F450 vs Ram 3500 DRW tow vehicle

[___M4Lourenco]

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!

[Threebigfords]

Explain to me how that's at all clear??

Have you driven one? Nothing pulls a heavy RV better.

[4x4ord]

^^^ I agree the F450 is an amazing tow rig but not necessarily best in all regards. I think for 2020 Ford put larger rotors on the F450 so maybe now it can stop like a Ram but in previous years the larger rotor equipped Ford couldn't stop in nearly the same distance as a Ram 3500. And the 4.30 axle in the 2020 f450 clearly puts it at a disadvantage over a 2020 f350 with 3.55 gears for an RV hauler.

[Threebigfords]

The 2020 F450 is hands down the best truck on the market right now for towing.

Just try to find one for sale. Word has gotten out. The numbers of folks jumping ship from GM and Ram is growing exponentially on my F450 group page.

All for good reason. Best power numbers, best brakes, best tire/wheel combo for towing heavy, best transmission, best turning radius....the list goes on.

The other trucks aren't bad trucks at all, but if you want the pinnacle of trucks right now, it's definitely the F450.


Oh...and what's all this nonsense about towing heavy is better with 3:55 gears? The 4.30's in the F450 are perfect with the new 10 speed and the great power from the powerstroke...just under 2000 rpm at 70 mph with that triple overdrive is perfect for a tow vehicle.

[FishOnOne]

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.

[Wayfarer]

What about bed height? Does the 19.5 inch tires and the beefier frame of the F-450 cause it to sit higher than a 350 series truck. My 2015 Ram dually sits almost too high as it is for my 5th wheel.

Do the newer Rams have a better trailer brake set up? I can set up my factory brake controller to the max setting and am still not able to lock up my 5th wheel wheels. Reading the blogs I know I am not the only one to complain about the trailer brake controller. Perhaps the F-450 has a better controller which to me would be an important consideration. I've never driven a Ford or Chevy/GMC dually pulling a trailer so I don't know how their brake controllers work.

[Cummins12V98]

NRALIFR wrote:
That was my experience as well when I bought my current truck.

I had a 2010 F450 King Ranch to trade, that we both loved except for the 6.4, so we were looking at KR F350 and 450 pickups. I recall that the price difference was less than $3000, and as far as I was concerned what I got for that 3K was well worth it. 19.5’s, bigger brakes, higher rated axles, tighter turning radius.

Maybe I SHOULD have bought the F350 instead, put 19.5’s on it, and just wished it had the rest.

Don’t need bigger brakes??? I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that. You don’t need them till you do! I’m always amused when someone tries to tell me what I NEED. In the end, only one of us is willing to write the check for MY needs. Thanks anyway, tho. ***Flush***

:):)

I would say your 450 should handle your Truck Camper better than the 350. Big 5er not worth it IMHO.

[NRALIFR]

That was my experience as well when I bought my current truck.

I had a 2010 F450 King Ranch to trade, that we both loved except for the 6.4, so we were looking at KR F350 and 450 pickups. I recall that the price difference was less than $3000, and as far as I was concerned what I got for that 3K was well worth it. 19.5’s, bigger brakes, higher rated axles, tighter turning radius.

Maybe I SHOULD have bought the F350 instead, put 19.5’s on it, and just wished it had the rest.

Don’t need bigger brakes??? I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that. You don’t need them till you do! I’m always amused when someone tries to tell me what I NEED. In the end, only one of us is willing to write the check for MY needs. Thanks anyway, tho. ***Flush***

:):)

[4x4ord]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Certainly didn't need a 450 for your 20k RV. My thought is you gained bigger brakes but NOT needed and tighter turning radius that honestly is not a reason to spend that much more $$$.

I agree that for most the extra braking is not needed but the cost difference is really not much more for an f450 vs the F350 dually or SRW for that matter. An F450 Platinum prices out at about $88150 vs the F350 Platinum dually at about $85K and the SRW short box at about $84300.

[Cummins12V98]

Certainly didn't need a 450 for your 20k RV. My thought is you gained bigger brakes but NOT needed and tighter turning radius that honestly is not a reason to spend that much more $$$.

