My parents, are buying me a truck, for graduation, and They know I'm strongly against Ford, So that leaves the Ram, and the Silverado. I know this forum is gonna be mopar biased, But out of your experiences, which of the two do better in snow? I know you guys have a TON more experience than I do, so your insight (and recommendations) are extremely appreciated!

Thank You!

 

Both are solid performers in the snow. I'm not biased. Have had both.

I have been less than pleased with fit and finish on the Chevy and since the bail out the quality was down right questionable.

 

I think alot depends on the year of the trucks, location, driving style, tires.... etc. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.

 

Speaking of the bailouts, Ford didn't take one. I think Ford makes a fine truck, why the strong feelings against them?

 

I'm a big ford fan! They dont style like the mopars but I just got to peek inside the eco boost in f150 and the truck was very well built.

 

The trucks would be used as getting daily drivers, along with light work. All season tires.

I don't like Ford. Its an opinion. My parents have always driven GM. I happen to prefer a Dodge.

 

I've always felt a person should have a truck built to do anything a truck can do. That means at least a 3/4 T long box extended cab 4x4 set up for towing. Dodge was the last to build a solid old school straight axle beast of a front end and always had more clearance than any Chevy and a more solid body to boot. Ford was a tag along to the Dodge with the V-10 and big truck look. Nice interiors though. Don't think anyone can deny that the older Cummins is the **** for towing and economy, although my '95 2500 4x4 488 w/ 3.54 gears, loaded w/ camping gear and kids would pull +-15 mpg on the highway. V-10 good power, durable, weak mileage. Until recently Dodge was always tied for last in fuel economy. Power with a 360 very good, Hemi or 488 excellent, body, you either like it or don't. Rock solid in about every way except auto transmission. My '95 has 246k and will still pull an 18 ft TopHat loaded with a BMW X5 up the hills on the Colorado River outside of Vegas at a solid 60. Outstanding off road and snow w/ a little lift, posi rear, and 10 ply Wranglers. To be fair, the same lift and tires on my '08 F-150 short box made an excellent little off road billy goat on the mine roads out here in the West.Your preference will always rule. Buy what you like, fix what you don't, engineer out the limitations, enjoy what you drive. Good luck, Mike.

 

yep, the year/make/payload capacity, etc, is going to have a LOT to do with which truck is best. i know for a fact the old dodges do a heckuva great job in snow. the only chevy truck i've owned was a '76 3/4 ton long bed that was a beast and did great in all terrains. never owned a ford truck.

 

fords
They are plentiful around here on the contractor side of the industry.
i have always used Dodge "TRADES MAN VAN" lol i have had two over 20 years
the last was a 360, 4bb.l mopar purple 272 454, 518, 411 Dana a real 1 ton axle... The cam was originally a hydraulic but i swapped them out for solids.
interesting performance gain over the hydro's.
ran that vehicle for about? Wife says 10 yrs...
fords
The only issue i have Here in Florida is they are the slowest moving traffic in the fast lane 80 % of the time... contractors said they can't afford to drive em they have terrible gas mileage there fore they putt them along trying to time all the light for themselves...{RED}
Sure enough you'll be pacing "if your lucky" slower right hand traffic and you'll get a peek around the ford and shyite there is at least ten car lengths in front of his azz and they are leaving us!
and the diesels stink to high heaven i hand it to Cummings, but that international is a frekin stinkin soot monster! i thought they had to follow epa standards?
i think they are the number one in stink on the road!

 

Ford = weak engines.

Chevy = weak bodies.

Dodge = depends on the year really 90+ trucks use the 727 od and 904 od( cant remember both numbers but its like 504 and 518 or something) The overdrive is actually weak and tends to twist up with too much load.

This was supposedly repaired in the 2000 + line however I keep hearing about transmissions going on the new trucks.

The truck model made from 72-91 is probably the most solid of the trucks. The 92+ trucks use a very uhm weak front end. The bumper is not strong at all the big plastic grill has nothing between it and the rad. They crumple very easily. The older ones would hit a post , back away, and then keep driving.

That said there is something of vital importance in snow. Traction. The newer trucks use traction control systems. This was the single most boneheaded move ever on their part. The system does not react fast enough and actually causes more accidents than it prevents. A ford will go wonky on a light corner and wrap around a tree just as easily as a dodge, chevy, toyota, or whatever.

The newer limited slip rear axles are also totally unlike the old style. THe new style uses a centrigual force before the interal clutch engages. This means the tire has to spin first past a certain speed greater than the opposite wheel before it locks the two to turn. This means the truck goes sideways before the rear wheels lock up and drive you straight into the ditch.

This is not to be confused with the computerized version that applies a brake pressure to one wheel and not the other. Or with antilock brakes.

This does not mean that the old 4 x 4 system was much better. All wheels were on all the time. If you hit a patch of ice and one wheel went off they all followed suit. Great for just snow or mud not so good for ice. Same goes for the older sure grips but for a different reason. You couldn't turn!

THe best truck system I ever encountered was an old school bus. Their was an air system that locked the rear axles together if you needed to get unstuck but unlocked when you didn't need it. The system also had a bo low gear to lock the axles. The ratio would go from say 3:55 to 5:20. You couldn't go very fast but you had the power.

So if your asking which of the new trucks is better in snow? Then the answer is simply none of them are that much better than the other. All have specific good and bad points. Everyone will also have a personal preference as well. Go with what you feel makes you happy and go with that. Just go practice putting the truck out of control in a parking lot at the start of the season.

 

buying new or used