2019 Ram Heavy Duty First Drive: Putting 1,000 lb-ft of Torque to Work

This truck is built to handle the worst off-road conditions with a Bilstein suspension setup and a 6.4-liter Hemi, along with aggressive off-road tires, skid plates, locking differentials and a push-button disconnecting sway bar.

We set out in groups of four with a Ram product expert in the lead truck, driving a few miles down the snow-covered road before turning onto a rocky path that led us up into the rocks.

This lengthy off-road trail began with a long, steady climb with a few tight spots and a steady mix of mud and rocks. While bigger trucks like the Power Wagon are sometimes accused to being too bulky for tight off-road trails, the new 2019 Ram 2500 carved its way through the tight course without issue.

Along the way, we stopped to get some pictures of the suspension articulation in an especially rough portion of the trail and the off-road run ended with a thrilling blast up a dry riverbed. One of the interesting advantages of the 2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon with the 6.4-liter Hemi and the new 8-speed automatic transmission is that in four-low, you can go over 50 miles per hour.

We started all bunched up and when the lead truck with the Ram product expert at the wheel took off, I was instructed to “catch him if I could”. We raced through the dry riverbed, weaving around cacti and digging through the dirt, sliding around in the loose footing at speeds over 50 miles per hour.

It was an absolute blast and after seeing how well the Power Wagon will deal with a rough off-road course, it was a ton of fun to speed through the dirt. While it is a big, heavy truck, the 2019 Ram 2500 is the most off-road capable truck on sale today, so whether you want to race through the dirt, dig in the mud or go rock-crawling, the new Power Wagon is the perfect pickup.

America’s Best Big Truck

After pulling a common, large horse trailer in a truck with a premium interior layout, pulling a 35,100-pound load with a basic work truck and storming through the Nevada desert in the snow with the Hemi-powered Power Wagon, there is no question that the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty lineup is the best, most capable truck in the American heavy duty truck segment.

If you need a work truck that will out-tow anything else on sale today while pulling more weight, a truck with a proper luxury-level interior, a truck to go rock-crawling or a truck that can check all of these boxes while also being a great daily driver, the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty lineup does it all. The competitors might pull almost the same weight, but none of the other trucks on the market offer this level of interior luxury with 1,000 lb-ft of torque and the ability to comfortably tow over 35,000 pounds.

The numbers are impressive, but the driving dynamics and the on-road qualities of the 2019 Ram Heavy Duty lineup make them the best big trucks in America today.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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