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Vehicle Reviews
2009 Dodge Ram HD
Mechanical upgrades improve the heavy-duty Rams. edited by New Car Test Drive
Driving Impressions
A Dodge Ram HD feel like big, heavy duty pickup because it is a big, heavy duty pickup. All Rams are wide: eight feet on duallies. On small, rural roads oncoming traffic sometimes required us to edge away from the center line to create comfortable passing for both parties. Fold-out mirrors demarcate width well: The rear fenders should pass through any tight places the mirrors fit.
Parking a big pickup requires care and attention. We found it necessary to execute three-point turns into most parking spaces and often we got out to check our final position. The Ram offers a very quick 2.75-turn steering ratio that helps maneuvering at low speeds. Still, you'll want 50 feet for a U-turn, a condition not unique to the Ram.
The 2WD Ram HD comes with rack-and-pinion steering, while 4WD models come with a recirculating ball system. We found a minimum of bump steer and relatively precise tracking, not easy to engineer on a tall 4x4.
For 2009, the braking system has evolved with larger rotors and calipers. A limited-slip is standard on all 3500 models to help deliver the diesel?s torque, and a 3.42:1 axle ratio is pending for improved highway economy for those owners not towing at maximum loads.
We noticed right away that the use of laminated front window glass and re-designed door seals has cut down on wind noise, inherent in big pickups with wide mirrors. The interior is remarkably quiet, even as we ran the air conditioning, which offers minimal fan noise on the lower settings. With any pickup, especially a 4x4, a certain amount of noise and vibration is to be expected.
We were quite comfortable in an all-day drive in a Ram Laramie 3500 model through Virginia. With the heavier spring package that comes on dual-wheel 3500 models, we noticed some vibration leaking through to the cabin as we passed over rough railroad tracks and bridged creek crossings, but overall, found the chassis to be well damped, with a nice balance between the opposing priorities of comfort, control, and load-bearing capability. As a general rule, the more weight a heavy-duty pickup carries, the more the ride improves.
For 2009, the Hemi V8 was redesigned and now develops 383 horsepower (up 38) at 5600 rpm in Ram 2500 models. Like any good truck engine, it makes more torque than horsepower, up 25 for 2009 to 400 pound-feet at 4400 rpm. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is standard and available only on the 2500 with an automatic transmission; any real-world mileage in the teens is doing well.
The Cummins Turbo Diesel comes on 3500 models. It was enlarged to 6.7 liters for 2007, meets 2010 emissions requirements and has an exhaust brake as standard. The option price is listed at $6,100 but it requires an Ultra Clean Diesel charge of $995, making it about the same price as Ford and GM diesel options. Unlike the GM, the Cummins comes with a six-speed manual, and unlike Ford the new automatic is a six-speed unit. Neither Ford nor GM offer the exhaust brake that makes intermountain towing stress free; the Cummins does an excellent job of controlling descent speed when wanted, thereby leaving the service brakes cool and free for more immediate stopping.
The vaunted Cummins is an inline six-cylinder built like a tractor-trailer engine, with exceptional longevity and low-end grunt, and it's frequently used in trucks and motorhomes that carry 2-10 times what a Ram pickup will. With the latest injection system, it is very clean (the tailpipe won't even go dark), much quieter (you won't even hear it with the stereo on), more responsive, and more powerful. The Cummins makes 350 hp at 3000 rpm, in the same neighborhood as Ford (350 hp) and GM (365 hp). Torque when paired with the manual gearbox is 610 pound-feet at just 1400 rpm; with the automatic it's 650 lb-ft at 1500 rpm. Torque is what gets a load in motion, so the Cummins is the obvious choice for towing heavy trailers. The Cummins produces as much torque pulling away from the intersection as the Hemi does when revved to 4000 rpm. Many RVers report better fuel mileage towing 10,000 pounds with their Cummins than a Hemi gets in an empty truck.
Top tow rating with the Hemi is about 11,500 pounds on a 2500 series regular cab. Adding a larger cab or 4WD will reduce the tow rating due to the added weight of the truck. Since Mega Cabs are the heaviest models, they do not carry the highest payload or tow ratings, but our Mega Cab rated 2,681 pounds of payload carrying capacity. The highest payload for a Ram HD is more than 5,000 pounds, the maximum tow rating is nearly 17,000 pounds.
