Ep. 308: Which Heavy Duty Truck Is King? Ram vs Ford vs GM!
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Concept
heavy duty trucks
Heavy duty trucks are stronger and built to carry heavier loads than regular trucks. They're often used for big jobs like construction or towing large trailers.
Car
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a big truck from Chevrolet. It's built for heavy work and comes with many options to suit different needs.
Car
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and is great for work or outdoor adventures. People like it because it's tough and lasts a long time.
Car
Ford F150
Car
Ram 1500
The Ram 1500 is a large truck from Ram. It's designed to be comfortable and can tow heavy things, making it great for work and everyday use.
Term
heated steering wheel
A heated steering wheel is a feature that warms up the steering wheel so your hands stay warm when it's cold outside. It's usually available in more expensive car models.
Term
heated seats
Heated seats are seats that can warm up to keep you comfortable when it's cold outside. This feature is often found in nicer cars.
Term
three-quarter ton
A 'three-quarter ton' truck is a type of pickup truck that can carry a heavy load, usually between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds. It's designed for more demanding tasks than smaller trucks.
Car
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a big truck that can carry heavy things and is great for work. People like it because it has a lot of different options to choose from, depending on what they need.
Car
Ram 2500
The Ram 2500 is a strong pickup truck that can carry heavy loads and tow trailers. The 2026 version has some new features and a fresh look.
Term
Warlock trim level
The Warlock trim level is a special version of the Ram 2500 that looks tougher and has some cool features. It's designed to stand out from regular models.
Company
Goodyear
Goodyear is a brand that makes tires for cars and trucks. The Wrangler Dura Tracks are special tires that work well on rough and uneven surfaces.
Car
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough car that can drive on rough roads and trails. It's popular with people who love outdoor activities and want a vehicle that can handle anything.
Car
Ram Heavy Duty
Ram Heavy Duty trucks are big pickup trucks that can carry heavy loads and tow trailers. They are built to handle tough jobs.
Car
Dodge Power Wagon
The Dodge Power Wagon is a strong truck that can go off-road and handle tough jobs. It's built to be really tough and is popular with people who need a reliable work vehicle.
Part
20-inch wheel
A 20-inch wheel is simply the size of the wheel on a vehicle. Bigger wheels can make a car look sportier but might make the ride bumpier because there's less rubber between the wheel and the road.
Part
18-inch wheel
An 18-inch wheel is a smaller wheel size compared to a 20-inch one. Smaller wheels usually mean more rubber on the tire, which can help the vehicle handle bumps better, especially off-road.
Term
sidewall
The sidewall is the part of the tire that goes from the rim to the tread. A taller sidewall can help the tire absorb bumps better, which is useful for off-road driving.
Term
knobby tire
A knobby tire has big, raised patterns on it that help the tire grip the ground better, especially on rough surfaces like dirt or mud. They're great for off-road driving.
Term
diesel engine
A diesel engine is a type of engine that runs on diesel fuel. It usually provides more power and is more efficient than regular gasoline engines, making it popular for trucks and larger vehicles.
Term
gas V8
A gas V8 is an engine with eight cylinders that uses gasoline as fuel. It's known for being powerful and is often used in larger cars and trucks for better performance.
Term
Hemi
Hemi is a type of engine that has a round shape inside, helping it run better and more powerfully. It's often found in certain Chrysler cars.
Term
MDS (Multi-Displacement System)
MDS is a system that helps save fuel by turning off some of the engine's cylinders when they're not needed. This means the engine can use less gas when driving normally.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower tells you how powerful an engine is. The higher the horsepower, the faster and stronger the vehicle can be.
Term
emissions control systems
Emissions control systems are parts of cars that help reduce pollution. They make sure that cars don't release too many harmful gases into the air.
Term
pound-feet of torque
Pound-feet of torque is a way to measure how strong an engine is. It tells you how much force the engine can use to turn things like the wheels.
Term
eight-speed transmission
An eight-speed transmission is a part of the car that helps it change gears automatically. More gears usually mean the car can drive smoother and use less fuel.
Company
ZF
ZF is a company from Germany that makes parts for cars, especially the systems that help the car move. They are known for making reliable and well-designed parts.
Car
Hyundai Satellites
The Hyundai Satellite is an older car that isn't very common today. It's a small car that some people might talk about if they're interested in different types of vehicles.
Term
column shift
A column shift is a gear shifter located on the steering column instead of the floor. It lets you change gears easily while keeping the center console clear.
Term
tow haul mode
Tow haul mode helps the vehicle perform better when pulling something heavy, like a trailer. It changes how the engine and transmission work to make towing easier and safer.
Term
trailer brake controller
A trailer brake controller helps you stop a trailer safely when you're towing it. It lets you control how much the trailer's brakes work, making it easier to drive with heavy loads.
Term
tow rating
Tow rating is how much weight a vehicle can pull safely. It's important to know this number to avoid overloading the vehicle and risking safety.
Concept
Ike gauntlet
The Ike gauntlet is a tough driving test for trucks where they have to pull heavy loads up a steep mountain. It helps see how well the truck can handle tough conditions.
Term
Cummins engines
Cummins engines are powerful diesel engines that are often used in trucks. They are known for being strong and reliable, making them popular for heavy work.
Term
MSRP
MSRP is the price that the car maker suggests you should pay for a new car. Dealers might sell it for more or less than this price.
Car
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an old car that was very important because it was the first car that many people could afford. It changed how cars were made and how people got around.
Car
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a fast and stylish car that many people love to drive. It's known for its powerful engine and cool looks, making it a favorite among car fans.
Car
Ford Bronco
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV designed for off-road driving. It's popular for its ability to handle rough terrains and is often used for adventures and outdoor activities.
Car
Ford F150 Tremor
The Ford F-150 Tremor is a tough truck that can handle rough roads and off-road adventures. It's a great choice for people who want a truck that works hard but is also fun to drive.
Car
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a big car that looks sporty and can go really fast. It's a good choice for people who want a family car that still feels exciting to drive.
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On this episode of TFL Talking Trucks podcast, back by popular demand, we've got the three heavy duty trucks.
Should we call this a field trip, Andre, because we're out of the studio.
And we're in the field.
And we are literally in a field.
But instead, because last time we had a bunch of full size trucks, now we've got HDs.
Yes, so we did a video recently that had to do with our 2026 truck of the year competition,
where we had Toyota Tundra, we had the Chevy Silverado 1500, actually GMCC era.
Yeah.
We had the Ford F-150 and we had the Ram 1500.
But now we have the big three heavy duty big boys.
And also a little bit more affordable trim levels.
And I really wanted to, once again, go over each truck and compare specs and features.
That's true.
This is not part of a larger testing video series where all of these are going on the Ike and
doing MPG and everything else that we did with the full size trucks,
because that was the main focus for this year.
So maybe we can talk everyone, all the manufacturers into doing a big HD head to head for next year.
And maybe a duly one too.
But in this podcast, yes.
We can do a little bit of a buyer's guide,
especially if you're shopping around for a more affordable heavy duty truck.
Exactly, because we listen to you, believe it or not, you think we don't listen to...
Well, we try to.
There's too many voices to please everyone.
I know.
But a lot of the common thread, the common thread in the comments is,
I want to see a more affordable truck.
I want to see what's available.
So we kind of have that covered in this episode of the podcast.
And actually, it could be a podcast that's a little bit better in video form,
so you can kind of see a little bit more of what we're talking about.
But you can also listen to it and check it out.
And we'll be explaining as much as possible everything that we're looking at on these
individual trucks.
