Bob Moore Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
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Ram 1500
| Specifications | Reviews | Inventory | Photos |
2010 Motor Trend Truck of the Year: Ram Heavy Duty
Star Power: The Hardest-Working Truck in Tow BusinessDecember 10, 2009
/ By Allyson Harwood
/ Photography by Julia LaPalme
Despite the effects
of the Great Recession on personal-use truck
sales, there is still demand for pickups ready to do hard work. The
heavy-duty truck market has gotten smaller, but the guys who buy
those pickups are fiercely loyal to the segment-they need the
extreme capability these hard-working haulers provide. Some may wonder
why anyone would own a truck that can tow nearly 20,000 pounds, but for a
lot of people in construction, those who transport vehicles or goods,
and those with ranches, this is just a part of everyday
life.
Instead, the Ram 2500
and 3500 use a NOx adsorber with precious metals that convert the NOx
into inert gases. Not only does this mean the Ram's emissions and
exhaust systems are less complex than those in the upcoming Ford Super
Duty and Silverado/Sierra HD (which could improve reliability
and help keep maintenance costs down), it also means that, at the
dealership, the Ram will very likely have a price advantage over its
competitors. And while in this size category diesel is king,
there are plenty of heavy-duty truck buyers who prefer gas
power. The 5.7-liter
Hemi, the Ram's base engine, has the most horsepower (383)
and torque (400 pound-feet) of any V-8 in its class -- and
only the Ford Super Duty's V-10 has more torque than the Hemi,
but it still has less horsepower.
The Ram's platform is
similar to last year's, yet has undergone significant upgrades and
enhancements that improve ride, handling, and noise levels. It uses a
hydroformed, fully boxed frame, with coil springs in front and a
live-axle, leaf-spring rear. There's no shortage of variety
throughout the truck line, with a regular
cab, Mega Cab, and a real crew cab, replacing the
smallish Quad Cab option in the previous Ram. Buyers can
choose from single or dual rear wheel setups, rear drive or
two four-wheel-drive systems, short or long bed, three different axle
ratios, and four trim levels. There's also the awesome Power Wagon, a
Hemi-powered 2500 crew cab with 4.56:1 gears, electronic locking diffs,
electronically disconnecting front anti-roll bar, skidplates,
heavy-duty battery and alternator, and
winch.
Much of what
is so impressive about the heavy-duty Ram is not only how
easily it does all the tasks it's built for, but also how easy it is
on the driver. During Truck of the Year testing, we took all
the contenders through a driving loop, empty and with a full
payload
(bags of rock salt); our test crew also measured acceleration
and braking data with each truck outfitted both ways. Testers
noted that performance was excellent with or without a heavy
load and, as expected, ride improves with a load in the bed. There were
rave reviews for the Cummins engine, which not only provides gobs of
power, but is surprisingly quiet doing it. Driving loops with
the salt or without, the truck handled basically the same. That's how
the Rams were throughout the week -- they did everything asked of them
without effort, and drove like much smaller trucks than they
are.
Maximum towing
capacity for the Ram 3500 is 17,500 pounds, significantly higher than
the F-350's
16,000 or the Silverado/Sierra 3500HD's 13,000. And as the testers at
this year's Truck of the Year discovered, towing a large boat is
very easy with the Ram. As Ed Loh says, "I never thought I'd
tow a trailer as long or as heavy as this 28-foot Chaparral,
but a minute into the climb up Templin Highway, it was really
no big deal. All the towing gizmos made it easy, and of
course, so did the monster motor." The gizmos, in this case, are a
diesel exhaust brake and Class IV receiver hitch with a
four-pin/seven-pin harness plug. Our 3500 also had the
integrated electronic trailer brake controller, plus it came
with ingenious towing side mirrors that are normally vertical,
but flip 90 degrees to make it easier to see around a
trailer.
Judges noted
that the interior materials and design are much nicer than in
the past and that improvement makes this cabin the best in its
class. The strategically added sound deadening makes it incredibly
quiet too. You basically have to stand outside the truck
while it's running, to hear the diesel.
