TFLtruck’s 2015 Gold Hitch awards for the best towing truck in the land is coming up on Apr 8th, 2015.
The Gold Hitch Award is broken down into five distinct categories, where pickup trucks compete for the win. They are: Midsize, Full-Size SUV, Half-Ton/ Light Duty, Heavy Duty Gas, and Heavy Duty Diesel.
The main award criteria is the empirical data gathered during the TFLtruck’s signature “Ike Gauntlet” extreme towing test. This includes braking performance on the downhill and power delivery on the timed uphill run.
Ike Gauntlet is designed to be an extreme test of any truck’s towing performance. The test loop consists of an eight mile stretch of I-70 between Dillon, CO (9,111 feet above sea level) and the Eisenhower/Johnson tunnels (Continental Divide at 11,115 feet above sea level). The highway grade reaches 7 percent, or maximum allowed on a US Interstate. The trucks are loaded with trailers near their maximum towing capacity.
The Ike Gauntlet performance is not the sole criteria to determine the winner in each category. Each truck will also be judged by a panel of experienced truck testers to evaluate the overall comfort, handling, and confidence when towing.
The Ike Gauntlet test results and the judges’ evaluation are combined to determine the winners.
Check out the latest TFLtruck Ike Gauntlet extreme towing test, featuring the 2015 Ford F-350 Dually Power Stroke.
