Which diesel heavy duty truck is the quickest? Perhaps this is not the first question you might ask when considering a 1-ton heavy hauler dually truck, but it’s a lot of fun to find out. In this special episode of “Old vs New” drag race, we pit a 2005 Dodge Ram 3500, against a 2018 Ram HD 3500, against a 2018 Ford F350.
Here are the old vs new truck specs. Here is what’s changed after 13 years.
| 2005 Dodge Ram HD 3500 | 2018 Ram HD 3500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration | SLT 4×4 Quad cab dually | Longhorn SouthFork 4×4 Crew cab dually |
| Engine | 5.9L HO Cummins I6 | 6.7L HO Cummins I6 |
| Horsepower | 325 hp @ 2,900 rpm | 385 hp @ 2,800 rpm |
| Torque | 600 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm | 930 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm |
| Transmission | 4-speed Automatic | 6-speed Automatic (Aisin) |
| Curb Weight (as tested) | 7,500 lbs | 8,700 lbs |
| GVWR | 12,200 lbs | 14,000 lbs |
| GCWR | 23,000 lbs | 39,100 lbs |
The 2005 quad cab was the largest cab configuration available back then. A full crew cab was not an option. Both of these Ram trucks are equipped with “High Output” (HO) versions of the respective turbo-diesel engines. Ram has just bumped up the torque level of the 2018 truck to 930 lb-ft of torque. Notice how the truck’s capability was increased. The 2018 truck is capable of towing up to a 30,320 lbs gooseneck hitch trailer.
The 2018 Ford F350 is another heavy duty truck that got a power bump for this model year. The 6.7L Power Stroke V8 is now rated at 450 horsepower @ 2,800 rpm and 935 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800 rpm. This truck is rated to tow up to 31,300 lbs with a GCWR of 40,000 lbs.
Join the drag racing fun in the video below.