But I agree, in video form, you can actually see what they look like,
see some of the interior materials and options that are there and aren't there.
So that'll be maybe even more informative.
So this episode is all about the 2500s, also known as three-quarter tons, right?
Basically, that's kind of an old term, three-quarter ton,
relating to kind of the capacity of the truck,
even though we're way past three-quarter ton,
measurements will go over, payload.
And I want to start here with this new 2026 Ram 2500,
but it's the new Warlock trim level.
Yeah, which means it's also slightly more affordable.
You can probably tell, especially if you're watching from the front end,
because this is all blacked out, so it's not a body color bumper.
It's not a body color grille, but it doesn't look bad on this truck.
No, and it looks kind of tough.
Unfortunately, in the current day and age,
it's really hard to find a colorful exterior, right?
There's a lot of grays and whites and kind of dark colors.
There's not very few like red and blue and green and some of the brighter colors.
So this one is in the silver color.
Yeah, the color doesn't stand out a lot.
But what does stand out to me are these Goodyear Wrangler Dura Tracks.
The truck is fitted with very aggressive tire.
Yeah, it's basically about the same as a Rebel.
So they introduced the Heavy Duty Rebel several years back.
They also have, of course, the power wagon in their lineup of Ram Heavy Duty trucks.
But this is a 20-inch wheel.
And I think, Case, you and I agree that when we see like an off-road trim,
like this Warlock we're looking at,
we want to see a slightly smaller wheel and bigger tire.
I think an 18 would be maybe my ideal,
although to their credit, because this is a slightly bigger wheel,
it makes this look like a less basic truck.
So even though the front end is blacked out,
because it's got a slightly bigger wheel,
still a decent amount of sidewall and a knobby tire,
it almost makes everything look more intentional,
because you've also got black cladding on the outside of the truck around the fenders
that similarly make it look a little bit more rugged.
So I think it helps play off that front end that's not body color.
Yeah, and it's really easy to get into a Heavy Duty truck
or actually check one out.
That's like 80 or 90,000 dollars, some of them are 100,000 dollars.
So it's kind of refreshing.
We'll mention the price a little bit in a few minutes,
but it's kind of refreshing when you see a truck that's four-wheel drive,
that's got four doors, it's a full crew cab, right?
And it's also, these are equipped with gasoline engines.
But before we look at the engines,
should we compare kind of beds and payloads?
Yeah, it's something that's worth talking about.
Andre has his tape measure.
Yes, I don't have a ladder.
We can know.
Yeah, so on our last test,
we were seeing if ladders fit in the beds of some of the full-size trucks.
They should fit in pretty much all of these beds.
Yeah.
So we're just going to use the measuring tape
to look at exactly what we're dealing with here.
Six foot four, just like the spec sheet says,
basically on the floor of this bed.
And all of these trucks, of course,
are wide enough to accommodate at least four foot wide piece of material.
Yeah.
So there is no issues there.
But we're looking at this a little bit more of a base truck,
this warlock is based on a tradesman,
and this bed is not lined.
No, it's not lined.
But we have quite a few tie downs,
two in each corner for a total of eight, which is cool.
Some of them are a cleat style,
like a marine style cleat that you would tie off on.
There's another one here.
And now there's our closed loop.
There's also 400 watts of power in the bed, which is not bad.
Yeah, that's a nice little surprise in this more basic truck.
You know, that's what I want to see more of.
You know, they talk about like fancy trucks,
like learn me long horn, check out my outlet.
But actually the work trucks need that more.
I agree.
Right.
And I like the way that this truck is specced,
other than the color, I agree.
Could be a more interesting color.
But something that I do think is a nice feature
are the mirrors that are on this truck,
which is one of your favorite mirrors in any of these three.
Yeah, it's pretty neat.
And even on this more simple truck,
I mean, it's got a convex lower.
They're heated, right?
They've got a little light on the front of it for visibility.
And I think there's a tiny little light
on the bottom of it as well.
So a lot of features actually included
in this more of a basic truck.
And before we look at the engine,
let's look at the payload really briefly
and we need to compare it because that's a big deal, right?
That's what you're buying a heavy duty truck for.
Absolutely.
If you're stepping in to an HD,
that's going to be an important figure.
I'm a little too far away from the sticker to read it.
Okay.
And I don't have my glasses.
Here, I'll get in close.
We're looking at 3,095 pounds.
Really?
Yeah.
Wait a minute.
Get in close.
Inspect it.
Oh, you got to get further away.
Further away.
Okay.
I'm near-sighted in this.
Like holding the menu out.
Okay.
You know what?
Yes, like holding it when you're away from my face.
That's a little surprising because I was expecting
a slightly higher payload on this guy
because it doesn't have the comments, right?
Yeah, that's true.
And usually the diesel engine comes with lots of torque,
lots of horsepower, exhaust brake,
but this one, do you want to pop the hood?
Yeah, we got to pop the hood on there.
It's in the middle there.
But this one being a gas V8,
I expected a little bit more than 3,100.
You know what I'm saying?
That's fair.
That's fair.
But let's pop the hood.
Interesting.
And oh my god, it's buried way down there.
Where is it?
Where is it?
Way down there.
Oh, it's a baby Hemi.
No, actually it's not a baby.
Six-four Hemi, the same one they used to power Noah's Ark.
And actually, you know what?
I think that's a strong point of this truck
because this engine has been around.
Yes, it does have MDS, a multi-displacement system,
which is shutting off some of the cylinders,
you know, four cylinders,
while it's running under light conditions.
And a lot of people don't like that.
But it's a known quantity.
Yeah, that's true.
And it's not as high strung as the Six-four Hemi
and some other performance vehicles.
So this one's 405 horsepower,
which is right in line with at least the base engines
on the other trucks that we're going to be looking at.
Yes.
And something interesting happened for 2025 and 2026.
We're looking at the 2026 model right here.
Remember, their Six-four Hemi was 410 horsepower initially
in the previous iteration of it.
And I believe what happened was
they had to re-certify it for the latest emissions control systems.
So the engine didn't change, I think any.
It's just that the power rating just went down just one notch.
And it has 429 pound-feet of torque, which is decent.
It's not bad.
This is the only truck of the three
that has an eight-speed, though.
The other two are 10 speeds.
Yes.
But this is a ZF-sourced transmission,
which, as we have talked about previously,
is a very reputable transmission.
Yeah, we went all the way to Germany
to learn about that transmission.
And it seems like a well-engineered unit.
So it's definitely got potential to be a good transmission.
There are a few less ratios than the other two.
And it's very easy to know.
I can't believe I have to get on my tippy toes.
Oh, I just burned my finger.
Dude, I just touched the radiator.
It's very easy to know what engine this is,
because it's kind of well-dressed, right?
If you're tall enough to get your head in there and read it.
You know for sure.
There's a lot of extra space in this engine bay.
Look at the size of the fan shroud, Andre.
Holy, it's like a jet engine.
It's two feet long.
Oh, also, I wanted to point out,
and hey, Cole, our producer or videographer,
Cole, if you can look through here, there is about,
I don't know if you can see my hand, there's about two feet.
Space for a winch.
Space for a giant winch in here, inside the bumper.
And we have to thank a couple of friends
in order to make this video possible.
At first, I would like to thank Johnson Auto Plaza.
They allowed us to borrow this truck for just a tiny bit.
Yeah, and to be able to film it, which is pretty cool,
because otherwise we wouldn't have been able to do this podcast.