[4x4ord]

^^^ Your fuel economy is similar to my 2017 SRW pulling a little lighter trailer. From what I hear the 2020 Powerstroke is getting significantly better fuel economy than the outgoing engine. It really would be interesting to see how much less fuel you would have gone through had you had 3.55 gears. Nebraska tractor tests have shown that slowing a diesel engine down by 20% and gearing up for lighter loads saves between 15 and 30% on fuel. I really think Ford should offer us a choice of diff ratios in the f450 .... especially now that the engine is capable of cranking out 320 hp at 1600 rpm.

[Grit_dog]

4x4ord wrote:
Yup. My 2017 Torqueshift 6r140 has a reverse ratio of 3.12 mated to a 3.55 rear end and 34" tires. The 10 speed has a reverse ratio of 4.7:1 so even if I stick with a SRW I'm not going to be backing trailers up at 35 mph much longer.

lol!

[Bad_Brad]

I just went from a 2008 F350 SRW to a 2020 F450 in July. I'll do my best not to be biased, but in all honesty, I'm totally excited!! FYI, I really needed a new truck with additional capacity as my trailer is a 2018 Grand Design Momentum 394. Fully loaded, I'm very near 20,000 with pin weight of 4300. While my F350 had plenty of power, I was pegged on the RWAW without carrying water in the trailer and it didn't feel stable at all. A new truck, DRW, was definitely the right thing, the safe thing to do.

As for the F450, the selling points was the 1050/450 6.7 Diesel, 10 speed trans, excellent turning radius, and big brakes...hence the 19.5" rims. My experience thus far...

Here in Utah, I've pulled and descended what are most widely recognized as the two craziest canyons in the State of Utah, Parley's Canyon and Fairview Canyon. I was fully loaded going both up and down both canyons. I never ran out of power on either...no problem staying the speed limit or better. I was able to descend the canyons just as easy. The engine brake/tow haul setup had no issue holding back 20,000 lbs to whatever speed I set it at. Honestly, I'm totally impressed as my 2008 always had me somewhat nervous whenever I was pulling...trying to keep the speed uphills or keep everything under control when coming down hill.

Driving the truck without something super heavy attached to it isn't enough. The F450 is built to tow big stuff, it's built to work. It does this exceptionally. As far as the 4.3 gears, I'm getting between 15-18 mpg in and around town depending on how often I have to start stop and 8.8 mpg towing. The truck only has 3300 miles on it, I'm guessing it will get better as the engine gets broken in. BTW, the towing mpg was hand calculated during a trip from Utah to Mount Rushmore.

Sorry for the long read. Just trying to give you all the information needed for a good decision. Hope you can get a chance to try one out with a good load behind it.


Regards,

-Brad

[4x4ord]

Yup. My 2017 Torqueshift 6r140 has a reverse ratio of 3.12 mated to a 3.55 rear end and 34" tires. The 10 speed has a reverse ratio of 4.7:1 so even if I stick with a SRW I'm not going to be backing trailers up at 35 mph much longer.

[Grit_dog]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
If I was going to get a Ford dually I would really wrestle with the f450. On the one hand I like the wide track front axle and 19.5 inch rims but on the other hand the 4.30 gear ratio would probably end up being a deal breaker for me even with the 10 speed. The Powerstroke has 1050 lbft of torque at 1600 rpm, Most rvers would be better off with 3.55 gears and settle for the f350 dually rather than have to run the 4.30 gears that come in the f450.

I am thinking as you are an "Alberta Guy" a RAM would look best wrapped around you.

If there was a like button I’d use it on this post! Lol

4x4ord, I agree with you. Be tough to back up at 35mph if the rear gears are too deep!

[Cummins12V98]

4x4ord wrote:
If I was going to get a Ford dually I would really wrestle with the f450. On the one hand I like the wide track front axle and 19.5 inch rims but on the other hand the 4.30 gear ratio would probably end up being a deal breaker for me even with the 10 speed. The Powerstroke has 1050 lbft of torque at 1600 rpm, Most rvers would be better off with 3.55 gears and settle for the f350 dually rather than have to run the 4.30 gears that come in the f450.

I am thinking as you are an "Alberta Guy" a RAM would look best wrapped around you.