Oh yea! It’s time for the another heavy-duty pickup truck Ike GauntletTM – the world’s toughest towing test. It’s the newly updated 2025 Ram HD 2500 Rebel Cummins versus a 2025 Chevy Silverado HD 2500 Trail Boss Duramax versus a 2025 Ford F-250 Tremor Power Stroke. Which one will come out on top? Let’s dig in!
We have been using Weigh-Safe hitches for a long time. This video would not be possible without these heavy-duty adjustable hitches that have a built-in weight scale. Take a look at the Weigh-Safe store to get yours.
Ike GauntletTM
The Ike GauntletTM is the world’s toughest towing test because it’s a steep and dangerous 8-mile stretch of the I-70 Interstate highway that goes to the very top of the Continental Divide in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It’s a 7% grade and the top elevation is at 11,158 feet above sea level. If a truck can tow a heavy trailer well here, it can tow with confidence anywhere.
The 2025 Ram HD is the main event because of its updated Cummins I6 turbo-diesel that is mated to a new 8-speed ZF transmission. This engine is rated at 430 horsepower and 1,075 lb-ft of torque.
Here is how the weight capacities and specs compare.
| 2025 Ram HD 2500 | Chevy HD 2500 | Ford F-250 | |
| GVWR | 10,190 lbs | 11,150 lbs | 11,100 lbs |
| Base Payload | 2,450 lbs | 3,387 lbs | 3,684 lbs |
| As-tested Payload | 1,849 lbs | 3,129 lbs | 2,769 lbs |
| Max Towing | 19,980 lbs | 20,000 lbs | 22,000 lbs |
We are towing an 11,000 lbs trailer for this test. It’s a skid-steer CAT machine. This is the type of load that many heavy-duty pickup truck customers would tow. It is also close to maxing out the Ram HD Rebel’s payload rating (two heavy-duty truck journalists inside the truck plus 1,100 lbs of trailer tongue load).
The Silverado HD Trail Boss is equipped with a 6.6L Duramax V8 turbo-diesel with 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The F-250 Tremor has a high-output 6.7L Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 with 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. It is also mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.
The Ike GauntletTM results are very close!
| Ram HD Cummins | Chevy HD Duramax | Ford SD Power Stroke | |
| Downhill | |||
| -> Brake Application | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| -> Exhaust Brake | Great | No Auto Mode | Great |
| Uphill | |||
| -> 35-60 MPH | 13.9 sec. | 12.9 sec. | 11.5 sec. |
| -> Time | 8 min 02 sec. | 8 min 02 sec. | 8 min 19 sec. * |
| -> Efficiency | 4.9 MPG | 4.6 MPG | 4.8 MPG |
| -> Interior Sound Level | 61 dB | 61 dB | 60 dB |
In the end, we vote for the 2025 Ford F-250 Tremor by the slightest of margins. The Ford Power Stroke is simply the easiest to drive with this type of trailer load. It’s has the towing technology and the needed visibility.
The new Ram was perhaps the best on the downhill section. The Cummins exhaust brake works great and provides auditory feedback to the driver. It is also the most efficient on the way up the mountain. The Ram HD 2500 simply needs more payload capability.
The Silverado HD is also a great towing machine, but the lack of an automatic exhaust brake and several diesel gauges takes it down a point.
Please join Mr Truck and I in the video below for this eventful Ike GauntletTM.
