I took the wheel of the 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 and settled in comfortably, looking out over a large, domed hood.  Beneath that hood, a 6.7 liter Cummins diesel V8 burbled in contentment.  The big pickup rumbled to life with the barest urging from the throttle, and pulled smoothly into traffic with the satellite radio playing and the climate control keeping the Texas humidity at bay.  The fact that the truck was pulling a gooseneck trailer carrying 11,000 pounds of hay didn’t seem to concern it or burden it in the least.


Heavy-duty pickups account for a third of the Dodge Ram’s sales.  It hasn’t always been obvious, because the big Rams look just like the half-ton versions.  That changes for 2010, as Dodge’s heavy-duty lineup gains some styling distinction.  The point of these Big Things is to work, and to work hard, so GVWR and axle weight ratings have been increased.  While making it tougher, however, Dodge also took a page from the half-ton book and made the big Ram a bit more human-friendly as well.  The viability of Dodge’s car lineup has been called into question in recent years, but there’s no doubt that this company knows how to build a good truck.
You can’t have a good workin’ truck without a hard workin’ engine, and the heavy-duty Ram offers two.  In fact, the Ram’s engines are almost as well-known as the truck itself.  The HEMI and Cummins are both icons in the world of trucks; the HEMI is known for horsepower, while the Cummins diesel is all about torque.  The 5.7 liter HEMI V8 is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission and features a proven overhead valve design and variable valve timing for improved economy and horsepower.  Output is increased to 383 horsepower for 2010.  At the top of the range, the hefty 6.7 liter Cummins straight-six is available with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.  It’s not a stretch to say that this engine was born to work.  The massive turbodiesel puts out 350 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.  Four-wheel drive is available, of course.  The Ram 3500 will happily tow up to 17,600 pounds when properly equipped, and payload is over 3000 pounds.
Dodge knows that most of its diesel-pickup buyers are looking to tow, so an exhaust brake is also standard on the Cummins engine.  The system, which works by holding in exhaust gases to slow the crankshaft’s rotation, makes downhill descents with almost six tons of hay out back a sweat-free process.  Additionally, the trailer-towing mode on the six-speed automatic transmission allows the driver to select the highest gear, both to keep the transmission from hunting on long upgrades and to keep speed down on long downhills.
To haul all of that weight and remain driveable, the Ram 3500 is equipped with coil springs in the front.  Additional beef was built into the front end so the Ram can easily support the added weight of a snowplow.  The rear suspension uses leaf springs instead of the link-coil setup found on the 1500, which improves capacity.  In spite of the tougher suspension, ride improvements mean that the Ram doesn’t drive like a buckboard, even when unloaded.  Even without using the exhaust brake in the diesel, the standard anti-lock brakes stop this big vehicle confidently.
You want your heavy-duty pickup truck to have a bit of style? You got it.  The basic Ram face is the same as the 1500, but it’s now distinguished from its little brother with a taller grille that’s available in chrome or body color.  The hood has louver-like intents in it, and it’s taller as well, increasing the big-truck resemblance.  The front of the HD Ram is breastbone high to the average male adult.  The chrome bumper isn’t a throwback; it’s a truck thing, capable of mustering the occasional nudge to a fence or reluctant cow without damage.
The HD Ram is still aerodynamic, in spite of its taller visage; this translates to a quieter freeway ride as well as slightly improved fuel economy.  A Crew Cab model is new, replacing the Quad Cab model with a full-size crew cab for the first time.  The Mega Cab has been tweaked to share its rear doors with the crew cab, to help keep costs down.  The flip-up towing mirrors measure seven by eleven inches, and now include turn signal repeaters and puddle lamps.  Dual rear wheel Rams have a one-piece stamped metal box rather than the tacked-on overfenders often found on duallies, to reduce complexity.  The heavy duty Ram’s unique wheels aren’t shared with the 1500.
Something that is shared with the junior pickups is the luxurious, useful and comfortable interior.  A dual glovebox and big console are designed for long trips.  The instrument panel uses carlike soft-touch materials, but it’s still all truck, with a laptop-sized console.  The available heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats and heated steering wheel are all about improving comfort when the weather isn’t ideal.  Working and towing trucks have a great need for interior storage; cupholders aren’t as important as places to put gloves, tow straps and tools.  There are forty-three storage bins scattered throughout the interior.  There are small storage bins under the floor in the rear as well.  The HD Rams use column shifters, so console-equipped trucks use the same pieces as the floor-shifted 1500, but have an additional cubby there.  A handy instrument panel display provides the truck’s vital statistics, including transmission temperatures and trailer brake status.  The Mega Cab adds nine inches of rear seat room over the Crew Cab, and the rear seats recline, split/fold 60/40, and fold flat.
Pricing hasn’t been set yet, but Dodge says that at the entry level, pricing on the Ram HD regular cab 4×2 ST drops by $1970.  Prices are down across the board, in fact.  Prices down, ability up?  That’s the kind of deal truck guys like to hear about.

Specifications:  All specs are for the 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie Crew Cab
Length:  259.4 in.
Width:  79.1 in.
Height:      78.3 in.
Wheelbase:  168.9 in.
Curb weight:  7618-7537 lb.
Towing capacity:  16,800 lb.
Base price:  Not yet released.
Engine:   6.7 liter OHV inline six-cylinder turbodiesel
Drivetrain:  six-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 350 @ 3000
Torque:  650 @ 1500

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