And also I want to thank you guys, the viewers and listeners,
and Patreon supporters, because we have a lot of you
and you can get some special perks.
But we could always have more.
And this show is not live on Patreon,
but because we're in the middle of a field.
Yeah, our ranch is kind of in the middle of nowhere.
Even though we have Starlink,
some people commented and said, what about Starlink?
It's not that good.
It's not that great.
We're not going to time our podcast with the satellites
requiring a amount of planning.
We're not capable of that.
So, Cole, do you want to jump in the back seat?
And we can kind of check it out.
We can look at the interior on this truck.
That is because, like we talked about,
this is a more basic truck.
This interior is not going to have as many features.
So definitely the materials are a lot more basic,
a lot of hard plastics.
Yeah.
And I think that's a common theme that we will see today,
because once again, like we said,
these trucks are a bit more simple.
And as such, the interior materials are going to be basic.
How's your steering wheel?
Nice.
But you know what?
So it's got height adjustment, tilt adjustment,
but there is no telescoping.
And I think this is partially because
this cab structure is as old as me, maybe.
No, actually, I'm not quite.
But that's true.
It's quite aged, I would say.
This cab has been around for a long time.
It's what?
It's the same basic structure since the fourth gen?
Basically, yes.
So this is four and three-quarter, Jen?
Yeah.
Yeah, people called the last update of these trucks
four and a half, Jen.
We like calling this a four and three-quarter.
So let me start the engine.
Andre, I see something wonderful.
Column shift.
Yes.
So let me close the window briefly,
because it was a little windy.
For 2025, they went to all column shifts,
because they had some choices.
Sometimes you had the knob,
shifter for the transmission,
sometimes you had the column.
And so I think they simplified it,
and it's pretty nice.
And they went just to a column shift.
And also, we have a giant screen in this basic truck.
Yeah, I got to say for what this is.
Oh, were you jamming?
No, this was Zac, our producer, Zac.
Well, yeah, we've got Uconnect and a very tall screen.
That being said, the climate controls are still
physical buttons on either side of the screen,
which is nice.
We've got a few more buttons along the bottom
of the screen for tow haul mode, traction control,
parking sensors, and then Andre, the most important.
Super easy to reach, trailer brake controller.
And of course, dude, heavy duty trucks
are synonymous with towing.
So we got to talk a little bit about tow rating.
And remember, actually, this is not a given.
Our friend Alex bought the 2022 Ram 2500.
Yeah, pretty basic.
His truck didn't have a brake control.
Which is crazy in an HD truck.
Yeah, so you have to make sure you
spec the brake controller, but it comes in this one.
Yeah, there's also quite a bit of power in here,
a few USB-C and USB-A ports, as well as a 400-watt plug
on the other side.
That's a nice positioning for that.
That's a good one.
And you'll notice the console here,
well, if you're watching, you'll notice
the console's different because this truck
is a six-seat configuration.
Yes, so it's very typical and more of a work truck.
And in a pinch, I mean, a very big person
with long legs wouldn't be able to sit in the middle here.
It would be great.
But in a pinch, you can bring another person.
It's better than walking.
I think it beats walking, for sure.
And we looked up tow ratings on all these trucks.
That's very important.
But also, they're super close
because it's so competitive, right?
It is.
But this was like 17.7, right?
Yeah, as much as maybe 17.750 for this truck.
So we got to mention this because we've been
towing in the mountains of Colorado over the last 12,
13 years at TFL truck.
And if I put 17,700 pounds behind this gas V8,
I don't know if I would enjoy that in the mountains.
I wouldn't want to do the Ike.
Yes, it would be a slow Ike.
And I think we've done a couple of Ikes.
So you could look up Hemi Ram Heavy Duty Ike gauntlets.
And there's some tough, slow, very slow Ike gauntlets.
Yeah, this would not be the truck for maintaining
60 miles an hour at 17,000 pounds or more.
So if you are pulling that much
or if you want to go up to those limits,
I would recommend the diesel.
Yeah.
Accomments would eat up that trailer for lunch.
An expensive upgrade, but could be worthwhile.
What about 10 grand?
Actually, it's moving up.
12?
So it was 12, then it's 13.
So I think it's about $13,000.
Because remember, they switch to high output
Cummins engines in all of these trucks.
So they're all high outputs,
which means you pay high money
for all those diesel engines.
$13,000, dude.
You could buy a nice little used mid-size truck
for that much money.
That's a lot of money.
It is.
It's a ton of money,
but depending on how you're going to use a truck,
it could be worthwhile,
especially in the long run.
If it gives you fuel savings,
then it might make enough of a difference.
Do you want to try out the backseat?
Yes.
Before I do, though,
I'll jump next to Cole in a second.
I wanted to talk a little bit more about technology
because Ram is doing something interesting.
They started this in 2025.
They're including a pretty advanced driver assistance
technology package on every truck.
This includes adaptive cruise control,
which is kind of a premium feature,
but it's available basically
in their entire lineup of vehicles.
And a genuinely nice feature to have
on a road trip,
a cruise control system
that you don't have to be constantly adjusting.
Don't tell me.
There are no buttons on the back of the steering wheel.
Bad stuff.
Because I use those buttons more than anything.
So, you know, those preset radio controls
and also volume controls, right?
We really like that.
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This does have a gear selector on the steering wheel too.
So, if you want to downshift yourself, you could.
Oh, let me grab the camera really quick.
In case, remember, I love this, the mirror controls.
Yeah.
Are very nice.
All in the same button.
You could power fold them.
Uh, right there.
You could extend them and you can control all the lights
all in one place.
Yeah, so they're really good mirror controls
and just good mirrors in general.
Do you want to mention the price while I'm transferring?
Let me transfer to the back seat.
So, this particular truck sticker is just below $60,000,
$59,900, with some of our local incentives,
like what you could get at John Sonalo Plaza,
$57,400, around about.
So, couple grand off, which is nice.
That's going to vary depending on where you live
and what dealer is nearby.
Totally.
I apologize for the engine run.
Do you want to kill the engine for a second?
Let's do it.
There it is.
That hemi is a nice little rumble.
At this point, that hemi might be as loud or louder
than the Cummins.
Don't you think?
Yes.
They quiet down the diesel engine so much.
I don't know how that's possible.
Well, they keep refining it, right?
They talked about the gear drive inside of the Cummins accessory
drive.
It's impressive.
How that's designed.
So, I wanted to comment on the back seat of this.
It's okay, but there is a hump here on the floor.
So, there is a transmission hump.
I do have vents, so that's quite nice.
Vents right here.
But, this is just enough.
This is not as big of a cab, per se.
Even though the door is big and nice opening door,
the legroom in the back seat is not humongous.
Yeah, and it's pretty basic because this is a basic truck.
So, there's not tons of features.
Like you said, the climate vents are pretty nice to have.
And there's some storage under the seat.
Yeah, let me show you.
And also, you mentioned the mega cab still exists.
Yeah.
So, if you want to maximize space in the cab,
especially if you're a hot shotter, you're going cross country,
and you want a good place to nap in the back seat,
mega cabs are an option.
This is one way, maybe it's a little bit more basic.
Once you flip up the seat, the entire seat comes up.
Yeah.
Some of other versions have a split,
where you could raise one side or the other.
But this one kind of doesn't have the center armrest in the back.
And also, the entire cushion seat bottom actually flips up,
because it's a little bit more basic.
And it's all cloth, obviously.
Yeah.
Yeah, so materials let you know right out of the gate
that it's a more basic work truck.
So just under 58 grand for this warlock.
Yeah.
