Pickup towing ratings climb steeply once a truck moves from the half-ton class into heavy duty. Manufacturer pages and aggregator maximums together put the ratings in this group between 12,000 and 36,000 pounds, with the diesel heavy-duty trucks at the top. Here are ten pickups, ordered from the highest rating to the lowest.
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1. Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD: Top Of The Class
Chevrolet puts the Silverado 3500HD at the head of this list with a maximum tow rating of 36,000 pounds when equipped with the available Duramax 6.6-liter diesel. The brand’s Chevrolet’s heavy-duty truck page states the figure as its maximum towing number for the heavy-duty line.
That rating is a ceiling rather than a typical result. The source does not specify the cab or drivetrain configuration behind the number, so a buyer shopping for the full 36,000 pounds should confirm that the diesel and the chosen layout are the ones the rating covers before assuming it applies to a specific truck.
2. GMC Sierra 3500HD: Matching The Leader
GMC lists the Sierra 3500HD at the same 36,000 pounds of maximum towing, tying it with its Chevrolet corporate sibling at the top of the group. The figure comes from a TowingSpecs capacity page that compiles the highest rating across the model years it covers.
Because the number is a maximum across years and trims, it describes the best case rather than every Sierra 3500HD on a dealer lot. Anyone planning to haul near that limit should check the rating for the exact configuration, since the aggregator itself advises confirming against the manufacturer’s vehicle page.
3. Ford F-450 Super Duty: Two Ratings, One Truck
Ford carries two towing figures for the F-450 Super Duty: 30,000 pounds conventional and 40,000 pounds with a gooseneck hitch. Ford’s F-450 specification page ties the figures to the 2027 dual-rear-wheel truck with the 6.7-liter diesel.
The two numbers apply to different setups. The conventional rating is listed for the Crew Cab, while the gooseneck rating is listed for a Regular Cab 4×2 with the 40,000-pound package. Since the gooseneck number is the larger one, it is the only figure here that rises above the headline’s 36,000-pound mark.
4. Ford F-350 Super Duty: Heavy Duty Middle Ground
Ford’s F-350 Super Duty is rated to 28,000 pounds, according to a TowingSpecs F-350 listing that reports each model’s maximum across the years it covers. That puts the truck behind its F-450 sibling but well ahead of the half-ton pickups further down the ranking.
The wording matters here, since the number reflects the best result among model years and trims rather than a single configuration. A buyer comparing the F-350 with rivals should treat 28,000 pounds as an upper bound and verify the rating for the specific cab, axle and engine combination before relying on it.
5. Ram 3500: The Ram Entry
Ram’s 3500 is rated to 23,000 pounds, the highest figure from the brand in this group. The number appears on a TowingSpecs Ram 3500 page that gives a maximum across model years and trims rather than one fixed configuration.
That places the truck in the middle of the pack, below the Ford and GM heavy-duty models above it. Owners who intend to tow near the limit should check the rating for the particular truck, because the aggregator notes that its figures should be confirmed against the manufacturer’s own vehicle page.
6. Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD: Lighter Duty Silverado
The Silverado 2500HD is rated to 22,420 pounds, according to Chevrolet’s heavy-duty towing figures. It sits well below the 3500HD at the top of the list, even though both trucks share the same page and the same heavy-duty family.
The gap shows how much rating separates the two weight classes of the same model line. For a buyer who does not need the 36,000-pound ceiling, the 2500HD offers a substantial figure of its own, and the manufacturer page remains the place to confirm which configuration delivers it.
7. Ford F-250 Super Duty: Steady Workhorse
Ford’s F-250 Super Duty is rated to 22,000 pounds, a figure drawn from a TowingSpecs F-250 summary that lists each model’s maximum across years and trims. It sits just under the Silverado 2500HD in the ranking.
A rating of 22,000 pounds is a large figure by any standard, though the aggregator cautions that its numbers are maximums rather than a promise for every truck. Anyone considering the F-250 for heavy loads should match the figure to the exact engine, axle ratio and cab style before buying.
8. Ram 2500: Ram’s Smaller Heavy Duty
Ram’s 2500 is rated to 20,000 pounds, according to a TowingSpecs Ram 2500 page that reports a maximum across the model years it covers. That is three thousand pounds below the Ram 3500 and the lowest heavy-duty figure on this list.
As with the other aggregator entries, the number represents a best case rather than every configuration. Shoppers who need to tow close to that rating should verify the specifics for the truck in question, since the page itself recommends confirming ratings against the manufacturer’s linked vehicle page.
9. Ford F-150: Best Of The Half Tons
Ford’s F-150 is rated to 14,000 pounds, the strongest figure among the half-ton pickups included here. The number comes from a TowingSpecs F-150 entry that records each model’s maximum across years and trims.
The jump from the 20,000-pound Ram 2500 down to the F-150 marks the line between heavy-duty trucks and light-duty ones. For owners who tow regularly but do not need a three-quarter-ton truck, 14,000 pounds is a high ceiling, though the specific configuration still determines what a given F-150 can pull.
10. Toyota Tundra: Rounding Out The List
Toyota’s Tundra closes the ranking at 12,000 pounds of rated towing. The figure appears on a TowingSpecs Tundra page, which reports a maximum across the model years it covers rather than one configuration.
The notes on this entry flag that the Tundra’s number is the tail of the aggregator list instead of a manufacturer-verified maximum. That caveat suggests treating 12,000 pounds as a reference point, and checking Toyota’s own specifications for the exact truck before planning a tow near that rating.
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