Very Good Review! It's all down to a matter of needs and personal preferences with these two. Both are winners as far as I'm concerned. It's a great time to be a truck buyer.

My pick is the Raptor, but it's much closer than I thought before I read this article. The Dodge is no slouch!

Great review i think both trucks are great. If i could i would love to have both in the driveway. But im glad everyone will know that these trucks are for different uses and do what they do well.

Thanks Mike for doing the heavy lifting on this comparo. The best of the web.

@Johnny: Actually, thank John Stewart for writing this one. I just got wet taking pictures. ;-)

My dumb. Thanks - John Stewart, Mike Levine, Ian Merritt.

Makes me want a Raptor more and more..

The Ram NEEDS the ZF 8 speed automatic.
4.696, 3.13, 2.1, 1.67, 1.29, 1, 0.84, 0.67 Reverse 3.3

You wouldn't need that extra low 1st gear all the time, so unless you are in tow/haul mode, or 4x4, you'd start in 2nd gear.

One minor gaffe, REAR axle on the PW is 10.5" (front is 9.25"). Also, in your specifications, you're talking about the REAR axles only.

Until the 8 speed auto shows up, how about the extra low low-range, from the Wrangler Rubicon, in the PowerWagon.
3 x 4 x 4.56 = 54.72 crawl

ZF 8hp70: 4.696 x 2.72 x 4.56 = 58.25 crawl

A few more for the spec sheets:
Raptor Power Wagon
Ground Clearance 11.2 8.4
Approach angle 30 deg 35 deg
Breakover angle 20.8 deg 25.5 deg
Departure angle 22.7 deg 27.7 deg

For the dirty folks that care.

Good comparo. i have to admit the raptor front end looks better than any F150 out there. Also the Ram could use a 6speed auto. Both good trucks

i thought these trucks are american made. i keep my tundra. it's got 80% american parts.

@Bruce: The Raptor is built at Ford's Dearborn Truck Plant in Michigan. The Ram is assembled in Coahuila, Mexico. The specs above list only where the engines are built, not the pickups.

Also, that 80% "American" parts content for the Tundra is an index for American and Canadian parts, not just American parts.

Last time I checked the F-150 was right up there at 80%, too, but I can't find a figure for 2009. It is at least 75% and up to 80%.

Do I want to keep inferior sheet metal, drivetrains, and frames that may be only 1 or 2% more Canadian and American (which is debatable) or do I want something that is of comparable domestic content but will actually last? That is the question.

You wouldn't need that extra low 1st gear all the time, so unless you are in tow/haul mode, or 4x4, you'd start in 2nd gear.

Why are the Tundra guys so angry and trying to prove something?

I thought the topic was Raptor and Power Ram?

I really don't understand why dodge uses that transmission, they have what is basically a poorly ratioed 6 speed with only 5 effective gears.

Great writeup! I have a 2008 Power Wagon and love it. Bought it when Chrysler was vulnerable. 31K and it came with a lifetime warranty. Americans make the best trucks!!

I had to laugh at the fellow named Enjelus about Ämerica makes the best truck's". You were just told, Dodge ram's are made in Mexico,but you are right,best truck's are made in America---FORD's

The best "truck" is not even available in the US. Its called a bakkie/pickup in the rest of the world and its Toyota Hilux.

I wish there was a single cab, 6ft box version of the Power Wagon.

i think both trucks look awesome.

but i give my vote to the POWER WAGON.

ford is always bragging about everything....ooh..look at us
we just put navigation system oooh...wait....now you can talk while driving...

BS!!
we need real trucks!! not mobile offices!!

GO RAM!!

Sold the Power Wagon, Picked up a Raptor after test driving a friends during a camping trip. We both got stuck in the mud during this trip, myself 3 times my pal only once.

I liked the PW a lot but it's just feels heavy and slow while driving it, Great for hauling stuff and feeling confident while doing so but not fun at all to drive on the street or on light trails.

The Raptor is fun everywhere, it's weaker motor 5.4 ( wish i waited for the 6.2 ) feels like it has more pep than the Hemi due to how the truck feels light on it's toe's.

The PW feels like more truck for the $$$ but the Raptor feels like more performance for the $$$.

ok so if i wana use a truck that would run in the South Texas Region Which one would better serve my need? anyone help with feedback

I also have a 2008 PW, great truck! As for where the best truck is built, neither is built in the good old U.S.A. Dodge in Mexico, Raptor Windsor Ontairo Canada. I live in Western Canada where we have snow, rivers, mud mountains, ranches and camping. There is now way the Raptor can put you through all of those, maybe a couple. so why would you buy a truck that can do some when you can buy one that does all??????????????? I put Nokian Mud Terrians on my Power Wagon, and not much stops it, sorry nothing has stopped it since I put them on. I can towl my fith wheel trialer with ease and still have enough HP in the hole. the 400lbs of torque is more important than you may think. I guess if I lived in the desert I would buy a Raptor anywhere else Power Wagon.

Its nice to see a comparo of two amazing trucks. My PW is suited better for the Canadian North but if I lived down south in dessert areas the Raptor would be a better choice. Bottom line, my factor winch has saved me and others many of times and there is no such thing as stuck with a PW just takes a little longer to get there. . Great article.