The pickup truck sales war under way between the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and the 2015 Ford F-250 just took a new twist after GM released its findings on frame rigidity.

What the General found after hiring third party research firm AMCI Testing to conduct a frame-twisting assessment is that, the Silverado’s construction and materials, and in particular, the use of roll-formed steel versus the Ford’s stamped steel bed, allow for a smaller displacement between the cab and the cargo bed (0.94 inches vs. 0.26 inches).

GM added that, while the Silverado’s tailgate was fully operational on the ramp, the greater twisting of the Ford F-250’s frame kept its tailgate from being lowered.

Of course, since GM was the one that ordered the test, you expected these results, didn’t you…

Here’s what GM said about the testing method and the results:

“AMCI Testing, a third-party research firm hired by Chevrolet, recently subjected the 2015 Silverado 2500HD and a Ford F-250 Super Duty to a rigorous frame twist test, in which the truck was driven onto two staggered ramps, where the wheels on one side of the truck hit the ramp before the other, placing a large amount of torque on the frame.”

“Measurements were then taken for the distance of displacement of the cab body and the bed, determining the amount of twist to which the frame is subjected.”

“AMCI found that during the test, the Silverado HD’s frame allowed 0.26 inches of twist, while the F-250 Super Duty allowed 0.94 inches of twist, 262 percent more than the Silverado. The twist was so great on the Ford that when under stress, the tailgate could not able to be lowered, while the Silverado’s available EZ-Lift and Lower Tailgate operated normally.”

“The use of high-strength steel in the Silverado HD is what allows the Silverado to handle even the toughest of jobs,” said Jeff Luke, General Motors’ executive chief engineer for full-size trucks. “Paired with a fully boxed frame, high-strength steel is what makes the Silverado come from the family of the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups on the road.”

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