Drivers around the country love owning pickup trucks for a variety of reasons. Some love the way they look and the status they provide. Others love the flexibility and practicality they offer at home and at work.
Finally, others rely on their pickups to handle towing massive loads. These beasts are less of want, and more of a must-have, especially when it involves towing equipment trailers.
Equipment trailers come in a variety of sizes and styles. Simple trailers meant to haul a jet ski, canoe, or motorcycle typically weigh less than 500 pounds. These trailers can be tugged along by just about any pickup truck or SUV on the road. The big boys, however, need a vehicle with a little more power. Dump trailers, livestock trailers, and 5th wheel campers can easily weight up to 10,000+ pounds, some even over 15,000 pounds, and others push this limit beyond your imagination.
Whether you’re hauling for work, for fun, or a combination of both, you need a pickup truck that can handle incredible amounts of payload. Here are some of the best trucks, in no particular order, to tow your equipment trailers:
One-Ton Trucks
Ram 3500 HD
Max Tow Weight: 35,100 pounds
When a pickup is named the 2020 Truck Of The Year, you know it must be something special. To get the most out of this pickup, go for the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel inline-six engine that creates a massive 400 horsepower and 1,000 lb-ft of torque.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD
Max Tow Weight: 35,500 pounds
The Chevy Silverado is definitely one of the top contenders for best trucks. Divers love the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8 engine that boasts 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. Mix this performance monster with a ten-speed automatic transmission, and the Silverado will out-tow pretty much anything on the road.
Ford F-450 Super Duty
Max Tow Weight: 37,000 pounds
When pickup trucks go to battle over torque, the Ford F-450 clearly comes out on top with an amazing 1,050 lb-ft of torque. This level of power is made possible by a 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 engine.
Three-Quarter-Ton Trucks
Chevy Silverado 2500HD
Max Towing Weight: 18,500
The Chevy Silverado 2500HD may not be as big as its one-ton counterpart, but it offers more than enough to tow a large trailer. You can choose between several engines, but the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel’s 445 hp and 910 lb-ft of torque help make towing a breeze.
Ford F-250
Max Towing Weight: 20,200 pounds
The Ford F-250 has the reputation of being the workhorse of the Ford F family. It comes with various bed and cabin configuration options and several amazing options. It can also come with the same Power Stroke diesel that delivers 1,050 lb-ft of torque.
Half-Ton Trucks
Ram 1500
Max Towing Weight: 12,750 pounds
The Ram 1500 was named the 2019 truck of the year and is still the full-size truck to beat. Beyond a solid 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine (480 lb-ft of torque), it’s known as being the most luxurious truck on the road. That makes those hauling trips much easier to handle.
Ford F-150
Max Towing Weight: 13,200 pounds
The Ford F-150 is easily America’s best-selling pickup truck. It offers half a dozen rugged powertrains to ensure you have plenty of pickups. While the diesel option may have numbers, many prefer the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine (470 lb-ft of torque) due to its powerful push-off of the starting line.
Chevy Silverado
Max Towing Weight:12,100 pounds
While the Chevy Silverado isn’t as advanced as some of the other half-ton trucks on the road, it still packs a powerful towing punch. Go with the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six engine (460 lb-ft of torque) to get one of the smoothest towing trucks around.
Midsize Trucks
Ford Ranger
Max Towing Weight: 7,500 pounds
No one expects a mid-size truck to handle the massive trailers you’ll tow with an HD or half-ton option, but you can still enjoy plenty of capability with something like the Ford Ranger. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged engine is more than enough for most drivers.
Chevrolet Colorado
Max Towing Weight: 7,700 pounds
The Chevy Colorado has several “Truck of The Year” awards and is one of the most popular mid-size trucks on the road. You get several engines from which to choose, but serious haulers should consider the 2.8-liter turbodiesel option that offers 369 lb-ft of torque.
Stop by your local auto dealer to explore all of the details and specs that make these trucks amazing towing machines.
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