2019 Ford Raptor vs Ram Rebel vs World’s Toughest Towing Test (Ike Gauntlet Video)

Which new off-road truck is also a good towing rig? We take a 2019 Ford Raptor and a 2019 Ram Rebel on the Ike Gauntlet – world’s toughest towing test with a 7,000 lbs trailer.

The Ike Gauntlet is an eight mile stretch of I-70 highway that goes from Dillon, CO to the Eisenhower / Johnson tunnels. It’s a 7% grade and the end of this towing test is at over 11,158 ft above sea level. If a truck is able to tow a trailer here, it can tow it anywhere.

2019 Ford Raptor

The 2019 Ford Raptor gets a couple of updates, but the most important are the new FOX Live Valve actively adjustable shocks. The stiffness of the shocks is actively adjusted in real time according to what surface the truck is driving over and what mode it’s in. Overall, these shocks make the suspension just a little more firm than the previous Raptor suspension. You read and watch everything about the 2019 Ford Raptor in our previous review.

Raptor’s fancy off-road suspension decreases the maximum payload and towing of the F-150 it’s based on. The 2019 Raptor crew cab is rated at 1,200 lbs of payload and 8,000 lbs of towing.

Under the hood of the Raptor is a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 with 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque that is mated to a 10-speed automatic.

The nearly-fully loaded 2019 Raptor you see here is retailing for just over $74,000.

2019 Ram Rebel

The new 2019 Ram Rebel crew cab is company’s most off-road worthy half-ton truck. It’s rides on a one-inch lift and uses Bilstein shocks. The truck you see here has nearly 1,500 lbs of maximum payload and 11,190 lbs of maximum towing capability.

Under the hood of the Rebel is a 5.7L V8 with 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. The V8 is mated to an eight-speed transmission.

Both trucks handled the 7,000 lbs trailer without sway and without slowing down up the mountain. The Raptor performed better on the way down with three brake applications (versus five application with the Rebel).

The 2019 Rebel with most options you see here has a M.S.R.P. of nearly $59,000.

It’s clear that the Raptor and the Rebel are still in different classes as there is about $15,000 of price difference between the two.

In the end, the Ram Rebel is a better towing rig. It has better mirrors, better chain hook-ups, a comfortable ride, and a higher maximum payload / towing ratings.

Join the towing fun in the video below.