of these trucks looks good in this comparison test but I just like the looks of the Sierra better. Now do you get what I am telling.

That’s because it will very likely be in the shop being stationary…

You can have it…in fact, if I still had mine (2500), I’d gladly give it to you so you could find out very first arm how unreliable and porous they are…my driveway may never be the same again.

Why were the RAM and GM the luxury models and the FORD the base model, The KING RANCH is utterly quiet to drive .

No they are not sports cars, however quarter mile times are a good way to compare how well the trucks will get up to freeway speeds and that is an significant factor for many truck buyers.

Last year, I desired a fresh truck for a journey to Florida from Oregon, about Three,600 road miles one way, plus add another Two,600 for a round tour from Florida to Tennessee – all while pulling a travel trailer. The trailer weighs, on the Oregon free logger’s scales, just over 9,000, fully loaded. The combination weighed 17,700 truck, trailer, contents in the bed of the truck, total fuel, etc.

I set out to buy a Ford because of unfortunate prior practices with Dodge (superb engine with a crappy truck built around it) and did not originally consider GM/Chevy as a contender. I dreamed a Three/Four ton strenuous, squad cab, luxury model – I am seventy two and spoiled.

Ford just would not deal. Was a cash purchase with no trade and Ford suggested $Four,000 off MSRP and would not budge after that. When Ford was not reasonable on the money issue, I went to Dodge. Truck sat so high that my wifey, who is handicapped, could not get into it.

In despair, I went to Chevy. They came over $11,000 off MSRP. They also modified the inwards of the truck on the passenger side to accommodate my wifey’s handicap. Figured, what the h_ _ _, buy it, make the tour and come back and trade for the Ford when back home – if Ford would come off their high pony. Bought the Chevy two thousand five hundred HD Duramax, white squad cab, brief box. Had the truck one year last in late September. Just over 29,000 miles in thirteen months. DEF perturbs me as a royal ache in the back side and the Regeneration Cycle seems to come at the most inopportune times – but those are the fault of the EPA and not Chevy. Reminisce, one of the seven good lies: “Hi, I am from the government and I am here to help you.”

I can’t believe how well the truck performed. Steep grades in Nevada out of Searchlight going towards Laughlin – if memory serves, six % up for about five miles and six % down for about six miles. Very first time to indeed test the harass brake/Allison transmission braking and in a word “”WOW”.

My prior tow vehicle was a Freightliner FL60 with a Fuller autoshift and a PacBrake harass brake. Just about worthless unless RPM near the crimson line. Expected the same thing with the Chevy. Wrong. Even at fairly low RPM, the Chevy harass brake, coupled to the Allison transmission, way exceeded my expectations. Put myself partially through college driving long haul, flatbedding and a big fan of a manual “jake” or Jacobs Compression Brake. The Chevy was not by hand managed, other than on or off, but it performed very well.

Went up the steep grades towing the trailer and loaded. I could hold fifty MPH without going near the redline and most likely could have held fifty five MPH going uphill if I had floored it. For me fifty MPH was just fine, especially when I had peddle left if needed. Got into my direct drive gear but did not have to gear down except on a few steep approaches. I have an Edge Insight and it gives me a superb deal of information, like gear I’m in, turbo boost, RPM, torque, tranny temp, engine coolant temp and so forward. It’s my truck, so why manhandle it?

I was entirely comfy with the stream and single wheel drive Trio:73 gears. It performed brilliantly and I have forgotten about Ford. Love the Chevy Duramax and it has proven to be a fine performer. Oh, did I mention that I got 15.7 MPG east of the Mississippi on vapid ground loaded and towing? I would have been thrilled with 12. My two thousand four Ford F-350 diesel got eleven MPG loaded with a similar trailer.

Bad mouth Chevy all you want. I never possessed a Chevy before and now think maybe I made a mistake all those years when driving Fords.

My foot excursion into Dodge was OK, but as I said, a fine engine with a crappy truck built around it. Silver paint peeled off the Dodge and looked harsher than a cob, and the Getrag transmission had too big a gap inbetween 3rd and 4th gears. In the cab of the Dodge I thought maybe you could throw a dead cat through the crack inbetween the driver’s side door and the front of the truck on the hinge side. Made for a excellent breeze in the summer but a little cold and raw in the winter in Oregon. Still, it would pull – in any gear except fourth. Weather unwrapping from a home improvement store immobilized the air leak, somewhat.

In any event, bad mouth Chevy if you will, but you’ll get my truck away from me when you pry it from my cold dead palms.

I hear you but the differences aren’t as significant as these reviews make them. More significant is can the truck pull reliably without overheating… particularly the automatic transmission, over hills and in the fever. And even more importantly how long will it do this without displaying signs of stress. We don’t care so much as to how rapid it is if it doesn’t hold up over the long term. In addition, who wants a truck that has so much crap jammed in under the spandex hood it’s a nightmare to work on? RAM and Cummins knows what is significant and have been proving it.

The Ram Cummins with the fresh Aisin and the Duramax/Allison combo are both terrific trucks.

Each have their pros and cons, it’s just a matter of opinion which set of pros and cons best suits your needs.

I like both of them, and for me a GMC Denali was several thousand less than a comparable Limited that factor, the collision alert system, and the fact that is has better acceleration give it an edge for me even tho’ I like the Ram interior much better.

I guess everyone has a different opinion of working under the fetish mask, mine is, I am not going to do anything more than switch the oil and check the fluids for the very first 100K miles anyway.

And by then if not well before I’m going to want the latest truck with more power and all the fresh features.

Because that is what FORD sent them to test.

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