These 5 Diesel Trucks Have The Highest Towing Capacity In 2024
The days of diesel have already started to diminish. Diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines but produce more emissions, so they've been largely replaced or eliminated in many vehicles. But, when it comes to pulling power, diesels still reign supreme. The biggest heavy-duty pickup trucks still use diesel powertrains to achieve the highest towing capability that no gasoline- or electric-powered trucks can currently match.
A quick note before we start listing these big-burly towing baddies: the numbers listed here are as good as it gets. Pickup trucks come in a dizzying array of configurations, with multiple cab configurations, options for various interior appointments, unique axle ratios, and the choice between two- and four-wheel drive.
All these variations mean that a truck's towing capacity can vary significantly depending on how it's equipped. This is especially true if the truck you're interested in has a different axle ratio than the one optimized for towing. The more options a truck has, the more it weighs and the lower its towing capacity gets. So, the ultra-high towing numbers don't apply across a truck's entire lineup, and they typically aren't paired with the most lavish version of a truck. With that in mind, let's dive in.
5. GMC Sierra 1500
The GMC Sierra 1500 is a full-size truck with an upscale vibe. It's essentially the posh version of the Chevrolet Silverado. Both trucks are capable and have impressive tow ratings (the Chevy is next up on our list), but the GMC offers some additional luxury. There's also a small difference in towing capability, which we'll touch on in the next section, but the GMC is plenty capable.
Available engines for the Sierra 1500 include a turbocharged four-cylinder, a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbodiesel. The Duramax diesel puts out 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque, and it's paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. That's enough for maximum towing with the GMC Sierra 1500 and the Duramax diesel, which top out at 13,200 pounds. Considering that most car trailers and even some fully loaded enclosed trailers don't weigh that much, it's a pretty impressive way to start our list.
4. Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Like the GMC Sierra 1500, the Chevy Silverado 1500 is available with four different engines (the turbocharged four-cylinder, the two V8s, and the turbodiesel), and the Duramax diesel puts down the biggest towing numbers of the bunch. The Duramax diesel makes the same 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque in the Chevy as it does in the GMC, and it's paired with the same 10-speed transmission, but with the Chevy, it can tow more. Maximum towing capability with the Silverado is 13,300 pounds — slightly edging out the GMC.
The 100-pound difference in towing capability between the two is likely the result of some extra equipment on the GMC that increases the truck's overall weight and, as a result, lowers its towing capabilities ever so slightly. It's pretty unlikely that owners will be towing a trailer that fits in that tiny 100-pound range, and if you're towing 13,000 pounds on a regular basis, you'll probably be much more interested in a heavy-duty pickup.
3. Chevrolet Silverado HD / GMC Sierra Sierra HD
This is where towing takes a big step up heavy-duty trucks. There are some significant differences between light-duty and heavy-duty pickups, differences that make the heavy-duty trucks capable of towing quite a bit more weight. HD trucks typically offer gooseneck towing ratings alongside conventional towing ratings that are a bit lower. It's also a limited field of vehicles — only a few manufacturers make full-size pickups, while even fewer make heavy-duty or HD models. The first heavy-duty truck on our list is the Silverado 3500 HD.
While it isn't the most powerful diesel engine on the market, Chevrolet's 6.6-liter turbodiesel is still pretty robust. With more power and torque added for 2024, the Duramax V8 diesel puts out 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. The Duramax engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and can pull as much as 36,000 pounds with a gooseneck trailer. The Silverado 3500 HD can still pull as much as 20,000 pounds if you go with conventional towing.
Like the full-size Chevy and GMC trucks, the heavy-duty pickups from these two manufacturers are virtually identical underneath. The GMC Sierra 3500 HD offers a few additional creature comforts without any mechanical differences. It is available with the same diesel engine as the Chevy, with the same power output and the same impressively high towing rating of 36,000 pounds.
2. Ram 3500 Heavy Duty
The Ram Heavy Duty comes in two flavors: 2500 and 3500. The 6.4-liter gasoline-powered V8 is standard with both the 2500 and 3500. It puts out some robust numbers: 410 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to tow over 18,000 pounds — certainly impressive. But if you want the big towing numbers, the optional 6.7-liter diesel engine is where you'll find them.
The Ram 2500 and 3500 offer an optional six-cylinder 6.7-liter diesel engine, but the 3500 is the one for top-towing. The standard output for the 6.7-liter engine is 370 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque. The high-output version, however, produces 420 horsepower and 1,075 lb-ft of torque.
With its optional Cummins turbodiesel, the Ram Heavy Duty 3500 is rated as high as 37,090 pounds with a gooseneck trailer and 23,000 pounds with a conventional trailer. It might not have made the number one spot on our list, but it's no slouch.
1. Ford Super Duty
Though they've offered one in the past, Ford stopped selling a diesel powertrain in their full-size truck, the F-150, in 2021. So, if you want to go diesel with a truck from the Blue Oval, it's the Super Duty or nothing. The Super Duty goes up in capability as the numbers go up, starting with the F-250, then the F-350, and topping out with the F-450 — the biggest and most capable of the bunch.
The Super Duty F-450 is only available with a 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine. The engine itself, however, is available with two different outputs. The standard version of the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel is rated at 475 horsepower and 1,050 lb-ft. of torque, but the high-output version is rated at 500 horsepower and a whopping 1,200 lb-ft. That makes it one of the most powerful trucks ever built.
With a gooseneck connection, the Ford Super Duty F-450 is rated as high as 40,000 pounds, and via conventional towing, it can pull as much as 30,000 pounds. With those numbers, you definitely won't need a bigger boat.