Ford’s 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V8, the most torquey engine in the medium-duty truck segment upon its release, has been surpassed by the 2018 Ram 3500 HD’s new oil-burner. Displacing the same volume (6.7 liters), the Ram 3500’s Cummins diesel I6 now pumps out up to 930 lb-ft of torque to the Power Stroke’s 925 lb-ft, according to Fiat Chrysler Authority. That’s not an earth-shattering disparity, mind you, but it is technically more torque than the F-Series Super Duty can currently manage.
With that, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says that the torquey new Cummins I6 in the 2018 Ram 3500 HD will be able to tow up to 20,000 pounds with a conventional hitch, and pull a best-in-class 30,000 pounds with a fifth-wheel trailer. By comparison, the 2017 Ford F-350 with dual rear wheels is only rated to pull a fifth-wheel trailer weighing up to 27,500 pounds, although its conventional trailer rating of 21,000 pounds is still superior to the Ram.
All of this means that when it comes to “owning work,” there’s a new kid in town that can give Ford’s Class-3 F-Series Super Duty a real run for its money. Whether that affects the Super Duty’s status as the main truck of choice in nearly every industry imaginable in the United States remains to be seen.
Comment
What? Ford F 350 can tow 31,800 lb max but as a gooseneck. The 27,500 lb limit on a Ford is the HITCH limit. Not the tow limit on the truck itself. You should clarify such things when you write an article.
So Rams claim is a joke and anyone can buy a aftermarket hitch rated for 30K or 32K.