RAM 2500 vs Ford F-350

What's the difference?

If you're a grey nomad with a massive caravan searching for something to do the big lap in, or a big boater seeking an effortless weekend getaway machine, then this sort of ute makes sense. The HD series shows just how much more muscle is available, for those who genuinely need it.

But if towing or hauling to the max isn’t your priority, then the far-more dynamic – and class-leading – Ram 1500 series does everything else with much-greater aplomb.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

If you’ve got something really heavy to tow and you have the budget to do it in grand style and with minimal effort, then a Super Duty could be just what you’re looking for. Its gargantuan proportions make it impractical for daily driving in Australian city and suburban traffic, but as a heavy-duty tow vehicle, particularly for long-haul open highway work, you’ll feel like king of the road.

Vehicle supplied by Harrison F-Trucks.

You can spot the HD facelift by the bi-LED headlights and bulgier bonnet, while chrome’s been replaced by black trim inside and out, including in the restyled grille, alloy wheels and side steps, for a more-modern appearance.

Both models are identical bar the badging. However, while they share a tri-link solid front axle system, the 2500 HD features coil-spring rear suspension, while the super heavy-duty 3500 HD relies on leaf springs. That’s for it to achieve maximum pulling and hauling capability.

Inside, the already-contemporary dashboard, with its 12-inch Tesla-esque portrait touchscreen, remains much the same as before, except for a few detail updates to accommodate the big new centre console, twin wireless charger housings, extra USB ports and restyled electronic instrument cluster.

Otherwise, it’s as vast as ever.

Needless to say, the MY18 F350 Super Duty 4x4 is a monster, even in this SWB specification. The massive 4059mm wheelbase is 839mm longer than a Ranger Wildtrak, which is also dwarfed by the Super Duty’s 6350mm overall length (961mm longer). The F-Series’ 2032mm width is 182mm wider than the Ranger, and its 2065mm height is 217mm taller. It's like a Ranger that's been fed heaps of fertiliser.

Underneath is the kind of heavy-metal hardware needed to justify a Super Duty badge. Ford claims its massive fully-boxed steel ladder-frame chassis is up to 24 times stiffer than the previous generation, along with improved corrosion resistance. The cargo tub is made from military-grade aluminium with the dual benefits of less weight and no rust. A tough spray-on cargo tub liner boosts dent and weather protection.

Live axles are used at both ends, suspended on huge leaf spring packs at the rear and softer-riding coils up front. Steering and four-wheel disc braking are both power-assisted, of course, and there’s a choice of trailer-towing hitches available.

As you would expect, cabin space for both front and rear occupants is palatial, with even tall adults feeling dwarfed by its enormous dimensions. Rear passenger leg and shoulder room even for tall adults is limousine-grade, although headroom is reduced (but still adequate) due to the lower roof lining surrounding the full-length sunroof.

The overall fit and finish of the dashboard, following Harrison’s local RHD conversion process, displays quality workmanship. However, some DNA from its Kentucky birthplace remains in the control screen’s software, which, for example, displays 911 Assist instead of 000, and a left-side driver’s seat icon for the massage control. We also noticed that the AM radio station display only moves in 10kHz increments without the ability to tune between them (too bad if you like talkback).

There’s also no driver’s left footrest and the parking brake pedal seems overly high, requiring the raising of your left knee above steering-wheel height to get your boot on it.

As with all Walkinshaw Automotive Group utes (that includes the Silverado), the Ram HD’s fit and finish seem exemplary, with an insider suggesting the quality may exceed the North American factory original.

This is no small feat. Ateco Automotive, the instigator and original importer of over 35,000 (and counting) remanufactured left-hand to right-hand-drive DS, DT and DJ full-sized utes in Australia since the first 2500 HD rolled off the Melbourne production line in 2015, says “between 400 and 500” unique engineering pieces are necessary.

Compared to the pre-facelift versions, the DJ Series II sees a switching out of the old front bench seat, which meant the earlier versions were six seaters, to shapelier individual items. Apparently, comfort and convenience are what buyers prefer, since a large centre console with armrest is now included. It’s certainly seems plush and luxurious inside.

Along with greater storage, the Ram’s electronic instrumentation is new and the multimedia system has been updated, with extra USB ports as well as twin phone chargers.

The driving position might be compromised for some by a lack of reach adjustability for the steering column (unlike in the DT 1500), and the foot-operated park brake seems like an anachronistic nowadays, but otherwise everything is easy to reach and operate – despite being scattered all about – after you’ve learned what all the buttons and switches do.

