2024 Ram 5500hd Tradesman on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2021 Ram 1500 gets Reverse Steering Control to help with trailers

A month ago, Mopar Insiders got the scoop on new features coming to the 2021 Ram 1500 and now thanks to MI getting a peek at dealer guides for the coming model year, we got more details. New for 2021 will be Trailer Reverse Steering Control, which will provide easy in-cab directional control when backing a trailer and be part of next model year's Trailer-Tow Group package. The current package includes trailer-tow mirrors and a trailer brake control. Next year's Trailer-Tow Group will include trailer brake control, trailer light check, trailer reverse steering control, and trailer tire-pressure monitoring. The current group adds $400 to the price of a new Ram; the new equipment will likely cause that number to rise.  We're not sure what happened to the trailer-tow mirrors, but with the Surround-View Camera system thought to be available on the trailer mirrors in 2021 — an option cribbed from the HD lineup — there's likely a bit more package rearranging in store. The third addition mentioned last month was a bed-focused camera housed next to the third brake light, which would be another HD hand-me-down. The camera would fit in with the enhanced trailer focus, and get Ram aligned with assistance features that have become a near necessity in pickups and SUVs. At the other end of the truck, the Snow Plow Prep package makes the leap from the 2500 to the 1500. We only wish Ram had kept the Snow Chief Group name used for the 2500 trucks.    Uconnect 5 is coming as well to the Ram after launching on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The new Android-based operating system provides five-times-faster processing power and three times the screen resolution, while adding 4G Wi-Fi capability, configurable buttons and custom pages, six individual profiles, better looking interactive maps from TomTom, the ability to connect two phones at a time, and Alexa integration.

Ram drops second of five 1500 Built to Serve Editions

In November, 2019, Ram launched a year-long campaign of releasing five special-edition 1500s (two colors each) to honor the five branches of the United States armed forces. Ram first showed off a 1500 in Gator green, and the most recent examples are seen in Patriot Blue and Ceramic Gray. Each model has several special-edition features, such as a plethora of American flags, and each color is limited to 500-1,000 examples. Ram's Built to Serve model program launched last year around Veteran's Day and continues this week with Flag Day, June 14, 2020, as the peg. Ram doesn't specify which color set goes with which military branch, but it's fairly easy to connect the dots. The first launch, which included Gator (1,000 units) and Diamond Black (1,000 units) is likely a nod to the army. This launch, which includes Patriot Blue (1,000 units) and Ceramic Gray (1,000 units), is almost certainly a nod to the navy.  The next three sets will release in the future. Anvil (1,000 units) and Billet Silver (1,000 units) might be for the U.S. Air Force, while Tank (1,000 units) and Flame Red (1,000 units) could honor the Marines. The most limited release will feature Spitfire (500 units) and Bright White (500 units) paint schemes, and likely links to the coast guard. The exterior of every Built to Serve truck wears an American flag and "Built to Serve" decal on each rear quarter panel. They also have 20-inch Technical Gray aluminum wheels, body-color wheel arches, a black grille, black grille surround, black bumpers, black-bezel lighting, black badging, black side steps, and black dual four-inch exhaust tips.  Available on all body styles and powertrains, the Built to Serve Package is a $2,795 option. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The interior of each Built to Serve 1500 has been dressed to fit each branch, as well. The first round had Light Frost contrast stitching, this round features Light Ambassador Blue stitching, the next will feature Light Diesel Gray, then Core Green, then Orange. Built to Serve embroidered Velcro panels are found on each front seat, and buyers can add their own patches on a separate Velcro panel on the inside shoulder of the front seats. The back of each front seat has Pouch Attachment Ladder System/Modular Lightweight Load-bearing Equipment (PALS/MOLLE) webbing.

2019 Ram 1500 eTorque Drivers' Notes Review | Filling in the gaps

When the 2019 Ram 1500 debuted earlier this year at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, the biggest news was arguably the addition of the 48-volt mild hybrid system. Dubbed eTorque, the system is standard on V6-equipped models and a $1,450 option on trucks with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. It's not a hybrid in the traditional sense. Despite Ram's claim that the system adds up to 130 pound-feet of torque on the V8, it only does so for a fraction of a second and doesn't actually change the engine's total output. You'd be hard pressed to notice a difference if you didn't know the system was there. But that's kind of the point. There's been a lot of confusion about what eTorque is and how the system works. Much of that falls on FCA's shoulders. The automaker didn't do a great job of explaining the whole thing, leaving us to work out much of it for ourselves. This isn't meant to boost performance, towing or payload. The Ram eTorque can't run on battery power, so don't expect a Toyota Prius with a bed and wood trim. It's here to make the truck just a little bit more efficient by improving areas where conventional internal-combustion engine's fall short. The eTorque system replaces the engine's alternator with a small, belt-driven electric motor. On the V6, the motor is part of the water pump assembly and driven by that belt; the V8 uses a dedicated belt that's separate from the other accessories. A small battery pack is mounted upright behind the rear seats inside the truck's cabin. There's also a DC-to-DC converter to charge the battery and convert 48 volts down to 12 to power the truck's normal systems. Visually, the only difference between an eTorque-equipped model and a standard one is a small metal box at the top of the engine. There's no badging and the battery pack can't be seen, even with the rear seats folded up. The system is designed to be as seamless and innocuous as possible. The auto start/stop system spins up the engine a little quicker. Shifts from the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission are a little smoother as the eTorque system smooths out and fills in the gaps. It does so for a fraction of a second, but it works its magic often. Big gains in fuel economy have already been made. It's going to take things like Ram's eTorque system to improve internal combustion engines from here on out. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I'd like to say I noticed a huge difference between the Ram eTorque and the regular Ram, but I didn't. That's how it's supposed to work.