The minds at Chrysler have set out to make sure that buyers who need to tow small planetary bodies on occasion are taken care of with its new high-output 6.7-liter Cummins turbo diesel engine. The oil-burning mill churns out 23 percent more torque than the old engine, and the final figure now sits at an astronomical 800 pound-feet. There's also 390 horsepower on hand, and combined, those numbers are good enough to help the 3500 HD tow up to 22,700 pounds. The big-daddy Ram also packs a ridiculous gross vehicle rating of 30,000 pounds when equipped with the optional Max Tow package.
Those impressive ratings are partially thanks to the truck's braking system. Chrysler's engineers folded in the largest brakes of any full-size pickup with 14.17-inch rotors up front and 14.09-inch discs out back, and the 3500 HD wears what Chrysler calls the strongest exhaust brake available on any heavy-duty pickup.
Additionally, that meaty Cummins block is said to be good for over 350,000 miles before requiring a major overhaul, and unlike competitors from Ford and General Motors, this beast requires no diesel exhaust fluid to pass emissions.
PRESS RELEASE
Ram Heavy Duty Upgrades Deliver Class-Leading Power and Towing
* Cummins Turbo Diesel now rated at 800 lb.-ft. of torque
* Gross Combined Weight Rating increased to 30,000 lbs.
* 22,700-lb. maximum trailer tow weight leads the segment
* Ram is only heavy-duty pickup that doesn't require Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Ram Truck today announced a series of upgrades to its Heavy Duty truck line up that will give it outright class supremacy in trailer towing.
Now boasting the ability to pull a segment-leading 22,700-lb. maximum trailer weight, the one-ton Ram 3500 Heavy Duty will get a performance boost to its 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine that will increase its torque by 23 percent to 800 lb.-ft. and be upfitted with a package of components that will increase its gross combined weight rating (GCWR) to 30,000 lbs.
"A Ram Heavy Duty truck owner's most important concern is towing capability – 79 percent of them rate towing as extremely important," said Fred Diaz, President and CEO - Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "Reliability and engine performance are tied for second – named as extremely important by 73 percent of owners. This 800 lb.-ft. performance upgrade – combined with Ram Truck's unsurpassed 5-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty and Cummins' proven reputation for reliability – are a direct response to our customers' high expectations. We stand behind our commitment to build great trucks that are best in class."
800 lb.-ft. of High-Output Torque
A new engine control module (ECM) with revised performance mapping allows the High-Output
6.7-liter, six-cylinder Cummins Turbo Diesel to reach peak torque at 1,600 rpm and exceed the previous model's output from 1,200 through 2,800 rpm. Horsepower is also higher from 1,200 through 2,800 rpm, although maximum horsepower remains 350 at 3,000 rpm.
Behind the powerful, new High-Output Cummins lies a new higher-rated torque converter. The Ram's new torque converter improves engine/transmission integration for better towing capability on grades and optimizes engine performance.
In addition to the new ECM and torque converter, the 800 lb.-ft. Cummins-powered Ram Heavy Duty trucks receive a new crankshaft damper, reducing engine noise and vibration.
Ram Trucks with the new Cummins will feature a special "High Output Cummins" badge on their tailgates.
Best-in-Class Maximum Towing
When properly equipped with the "Max Tow" towing-optimization package, the Ram 3500 Heavy Duty is rated up to 22,700 lbs., the highest tow rating in its class.
Since the launch of the new Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty for the 2010 model year, towing capability has been the trucks' strong suit with a long list of towing-friendly features including the most powerful standard exhaust brake in the segment (diesel-equipped models). This feature reduces brake fade, prolongs brake life and provides unmatched confidence and safety when hauling heavy loads on downhill grades.
Ram has the largest brakes of any heavy-duty pickup; 14.17 inch x 1.54 inch front and 14.09 inch x 1.34 inch rear with an integrated anti-lock brake system (ABS) that increases brake life and braking stability.
Tow ratings for the Ram 3500 Heavy Duty meet 100 percent of 2013 model year SAE testing standards.
30,000 lbs. GCWR
Dual-rear-wheel-equipped Ram 3500 Heavy Duty pickups with the "Max Tow" package are now rated at 30,000 lbs. GCWR – up from 24,500 lbs.
For maximum towing, Chrysler Group Powertrain engineers gave the Ram 3500 an improved dual-rear wheel axle with a 4.10 gear ratio, new rear-axle pinion, new helical gears, upgraded bearings and a heat-dissipating, finned aluminum differential cover.
As part of the Max Tow upgrade to the Ram 3500, the truck will also get a new engine-mounted, water-to-oil transmission cooler to moderate operating temperatures during trailer towing.
All Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickups will also get upgraded power steering oil coolers to manage the larger loads.
Cummins Turbo Diesel
If you looked up "bulletproof" in the dictionary, you'd find a picture of the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine. With its six-cylinder inline cast iron block and heads, this engine has been providing decades of reliable service in everything from agriculture equipment to construction to over-the-road heavy trucks.
Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks powered by Cummins diesel engines have been the benchmark of power, durability, reliability and fuel economy since 1989, the first model year that Ram offered the Cummins engine.
Cummins Turbo Diesel-equipped Ram pickups, with major overhaul intervals of 350,000 miles, are the only heavy-duty pickups to meet 2011 EPA compliance rules, without the need for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).
The one-ton Ram 3500 Heavy Duty comes standard with the Cummins Turbo Diesel.
Ram 2500 Heavy Duty pickups equipped with the optional 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel and automatic transmission (5.7-liter HEMI® engine is standard) also get the 800 lb.-ft. performance upgrade. Because it uses a single rear-wheel axle, GCWR remains unchanged at 22,000 lbs. Manual transmission-equipped Ram Heavy Duty pickups retain their 350 horsepower (261kW) and 650 lb.-ft. (881 N•m) of torque performance ratings. Max Tow is available for regular and crew cab Ram 3500s only.
The new High Output Cummins-equipped Ram 3500 Heavy Duty with 30,000 lb. GCWR "Max Tow" package will go on sale in the second quarter 2011.
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