That's pretty impressive, I think.
Yeah, absolutely.
All right, let's move on to the Ford.
Let's check it out.
Yeah.
And this particular model is an STX.
Should we call that sticks, like the band?
It is sticks.
Yeah.
So, I was thinking about this, because they're, of course,
known for the XL and XLT.
Those names have been around consistently for decades.
But STX is actually a name that used to use,
I want to say, 20 or 30 years ago.
And then it kind of went away for a little while.
And now it's back in a big way.
Basically, what it is, it's kind of a work truck
dressed up a little bit, right?
Sure.
So, do you want to talk about the front, just briefly?
Well, I'll tell you this much, Andre.
It's tall, as they all are.
I think all these trucks are tall.
This is definitely the most street-oriented truck of the three.
It's not as aggressive as any others.
But it's an FX4, dude.
That's what I don't get.
Yeah, but look at the chin, Andre.
So, if you're not watching this,
this has what we affectionately call the snow plow.
Right?
So, these chins are like seven or eight inches.
But this is here, yeah, below the bumper.
How far off the ground is the lowest point in the middle?
That's a good question.
This is not scientific case because we're on dirt.
But that's about 11 inches off the ground.
But this is for fuel efficiency.
So, and you can take it off if you really hate it.
Fuel efficiency and a gas heavy-duty truck?
Well, I don't know what those words mean.
Well, but think about it.
Like, if you have a business,
every penny you can pinch on fuel savings,
I think is a useful thing.
Yeah, so this is not so much of an off-road trim.
All of these trucks have running boards.
The Ford included.
None of them are rock crawlers.
But because this is a slightly dressed up work truck,
it's got a body-colored front bumper.
Quite nice.
These headlamps are humongous as well.
Yeah.
These are massive headlamps.
As always, the grille is blacked out.
So that's still a slightly more basic finish.
Exactly.
And also, we have to thank our friends at Brighton Ford Colorado.
They also allowed us to borrow this truck
for just a little while for filming.
So really appreciate that as well.
Yeah, likewise, they help make this podcast possible.
Also, if you're ever around the area
and you stop by Brighton Ford,
you can see one of my favorite vehicles we've ever owned,
which is our 1915 Model T that Tommy and I made a bunch of videos with,
lives in their showroom.
Yeah, exactly.
So actually, they purchased a couple of,
I mean, we purchased a couple of vehicles from them
and they purchased a couple of vehicles from us.
Yeah, I don't know if they still have our Mustang,
but for a while it looked like a regular old museum of some of our
Fords we used to have.
I think they still have our Model A, too.
Yes, and I haven't seen our Mustang.
They also had our 67, right?
Yeah.
Now let's check out the bed on this Ford,
because what we'll find is that you are going to have a bigger bed here longer.
Yes.
Excuse me.
Sneezing a podcast, that's the worst case scenario.
No, I just sneezed on this measuring tape.
I don't want to do it.
Yeah, yeah, I'll let you take over.
So once again, this more basic truck,
this bed is not lined.
But in 2017, Ford redid,
look, so that's six foot ten.
Almost, you know, here's seven feet and this is 82 inches.
So this is six inches longer.
Yeah, so longer is better.
Well, that's what they said.
That's what they say.
Because, and here's, I mean, speaking seriously,
when you buy a truck like this, a lot of the times
you are also carrying a Gooseneck trailer or a fifth wheel.
If you're carrying a fifth wheel and you could see
there's bolts right here in the bed of the Ford
that where you can mount like a fifth wheel attachment
and equip this truck, you need to be able to turn
the giant trailer.
And the longer bed helps with that tremendously.
That's true.
So that makes it useful.
Plus, a bigger bed is just generally useful.
Though the footprint of the RAM,
it's maybe a slightly easier truck to maneuver in
and out of parking spaces.
So obviously, as always, it's going to depend on your use case.
The particular bed on the Ford F-250 we're looking at right now
has only four tie-downs.
So half as many unacceptable as in the RAM.
And it doesn't have power,
although you can get significant power outlets.
But it has a light.
Yeah, that's true.
It does have a light, which is nice, but it is available
for you to get some pretty significant power output
in the bed of an F-250.
And also it has a place to mount more cleats.
So all of those things are possible.
They do have the little measuring strip at the end of the tailgate.
Nice.
So when you catch that big salmon, that big trout,
you'll be able to measure it here.
Right.
So I never do, though.
All the trout I catch are tiny.
Yeah.
Folder Creek, man.
So I want to talk a little bit about the hitches as well.
Yeah.
So let's close this up.
Should we talk about the hitches toward the end
and we can compare them all?
Yeah, let's do that.
Let's do that.
And maintain what we've been doing.
Yeah.
So let's go on to the hood.
Hold on one sec.
It's halt.
Freeze.
Sneeze it again.
I have a sneezing fit.
Are you allergic to this truck?
I could be.
I hope not.
We mentioned that this truck is not really off-road worthy,
but it is a special FX4 off-road package,
which gives it a slightly tougher tire,
but it's not as big of a tire as you would find on that warlock.
No, and definitely not as aggressive.
It's a Bridgestone Duler AT.
It's definitely an all-terrain.
It's not nearly as knobby as the Goodyear Wrangler dirt track.
Yes.
And while you're opening the door,
can you also tell me about the payload?
I sure can.
So this truck, 3,431 pounds.
So about 350 pounds more or so more than the RAM.
This body is aluminum too.
Yeah, which helps.
Which helps probably with that weight savings.
And also, like you said,
the RAM is going to be a little bit more maneuverable
because the wheelbase is shorter.
This is a slightly longer wheelbase,
like the Chevy Silverado we're going to look at.
Which would make it slightly more stable,
pulling a trailer.
Okay.
So it's not a bad thing.
Exactly.
We can pop the hood on the Ford as well.
This is once again going to be a slightly empty looking engine bay.
So buried way deep down in there is an engine
that we haven't gotten a test as much as we would like to.
Because a lot of the trucks that are sent to us
from the manufacturers are pretty specced out.
So they can demo all of the different features
you can get in the trucks.
That's why we had to go to some of our local dealers
to find these ones.
This is a 6.8.
Yeah. And this is a little puzzling.
And by the way, can you point to that sticker above of your head
inside the hood?
Yes.
So it says right there on the left, 6.8.
True.
Yeah.
Bottom left corner of the sticker.
It confirms this is a 6.8.
So not the 7.3 that we owned for a while.
Exactly.
And that's so like let's say you were looking at this truck
several years down the road and you're not sure exactly what engine this is.
That sticker will help you always.
You can identify that engine and you know how powerful it would be.
The rating on this one, and I'm using my cheat sheet here,
just briefly, 405 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque.
But this 6.8 engine came a little bit after that 7.3 Godzilla
that we all tested and loved.
That still exists.
You can get it for a little bit more money.
That's power rating on that gas engine.
It's 430 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque.
So 40 pounds more of torque and 25 horsepower more in that other gas engine.
So the 7.3 is the most powerful and the most torquey
gas V8 that you can get in any of these three trucks.
So if you want the most, then a 7.3 is going to be your best option.
Exactly.
And if you want to save a little bit more cash,
when buying a truck, this is a little bit more of a value-minded engine.
But with that, I'm not 100% sure what they change.
Obviously the displacement is a little bit different.
But I don't know what other things they may be saved on.
Although the transmission in this truck behind the 6.8
is rated for a little bit lower power,
it's not the same transmission as behind their diesel engines
and behind some of their 7.3s.
Yeah, so there are definitely some compromises made.