Meanwhile, the now-fixed seats can accommodate a trio of burly occupants no problems due to the sheer width of the cabin.

Included are air vents, extra USB ports, a sliding back window and storage underneath the seat cushions and within a special floor compartment.

Owners can also create a raised floor section, by tilting both cushions up and folding down two corresponding bases for a flat and even load area, with additional hidden storage within the now-covered footwells.

Overall, the Ram’s cabin balances convenience and utility quite well.

Further back, the tub length is 1938mm, width is 1687mm and 1295mm between the wheel arches and height is 511mm. This compares to the Silverado 2500’s superior corresponding figures of 2089mm/1814mm/1317mm/533mm, respectively.

A swing-away step is provided to help tub access, as well as a spray-in bedliner, strut-assisted tailgate-close and 12-pin towbar fitted as standard.

Maximum towing capacities vary from 3.5 tonnes to an unmatched eight tonnes with the correct accessories. The 2500’s payload is 785kg while the 3500 more than doubles that. And standard exhaust brakes help with braking on long descents when fully laden.

Which brings us to the heart of the matter. Muscle.

Our F-350 test vehicle with its F-250 downgrade results in a 700kg decrease in both payload and tow ratings. In other words, based on Harrison’s figures, in full F-350 specification it has a 1700kg payload capacity and 9700kg GCM, which means it can legally tow up to 4510kg of braked trailer with a full payload or up to 6210kg without. In our F-250 form it offers a 1000kg payload with 9000kg GCM, and can legally tow up to 3810kg of braked trailer with a full payload, or 4810kg without.

The huge cargo tub has a load floor length of 2080mm and width of 1700mm, with 1283mm between the wheel arches allowing ample room for a standard 1160mm-square Aussie pallet. There’s a total of eight tie-down points, overhead and internal lighting plus key fob operation of the tailgate, which houses a handy fold-out step and grab handle for easy cargo tub access.

The sumptuous cabin has plenty of storage options, including a single glovebox, and a bottle holder and two storage bins in each front door. The centre console has an open storage cubby at the front, another open storage bin and two bottle holders in the centre, a cavernous box behind that with a padded lid which doubles as a comfortable armrest, and two more bottle/cup holders at the back.

Those in the rear seat also get a fold-down centre armrest with two pop-out cup holders and each rear door has a bottle holder and two storage bins. There are also flexible storage pockets on the rear of both front seats and the 60/40-split rear seat base cushions swing up through 90 degrees and lock into position, revealing a huge full-width storage area underneath.

Our test vehicle was the MY18 F350 SWB Crew Cab Platinum 4x4 pick-up, downrated to a 4490kg GVM rating (same as the F-250) to allow it to be driven with a normal car licence. According to Harrison, Ford achieves this by simply removing an additional booster spring and block in the rear suspension, resulting in the lower ratings. It was also fitted with Ford’s FX4 off-road option (rear diff lock, skid plates, special shocks, hill-descent control), bringing the drive-away price to an eye-watering $165,990.

The Platinum is one of six grades in the Super Duty range, and one of three only available in the Crew Cab, in which it represents the middle tier above King Ranch and below Limited. Although Harrison can import most of the Super Duty model grades, it claims the Platinum delivers the best ‘bang for buck’ in terms of features and trim level, riding on stylish 20-inch polished alloy wheels and LT245/75Rx17E all-terrain tyres with a full-size spare.

As you can imagine, the sumptuous Platinum has power everything and is loaded with features that are way too numerous to list here. Suffice to say, everywhere you look there’s conspicuous luxury, from the moment the concealed power-operated side-steps smoothly extend when you open the door, and then retract when you close it.

Inside is an 8.0-inch touchscreen for the SYNC3 voice-activated infotainment system with multiple connectivity options, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, premium leather seating (with heating, cooling and even massage for the front seats), a full-length panoramic sunroof, huge power-extendable door mirrors for towing (with built-in courtesy lights), power adjustable pedals and steering wheel (which is also heated), remote-opening tailgate with fold-out step, cameras everywhere for 360-degree coverage and even a wide choice of changeable colours for the ambient cabin lighting.

We could go on, but you get the picture. It’s magnificent excess in the true US tradition, where too much is never enough.

Under the now-bulgier bonnet may be the torquiest engine money can buy, at least in something that does not require a special driving license. Or pilot's licence.

