The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty is the most powerful, most capable pickup in the segment with a towing capacity of 35,100 lbs. and a payload capacity of 7,680 lbs. Driving it all, a never-before-seen torque rating of 1000 lb.-ft. from the Cummins I-6 Turbo Diesel engine. The new Ram Heavy Duty also sets benchmarks in ride and handling, luxury, materials, innovation and technology extending well past any competitive offerings. Giving maximum effort all day, every day with confidence, the new 2019 Ram Heavy Duty line of pickups steps forward with the full force of modern capability. “Ram Heavy Duty owners constantly demand the highest levels of capability to tackle the biggest jobs and with 35,100 lbs. of towing capacity, pulled by 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque from our Cummins engine, we now hold the most important titles within the segment,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Ram Brand, FCA. “We’ve also surrounded owners in luxury and technology that, until now, was unavailable in a heavy-duty pickup. The highest quality interiors, active safety systems and of course our award-winning Uconnect technology contribute to the best Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks we have ever built.”
With a long list of upgrades, the new Cummins 6.7-liter I-6, high output Turbo Diesel delivers up to 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1,800 rpm and 400 horsepower @ 2,800 rpm. Changes begin at the core, with a cylinder block made from compacted graphite iron. Overall, the new Cummins Turbo Diesel weighs more than 60 lbs. less than the previous-generation engine, yet delivers more power and torque. A new cast-iron cylinder head builds on the new block with changes that include new exhaust valves and springs, and new rocker arms. Lighter and stronger pistons include new low-friction rings and connect to the crankshaft via newly design forged connecting rods and new bearings. An all-new exhaust manifold is the mounting point for an improved variable-geometry turbocharger with laminated heat shields, delivering boost pressure up to 33 psi. The second variant of the Cummins Turbo Diesel also gets a performance boost with 370 horsepower @ 2,800 rpm and 850 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1,700 rpm. The standard engine in the 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty is upgraded to the proven and potent 6.4-liter HEMI V-8, delivering class-leading 410 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm and 429 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,000 rpm to handle the payload and towing requirements of the heavy-duty truck user.
Ram 3500 Heavy Duty models equipped with the 1,000 lb.-ft. high output Cummins 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel employ the Aisin AS69RC electronically controlled six-speed automatic. This transmission is engineered to handle the colossal torque of the Turbo Diesel engine and increased vehicle weight ratings while delivering improved shift quality. Along with hardware upgrades, the Aisin AS69RC uses a new transmission controller with double the memory of the previous controller and a dual-core processor. This delivers faster, more precise shifts under all driving and loading conditions. Ram Heavy Duty trucks powered by the standard output Cummins 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel are equipped with a significantly upgraded version of the 68RFE six-speed automatic transmission. Changes designed to improve the electronically controlled transmission’s shift quality include new variable-force solenoid controls for the torque-converter clutch. A new reverse accumulator improves shift feel when placing the transmission into park from reverse. Drive-to-park shifts were also improved through refined hydraulic control.
The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty is the most powerful, most capable pickup in the segment with a towing capacity of 35,100 lbs. and payload capacity of 7,680 lbs. But big capability is irrelevant if the truck fails to instill confidence to the driver. Ram redefines the phrase “you don’t even know it’s back there” when towing or hauling. Ram Heavy Duty trucks feature all-new frames built with 98.5-percent high-strength steel, six separate crossmembers, hydroformed main rails and fully boxed rear rails for optimal strength and mass efficiency. Although the new Ram Heavy Duty is stronger and more capable, lightweight materials in the frame, powertrain and an aluminum hood reduce overall weight by up to 143 lbs. Two Active-Tuned Mass Modules (ATMM) mounted on the frame rails search out unfavorable vibrations and apply countermeasures to eliminate them. Wide front frame rails enable front suspension springs to be positioned slightly outboard – an enabler for generating positive roll stiffness. In the rear portion of the new frame, the structure includes fully boxed rear rails. The rear-axle structural crossmember with provisions for fifth-wheel and gooseneck hitches, has been upgraded for 2019 to accommodate the increased towing capacity.
Heavy Duty trucks generally have a suspension equipped for constant, heavy payloads. This leads to a harsher ride when unloaded. The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty includes Frequency Response Damping (FRD) shocks on all four corners. The valves of an FRD shock automatically adjust for the type of vertical wheel input, allowing the Ram Heavy Duty to have sports-car-like suspension for handling and a supple suspension on rough terrain. Engineers added progressive springs and upgraded bushings to the suspension system, including the exclusive five-link coil design on Ram 2500, providing better load-carrying characteristics and improved articulation over obstacles when compared to a leaf-spring system. A class-exclusive Active-Level rear air suspension is available on both the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 and includes a new Bed-lowering Mode to make the heaviest trailer hook-ups a breeze. The 2019 Ram 2500 uses two air bags to replace the coil springs. Load capacity is not sacrificed and the Ram 2500’s best-in-class ride and handling gets even better, crushing the competition with two doses of engineering innovation (five-link coil with an air suspension option). The Ram 3500 features a Hotchkiss rear leaf-spring system with optional air suspension. By adding supplemental air bags, Ram engineers were able to soften the heavy-load leaf springs, allowing for more unladed suspension movement.
The new 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups include more than 100 available safety and security elements, including an array of active and passive systems to assist the driver and passengers, offered in all models. Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), 360-degree camera display and selectable tire pressures are just some of the new, specialized technologies found in Ram’s halo pickup trucks. Since the Ram Heavy Duty line is engineered around capability, it makes sense that many of the technologies would be enhanced from their use in passenger cars. For example, Tire Pressure Monitoring, which can monitor up to six tires on the pickup, now includes trailer tire pressure monitoring for up to 12 trailer tires. Although a back-up camera is a standard feature on most vehicles, the Ram Heavy Duty offers a second rear-view camera (cargo-view camera) to monitor payload in the bed. It also can be used to align fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailers, a common task of the Ram Heavy Duty pickup. As a segment-first, back-up sensors on the Ram 3500 include specifically designed sensors to cover the added width of dual rear wheels, giving a wider span of coverage when backing up with limited view.
2019 Ram Power Wagon
