Forum Discussion
83 Replies
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.
They will and they are!
Look at the Mobile Suites forums. When I joined in late 2011 the vast majority of owners TV's were F450's. If you mentioned anything about a RAM you got the cold shoulder. Now most of the new purchases are RAM 3500's followed by GM's and the Ford's are far behind.- If I want to race then I will build a truck for that. I mean really. the only place racing should be going on is on a track. How many races you go to and see bone stock off the factory racing heads up? I would just take my '05 Cummins to the test if I wanted to beat the F450 towing 30,000.
It's really a tit for tat thing. All ram would have to do is put 4500 Acola's on and turn the Cummins up a little and then Ford would go back to the drawing board again. It's gotten a little silly now and it will get to the point the big "G" will start putting their foot down when every day Joes get in these big pullers and expect to just go down the road towing 30,000 like they are out on a Sunday drive and not know what they are doing and kill a few people. - I would agree with some who criticized the video's host -- unprofessional, grandstanding, and failed to ask useful questions of the Ford engineers. Further, that the host and his website organization would agree to such a biased test by Ford is not resume enhancing for them. Surely they could have asked for comparable trucks from each manufacturer and made some attempt at doing a fair independent test. Perhaps they didn't want the expense to pay for two drivers with CDL's.
Further, these racing tests between trucks hauling are only marginally useful. I have yet to see farmers/ranchers or RV'ers doing drag races pulling their loads.
I believe it is obvious that Ford builds a capable diesel truck. However, it does surprise me how many diesel trucks Ford sells, given the fact that their diesel trucks from 2003 through 2010 were problematic. The 6.0 was a disaster and the 6.4 was much better, but still not that great. To each his own, but personally, I would not buy a new Ford diesel, given their diesel history and their warranty denials. And I say that having owned two 1 ton big block gasser Ford vans, which gave me excellent service. Plus I seriously considered a Max Tow F150 Ecoboost -- an impressive truck for what it is, IMHO. larry barnhart wrote:
It seems like the Ram should be calling their 3500 a 4500 because of their desire to tow 30,000 lbs. That is a big load for a so called 1 ton truck. Of course it would mean no more whining from some guys.
chevman
So Larry, who's doing the whining? Which "guy's" are you targeting? I Have to admit, I don't think I've ever seen a Chevy D/A owner/crowd whining, they really have no reason to:)( unless one wants to bring up all the many, many recalls, but that wouldn't even stop me from purchasing another Chevy D/A truck)...But the lowly, "bottom of the barrel" Ram , manufacturers a great truck, worthy of praise and the Dodge/Ram guys come out in the open feeling good about it and they get slammed for finally getting a chance to brag on something...THEN, to "1 up" them, Ford throws a not in production yet, 2015 Ford 4500 with far more HP and slightly more TQ against a 14' Ram 3500 and we're not allowed to "whine" because of the difference in vehicles, no matter what the weight towing capacity is?
Guess it sounds fair to some, depending on how much one is loyal to the brand they drive and don't want others to feel good about what they own...It's a "win-win" for Chevy D/A, in my opinion, no matter outcome of test, it's a "win-win" for Ford due to the Ford test put on by Ford and both trucks driven by Ford employees, but, it appears it's a "lose-lose" for Ram owners, no matter what...if we brag, we get slammed, if we whine, we get slammed...kinda sad, I'm seeing it from a Dodge/Ram owners perspective now and have to admit, it makes me a stronger Ram advocate because so many Chevy/GM and Ford owners can't seem to stand Ram's little bit of glory for doing as well as they seem to be at this time in the light truck market...
...but as a buddy of mine states:, "Such is life as we know it":)- 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.
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.
Agree:)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.- It seems like the Ram should be calling their 3500 a 4500 because of their desire to tow 30,000 lbs. That is a big load for a so called 1 ton truck. Of course it would mean no more whining from some guys.
chevman - In their next test, Ford will run the F250 6.2L gasser with 4.30s against a Ram 1500 with the Pentastar3.6L V6 and 3.55s. :B
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...
