Three Reasons Why the Ram 3500 Dually Is the Best All Round Heavy Duty Pickup Truck

Rest assured, I’m not saying I would choose the Ram, regardless of specification, over either of its two main rivals. I am however choosing to focus on three factors, two of which are very important, that help separate Ram’s 3500 HD variant from the F-350 Super Duty and the Silverado 3500 HD.

One category I’ll be completely ignoring is exterior design. This is a subjective matter, after all, and that’s without factoring in brand loyalty, which is usually what forces us to defend certain carmakers against all others.

Also, I don’t want to get bogged down on specs and features all that much, especially since it’s usually the newer model that’s somewhat superior in various tech-related ways (such as having additional convenience or active safety systems).

Lastly, let’s not get into pricing either, because if you’re out shopping for a flagship spec heavy duty truck, odds are you’re not going to care all that much about saving one or two thousand bucks, as opposed to simply getting the truck you so desperately covet. It won’t be cheap, regardless.

All that being said, let’s get into my top three reasons why the heavy-duty Ram 3500 dually is better than its rivals from Ford and Chevrolet.

#1 Maximum Tow Rating

Did you know that when fitted with the 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel inline-six unit, which makes 420 hp and 1,075 lb-ft (1,457 Nm) of torque, plus a gooseneck hitch, the Ram 3500 can tow up to 37,100 pounds (18.55 tons)? Last we checked that’s a best-in-class rating and numbers do not lie.

Unfortunately, you will have to spend extra on that torque monster Cummins unit and the beefed-up Aisin transmission.

Compared to the Ram, the Ford F-350 Super Duty can only offer you a peak towing rating of 35,750 pounds (17.87 tons), while the Silverado 3500 HD (like its GMC Sierra sibling) will officially haul a maximum of 36,000 pounds (18 tons). On paper, this makes the Ram 3500 HD the most capable heavy duty pickup truck out there when it comes to towing heavy things around, and believe it or not, some buyers do consider that, towing everything from livestock to other vehicles.

#2 Interior Build Quality

Some will argue that the Ford F-Series uses higher quality plastics and fabrics than the Chevrolet Silverado, and while that might be true, we could say the Chevy has a better-looking interior, but again, that’s a visual statement and it can be debated until the cows come home.

I will, however, urge you to try and debate Ram being number one in this category. Compared to rivals, the cabin of a modern-day Ram truck features better quality materials and switchgear, as well as, some believe, more comfortable seats. Again, I’m talking about flagship specs here, not entry-level.

One thing some of you might not appreciate is the rotary shifter on certain specs, but that decision was made based on ergonomics. Some people like that “beefy” feeling provided by an old-fashioned column shifter, while others will appreciate how much space is freed up by the rotary dial.

#3 John Dutton

If you’ve been watching Paramount’s hit TV series “Yellowstone”, then you also probably noticed all the Ram trucks being utilized on the Dutton Ranch. This is one of the most popular TV shows in recent memory and seeing John Dutton drive around in his massive diesel-powered Ram 3500 HD is extremely cool – mostly because the character is so charming and impactful.

There’s even one episode where he mentions the King Ranch in Texas and how Ford named a trim package after that ranch. These are powerful connections, especially among HD truck buyers.

It would be a real treat if Ram named one of their future trim packages ‘Yellowstone’ sometime soon, especially since the show is putting in so much work for the Stellantis-owned brand, in terms of exposure.

Bottom line, having one of TV’s biggest and most popular characters using a Ram truck is exactly the sort of thing that can impact sales, especially among truck owners who also love the show.