That being said, even this base 6.8 is still a bigger displacement engine
than what you can get as gas or options for the Ram or for the Chevy.
Exactly.
All right, so let's jump inside and check out the interior.
Yeah, let's see the features.
Obviously there are ways that you can spec these trucks very differently
or to be very similar.
The Ram and the Ford are at a pretty comparable price point, though.
Yeah, and we'll talk about pricing in a second.
I've got our price sheet here.
So let me move my water.
This is a big difference.
So the screen in the center of the Ford is small.
Is very small.
It's a little bit larger than the screen on my iPhone.
Yes, but you know what, that doesn't...
No, it's not the end of the world.
It bothers me too much.
But look at this case.
Have you realized what we have here?
You've got a blade-style key that you actually have to put into the dash, turn it,
like it's the 90s.
Like in my second gen.
Well, I guess, I mean, of course they have push-button
starting at some of the other, more higher-level trim levels.
For sure, yeah.
But this V8 wakes up.
It's pretty nice, actually.
Sounds good.
Yeah, and likewise, we've got very basic materials on the dash, on the steering wheel.
How would you say this more basic steering wheel compares to the RAM?
It's more basic.
So the RAM felt a little bit softer.
Yeah.
This is just pure plastic.
If Roman was here, I think he would have walked out of this video.
Straight out of the injection mold.
Yes, you can even see some of the molding.
You can see the seam.
Yeah, you can see the seams.
I'm not turned off by that as much.
It still has the indentations for your thumbs.
And this has cruise control, but not adaptive.
So that's kind of how Ford kind of does their trim levels.
You do have a rear locker though, which I'm pretty happy about.
Yeah, and I think that basically that comes with that FX4 package, which is quite nice.
You have a drive mode selector as well.
So I almost feel like, hey, this is a premium truck.
I mean, I can select normal, slippery road, off-road modes,
and also eco mode and tow-hole modes as well.
You've also got a trailer brake controller integrated into this dash
and a column shifter as well.
Yeah, and this one has a manual select as well.
In the RAM, they did it on the steering wheel.
So different implementations of that.
And I believe this also has a hill descent control feature
right here on the top of the dash as well.
It's also physical climate controls and quite a bit of power you can tap into up front.
There's one USB-C, one USB-A in the dash, two 12 volts, and another 400 watt plug.
Like a wall outlet, household outlet there.
So there is a lot of power up front here, accessible from the driver's seat, the passenger's seat.
And I love that placement once again for those power outlets.
It's right by the passenger.
So if the passenger, you know, is using a laptop or doing some work
or doing, you know, whatever, maybe watching a movie, they have that.
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You've also got auxiliary switches up top,
which is nice if you're setting up any accessories,
any work lights, off-road lights, or anything along those lines.
Auxiliary switches that you could hook up to be essentially whatever you want.
And this truck, like the Ram, is also a six-seater.
Yes, so you have that seat.
There's a little bit of storage below it.
It's really hard to see.
We apologize, but yes.
So in the pinch, there's also a transmission hump here in the front.
So in the pinch, you can bring somebody, but probably not for a long journey.
None of these front, especially middle seats,
are going to be super comfortable.
But like you said, well, it's better than walking.
But I love this case.
You mentioned the auxiliary switches.
There are six of them here.
You and I recently added some lights to our Ford Bronco that we own,
and also the F-150 Tremor.
And this was a breeze, right?
It makes it really easy, yeah.
So I like having those switches around, ultimately, trucks being tools.
It's not uncommon for you to hook up something that needs to be
powered and having a switch integrated
that you don't have to drill into a dash is great.
And we looked up towing rating on this guy.
It was a couple of hundred pounds less than that ram, right?
It was.
They're still all pretty competitive within a few hundred pounds of each other.
So about 17.5 approximately, right?
Exactly.
There's a 17.5.
So if you do want to tow more, like we said,
they also have Ford offers two diesel engines.
Can we lower this again?
There's a little button.
Yeah, so you can get a standard output power stroke, which is eight.
Plenty.
Yeah, it's a significant option.
Or you could get the high output with 500 horsepower, 1200 pound-feet of torque.
Yeah, so you can get those.
And those in the 250 or 2500 series trucks across the board,
they will pull about 20,000 max, maybe sometimes 21 or 22,000.
So depending on the configuration and the suspension setup.
So that's quite a lot of weight you could pull with some of these trucks.
It is.
And they'll also do it much more effortlessly.
So if you're planning to tow even 15,000 pounds frequently,
diesel is going to make a big difference.
But once again, that's between $12,000 and $13,000 you will have to pay.
Maybe even $13,500 you would have to pay for that diesel engine.
It's a big ticket item to add on.
So I would say across the board for all of these heavy duties,
I would choose a gasoline engine.
If I'm not making a lot of trips long distance,
like if I'm running around town because the diesel engine takes a long time to warm up
and they need to come up to temperature to operate properly.
And then also, like if I want to put a camper in the back of this truck
or carry a heavier load, a gas truck would be better for that.
Yeah, especially because the payload is still great.
So you can load them up with all kinds of gear
or whatever it is that you're hauling around.
Your tools may need it.
Anything like that.
They're still very capable.
But if you are towing well in excess of 10,000 pounds,
especially through some unforgiving stretches of highway.
Yeah, diesel would be.
Oh, diesel could literally be a lifesaver.
Let me check out the rear seat really quick.
As we talk about pricing, here's your price sheet.
Yeah, absolutely.
We got the little cheat sheet where we could talk about it.
This truck sticker price is $63,480.
So it is more expensive than the RAM, but with incentives
at Brighton Ford comes down to $59,700.
So still a little bit more expensive than the RAM,
but quite a bit under MSRP.
So look at this case.
So the door opening is actually, we measured it before this podcast.
The door opening is maybe an inch shorter than the RAM,
but the interior is larger.
So I don't know how that works.
Yeah, you've definitely got more leg room.
Yes.
Your headroom is pretty comparable.
Pretty comparable.
This is a completely flat floor.
So if you want to load, I don't know,
a big screen television in here from Costco or something,
it's very easy to do.
Also, we do have a rear glass.
I forget to check if the RAM had it.
Yeah, but it's powered.
It's powered the rear glass.
Oh yeah, the RAM had it too.
Yeah.
And then also it's got a split, not a single,
folding bottom cushion in the rear, but a split one.
So you could split it in 40, 60.
Yeah.
So there's some space under the seats, but not cubbies.
And look, we do have cup holders and some power outlets here,
except we don't have any vents.
And that to me is a big downside,
especially if you're a truck full of guys coming off of a job,
hot day, you've been working hard.
You get in the back of this truck
and you've got very little airflow.
And then you're yelling,
hey, can you turn up the AC and direct it back here?
Yeah, so that is a little unfortunate,
but like you said, you've still got some amenities.
You've got power and you've got cup holders.
I think you could put a cold drink in there.
Yes, but I think this might be an artifact
of having a six-person front bench seat.
Even though the RAM had it.
But the RAM had it, so it's possible to do this.
For sure.
But this Ford does not have that.
All right, at the end of this video,
we'll also pick our favorite, right?
Yeah, I think so.
It might as well.
Now, Andre, we got to talk about the elephant in the room
with the Chevy that we're looking at.
Yeah, what's going with this truck?
Well, what's going on with it is it's the truck that we own.
Yes.
So it's not quite as basic as the Ford and the RAM.
And it's also a diesel.
It is.
So we have broken our lineup.
It's still a 6.6, though.
Yes.
And it's still a V8.
