2019 Ram Heavy Duty Debuts with 1,000 lb.-ft. of Torque

2019 Ram Heavy Duty Debuts with 1,000 lb.-ft. of Torque

January 14, 2019 - The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty, the most powerful, most capable pickup in the segment, was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The new Ram Heavy Duty brings a towing capacity of 35,100 lbs. (15,921 kg) and a payload capacity of 7,680 lbs. (3,484 kg). Driving it all, a never-before-seen torque rating of 1000 lb.-ft. from the Cummins I6 Turbo Diesel engine.

The new truck was introduced by Reid Bigland, Head of Ram Brand.

“Ram Heavy Duty owners constantly demand the highest levels of capability to tackle the biggest jobs and with 35,100 lbs. (15,921 kg) 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”, Bigland said.

“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,” Bigland said.

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.

2019 Ram Heavy Duty 3500 Cummins powertrain

Heavy Duty Powertrain

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. (27 kg) 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 has been 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.

In addition, 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.

2019 Ram Heavy Duty 3500 Limited interior

2019 Ram Heavy Duty Limited interior

The Benchmark for Performance, Capability, Technology and Luxury

The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty is the most powerful, most capable pickup in the segment with a towing capacity of 35,100 lbs. (15,921 kg) and payload capacity of 7,680 lbs. (3,484 kg).

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. (65 kg). Two Active-Tuned Mass Modules (ATMM) mounted on the frame rails search out unfavorable vibrations and apply countermeasures to eliminate them.

After hundreds of sketches, the business end of the new 2019 Ram Heavy Duty line of pickups came forward with the full force of modern capability. The ruggedly striking appearance continues with interiors that mirror the design expressed on the recently launched Ram 1500 with unmatched luxury, materials, innovation and technology extending well past any competitive offerings.

For 2019, all-new features, technology and premium materials help the redesigned Ram Heavy Duty continue its interior leadership with quality, technology and luxury. Each trim level is uniquely characterized to reflect individual identity.

Robust sections combined with “interlocking” design aesthetics also function to improve aerodynamics to surround segment-leading capability and technology. Every Ram Heavy Duty truck benefits from new content specifically designed to match each model’s unique style. Rather than a traditional focus on styling elements individually, designers combined elements that influence each other’s shape, resulting in a more integrated look that aligns with the mechanical capabilities of the truck. For example, the grille, hood and fenders share pieces of each other, as well as the instrument panel, cluster and center console.