Completely overhauled with a redesigned engine head, larger intake and exhaust valves, a new turbo, heavier-duty pistons, a higher-pressure fuel system and upgraded intake manifold amongst other changes, the Cummins-sourced 6.7-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel unit now delivers 313kW of power at 2800rpm and 1458Nm at 1800rpm.

Formerly making 276kW and 1152Nm, the new figures are 13 per cent and 26 per cent better than before (respectively), reducing the power gap with the Silverado’s 350kW/1322Nm 6.6L V8 turbo-diesel, while easily leap-frogging it for torque.

At 3710kg (kerb), the HD’s power-to-weight ratio improves significantly despite putting on about 100kg, from 76.5 kW/tonne to 84.4kW/tonne.

Meanwhile, a ZF-supplied eight-speed auto replaces the old six-speed unit. It’s now a second faster to 100 at under 7.3 seconds and the spread of extra gears should improve highway fuel consumption, albeit slightly.

Drive is sent to the rear wheels in two-wheel drive (2WD) mode in most cases. However, 4WD High (4H) is also available via a part-time dual-range transfer case and is selectable on-the-fly, though it is not recommended for operation above 80km/h, while 4WD Low (4L) is for rougher terrain at very low speeds.

The F350 Super Duty is powered by Ford’s common rail 6.7-litre Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel, which, with four valves per cylinder and variable vane turbocharger, punches out 335kW at 2800rpm and a massive 1267Nm of torque at only 1800rpm.

The SelectShift six-speed automatic transmission is also designed and built by Ford. Its triple-plate, two-stage torque converter offers full lock-up capability as low as 900rpm, and there’s a dedicated tow/haul mode which avoids unwanted shifts on climbs and provides powerful engine braking on descents.

The exhaust brake can also be manually selected. The 4x4 system is part-time dual-range, with auto-locking front hubs and shift-on-the-fly engagement.

Ram says the Australian Government doesn't mandate an official combined fuel consumption figure for full-sized utes like these, so there is no average economy number for us to share.

But the trip meter in two of our test vehicles said it consumed between 15 litres per 100km and 15.6L/100km of diesel fuel, and both had not been towing a trailer or load since being reset.

Despite the new ZF eight-speed auto’s revised final drive ratio (now 3.42:1 instead of 3.73:1) to help improve efficiency, clearly this is no Toyota Prius.

Based on those trip computer numbers, expect the 117-litre fuel tank to provide about 760km between refills. Handily, the 28.4L AdBlue reservoir comes with its own tank display on the dash.

Flick through a Super Duty sales brochure and you won’t find any reference to fuel economy ratings. However, for what it’s worth we crunched some figures at the end of our relatively short 200km test based on trip meter and fuel bowser readings, resulting in a reasonable 15.8L/100km.

That’s not far away from the dash read-out at 14.2, so with its big 130-litre fuel tank you could expect a driving range of around 820km.

The Ram HD’s column shifter and foot-operated park brake say it all. This is a big, floaty and, at times, old-fashioned American truck, and that is certainly how it feels from behind the wheel.

2500 HD first.

From the initial burble of the forced-induction in-line six diesel, you can feel the torque simmering restlessly within. Slot the awkward selector into Drive, and – depending on how much heft you’re hauling – the Ram will lurch off the line like a startled bull, and before you know it, you’re bounding along.

If lightly laden, you’ll even momentarily spin the rear wheels in the lower ratios – second (the start-off gear; first’s for lugging only), third and maybe even fourth if the surface is slippery enough, though the traction controls will quell anything more than a bit of a bum wiggle.

From there on in, on a straight piece of highway anyway, the 3.7-tonne ute just strides along effortlessly, picking up the pace with ridiculous ease as required. You’re soon aware that the cruise control is vital if you’re going to keep your licence.

If you’re wondering how different the HD feels compared to the related regular Ram 1500, the first corner will serve up some answers soon enough.

The steering is light and reassuringly measured in response, but also numb and less precise than expected, if not quite vague, meaning you need to feed in inputs carefully. Especially at speed. Rushing it in, or blundering through a tighter turn carelessly, will have the laws of physics reminding you of this truck’s length and girth, and not to mention maybe the long arm of the law on your tail as well before long. Anyway, other road users will soon let you know as well. Take it easy.