Yes.
So we could pretend.
And it's also a trail boss,
which is kind of a mid-grade off-road package.
So it's very similar to that warlock, actually,
that we saw on the RAM.
So let's pretend for a minute.
Close your eyes.
Right.
Pretend that this is a gasoline-powered Chevy 2500.
Yes.
With a 6.6 gas.
And it's not an LT.
This is an LT-based, which is a little bit nicer interior.
So for just a minute, pretend.
But you know what Chevy does?
They paint their tow hooks for the trail boss.
That's true.
It's the only one of the three.
Yeah.
So you can obviously get a much more basic trail boss
than the one that we're looking at right here.
And if you do go for the 6.6 gas engine,
you'd have 401 horsepower.
So it's a little bit less than the other two on horsepower.
What about torque?
It's like 460.
So more than the RAM?
More than the RAM.
And actually more than the base engine in the Ford.
Yeah, so not a bad number.
Yeah, let me get the exact number.
Yeah, we'll double-check our figures.
We just came off of doing all these full-size trucks,
and that was a lot of numbers.
Yeah, and I think you and I still remember all of the halfton numbers.
464.
Yeah.
So quite a bit more, like about 30 pound-feet more than the Hemi.
And actually, what, 20 or so pound-feet more than the base gas engine in the Ford.
So it's still beaten by the 7.3 in the Ford,
but it stacks up pretty well against the other two base engines.
And since, I think, 2024 model year,
all gas Chevys have a 10-speed.
They used the 6-speed before prior to that,
and then they switched over to what used to be Allison-branded transmission,
and then their agreement is ending.
Yep.
So between General Motors and Allison transmissions for their branding.
So that's gone.
This trail boss also has a pretty aggressive BFG KO3.
You know what, that's a premium tire.
It's a great tire, and it's one that we've tested out in the snow.
It performs very well.
It's a good-looking tire.
So yeah, KO3s are awesome.
But once again, this wheel is a 20-inch wheel.
It is.
So I don't know why manufacturers want us to roll down on these dubs.
It's also a very flush face of the wheel.
Yeah.
So if you were to take this already very wide truck on a trail,
which we have done, and we've mostly done a pretty good job of keeping them off of the rocks,
but these spokes kind of, they don't quite stick out, but they are.
Yeah, they're very exposed.
Yeah, it's a little bit different design from some of the Ram and some of the Ford wheels.
And of course, since this truck is all fancy-like, we do have a multi-pro tailgate.
Yes.
But the bed itself is also lined.
Yeah, the bed is lined.
And it's also, we'll tell you how much we paid for this truck.
It also has a fifth wheel and gooseneck package.
This is 82.
Dude, this is the longest bed.
Yeah.
So pretty impressive.
That's a lot of space.
82 right there, almost seven feet by two inches less than seven.
The other thing I love that GM does on a lot of their trucks is we have three tie downs in each
corner.
Yep.
So that's pretty impressive, total of 12.
Yeah, totally.
And we also have this aftermarket tunnel cover, actually, which is can be a GM performance
accessory.
Yeah.
So we have this tunnel cover.
Like you said, we have a fancier gate.
We have a handle here.
We do have power outlets for the gooseneck prep package.
So we do have a towing package in this truck.
And then we have a regular 400 watt power outlet on the other side of the bed as well
for powering anything else.
Yeah.
And I think in the Ford, optionally, you could get a 2000 watt system in the Ford.
And I think Ram offers now a similar system.
But GM needs to step up.
Yeah.
GM needs to have more wattage in some of their outlets.
Because that amount of power is a really useful thing to have if you're on the job site
and you need to power some equipment.
Do you want to grab your-
It's stuck.
Oh, no.
I lost my tape.
Well, we'll leave it.
It goes with the truck now.
I want to make a small joke before we go to the engine bay.
Just a small one?
And, yes.
So in 2020, GM brought this out, right?
Oh, yeah.
So they have a step in a bumper, right?
Pretty useful.
And then in 2020, they said, you know what?
We're doing a new chassis.
We're doing a new body.
So they added a step in the middle by the cab right there.
So you could kind of destruct it very tall.
You can reach in.
But what did Ford do?
Well, they did the same damn thing.
Ford said, you know what?
In 2023, they said-
That's a nice step.
That's a nice step.
So we'll offer a step that you could reach in.
And we'll also offer a step in the back of the bumper.
Very similar.
Yeah.
You know, GM doesn't own the right two steps.
They should have patented that.
Patented the step.
Yeah.
I think it was invented even before the pickup truck.
But it is a nice feature to have.
Because like you said, these trucks are very tall.
Even for you at 6'3".
Yeah.
It's hard to reach in the bed.
Can't reach to the bottom of the bed.
So these trucks are super tall.
Having some assistance there is nice.
We definitely can pop the hood on this.
Can you double check the payload really quick?
Yeah.
And again, this is different from a gasser.
It's a different engine.
But it says 3129 pounds.
So I think you can expect several hundred pounds more
if that was a gas engine, right?
So GM might have the highest payload, actually.
It could, not in this configuration.
If I could reach this very tall plaque,
I would cover Duramax and just let it say 6.6".
And then it would be a little easier to use your imagination.
Yes.
But this engine bay is more full
because the diesel engine really takes more space.
Big footprint.
Because it has a turbocharger obviously on the top of it.
And it has really big cooling stack ahead of it as well.
So we already mentioned the power output, right?
For the gasser.
And of course this is a diesel engine.
And for 2027 model year, we might see updates.
We don't have exact dates or exact specifications yet.
But we saw some trucks testing.
Roman caught a video of some prototypes in the mountains
of heavy-duty Chevrolet and GMC trucks.
So we might see a power upgrade underneath the hood of this truck.
Which would be nice.
Was it clear if it was a diesel or a gasser?
Yes.
There was mostly diesels that were testing.
So maybe because Ford's high output diesel is 500 horse, big boy.
And this is a 470.
It is.
And the Cummins is 430.
Yes.
But the biggest thing that a lot of people are shopping around for
when they're looking at a diesel powertrain in an ATC truck is torque.
Yeah.
The Cummins is 1075.
The base Ford is 1075.
The high output Ford is 1200.
And this is 975.
So maybe they're looking to get more torque out of their engine.
Except we've drag-raced this truck, remember?
Against all the others.
We have a video about this with trailers.
And actually this Duramex puts its power down very effectively.
That's true.
So in that way, the interesting thing
is these trucks act differently when they're linked up to trailers
and loaded up than they do on Leiden.
These are slightly more rev-happy engines than the Cummins especially.
Yeah.
Well, Cummins is a straight six.
It has a different character than the V8.
So that's definitely something to consider.
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Yeah, this is going to be the most notable difference between all of them.
For one, this is the only one that's not a six-seat configuration,
the way that you see it here.
Yes.
And the design of the interior is a little bit more premium.
With this, I want to say faux trim.
Yeah, I'm not sure that it's...
I don't think that's wood.
Real wood.
But definitely the materials in general are much nicer.
This bit of storage that's in the dash is actually covered,
which in those more basic trims on those two trucks, it was open.
And we've got nicer materials all the way around.
So yeah, so once again, like you said, we have a center console,
not a seat in between us.
But the interior is well laid out.
We do have a trailer brake controller very prominently here.
So this is very nice.
And we looked up the gasoline towing number at about 17.3-ish, 17.4.
So once again, on par with the other trucks.
So yeah.
Yeah, still a column shift.
Yeah, actually all of these are going to column.
Which is awesome.
I appreciate that.
