2014 Ram Heavy Duty: Smoother And More Versatile
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Commercial-grade trucks are no longer the forgotten cousins of the pickup world, relegated to austere work-only cabins and over-stiff platforms designed with utility and not comfort in mind. The 2014 Ram Heavy Duty line-up is a perfect example of how these trucks have benefited from a level of competition that almost matches their light-duty brethren, boasting a number of innovations and improvements that show that there's more than one path to the pocketbooks of towing fans and fleet buyers.
Brand New Engine
Until recently, the Ram Heavy Duty family had been focused mostly on its Cummins turbodiesel drivetrain, an impressive 6.7-liter, six-cylinder unit that for 2014 produces as much as 385 horsepower and up to 850 lb-ft of torque (when equipped with its Aisin six-speed automatic transmission). Yes, there was a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 available (383 horses and 400 lb-ft of torque), but this unit, while capable, was lifted from the Ram 1500.
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2014 sees the introduction of a dedicated 6.4-liter V8 for Ram 2500 and 3500 series pickups. Boasting 410 horses and 429 lb-ft of twist, the motor matches the displacement of the eight-cylinder mills found under the hood of Chrysler's high performance SRT models but has been reconfigured so as to offer the low-end torque and operating profile required for a heavy-duty pickup.
I had the chance to pilot both a diesel 3500 and a gas-powered, 6.4-liter 2500 Ram, each of which was loaded down with over 500 kilograms of hay bales. Both trucks were more than capable of handling their cargo without the slightest bit of hesitation in acceleration, and while the Cummins engine is no doubt the smoother of the two, the V8 is a solid choice for those who don't require the stump-pulling torque of the turbodiesel.
Revised Chassis, High End Towing
As the old saying goes, power without control is nothing. The 2014 Ram Heavy Duty pickups have made significant strides to taming the beast that is their ultra-stiff platform by introducing a rear coil suspension system for the Ram 2500 that does an excellent job of flattening bumps in the road and avoiding the rear-end bounce that is so often the character of a commercial truck (rear air helper springs are also available with both the the Ram 3500 and 2500) There's a marked difference in comfort between the full-ton and three-quarter ton trucks, with the Ram 2500 now delivering a ride that is much closer to a light duty model. This is excellent news for anyone required to daily drive their work truck, especially when the cargo bed is unloaded.
As mentioned above, the Cummins turbodiesel engine's main claim to fame is the immense towing capacity that it makes available - a feat that it achieves in concert with the Ram Heavy Duty's excellent chassis. It's rare to be given the opportunity to truly test the limits of a truck's tow rating, especially one as high as the 16,608 kg limit imposed on the Ram 3500 when equipped with dual rear wheels and a fifth-wheel hitch, but Chrysler brought along two Case International tractors strapped to a single trailer that could be tugged, turned, and reversed around a sufficiently wide course. The Ram 3500 shrugged off the 12,000 kilos sitting just behind its bumper, and in all honesty aside from the extra length of the trailer the 3500 felt as comfortable as the 2500 did towing a large powerboat later that same afternoon.
The Complete Package
It's hard to imagine a task for which a Ram Heavy Duty pickup wouldn't be well-suited for. With trim levels ranging from the work-focused ST, to the off-road oriented, four-wheel drive Power Wagon, to the luxury-laden Laramie Limited, the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 trucks can be decked out to get the job done - whatever that might be. With the addition of air suspension and a larger gasoline engine, the Ram HD also makes a play for day-to-day commuter, a role that last year would have been much more of a stretch from a comfort perspective. Chrysler's willingness to push the limit of traditional commercial truck design - especially with regards to suspension - is laudable, and should garner much attention amongst those seeking an innovative workhorse.
