2014 Ram 1500 Slt on 2040-cars

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A beginner's guide to plowing snow with a heavy-duty truck

I live in a desert, so the only things getting plowed around here are mud flows and brewer neighbors. But I enjoy machinery and haven't plowed any snow since a "loaded" truck meant one with A/C and a CD player, so I jumped at the chance for a plow primer in a Ram HD on a Canadian airfield. Running a plow is like welding – the basics come quickly but experience pays dividends. The first thing to deal with is a frequently changing horizon because, stout as they are, even three-quarter-ton heavy-duty trucks will move up and down in front considerably with a 600-to-800-pound plow hanging off, and fast plow hydraulics rival some low-riders for bounce effect. Getting going is easy unless you forgot blocks and the plow froze to the ground, rookie. If you have to drive to your plowing assignment, blade height needs some experimentation to find the best cooling airflow; if you think sub-freezing temperatures negate that concern, remember you've installed what amounts to a 20-square-foot air brake up front that the truck has to overcome, and blowing snow could block some cooling air passages. Whether it's a "straight" blade or V design, always have it tilted to the right lest you catch a hidden post, solid mailbox, or edge of a snow bank. Most plow operators I spoke to rarely exceed 45 mph in transit because of cooling, front suspension travel, and common sense, and you should go even slower if you don't have some ballast like chains, extra fuel tanks, or a salt spreader to balance the load on the back. With trucks' relatively slow steering and all that weight up high, oversteer is best avoided. With a little clean space to get a run, stick it in Drive to gather momentum and lower the plow simultaneously to float, where the weight of the plow rests on and lets it run along the surface. Momentum is good until you hit something you didn't know about, at which point the plow's breakaway systems limit damage but your truck could still hit something big; caution never hurts. Start out at 10 to 15 mph, depending on consistency and depth, making a clean wave off one side. If you have to push it straight, as you slow coincidentally raise the blade at the bottom of the pile to shove it up higher. Carry too much speed here and you'll stop with an unceremonious thud. Common mistakes cited among a few experts were people pushing banks of snow rather than plowing it, and rushing the shift between Drive and Reverse, throttling up before the shift is completed.

2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel First Drive | To be continued …

DULUTH, Minn. — Ram gave us a new generation of its 1500 pickup for 2019, and weÂ’ve already had a lot of fun with it. WeÂ’ve driven the V6 and the Hemi V8 versions. WeÂ’ve tried it with and without the eTorque mild hybrid system. WeÂ’ve sampled the humble Tradesman, the rambunctious Rebel, the well-rounded Big Horn and Laramie, and the high-lux Limited. But now we get to sample one of the most anticipated updates, this one made for the 2020 Ram 1500 lineup: the third-generation EcoDiesel engine. With plenty of miles already spent with the new 1500 over the past year, we know the fresh generation of the Ram full-size pickup is already an overachiever. Its interior is class-leading, the ride is surprisingly comfortable, and the 1500Â’s handling is surprisingly agile for its size. So weÂ’ll focus on the heart of the matter: the new engine, starting out in a Rebel for a cruise around Duluth. Slated to go on sale later this year as a 2020 model, this is the third generation of the light-duty turbo-diesel engine, and it has undergone a significant  overhaul. The result is that this 3.0-liter V6 provides 260 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and an impressive (not to mention class-leading) 480 pound-feet of peak torque at 1,600 rpm. In addition, the EcoDiesel allows for up to 12,560 pounds of towing, and a 2,040-pound payload. If weÂ’re keeping score — as we know truck fans are — the Duramax diesel in the 2020 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra makes 277 hp (points to GM) and 460 lb-ft, with towing and payload yet to be announced. The Ford F-150 Power Stroke provides 250 hp and 440 lb-ft, with 11,400 pounds towing and 2,020 pounds of payload. Ram hasnÂ’t announced fuel economy yet, so the DuramaxÂ’s 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway are the figures to beat, while the FordÂ’s gets up to 22 city and 30 highway in 2WD guise. Ram spokespeople wouldnÂ’t budge on providing fuel economy hints, but RamÂ’s U.S. marketing director Mike Koval promised the EcoDiesel would be “very competitive” here. To be continued Â… RamÂ’s new EcoDiesel aims to perform better in all the major areas consumers care about – power, fuel economy, and NVH. To help with all three, the new motor includes low-friction turbo bearings, lower-pressure exhaust gas recirculation, lighter pistons, and a 15-pound-lighter engine block. At idle, the EcoDiesel is muted, with a bassy patter typical of a diesel — no surprises there. Sitting still, the truck is very quiet.

Ram updates 1500 and Heavy Duty trucks for the new model year

Happy Labor Day weekend, and happy 2020 Ram truck news day. The changes for 2020 aren't huge, mostly limited to aesthetics, starting with a Night Edition package to the Big Horn and Laramie trims. A Black Appearance Package was offered for 2019, but this one is a little different. Those who choose the Night Edition won’t be limited to black paint only, meaning you can get all that black trim along with a contrasting exterior color. ItÂ’ll have a black grille, badging, exhaust tips, headlight/taillight bezels and wheels (20-inch for Big Horn, 22-inch for Laramie). The white Ram 1500 pictured here is equipped with the package. A Black Appearance package is coming to the Rebel trim, too, with 18-inch wheels, a front skid plate, front spoiler, lighting bezels, badging, tow hooks and exhaust, all finished in black. YouÂ’ll also be able to option a driver assistance package on the Rebel for 2020 that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, auto high beams and forward collision mitigation. The 2020 Ram Heavy Duty adds a couple nice tech features. Lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, enhanced connected services and dual auxiliary camera support are all added as options for the new model year. Additionally, there are two new paint options: Olive Green and Hydro Blue. The Power Wagon doesnÂ’t change much, but there will be a new black wheel option for 2020. One final note of change for 2020 is the addition of “eTorque” badging on the hood of so-equipped Ram 1500 trucks. Previously, Ram made 1500 eTorque models indistinguishable from their non-electrified brethren.