Especially in an HD truck.
It feels traditional.
I mean, if you're a brand new driver,
I guess you'll get used to it.
But I remember my 2002 Duramax that still had a column shift.
So it's a very traditional kind of a shifting experience.
And then how about any tech driver assistance?
So we do have cruise control, but not really adaptive in this model.
We do have a heated steering wheel and heated seats,
which is kind of a premium feature.
It doesn't usually is not available in some of the others.
And then what about any off-road features?
Let me take the camera really quick.
I can show you some of my controls here.
So funny thing.
So this does have four low and four high, just like the other trucks.
But what GM offers that the other ones don't is an all-wheel-drive feature.
But we weren't rich enough to buy it.
Yeah.
And honestly, four auto.
So I've had conversations with even other automotive journalists
that have asked why do you care about four auto
or why do you care about a full-time four-wheel-drive system?
I think it depends on where you live.
Here in Colorado, even in the winter, we get some very warm days.
I don't actually think it's 1590 degrees right now.
I don't believe that.
But that's what the truck is saying.
Well, this truck was inside.
That's true.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So that's probably interior.
Maybe still getting adjusted.
But we have some very warm days in the winter.
So we'll get snow and then the snow will melt.
But there's shady spots where it's still slick.
So if you're in four-wheel-drive and you're on a dry patch,
you might get some crabbing.
It's not going to drive as well.
Yeah.
But if you're in two-wheel-drive,
you might come up to a stop light in the shade
and just be spinning tires.
And you're going to spin them.
So that four-auto setting is a really nice thing
to have around these parts.
It's a feature I like.
Exactly.
And I second that.
I mean, totally hear you.
Although these trucks have premium tires.
And sometimes those tires do help out
with some of those inconsistencies in the road condition.
But I do love all-wheel-drive.
And I know it's hard to do, right?
If it was easy, everybody would offer all-wheel-drive type features
in every truck.
But it's difficult to do and still have a durable
and very tough system.
This has digital screens throughout.
So we do have a digital screen in the middle
and in the gauge cluster.
And the steering wheel is wrapped and quite nice.
But dude, do we have a wall outlet?
We do.
So we've got a more substantial outlet.
We've got a USB-A and a USB-C in the dash
and one in the console.
So we have power.
It's maybe not quite as accessible
as it is on the other trucks.
This one does have a wireless charger
because like we said, it's fancy.
Oh, and look, Andre, we've got a 10 mil
for all the times you lose your other ones.
Oh, yes.
And we have a flashlight.
I mean, this is our.
It's ratcheting too.
That's sweet.
This is our truck.
So we do have a few tools and.
And some chapstick.
Is this community chapstick enough for everybody?
No.
No?
No, I hope not.
Is that yours?
I've never used it.
All right.
Well, I'm actually not a chapstick guy.
No, not even when your lips are chapped?
They're never chapped.
Never?
No.
I'm impressed by that.
Just genetically, you're a superhero basically.
Superhuman, I would say.
Yeah, that's not the best superpower though,
to be honest.
It could be better.
Yeah, we've got power, rear glass, of course.
Because this truck is all fancy and nice.
Yeah, but you know what?
I think GM could add some more auxiliary switches.
I mean, sometimes they put them in other areas.
Yeah.
But I think Ford has a really great implementation of that.
They do that the best.
Very, very nice implementation.
You want to check out.
Yeah, let me jump in the back as we talk about pricing.
Yes.
So if this truck was the specific truck
that we were pretending that it is.
Yes.
Is to say a more basic gas truck,
expect to be as similar to those two as possible.
It would be $62,745 roundabout and with some local incentives
at Johnson Auto Plaza, for example.
Yeah.
$59,596 is what you could get a truck like that for.
So this is a more basic LT, not a Trail Boss package,
but still a 4x4 crew cab with a gas engine.
Yeah.
Which is almost priced identically to that Ford.
Yeah, very similar to the Ford,
still slightly more expensive than the Ram.
How's the space in the back seat?
So you know what?
It's similar to the Ford.
So the legroom is similar.
My headroom, I still have plenty of headroom.
The floor has a small hump.
It's almost flat.
Almost flat.
So I think maybe Ford does it the best
as far as the floor is concerned of their truck.
But look at this.
This center console does have vents
and also power outlets in it.
Yeah.
So obviously it's nicer materials,
more features in this truck because it's all fancy like.
Yes.
And then hold up.
And then also the seats.
Sorry, we have a tire iron in here.
Not sure who's changing tires.
It's a split seat.
And also because this is a nicer trim,
you do have a kind of a center console here
in the back as well.
Yeah.
So still some storage on the seats,
which is always a great place
to stash some hitches
or whatever you might be carrying around with you.
Should we talk about our hitches?
Yeah, let's do a hitch comparison really quick.
Andre, this is awesome
because look at how accessible everything is.
It's right there in front of you.
It's not tucked way under the bumper.
Yeah.
So this is a great way to do it
because some manufacturers tuck these loops way under,
which are hard to reach with those chain hooks.
But this truck probably,
the primary use case for these trucks
is not to go trail driving.
No.
Right?
So this is not a huge deal
for it to extend a little bit further.
How does Ford do this?
The Ford is still pretty accessible.
Pretty nice.
Although my thing with this style of hook
for you to put your chains to,
is that with some chains and some hooks,
especially like the breakaway,
it can be a little difficult to get around it
because here on the Ford,
it's kind of a thick piece of metal.
Yeah.
But it looks very tough
and they also curved this space.
It wasn't curved before.
Yeah.
So I think they've improved it recently.
Yeah.
And I'm sure it's, to your point, very tough.
I really appreciate it.
There's a lot of material.
So when you're pulling that 20,000 pounds
or 35,000 pounds on a duly,
that hitch is going to be just fine.
Especially if you put a way safe in there.
Ooh.
A little plug.
Do you like that blown?
And look at this.
This is, the RAM is actually similar to the GM.
Yeah.
But it's kind of tucked.
It's tucked a little bit.
I would say it's still pretty accessible.
Maybe getting your hitch pin in there
is a little bit more of a reach.
But I don't think so much so that it's a problem.
If you are going to go down
some pretty rugged roads or trails
for whatever reason,
this is probably going to be the most out of the way.
Yeah.
So that could be a positive.
So if you are buying a truck
and you have to go down forest roads all the time
or a very steep driveway,
and you're always making those maneuvers.
I'd hate to meet the driveway
that would make any of these hitches bottom out.
But I'm not going to say it's impossible.
Well, look, because it's more than the height of my knee.
Yeah.
I mean, there's a lot of clearance.
Ultimately, if that's going to be a problem
for you on these trucks,
then the chin that's 11 inches off the ground on the Ford
is going to be a bigger issue.
You have to remove that chin probably on the Ford.
Yeah.
Now, I also want to mention too,
if you want to get a hoodie with the same design
as Andre and I,
we didn't plan this.
But our boss made us.
Well, yeah.
Well, they gave us these free hoodies.
We're not going to turn down free hoodies.
But if you want a similar design,
the same design,
then you can check it out on our store.
Yeah.
And it's linked here in the video.
So if you are on YouTube,
if you're watching this, obviously, you know.
Yeah.
If you're listening to us,
check out our YouTube channel.
You could see that our store right there.
Especially if you ever play these podcasts
or our videos and your wife or kids
or something have to listen to it,
you can get them one of these hoodies
and remind them of all the good times.
You know, I've met some some fans
who come up to me and say,
Andre, I really like what you guys do at TFL Truck.
