The 2024 Ford F-350 and Chevy Silverado 3500: Which Truck Fits Your Heavy-Duty Needs?

The Silverado and F-Series of trucks continue to trade blows in the marketplace when it comes to full-size pickup trucks. The two constantly compete both in the light-duty and heavy-duty segments. Year after year, both Ford and Chevy find new ways to improve and add to the value of both trucks. For the one-ton heavy-duty line-up, however, what do the latest entries bring to the table, and how do they compare to one another for the 2024 model years?

If you were interested in either a 2024 Ford F-350 or a 2024 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD, you might be curious how the two measure up and whether or not the F-350 does anything in particular that is better than the Silverado 3500. Well, you don’t have to wonder any longer because this article will break down the two and how they differ, as well as what they have to offer for those of you looking for a dependable work truck. Most importantly, we’ll see how the F-350 offers an edge over the Silverado 3500.

What Both Pickups Share In Common

While there are many differences between the 2024 F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD, they also share plenty in common, especially regarding basic utility features and configurations. Both the F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD come in multiple cab and bed formats, including a regular cab, a double cab, and a crew cab (or Super Crew in the case of the F-350). Inside, the two heavy-duty, one-ton class pickups can also seat up to six people across both rows when configured as a two-row split bench. You get many storage compartments, infotainment features, and safety mechanisms with both trucks.

The F-350 and Silverado also both offer heavy-duty truckers different bed sizes, so if you need a truck that grants you additional space, you get that with both trucks, which come in standard and long bed formats. So if you need a standard bed that makes it more convenient for hitching and towing, you have that option. If you need a longer bed for heavy hauling and carrying large objects in the cargo box, you also have that option with both trucks.

Additionally, both trucks are also available in two different drivetrain configurations for heavy-duty towing and trailering. This includes both the F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD being available as rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive trucks. This grants you that extra stability and towing capacity when properly configured. These similarities give both trucks a lot of versatility and utility when it comes to being a work truck, but there are also some key differences where the F-350 performs better than the Silverado 3500 HD.

The Ford F-350 Has a Wider Range of Performance Options

When it comes to performance, this is where both the F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD diverge significantly. Even though you can get both trucks in multiple powertrain configurations, offering both gas-powered and turbo-diesel options, the performance specifications are what drastically change the outcome of the truck’s capabilities. And in this case, the F-350 has much better overall performance specs than the Silverado 3500 HD.

Chevy’s one-ton class heavy-duty pickup comes with two different powertrain selections: a 6.6-liter gas-powered V8 that offers 401 hp at 464 lb-ft of torque and a 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel V8 that produces 470 hp at 975 lb-ft of torque. Those are great specs to have for a heavy-duty pickup, and it gets the job done for a lot of what the Silverado 3500 HD is capable of carrying out. However, when you compare that to the F-350’s specifications, you realize just how far ahead the F-350 is by comparison.

The 2024 F-350 has four different powertrain configurations available for the model year, giving you plenty of choices in terms of performance specs for the truck. There is the 6.8-liter V8 that makes 405 hp at 445 lb-ft of torque, as well as a 7.3-liter V8 that makes 430 hp at 485 lb-ft of torque. The F-350 also offers two different diesel options in the form of a 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 that produces 475 hp at 1,050 lb-ft of torque, and the performance giant that is the 6.7-liter high-output Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 that makes 500 hp at 1,200 lb-ft of torque.

Simply put, there is a massive performance difference in terms of both the gas-powered and diesel-powered options for the F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD. You have additional horsepower and torque with the Godzilla V8 compared to the Silverado’s V8. When it comes to the turbo-diesel options, the F-350’s high-output Power Stroke offers more horsepower and more lb-ft of torque over the Duramax turbo-diesel found in the Silverado 3500 HD. It’s a night and day difference in terms of total performance capabilities between the two heavy-duty pickup trucks.

The F-350 Achieves Better Payload Capacity Over the Silverado 3500 HD

One other area where the 2024 F-350 manages to best the 2024 Silverado 3500 HD is its payload capabilities. The F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD both have different payload ratings based on their powertrain capabilities, which is why engine specs are very important, along with the high-quality structure and design of the chassis and frame. However, we can see in the payload specs that the F-350 pulls ahead of the Silverado 3500 HD in terms of total payload capacity when you compare the numbers.

The 2024 Silverado 3500 HD has a base payload rating of 6,638 lbs, and it can scale up to 7,234 lbs when properly configured. This gives you access to hauling several tons worth of cargo in the bed of the Silverado 3500 HD. The ratings are decent, but Ford’s multiple powertrains give it a lot more versatility.

The entry-level payload rating is 6,950 lbs for the high-output Power Stroke turbo-diesel. With the base Power Stroke turbo-diesel you get slightly more payload capacity at up to 9,965 lbs. The number goes even higher with the Godzilla V8, at 7,647 lbs, and finally you have a maximum payload capacity of 8,000 lbs with the standard 6.8-liter V8. That gives the F-350 the capability to haul up to 4-tons worth of cargo in its bed box, which is extremely impressive.

The 2024 F-350’s base payload specs are still higher than the 2024 Silverado 3500 HD by an impressive 312 lbs, which is nearly 4% additional payload capacity when looking at the lowest payload ratings between the two trucks. On the upper end of the payload scale, you can see that the F-350 has a whopping 766 lbs difference between the top-end payload capabilities of the Silverado 3500 HD. You get approximately 9% additional payload capacity with the F-350 over the Silverado 3500 HD.

The 2024 Ford F-350 Simply Offers More Features and Capabilities

The choice between the 2024 F-350 and Silverado 3500 HD comes down to your preference for what you need the truck for and what you hope to gain from its utility. If you need a truck geared toward a lot of heavy-duty work and tons of heavy-duty payload hauls, then the F-350 obviously manages to best the Silverado 3500 HD in every significant way imaginable.

While the two trucks share some similarities for sure in terms of capabilities and functionality – with both being able to tow, haul, and trailer, as well as coming with upfitting options, safety suites, and a robust tech suite – the F-350 still manages to pull ahead of the Silverado 3500 HD in key performance areas. If those areas are important to you, then you might want to look into buying a 2024 F-350, and if you need help shopping for the right model and trim variation, come speak with our friendly and knowledgeable team here at DePaula Ford, and we’ll help you find the perfect trim for your needs.