Owners Say These Are the Best Double Trucks for Heavy Duty – Jalopnik

There are a number of pros and cons to driving a double truck. But when it comes to doing tough jobs in a pickup, a dual-rear-wheel truck is a better option than a single-rear-wheel pickup. Reddit user uabeng asked the r/Diesel community on the benefits of a double truck for towing heavy trailers and found that they overwhelmingly agree that for heavy-duty work, a double truck is best.

Popular American automakers such as General Motors, Ford and Ram offer heavy-duty dual trucks. As with other car comparisons, it is possible to find loyal owners of any brand on almost any forum or street corner. Some have a dual owner on another r/Diesel Thread says they prefer Ford and GM HD trucks over Ram because of the different combinations of cab size and bed length. Although Ram offers the roomy Mega Cab, it only comes on trucks equipped with a relatively short 6-foot bed. The Mega Cab Ram’s shorter bed puts it at a disadvantage compared to other double trucks when towing fifth wheel RVs, with some owners experiencing clearance issues.

Other owners on Reddit threads say that while the Ford and GM crew cabs are larger than the Ram version, the interior of those trucks isn’t as nice as the Ram’s. Reddit user LeastCriticism3219 says the Ram has “comfy seats, nice leather, not so much hard plastic, [and the] “absolutely the best sound systems” compared to the others. For the heavy work itself this doesn’t matter much, but for the driver doing them they do make a difference.

The power of a dually comes at a cost, with such a version of the GMC Sierra 3500HD starting at over $100,000. It manages to boast the strongest rear axle weight of 10,400 pounds, compared to 10,300 pounds for the F-350 and 9,750 pounds for the Ram 3500. However, the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD and GMC Sierra 3500HD both have lower maximum towing capacities than Ford or Ram HD pickups. GM HD pickups have a towing capacity of up to 36,000 pounds when the truck is configured as a two-wheel drive, regular cab, long bed, WT model equipped with the “Max Trailering Package” and a gooseneck hitch.

In response to Jasonmpt’s request for guidance on selecting a heavy-duty double truck to tow a 17,000-pound toy hauler over the road Diesel place forum, Ryanryan says he should “stay with GM.” The suggestion includes positive praise for the GM 3500HD’s dual stability and braking capabilities.

Owners of the Chevrolet 3500HD rate it at both ends of the spectrum at Edmunds. With 26 total reviews, the 3500HD receives 4 and 5 star ratings for 61% of reviews and 39% 1 and 2 star ratings. Owners on the positive end of the scale typically like its safety and performance, while some give lower ratings for the truck’s reliability, technology and value. Many dissatisfied owners reported that their brand new trucks spent more time at the dealer for warranty repairs than they did in their possession. A dually cannot do heavy work when it is in the shop.

Ford lists the maximum towing capacity of its dual F-Series Super Duty at 40,000 pounds, a cool 4,000 pounds more than the HD GM dual trucks. Like GM and Ram HD dual trucks, the Super Duty reaches its maximum towing capacity when properly equipped. In this case, the most capable models are powered by a diesel engine: the 6.7-liter Ford Power Stroke diesel.

Owners of the 2022 Ford F-350 Super Duty Crew Cab give it a 4.6-star rating at Kelley Blue Book with 28 reviews. However, opinions about the possibilities for heavy use are not so positive. In Kelly Blue book In reviews for the 2020 model, Richard says fuel economy is down to 7.2 mpg by hauling “just a few hundred pounds.” He also mentions that “the hips on the double wobbled” and the rear wheel fenders started to sag. It can handle a heavier load than GM’s offering, but the F-350 may not hold up well in the long run.

The Ford F-450 is another option for consumers. In a YouTube video review of their F-450, Renovations and Repair highlighted some of the reasons he chose the F-450 over an F-350. The main factors influencing his decision were the pickup’s 8- to 8-foot smaller turning circle and larger brakes. While the smaller turning circle is nice, the F-450’s larger brakes make it better for heavy duty work.

In its ranking of “Trucks with the Best Towing Capacity” for 2025, Car and Driver placed the Ram HD, with its maximum towing capacity of 36,610 pounds, among trucks from Ford and GM. However, in a separate review, the magazine placed the Ram at the top of its “Best Diesel Trucks” list. Compared to the other heavy-duty pickups previously mentioned, Car and Driver raves about the Ram 3500’s interior, putting it above Ford and GM in that regard.

Ram 3500 owners are generally positive about the interior. Others say the car doesn’t drive great when unladen, but that means things improve when you actually do those tough jobs. On the other hand, older Ram dually trucks may be more worthwhile for some. JDM-TIM, a r/Cummins subreddit user says the 2025 Ram 3500 Laramie “really feels like a downgrade from the last generation Laramie” with the removal of features like the drag buttons. That sentiment resonated with owners of older Ram trucks, including first-generation models, who joined in. Redditor RoyalCPT announces the “2017/2018 [model years] lately have been the golden years.”

While the Ram 3500 doesn’t have the strongest rear axle or the highest towing capacity, it’s still a dual pickup that can tow heavy loads and carry a significant payload. A comfortable interior may not be the first thing you think of when considering using these trucks for heavy-duty work. However, most of these jobs don’t end with parking the truck, making the importance of a comfortable, restful ride increasingly important.