Are You In It For The 170 Gallon Long Haul?

by Mike Driehorst

Well, Ram Truck is — and it wants you to have a look at the Ram Long-Hauler Concept Truck at several cities May through Dec. 1.  The Ram Long-Hauler is based on a Class 5 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab, and is designed to suit the needs of anyone that tows multiple or heavy trailers, drives long distances or for small business owners looking for a “work horse” at the job site.

Designers started with a Class 5 Ram 5500 Crew Cab and converted to a
Mega Cab passenger compartment, added an 8-foot box and upped the range
between refueling stops with a mid-ship fuel tank. Combined with a
second frame-mounted tank and a third, optional, bed-mounted auxiliary
tank, total fuel capacity is 170 gallons.

With a 197.4-inch wheelbase and 37,500 Gross Combined Weight Rating
(GCWR), the concept Long-Hauler from Ram is designed for those wanting
to step up from a traditional Class 3 (one-ton) or Class 4 truck.
Overall length of the Ram Long-Hauler is 24 feet, height is 79.1 inches
and estimated curb weight is 9,300 lbs.

The powertrain for the concept truck includes an inline six-cylinder
6.7-liter High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel engine rated at 800 lb.-ft.
of torque. Its diesel engine is mated to a six-speed, Aisin AS68RC
automatic transmission with four-wheel-drive transfer case coupled to a
4.88 Dana 110 axle with dual rear wheels.

To help make trailer line-up easier on the fifth wheel, a separate back-up camera provides a full view of the bed.

A custom hitch-access tailgate allows easy hook-ups without the need to open or remove the entire tailgate.

Inside, interior noise levels have been heavily dampened with an
upgraded NVH package that ensures a quiet cabin environment. In-cabin
power includes 115V and 12V outlets front and rear. With the interior
Wi-Fi enabled, passengers can easily work on laptop computers connected
to the Internet during long drives.

While you may get a feel for the Ram Long-Hauler from the above, nothing
beats a hands on look. To get your own look at the Ram Long-Hauler,
make plans to attend one of the tour stops, which can be found here.

(Click here to join the Long-Hauler conversation at Dodge Forum!)