We love your toe tests.
And then their spouse would be next to them.
Just, you know, shaking their head.
It's like, when do we leave?
I can't believe this.
I can't believe this.
Yeah.
I see this guy on the TV.
Now we run into him at the airport.
Or they say, I recognize your voice
because I hear it in the living room all the time.
I'm like, oh my gosh,
I'm in your living room all the time.
Well, yeah.
And your voice is recognizable.
Mine, like the rest of me, is much more generic.
So how do you recognize off my voice?
I actually did a, I asked in the AI
to do a cartoon image of myself.
Yeah.
Not because I, you know, I love myself,
but because I wanted an image of...
Yeah, you wanted to test out the feature and...
Sorry, Nathan and I.
So this is Nathan and I driving a Jeep years ago.
And ChatGPT did a cartoon of it.
And I look like the most generic white guy.
Yeah, our producer, Cole,
said you looked like the textbook image for...
Oh, like if you googled the...
White dude.
White dude.
That image would show up.
Right.
Yeah.
So we've both got that going for us.
So, but now at the end of this podcast,
we've seen the features.
We looked at the numbers of all these three trucks.
We've got to pick our favorite.
Like if, if...
All right.
How about this?
If somebody came over and gave you $60,000 this minute,
what would you buy?
You're leaning against an F-250.
60 is a little tough,
because I would like this specifically for the 7.3.
Oh, the Ford, okay.
It's impossible to get a 7 into a 7.3 for 60.
If I went for a single cab, long bed, 7.3, that could be...
You could be way under 60.
But here's the thing.
Manufacturers are becoming more and more clever
and that doesn't benefit the consumer, us,
because they're packaging those engines
with a lot of other features, right?
Stuff that you don't need.
So yeah, I mean, I don't have an exact example
for you of this minute,
but if you are on a configurator
and you're configuring one of these trucks
from every manufacturer,
you click one button and it says,
that will be $10,000, please.
Yeah.
You're like, what?
I say, no, that was a mistake.
Back up.
Back up.
Take it back.
Undo, undo.
Yeah.
So you have to do that a lot, actually.
Yeah, but I think it would be possible for,
for 60 to get...
So you want that...
Especially with some incentives to get into a 7.3.
So you want that large displacement engine then?
I do.
If I'm shopping around for any of these,
I want the biggest and the baddest.
It's going to be the 7.3.
Okay.
But what about you?
So coming into this, I wasn't quite sure.
Like I was kind of,
you know, I stayed up all night.
I was wondering about, you know, this episode.
You lost sleep over it.
I lost sleep over it.
Because I was thinking, you know,
I would really appreciate what Chevy is doing
and what GM is doing right there with their trucks.
And by the way, we paid about 73 for that diesel.
Yeah.
That diesel's 2025 sticker price was around 77.
And of course, there's still incentives
and some deals to be had.
So we paid about 73 for it.
But that engine is still like $10,000 or $11,000.
So if you subtract that,
you know, it would be similar priced
like we talked about.
That's true.
But this warlock,
this warlock kind of won my heart.
Did it?
A little bit.
Because here's the thing,
accept the payload.
Like I would like to see a little bit more payload
in one of these trucks.
But I think, I mean, this truck has,
look at this name brand shocks,
Bilstein.
It has Bilstein shocks.
It has very beefy tires,
quite good capability at a low price.
What did you say, about under 58 grand?
Yeah.
For this.
Yeah, that's true.
So when you combined,
in my view, if you combine some of the
off-road features of this truck
with the price,
that's kind of hard to beat actually.
This Ford's got the most payload.
What do you think of that?
Oh, but also,
so personally,
personally speaking,
I don't own a fifth wheel.
If I did, I would not pick the RAM
because we've damaged,
well, not damaged.
We haven't damaged.
I've heard and seen a lot of people
with these RAM trucks,
with shorter beds,
damage their cabs,
while towing a fifth wheel.
Making too tight of a turn.
So I don't own one personally,
but.
I'm wondering.
Yes.
If you're not the Andre
I've worked with for the last
couple of years,
if you're an imposter Andre,
because you picked the truck
with the shortest bed
in the least payload.
I might be an imposter.
Well, I was allergic to this Ford.
No, I'm just, yeah, I was just,
I'm just giving you grief.
I actually,
I also like the package
that this RAM offers.
I think it's a,
I think it's a good setup all around.
Like if you ask me,
okay,
if it was flipped
and we were doing a comparison of
more premium turbo diesel trucks,
if all three of these heavy
duties had turbo diesel engines,
and that Ford diesel is hard to ignore.
That Ford diesel is just insane.
That was the funny thing,
because not too long ago,
we talked about
for each of us,
which compact truck we like the most,
mid-size,
full-size,
and heavy duty.
Yes.
And I know, what did I say?
I picked the Cummins.
Yes, you did.
And I picked the power stroke.
So, here we are.
So I think we are imposters.
The roles have reversed.
So it just depends on what you're buying.
So it's always,
there's always this nuance, right?
You know, what kind...
And by the way,
I also like the fact that
this powertrain is
the most experienced.
This engine and this transmissions
have been around for way longer
than those engines
and those transmissions and the others.
So that's not the reason why I like.
Yeah.
Even though there are no recalls on these trucks,
but no truck is immune from recall.
No, especially not in this day and age.
That's for sure.
So let us know what you think.
In the comments below,
did we surprise you?
Did we shock you?
Did which truck would you pick?
Any thunderstruck?
And also, are these trucks affordable enough?
I feel like I know the answer.
At 58 grand or 60 grand.
Yeah, but we're getting there.
We're trying to pick out some trucks
to film that are a little more reasonable.
But here's the thing.
Even at 60 grand,
if you buy one of these trucks
and if you're actually doing work with them,
they will return that investment
pretty quickly.
Yeah.
Right.
Other than buying a $100,000 truck.
I know people do that for business
because they're comfortable and they're nice.
And if you have a successful business,
you want to treat yourself.
And it's both your daily driver
and something that you work with.
Yeah, so I totally get that.
But I think you can also be happy.
At least I could be happy
with one of these more simple trucks as well.
I agree.
All right.
Thanks for joining us.
And we'll see you in the next episode.
And let us know what other comparisons
you want to see.
Do you want to see midsize again?
Do you want to see duallys?
Do you want to see electric trucks?
Probably not.
Probably not.
But let us know.
Sounds good.
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About this episode
A deep dive into the heavy-duty truck segment, this episode compares the latest offerings from Ram, Ford, and GM. With a focus on affordability and practicality, hosts Andre and Case explore the specs, features, and performance of the 2026 Ram 2500 Warlock, Ford F-250, and Chevy Silverado 2500. They discuss payload capacities, engine options, and interior features, while also addressing listener requests for more budget-friendly options. The episode culminates in a debate over which truck stands out as the best choice for everyday use and towing capabilities.
Original notes
( https://www.alltfl.com/ ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts! In this episode of TFL Talkin’ Trucks, Andre and Kase break down how each of the big three heavy-duty trucks stacks up — Ram HD vs. GM HD vs. Ford Super Duty. Using what they learned from our towing tests, payload evaluations, real-world MPG loops, and performance runs on the Ike Gauntlet, they compare strengths, weaknesses, surprises, and which trucks truly shine where it matters most.
They also discuss where each manufacturer is pushing ahead (or falling behind), how the latest tech and powertrains impact real usability, and what buyers should prioritize when choosing their next HD truck. Whether you tow big, haul heavy, or just want the most capable rig on the market, this episode breaks it all down.
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