Just when you think a factory pickup couldn’t get much more powerful, Ram announced this week that its 2021 Ram Heavy Duty has claimed best-in-class 37,100 lbs. towing enabled by best-in-class 1,075 lb.-ft. torque.
For those keeping score, that’s a 2,000-lb. increase from its prior 35,100 lb. rating. An increase in turbo boost and fuel delivery flow rate along with chassis improvements brought on the new muscle.
“Ram regains capability leadership by delivering the highest ever torque rating for a diesel pickup truck and heaviest gooseneck towing capacity,” said Mike Koval Jr., Head of Ram Brand. “We understand the attributes that are most important to our customers within the heavy-duty segment; they demand hardworking, long-lasting capability.”
Ram and Cummins teamed up to deliver improvements on the 6.7-liter I-6 diesel powerplant resulting in an additional 75 lb.-ft. of torque.
The truck’s frame which includes fully boxed rails and a rear-axle crossmember was beefed up to handle the increased tow rating. The 37,100-lb. tow uprating is made possible by an in-house hitch design from Ram Engineering. The conventional hitch max trailer weight rating for model year 2021 is 23,000 lbs.
An optional fifth-wheel and gooseneck hardware is fully integrated into the production box floor and includes fifth-wheel pucks, gooseneck bolt plates and gooseneck center castings. Additionally, the standard 4/7-pin trailer connector at the bumper and an additional 7-pin connector are integrated into the rear of the bed to wire a trailer (included in fifth-wheel/gooseneck option).
Also new for 2021, the Ram Heavy Duty features a digital rearview mirror that displays video in real time from a rear-facing camera and can be turned off to revert back to a traditional reflective mirror. The digital rearview mirror is available on all Heavy Duty models and provides an unobstructed rear view that enhances safety.