Now a Crew  Cab and an eight ft. bed. No Urea (diesel exhaust fluid) like Ford and GM diesels for 2010 new emission laws. Dodge will be the only truck offering a manual and automatic transmission option. New cab isolated hydraulic dampener smoothes out the ride. This should be the model year for Dodge HD trucks to gain market share. We know it will be the lowest price diesel truck.

2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty, 2500-5500 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Mega Cab still only in a short bed (6' 4"), new sexy more aerodynamic fenders are all metal instead of plastic. Styling cues inside and out are from the 2009 Ram 1500 for a quieter, tighter cab.  7 Canyons Ranch near San Antonio Texas gave us the appropriate driving course to tow maximum trailers and test some long grades.

Dodge Cummins 6.7L diesel engines with their built in exhaust brake, were 2010 EPA compliant when the 6.7L Cummins was introduced in 2007.5. This means Dodge won’t need major diesel engine changes for the new law as Ford and GM did. Though the 2500/3500 pickup trucks won’t need urea, the commercial cab and chassis 3500/4500/5500 will use urea (diesel exhaust fluid is the official name.) Commercial trucks have different EPA tests and certification than class 2/3 pickup trucks.

Dodge 3500 has heavy duty rear leaf springs with double overload leafs. On a dually the ride could be rough. Many over the road semi-trucks have air bags supporting their cabs. Dodge uses the same principle to improve the ride for 2010 with a hydraulic dampener supporting the rear of the cab. This dramatically tamed down the Dodge dually ride. Crew cab configuration is the most popular, Dodge finally joined the party since dropping crew cabs in the seventies, though the Mega-cab is great as a limo with reclining rear seats and room to drool over, but only with a short bed. It’s still easier to tow gooseneck and 5th wheel trailers and haul slide-campers with an eight ft. bed. The new Crew Cab replaces the Quad Cab.

The stats; 9 in. longer wheelbase from Ram Crew 8’ bed to Mega Cab 6’4” bed, 20 inch longer wheelbase for Crew Cab long bed and Crew Cab short bed. 6.7L Cummins diesel has 350 horse power 650 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1500 rpm, 1400 rpm with manual transmission. Dodge Cummins diesel is rated for 350,000 miles, Ford and GM rate theirs at 250,000 miles. The gas engine that’s standard on the Heavy Duties, is of course the 5.7L Hemi at 383 hp 400 lb.-ft. torque that only comes with 5-speed automatic transmission 545RFE.

3500 dually max trailer towing is 17,600 lbs. with a 5150 lbs payload.  Gross combined weight rating (truck, trailer and cargo) up to 24,500 lbs, with late availability Max Tow Package 25,400 lbs. 600#’s higher GVWR on 2500, GCWR up 500#’s on 3500 dually. Increase in front axle weight ratings and larger axle U-joints for snow plows. Class IV receiver hitch is standard.  And best of all, lower prices for 2010. Picture below, we towed trailers loaded with passengers at the max capacity. The only way to review.

The 68RFE 6-speed automatic transmission has Electric Range Select, in manual mode using the + and - buttons on the shifter lever for the highest gear that you want the transmission to go to, all without over rapping the engine. It’s like having a programmable manual transmission without the work.  Tow/haul mode keeps the engine in maximum torque curve. You can manually shift the auto, I let the computer shift, then I did manually, I won. Torque Converter lockup in 3^rd 4^th 5^th and 6^th helps the automatic transmission hold gears just like a manual transmission. Dodge will be the only heavy duty truck offering a manual and automatic transmission option this year.

In my experience, Dodge has the lightest steering, less fatigue on long drives. Another feature for less driving stress and towing trailers in the mountains is the standard exhaust brake on the diesel engine which came out with the new 6.7L Cummins in 2007.5. This allows less wear on your trucks brakes, transmission and your nerves.

Rear floor storage and under seat compartments are convenient, reminds you of minivan conveniences. Interior on the 2010 Heavy Duties is from the 2009 Ram 1500, big improvement over the plain plastic in the previous model. The cab is quieter with triple sealed doors and lowered door opening. Storage compartments are everywhere, more door pockets, also a new center console with double layers and a double door glove box. Some cool options like remote start, backup camera, lift assist on tailgate, heated steering wheel radiates to upper body fast, heated/cooled front and rear seats, and SIRIUS Backseat TV with 3 channels.

New for 2010, integrated trailer brake controller, supplied by Continental, same as GM, I just wish it was on the right side of the steering wheel. Dodge Cummins 6.7L diesel engines with their built in exhaust brake further increases your trailer stopping control. Class IV receiver hitch is standard. Axle ratios 3.42, 3.73, 4.10 and 4.56

Another towing feature is the new bigger 7” x 11” trailer mirrors with full convex spotter mirror, twice the size replacing the corner fish eye spotter mirror of the previous HD's.  I don't know how you tow without spotter mirrors, they show you the little cars sneaking up on your passenger side and which mail box your trailer fenders wiped out turning into your yard.

I fit the Dodge Ram demographics, I wear blue jeans all the time, use my truck for work and fun, male, married, some college, in my fifties and darn good looking.

Laramie edition with remote start will turn on the heated drivers seat and heated steering wheel and turns up the fan. So nice in Colorado. Toyota style cruise control paddle behind the steering wheel is not a highlight, touchy controls, you push in and it moves up or down too much. Front floor mats are like dash mats. One piece goes all across door to door, so you can't just shake out drivers side mud. I like the backup camera’s and lift assist on tailgate. All the right gauges and digital readout in the center makes for easy monitoring of the important truck info. 2010 heavy Duty Rams have a taller grill and hood dome with slight louvers.

Dodge Power Wagon, an underrated contender deserves respect. Does your rock crawler have that much wheel travel? Yes that's a 12,000 lb Warn winch in the bumper.

Locking front and rear differential, electric disconnect for the front sway bar for rock climbing. Power Wagon is back, (picture above.) Amazing how much front axle articulation it has when the front anti-sway bar disconnects for off-roading. Comes equipped like a H1 Hummer with locking front differential, Warn winch, Bilstein shocks, 2 inch lift and 4.56 axle ratio. The new triple sealed doors and tighter body on the 2010 Ram really comes across in the taking the Power Wagon off-road. You don't hear squeaking or wind when bouncing off rocks diving into mud holes or at full axle articulation bouncing on trails. Power Wagon is a lesson in proper NVH.