The 2018 Ram 3500 can lay claim to two automotive superlatives. At least, right now it can.
When equipped with a 6.7-liter turbodiesel, dual rear wheels, Aisin 6-speed automatic, and a 4.10 rear axle ratio, the 2018 Ram 3500 will make 930 pound-feet of torque and haul a 30,000-pound fifth-wheel trailer, the truckmaker announced Friday.
Keen mathletes will note that 930 lb-ft is more than the 925 lb-ft offered in the 2017 Ford Super Duty when optionally equipped with its 6.7-liter turbodiesel (no relation).
According to Ram, the secret sauce for so much power is in boost pressure. Last year, the right combination would net a 900 lb-ft of torque rating in the 2017 Ram 3500. This year the combo nets 930 lb-ft. Joke's on those guys.
This year's 6.7-liter turbodiesel Ram 3500 with dual rear wheels and a 4.10 axle will also drag a 30,000-pound fifth-wheel trailer. That's more than the Super Duty's 27,500-pound fifth-wheel rating, which was king of the hill for nearly a year.
But wait. Before you go dunk on your neighbor's heavy-duty rig, it's worth a note: Most of these superlatives come with caveats. Aside from the specific combination in the Ram 3500 to get the 930 lb-ft of torque, not all of that twist is available immediately. Like the Ford before it (925 lb-ft) and the Chevy before that (910 lb-ft), the Ram's 930 lb-ft comes on in third gear because turning a transmission into a pretzel sinks durability scores.
Also, towing 30,000 pounds means that you'll need a CDL to legally haul that load, hoss.
Got both? Good, now go dunk on your neighbor's heavy-duty rig.
It's possible to expect that 930 lb-ft won't be the highwater-mark for long. Truckmakers one-up each other in superlatives, and if Ram can turn up the boost, we're guessing the other guys know where their knobs are too.
