Okay, I'm sold on our long-term 2009 Dodge Ram as a track support vehicle. I've used it a few times in this capacity, and each time it excels. This past weekend saw it serving tow and track support duty from Los Angeles to Sonoma, home of Infineon Raceway. That track, by the way, is completely awesome. But I digress.
First, the Rambox. It's nearly as long as a Miata is wide, judging by the way it swallows an entire spare Miata steering rack complete with tie rod ends. Holds spare dampers, tiedown straps, tools... basically it's a great place for all the grimy stuff you don't want in the cabin but still want locked away. Knowing of the Rambox's fragility, though, I'm extra careful about what I put in there, and make sure pointy stuff is protected.
The Rambox does force you to be smart about packing the bed, but it'll hold everything I need -- seven spare tires, a fueling rig, jerrycans, spare rusty suspension parts, a big plastic box full of important stuff that I never realize I actually have with me when the need arises, various and sundry other bits.
Flip-up rear seats are fantastic. Yeah, other trucks have them, too. I'm glad for that. Great feature.
Ridiculously tight turning circle. I mean really impressive.
Huge cabin. Lots of cargo capacity.
Hit the jump to see a list of a few items I wish the Ram had:
1. Stronger detents in the rear doors. They're weaksauce. If you open the doors all the way, the lightest breeze or a finger tap will close them, whacking you in your tookus. Heck, even the simple act of opening them briskly has them bouncing closed again. Very annoying.
2. A tailgate damper. I'm in a hurry at the track. I want to click the tailgate handle as I walk by without breaking stride so that I can fetch the crap that needs to go in the bed. Yeah, it's only a few seconds to ease it down. But other trucks have damped tailgates; why can't the Ram?
3. An analog clock in the cabin. When the truck's switched off, there's no way to know how much of a hurry I need to be in while I'm rounding up items in the cabin. Can't wear a watch at the track; it'd get destroyed and/or risk breaking my wrist. And my arms are full of stuff, so no reaching into my pocket for the ol' cellphone watch.
Minor stuff. Great truck.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
zoomzoom97 says:
04:40 PM, 03/ 9/10
Thanks for almost running into us, and honking to boot. Still confused on the out of state plates you had on there.
Also saw the long-term Edmunds Crosstour make a cameo - that thing is just as ugly in person as it is in the pictures.
hybris says:
05:57 PM, 03/ 9/10
I can only imagine how nuts you would go if you have at least a 3/4 ton 4 door 8 foot bed truck be it Dodge, Chevy, or best yet Ford.
firstwagon says:
05:59 PM, 03/ 9/10
...until you tried to park it and realized it doesn't fit in any parking spot.
heidis says:
06:18 PM, 03/ 9/10
So two questions for Jason on this.
1. Did you take a route up over the 5 or did you go via 101 or something equally level while towing to Sonoma? I'm curious how that truck manages this load up that grade on the 5 towards the Grapevine.
2. How much total weight do you estimate you are trailering? You've probably mentioned it in the past but I'm too lazy to go hunting for it.
hybris says:
08:58 PM, 03/ 9/10
@firstwagon
That's part of the real world training that one gets from drive such a large truck.
If you can park a nearly 25 foot long pickup then you can park dang near anything.
Of course if you where mostly a urban dweller then you every well might be in a world where there are no parking spots so you have a point there.
joefrompa says:
04:01 AM, 03/10/10
Love seeing trucks used how they're supposed to be. Still trying to figure out how it's legal for this size vehicle, with it's COG height and weight, to be driven by people with the same license as that which allows one to drive a compact car.
Also trying to figure out why trucks are allowed to be designed with headlights about 5 feet off the ground, but new cars have to have curved hoods for pedestrians. Wouldn't it make more sense to regulate headlight height to reduce blinding drivers of cars?
hybris says:
07:19 AM, 03/10/10
@joefrompa
Its only a half ton truck with a est. 5,000lb car trailer with brakes (as required by law for anything over 3500lbs) so long as the trailer is hooked up right and the driver realizes the added length and weight of the trailer its perfectly safe.
Now if we were talking about throwing a Prius driver behind the wheel of a F450 with a 24,000lb 5th wheel trailer then yes I too would be concerned with people's licenses.
In regards with headlight height its saidly one of those damned if you damned if you don't situations.
If you lower the truck it looses off road capbilities and if lowered too much looses either load capacity or ride quality.
If you reshape the nose of the truck to be more car-like then you truck buying base will complain that its ugly (Like what we do with the crosstour only 100 times louder and angrier) and would either require down sizing the engine to fit in the smaller engine compartment or start cutting into the passenger compartment.
Now attempts with lowering the headlights have been done (the current 2010 model super duty is a good example) but even then with a max towing package and/or off road package the headlights are still well above most small cars lights.
joefrompa says:
07:42 AM, 03/10/10
Hybris - Yeah, I was talking about a federal mandated max height for headlights...which wouldn't require lowering the truck. Truck bumpers are already lower than needed; it would just require the headlights to be lowered. And yes, I realize the truck base would scream murder. As a car owner, I scream murder that the fronts of cars need to be modeled after pedestrian impact laws in the EU.
Regarding the licensing - A Ram 4x4 1500 Quad Cab, to choose an example, is 229" long and 80" wide. It weighs 5250 pounds. By comparison, a ~1990-1996 Ford F150 extended cab was 4186 pounds and about 10" shorter.
I don't know their relative centers of gravity and ability to change directions quickly.
However, I always marvel that these mammoths fall under the same licensing guidelines and road-going laws as, say, a Honda Civic or similar. At what point does your ability to do damage and inability to manuever quickly require additional licensing and/or a different set of laws governing your driving habits?
Overall, I'm against over-regulating stuff like this. Simple is better, as the law of unintended consequences has a far reach. I just spend too much of my time being tailgated at 80mph by someone in a vehicle that weighs 2400 pounds more than mine and can't react as quickly, and whose center of gravity and larger mass are at about the height of my head while driving.
actualsize says:
08:16 AM, 03/10/10
That, Mr. Kavanagh, is the first solid argument I've heard for an analog clock in a vehicle. Or a digital one that remains visible when the key is out.
jeepsrt says:
08:43 AM, 03/10/10
@firstwagon says
"...until you tried to park it and realized it doesn't fit in any parking spot."
I had no problems parking my old 3/4 ton Dodge Ram when I had it, it was actually easier to park than my Jeep. It's just something you get use too when you have a big truck.
canadaphant says:
08:55 AM, 03/10/10
Congrats on the win, by the way!
crazydavefym says:
09:49 AM, 03/10/10
I thought the Ram had a Michigan Manufacturer License Plate?
firstwagon says:
11:00 AM, 03/10/10
hybris and jeepsrt
I have no problem parking most pick ups no matter where I live (except maybe when I lived downtown). The problem is the sheer length of the 4 door 8 foot bed model hybris mentioned. The butt end will stick way out in pretty much whatever parking lot you try to park in. If you have a cap on the back, trying to back it out later will be a real test of skill and luck.
With practice it can be done (did it for work all the time years ago) but it's a real pain in the butt.
hybris says:
04:24 PM, 03/10/10
@firstwagon
Agreed on all points. But if there is one good thing about such hard to park vehicles it keeps other people from driving your truck.