'15 Ford F450 vs RAM 3500 HD Extreme Towing Review

Cummins12V98 wrote:
True. My POS Generals were 2/3 worn at 25k.

spoon059 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
The point is it takes a F450 to compete with RAM's 3500.

Fact is RAM has the SAE test to back up what they claim, does the Ford?

First of all, who cares what they call it? they are matching GCVWR to GCVWR. I believe the 3500 and F450 are both right around 30,500 lbs GCVWR. The badge on the side of the truck doesn't mean anything. Ram could call it a Pea Puller and Ford could call theirs a Fart Dragger... the name doesn't mean anything. What is important is GCVWR. Who gives a toot about the friggin name? I've never heard so much whining, and not just from the poster I quoted... this whole thread is nonsensical whining.

I also want to point out that in 2011 or 2012 (can't remember exactly), Toyota agreed to go by the SAE ratings to determine their tow ratings. Everybody on this board was giving excuses for why their truck didn't incorporate the SAE test and a lot of people were mocking the standard as a stupid test that doesn't show anything.

Now that Ram has subjected itself to the standard, suddenly it becomes a valid test? I don't quite understand.

For the record, I absolutely love what I am seeing out of Ram right now. The Ecodiesel looks promising (maybe not so much for RV towing), the 6.4 Hemi looks like its going to be an awesome engine and Ram in general has really stepped up reliability and perceived quality amongst buyers. I am not knocking Ram at all, just pointing out the mindless hyperbole and whining about names and testing standards.

mich800 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Bedlam wrote:
What's all the whining about running two equally matched GCWR trucks? For years I wondered why there is a SRW 250/2500 and 350/3500 when it could be one model with different payload packages. The same can said about the DRW 350 and 450 and even the chassis cab models could combine the 450/4500 with the 550/5500 to make just one model with different payload packages. Marketing and sales is determining where to make the cutoff and create additional models while the technology is the same. Those of you thinking this is an unfair match have fallen hook, line and sinker for the advertising. So get over it - Ford has a F350 and F450 in the segment where Ram only has the 3500 and GM has a 3500 that is only competitive with the F350.

The point is it takes a F450 to compete with RAM's 3500.

Fact is RAM has the SAE test to back up what they claim, does the Ford?

So you are stuck on the badge on the side of the truck and not the GVWR and tow ratings? Would this apply to the HD half tons that GM and Ford did in years past when the only real difference from the 3/4 tons was the sheet metal. Should they have been compared to the other half tons or 3/4 tons?

Huntindog wrote:

4x4ord wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I think it makes total sense to compare the F450 to the 3500 Ram. If I am wanting a truck to tow 30,000 lbs this is what these two manufacturers recommend. The engines and transmissions are designed different that to say they need to have identical rear end ratios seems foolish to me. I actually tow 30,000 lbs quite regularly with my 2011 srw and it seams to handle the weight well enough for my expectations. I have heavier trucks that I could use but my personal preference is to use the pick up for lighter loads like that.

So is the F450 cheaper in cost than the 3500 Ram? I don't know, just curious. If one wanted to tow 30,000#, there are quite a few trucks out there other than the Ram 3500 or the F450 to tow that weight with....Ford has bigger trucks, as does Ram, and of course there are MDT as well as HDH's that could do the job.

What Ford didn't offer was a matching F350 that could beat the Ram 3500...that's "usually" the way these test runs go, ie, 150's versus 1500's, 250's versus 2500's, 350 versus 3500's, But, new game and new rules instituted by Ford this year using a 2015 Ford F450.

I'll give both manufacturers one thing, they WERE using the right trucks for the right job, didn't overload either one of them...

The way I look at it is this:
First I decide what I need a truck for; then I go buy what fits the bill. If my main objective of the truck is to tow 30,000 lbs and I want to do it with a pick up: Ford is saying we designed a pick up for towing that trailer - we call a F450. Ram is saying we designed a truck for towing that weight - we call it a 3500. If the 3500 Ram can handle the load and is a significantly less expensive truck you'd think many people might choose a 3500 Ram over an F450.

One thing is for sure... At tire replacement time, the Dodge will be more affordable.
Replacing those 19.5s on the Fords gonna hurt.

rjstractor wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:
Believe they were in a class of their own...they had more GVWR than a "regular" 1500, but not as much as the same model year 2500'....so good example to give, but again, though tagged as a 1500HD, they could handle more weight than a 1500, but not as much as the 2500' (comparing same year to same year)...

Actually splittin' hairs here, but there were a couple of years I believe that the 2500 standard duty and the 1500HD had the same GVWR, just that the 1500HD was only available in a crew cab. I believe also the Mega Cab Dodge in 1500 config had the same running gear and GVWR as a 2500 reg cab in some years. FWIW, the Ram 3500 and F450 have the same 14000 GVWR, so ignoring the badge on the side they really are the same class of truck. There are so many examples of the truck badging being almost meaningless, you really have to look at the GVWR and payload to make an accurate comparison.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
The point is it takes a F450 to compete with RAM's 3500.

Fact is RAM has the SAE test to back up what they claim, does the Ford?

4x4ord wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I think it makes total sense to compare the F450 to the 3500 Ram. If I am wanting a truck to tow 30,000 lbs this is what these two manufacturers recommend. The engines and transmissions are designed different that to say they need to have identical rear end ratios seems foolish to me. I actually tow 30,000 lbs quite regularly with my 2011 srw and it seams to handle the weight well enough for my expectations. I have heavier trucks that I could use but my personal preference is to use the pick up for lighter loads like that.

So is the F450 cheaper in cost than the 3500 Ram? I don't know, just curious. If one wanted to tow 30,000#, there are quite a few trucks out there other than the Ram 3500 or the F450 to tow that weight with....Ford has bigger trucks, as does Ram, and of course there are MDT as well as HDH's that could do the job.

What Ford didn't offer was a matching F350 that could beat the Ram 3500...that's "usually" the way these test runs go, ie, 150's versus 1500's, 250's versus 2500's, 350 versus 3500's, But, new game and new rules instituted by Ford this year using a 2015 Ford F450.

I'll give both manufacturers one thing, they WERE using the right trucks for the right job, didn't overload either one of them...

The way I look at it is this:
First I decide what I need a truck for; then I go buy what fits the bill. If my main objective of the truck is to tow 30,000 lbs and I want to do it with a pick up: Ford is saying we designed a pick up for towing that trailer - we call a F450. Ram is saying we designed a truck for towing that weight - we call it a 3500. If the 3500 Ram can handle the load and is a significantly less expensive truck you'd think many people might choose a 3500 Ram over an F450.