Over the varied and at-times tight rural roads of Victoria’s Gippsland region, the endless pitter-patter of the unladen suspension, combined with the constant pitching from the body and trigger-happy brakes, resulted in motion queasiness, if not sickness. We’ve been assured that with a load as intended, everything including our internal sense of balance should settle down. Which makes sense. A boat or caravan out back should provide the anchoring effect required.

Back on straighter and smoother ground, where the 2500 smothers and smooshes most things before it, you’ll be glad for the commanding vision aided by the massive mirrors and surround-view cameras, helping to boost driver confidence, particularly when weaving through traffic or in parking scenarios.

But the compromises demanded for the ability to haul up to eight tonnes means this is a very niche proposition.

Which is why Ram insisted on us testing the sole 3500 HD with a 3.5-tonne caravan hitched out back, on the ex-Holden speed loop at Lang Lang.

This was a test of acceleration and control, and – again – we managed to spin the rear wheels in the lower gears.

Likewise, all that torque was delivered without struggle or strain, and almost immediately the 3500 was sitting steadily at 110km/h. The planted chassis and various electronics seamlessly kept everything in line.

But the track surface was too calm to assess the ride comfort from the leaf-sprung suspension, and we weren’t allowed to venture on to public roads.

Returning back to base, we even forgot all about the caravan quietly shadowing our every move out back, which is a sign of the 3500’s towering towing confidence.

Which is exactly what it says on the tin.

You sit up nice and high in very comfortable seats, with a commanding view of surrounding traffic and the road ahead. We quickly adapted to the width and height of the Super Duty, but the major issue in city and suburban driving was its oil-tanker length, which required later turn-in on tight corners to provide kerbside clearance. We also needed to check that there was ample reversing room when choosing a space in a parking lot, to ensure we didn’t get wedged when trying to leave.

With the big turbo diesel V8’s 1267Nm of torque being tapped at only 1800rpm, it provides spirited getaways from traffic lights, and easily keeps up with normal city and suburban traffic flow with your big toe barely touching the accelerator pedal.

The ride quality without a load is quite good on smooth surfaces, with its massive 3.5 tonne kerb weight feeling like the tyres are leaving indents in the bitumen. However, over rougher roads and larger obstacles like speeds humps, it starts to bounce around more and can feel quite ponderous at times. However, this is to be expected in an empty vehicle with such high payload and tow ratings.

The steering is surprisingly direct and firm in feel. It’s also quite linear in turning weight regardless of road speed, without the more noticeable changes evident in its little brother Ranger, which is very light at parking speeds but gets noticeably firmer as speeds increase.

Braking is reasonably responsive but like other giant US pick-ups we’ve tested, you have to get them quite hot to make them really bite. That’s because their pad compounds tend to be on the hard side, given they have to cope with the high temperatures generated by heavy-duty towing.

The engine exhaust brake is surprisingly quiet and very effective at slowing the vehicle, aided by more aggressive downshifts in the six-speed auto.

No ANCAP rating, but for what it’s worth the 2017 F-250 Super Duty SuperCab and Crew Cab 4x2 models earned the US government’s highest five-star safety rating. Passive safety includes driver and passenger front and seat-side airbags plus side-curtain airbags. All three rear seat positions have top tethers for child seat restraints but no ISOFIX.

Dynamic safety does not include AEB, but there’s adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, (BLIS) blind spot information system with trailer coverage and cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping alert, reverse sensing system, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beam headlights, hill-start assist, trailer sway control, tyre-pressure monitoring, SOS post-crash alert system and lots more.

So, here's where the news may not be so good for potential HD buyers, because the Ram’s warranty is well below its main competitor.

Now it is the sole US full-sized ute with a three-year, 100,000km warranty, instead of the five-year/unlimited-kilometre coverage offered by the others.

And don’t forget, this is the era where (albeit smaller) utes from Kia have seven years while Mitsubishi, Nissan and MG are up to 10 years (conditionally).

Service intervals are at just six months or 12,000km and there are no capped-price servicing options either.

As a result of trailing the competition so badly in these key areas, the Ram HD’s overall rating has been dragged down significantly.

Along with the 75 Ram dealers throughout every state and territory in Australia, there are an additional three garages that will service the vehicles.

Harrison F Trucks provides a four-year/130,000km warranty, which it claims is the same as the Ford warranty with standard exclusions. Harrison also provides four-year premium roadside assistance.

Scheduled servicing is 12 months/10,000km with costs ranging between $495 and $1400.

Harrison says servicing can be done at any certified service department in Australia, with direct communication with Harrison’s service manager if required for diagnostics and advice.