Ford F-250 Takes On Ram 2500, Silverado 2500HD In Tow-Off

Tow Off

With each passing model year, trucks tout higher and higher towing and payload ratings. It's gotten to the point where all of them are ridiculously capable, with numbers exceeding what most of their respective owners would ever dream of towing. Regardless, if you tow a lot with your truck, this recent comparison by Car & Driver between the Ford F-250, Ram 2500, and Silverado 2500HD is well worth the read.

Photos: Car & Driver

Serious Test

C&D took these three burly trucks out to Blanchard, Michigan, and hooked them up to a 16-ton drag sled to see just what they're made of. Yes, the same thing wildly modified trucks yank around in a traditional tractor pull. The sled is capable of being loaded with 12 1,800-pound lead bricks to bring just about anything to a halt, but in this test, only one was used.

Photos: Car & Driver

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Tough Test

Even with just one of those things loaded, the sled tips the scales at a weight that's at least double what all three of these trucks are rated to tow with their respective hitches. And since the test was conducted in the dirt and not on pavement, it won't hurt them - the tires will spin before the driveline is damaged.

Photos: Car & Driver

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Simple Concept

All three trucks were equipped with diesel engines and the most off-road capable tires available from the factory. Whichever pulled the sled the furthest would be declared the winner, just like a real tractor pull. The act of participating is rather simple, too - put the truck in four-low, nail the gas, and ride this pony as long as it'll go.

Photos: Car & Driver

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Close Contest

In the end, the Silverado came out on top by going 3.7 feet past a full pull - 303.7 feet in total. The F-250 was just behind it with a score of 296.4 feet, while the Ram stopped at the 281.4-foot mark. However, those scores don't quite tell the whole story, and there was just one little thing that kept the Ford from taking home the win here.

Photos: Car & Driver

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One Problem

The F-250 with Ford's 6.7-liter Power Stroke is the quickest diesel-powered truck C&D has ever tested. But achieving those numbers requires the truck to be placed in four-high and brake-torquing off the line to get a good launch. Ford doesn't allow that when the truck is in four-low, presumably to save the axle shafts from the engine's 1,050 pound-feet of torque, and that leads to a sluggish start in this contest.

Photos: Car & Driver

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Pleading for Change

"There's no doubt in our minds that with a little more oomph at the start, the F-250 would have made it to the finish line," C&D concludes. The Chevy, on the other hand, is capable of being brake-torqued from the start, which is what fuels its victory, despite making less power. With any luck, Ford will see these results and give the truck what it needs to be the better tractor puller, even if no one ever uses it as such.

Photos: Car & Driver

>>Join the conversation about the F-250 vs the competition right here in Ford-trucks.com.

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