Source: Ford
Truck lovers crave strength, power, and dependability. It’s around those three factors that auto makers have focused their efforts in crafting the new breed of the world’s toughest pickups. Powerful trucks are mostly an American phenomena — although there are some foreign competitors with impressive models on the market. But for the most part, the combination of Chevrolet, GMC, Ram, and Ford satisfy most of the country’s cravings for pickup trucks.
When it comes to power in particular, American trucks simply can’t be beat. There are plenty of reasons people buy large and strong trucks — whether it be for work, fun, or both. No matter the reason, a great deal of those shopping in the heavy-duty pickup segment are looking to increase their ability to do one thing: pull heavy things around.
That’s where this list comes in.
Here, we take a look at the top ten pickup trucks on the market, ranked by their conventional towing capacity. Basically, this means how much weight these trucks can pull with a standard towing package. There are other methods and configurations for towing, but for the purposes of this list, we’re sticking with conventional means. Had we included other methods, the Ram 3500 and Ford F-450 Super Duty — which can hit over 30,000 pounds with specialized towing configurations — would’ve taken the cake. We also excluded commercial-grade trucks, and stuck to pickups in the consumer segment.
Read on to see the top ten pickups for conventional towing.
source: Chevrolet
10. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
In the lightest class on the list, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 outshines its competitors — albeit barely. This Silverado can haul up to 12,000 pounds — a mere 700 more pounds than its closest rival, the Ford F-150. Naturally, there are a number of trim levels available, the strongest of which is outfitted with 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine that makes up to 420 horsepower. Along with that comes 460 pound-feet of torque, more than enough to get hauling.
Source: Chevrolet
9. Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
Stepping things up from the 1500 to the 2500, the Silverado truly enters heavy-duty territory. The Silverado 2500HD has the capacity to tow up to 13,000 pounds by conventional means, all behind the power of a 6.6-liter turbo-diesel engine. The 2500HD is undeniably powerful — capable of making up to 765 pound-feet of torque. It also has a payload of 3,760 pounds, adding even more glitter to the Silverado’s image.
Source: General Motors
8. GMC Sierra 2500HD
Just like its cousin the Silverado, GMC’s Sierra also gets a considerable boost in power when jumping up a class. The Sierra 2500HD has the ability to hitch up and tow up to 14,000 pounds, a full thousand more than its Silverado counterpart. Its payload is identical, however, coming in at 3,760 pounds. With 765 pound-feet of torque and 397 horsepower, the 6.6-liter turbo-diesel engine is more than enough to get most jobs done.
Source: Ford
7. Ford F-250 Super Duty
The lowest class in the Ford Super Duty lineup, the F-250 can tow 14,000 pounds. That’s a notable increase from the 11,300 or so pounds that the F-150 can manage, and matches up with the Sierra 2500HD, outpacing the Silverado 2500HD. The F-250 gets there with the brawn of a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo-diesel engine, which can make up to 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque.
Source: Ram
6. Ram 3500
The Ram 3500 is an interesting case. It can tow a considerable amount using conventional methods, up to 17,000 pounds. Although that figure is not listed as an official statistic on the Ram site, other resources all have that figure as the official limit. But in overall towing capacity, it is one of the most powerful trucks on the planet, with the ability to drag 30,000 pounds. However, since we’re measuring by conventional means, the Ram 3500 only earns the number six spot on the list. There are a number of reasons for this, and a design flaw has been blamed by some for the discrepancy.
Source: Ram
5. Ram 2500
In a surprising result, the Ram 2500 has actually been shown to be able to out-perform its larger brother in conventional towing capacity. The 2500 can haul up to 17,870 pounds in total weight, putting it above the 3500′s 17,000. The 2500, like the 3500, uses a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo-diesel engine to generate 370 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque, giving Dodge a formidable pickup in the battle for strength supremacy.
Source: Ford
4. Ford F-450 Super Duty
There is a bit of a bottleneck toward the top of the list, as it becomes clear that something of an arms race exists between Ford and General Motors. In this case, the Ford F-450 Super Duty comes up a bit short, although with a conventional towing capacity of 18,500 pounds, it’s certainly nothing to turn your nose up at. Like the F-250 further down the list, the F-450 uses a powerful 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8 engine to get the job done, making up to 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque.
Source: Ford
3. Ford F-350 Super Duty
Statistically speaking, the Ford F-350 Super Duty is identical to its bigger brother, the F-450. Together, both use that same turbo-diesel engine, the 6.7-liter to be exact, to grind out a pulse-quickening 800 pound-feet of torque. Again, the F-350 can tow up to 18,500 pounds — a figure respectable in its own right — but still comes up short of a couple competitors.
Source: Chevrolet
2. Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
Tied at the top of the list is the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD. This is the range-topping truck for the Silverado line, and the newest generation leading into 2015 is due to be the most powerful pickup yet from Chevy. How powerful are we talking, exactly? Well, the 3500HD can tow up to 19,600 pounds using conventional mean with a Duramax 6.6-liter turbo-diesel V8 engine. Not too shabby. The 765 pound-feet of torque make all the difference, and the added figure of 7,374 pounds for a maximum payload only adds to the 3500HD’s appeal.
Source: GMC
1. GMC Sierra 3500 Denali HD
General Motors really is upping the ante, not only adding more power to the Silverado 3500HD, but matching its statistics with the Sierra line’s most powerful pickup, the 3500 Denali HD. This is an upgraded version of the standard Sierra 3500HD, and along with the added flair comes a tad bit of extra towing ability. Like the Silverado 3500HD, this Sierra can handle 19,600 pounds, tying both for the top spot on the list — for now.