The Ram is quieter and more comfortable and people-friendly than before without sacrificing its considerable capability. Several configurations even have lower MSRPs than they did in 2009. As Mark Williams explains, "Timing is everything. What a great break that, in the midst of all of this economic turmoil, the new Ram HD gets out ahead of its other two competitors -- so much so, in fact, that Ford was forced to pull its project ahead, introducing the Super Duty almost 12 months before it goes on sale." The Ram Heavy Duty is so good, it's caused the other manufacturers to change their plans. So good that, when it came time to vote, we unanimously chose it as this year's Truck of the Year.
| Specifications | Reviews | Inventory | Photos |
| 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab Laramie 4x4; 3500 Crew Cab SLT 4x4 | |
| POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS | |
| Drivetrain layout | Front engine, 4WD* |
| Engine type | Turbodiesel I-6, iron block/head* |
| Valvetrain | OHV, 4 valves/cyl* |
| Displacement | 408.3 cu in/6690 cc* |
| Compression ratio | 17.3:1* |
| Power (SAE net) | 350 hp @ 3000 rpm* |
| Torque (SAE net) | 650 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm* |
| Weight to power | 21.7; 22.6 lb/hp |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic* |
| Axle/final/low ratio | 3.73:1/2.33:1/2.72:1* |
| Suspension, f;r | Live axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar; live axle, leaf springs* |
| Steering ratio | 13.4:1* |
| Turns lock-to-lock | 2.8* |
| Brakes, f;r | 14.2-in vented disc; 14.1-in vented disc, ABS* |
| Wheels | 8.0 x 17 in, aluminum; 6.0 x 17 in, steel |
| Tires | 265/70R17 118R
BFGoodrich Rugged Trail T/A M+S; |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| Wheelbase | 160.0; 168.9 in |
| Track, f/r | 68.3/68.2; 69.5/75.8 in |
| Length x width x height | 248.4 x 79.1 x 78.3 in; 259.4 x 79.1 x 78.3 in |
| Turning circle | 46.9; 49.2 ft |
| Curb weight (f/r dist) | 7580 lb (62/38%); 7920 lb (61/39%) |
| Seating capacity | 5; 6 |
| Headroom, f/r | 41.0/40.5; 41.0/39.9 in |
| Legroom, f/r | 41.0/44.2; 41.0/39.9 in |
| Shoulder room, f/r | 67.0/66.5; 66.0/65.7 in |
| Pickup box L x W x H | 76.3 x 70.2 x 20.1 in; 98.3 x 66.4 x 20.2 in |
| Width bet. wheelhouses | 51.0 in* |
| Payload capacity | 2100; 4540 lb |
| Towing capacity | 12,350; 13,200 lb |
| TEST DATA | |
| Acceleration to mph | |
| 0-30 | 3.1/3.1; 2.9/3.7 sec |
| 0-40 | 4.7/5.1; 4.5/6.2 |
| 0-50 | 6.6/7.5; 6.7/9.2 |
| 0-60 | 9.2/10.8; 9.5/13.5 |
| 0-70 | 12.3/14.7; 12.7/18.2 |
| 0-80 | 16.0/19.3; 17.1/24.7 |
| Passing, 45-65 mph | 5.1/6.4; 5.6/8.1 |
| Quarter mile | 17.0 sec @ 82.3 mph/17.8 sec @ 77.3
mph; 17.1 sec @ 80.1 mph/19.1 sec @ 71.9 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 mph | 139/145; 138 ft/152ft** |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.69; 0.67 g (avg) |
| MT figure eight | 30.2 sec @ 0.51 g (avg); 30.5 sec @ 0.51 g (avg) |
| Top-gear revs @ 60 mph | 1400; 1500 rpm |
| CONSUMER INFO | |
| Base price | $44,100; $47,580 |
| Price as tested | $56,895; $53,360 |
| Stab/trac control | No/no |
| Airbags | Dual front, f/r curtain |
| Basic warranty | 3 yrs/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 yrs/100,000 miles |
| Roadside assistance | 3 yrs/36,000 miles |
| Fuel capacity | 34.0; 35.0 gal |
| EPA city/hwy econ | Not rated |
| Recommended fuel | Ultra-low sulfur diesel |
| * Applies to both
models ** Empty/carrying max vehicle-specific payload | |
| Specifications | Reviews | Inventory | Photos |
