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F450 vs Ram 3500 DRW tow vehicle

___M4Lourenco
Explorer
Explorer
So the wife and I are moving to the full time RV lifestyle. We just purchased a 42' toy hauler this weekend, with a GVWR of 20K#. Now I'm looking at a tow vehicles. I'm considering either purchasing a new 2020 Ford or Ram, but leaning more towards the Ram, after doing some homework and my own research. Before I make my final decisions I wanted to hear the RV community opinions between these trucks. I greatly appreciate your comments.

Thank you!
113 REPLIES 113

FishOnOne
Nomad
Nomad
Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Ram DOES offer a F450 equivalent... its called the Ram 3500."

HA, so true!


HA, My statement still stands! :B
'12 Ford Super Duty FX4 ELD CC 6.7 PSD 400HP 800ft/lbs "270k Miles"
'16 Sprinter 319MKS "Wide Body"

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
^ Lol
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
"Ram DOES offer a F450 equivalent... its called the Ram 3500."

HA, so true!
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

blofgren
Explorer
Explorer
spoon059 wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Troll wrote:
If Ram would offer a F450 equivalent, you can bet your bottom dollar cummins12V98 would be all over it and would be touting all it's glory ever day on this forum.


Not a chance! WHY pay more for insurance and tires? I tow more than MOST anyone on here with zero issue!

36k combined with 6k pin=GOLDEN.

Ram DOES offer a F450 equivalent... its called the Ram 3500.


:B
2013 Ram 3500 Megacab DRW Laramie 4x4, 6.7L Cummins, G56, 3.73, Maximum Steel, black lthr, B&W RVK3670 hitch, Retrax, Linex, and a bunch of options incl. cargo camera
2008 Corsair Excella Platinum 34.5 CKTS fifth wheel with winter package & disc brakes

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
MikeRP wrote:


You can have a normal bed put on a Ram 4500 or 5500.


I checked into this when I was shopping for my current truck.
It has been done, but....... The bed needs to be stretched about 10". That is a totally custom mod, which equals EXPENSIVE.

I did see some pics online, and it looked good, but IIRC, the company that was doing them folded.
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
17.5LRH commercial tires
1860watts solar,800 AH Battleborn batterys
2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

Me_Again
Explorer II
Explorer II
FishOnOne wrote:
If Ram would offer a F450 equivalent, you can bet your bottom dollar cummins12V98 would be all over it and would be touting all it's glory ever day on this forum.



He could not get his job done with the lower carrying capacity of the F450 vs his 3500 RAM.
2021 F150 2.7 Ecoboost - Summer Home 2017 Bighorn 3575el. Can Am Spyder RT-L Chrome, Kawasaki KRX1000. Retired and enjoying it! RIP DW 07-05-2021

spoon059
Explorer II
Explorer II
Cummins12V98 wrote:
Troll wrote:
If Ram would offer a F450 equivalent, you can bet your bottom dollar cummins12V98 would be all over it and would be touting all it's glory ever day on this forum.


Not a chance! WHY pay more for insurance and tires? I tow more than MOST anyone on here with zero issue!

36k combined with 6k pin=GOLDEN.

Ram DOES offer a F450 equivalent... its called the Ram 3500.
2015 Ram CTD
2015 Jayco 29QBS

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
FishOnOne wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
If Ram would offer a F450 equivalent, you can bet your bottom dollar cummins12V98 would be all over it and would be touting all it's glory ever day on this forum.


Not a chance! WHY pay more for insurance and tires? I tow more than MOST anyone on here with zero issue!

36k combined with 6k pin=GOLDEN.



LOL... Yeah...OK... :W
m

Ok you got me! 450 has tighter turning radius. Not sure how I have gotten along
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

FishOnOne
Nomad
Nomad
Cummins12V98 wrote:
FishOnOne wrote:
If Ram would offer a F450 equivalent, you can bet your bottom dollar cummins12V98 would be all over it and would be touting all it's glory ever day on this forum.


Not a chance! WHY pay more for insurance and tires? I tow more than MOST anyone on here with zero issue!

36k combined with 6k pin=GOLDEN.



LOL... Yeah...OK... :W
'12 Ford Super Duty FX4 ELD CC 6.7 PSD 400HP 800ft/lbs "270k Miles"
'16 Sprinter 319MKS "Wide Body"

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
So 4x4ord has a point with the overall gearing (Trans od ratios and rear gears) and power the engine puts out.
But What he is actually saying is the 4.30 geared Ford doesn’t “need” that low of gears and there may be a small fuel consumption advantage to the taller gears when cruising empty. I doubt you’d see any measurable difference hooked up heavy. Any small efficiency on the engine end of lower rpms will still have to drive through taller finals.
Likely a wash.
My old Mega is a good example of what I’m saying above. Even with taller than stock tires, the shallow OD ratio puts it at 2000rpms just a little over 60 mph and cruising at 85mph is like 2600-2700 rpms. Truck will do it all day long but I’ve driven similar trucks with a deeper OD and it seems the fuel economy is not much different.
So many conditions affect fuel economy, the gearing is only a small part of the equation.

Regardless of what the president of the Ram mafia says, by the numbers a new 4.30 450 Powerstroke IS king of the hill right now on all fronts when it comes to capability.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
FishOnOne wrote:
If Ram would offer a F450 equivalent, you can bet your bottom dollar cummins12V98 would be all over it and would be touting all it's glory ever day on this forum.


Not a chance! WHY pay more for insurance and tires? I tow more than MOST anyone on here with zero issue!

36k combined with 6k pin=GOLDEN.

2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
^^^4.30 gears with the 7.3 would make more sense.
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
B&W Companion
2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5

NRALIFR
Explorer
Explorer
When Ford makes the F450 pickup available with the 7.3L Godzilla, that’s my next truck.

:):)
2001 Lance 1121 on a 2016 F450 ‘Scuse me while I whinge.
And for all you Scooby-Doo and Yosemite Sam types………..Let’s Go Brandon!!!

Geo_Boy
Explorer II
Explorer II
Don’t forget the new GM 4500, nice truck.

4x4ord
Explorer III
Explorer III
How heavy is the heavy RV you're talking about? If you're talking about a 34000 lb RV then yes a F450 with 4.30 gears is the truck for you. If you've got a 20,000 - 25000 lb RV the F350 with 3.55 gears is going to be a much better choice. The F450 with the 10 speed transmission runs out of cruising gears at 50-60 mph. The 2020 Powerstroke makes 320 hp at 1600 rpm and it only takes about 140 hp to pull a large rv down the highway at 70 mph. The F450 would be in 10th gear at 2000 rpm doing 70 mph.
2023 F350 SRW Platinum short box 4x4.
B&W Companion
2008 Citation Platinum XL 34.5