2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Truck
Dodge Ram trucks went through a total revamp for 2009, and the changes aren't just on the surface. Dodge's full size truck has been redesigned from top to bottom, inside and out.One significant change is to the truck's rear suspension.
New Coil Spring Rear Suspension
Pickups have traditionally been equipped with a leaf spring rear suspension, because manufacturers felt that type of setup did the best job of supporting a loaded truck. And it's true, leaf springs offer good support, but with a trade-off -- they deliver a stiffer ride when the truck isn't loaded.On the flip side, coil springs (typically used for a truck's front suspension) provide a more comfortable ride when the truck isn't loaded, but automakers weren't sure they could support the weight of a loaded work truck. Dodge has challenged that mindset by outfitting the new Ram with a multi-link coil spring rear axle that weighs 40 pounds less than its leaf spring predecessor, and promising that the system doesn't sacrifice any of the truck's towing and hauling abilities. (Take a quick look at Suspension Systems)
Dodge Ram 1500: First Road Tests
Dodge hosted a driving event for the 2009 Ram and everyone who attended had an opportunity to drive a variety of the new trucks on the winding roads near Santa Barbara, California.I headed out in a Dodge Ram Sport equipped with a HEMI engine -- smooth but with a good idle and a robust exhaust note (the exhaust on the Ram Sport has a slightly louder tone than the exhaust on other HEMI Rams).
Inside, the truck was quiet as I merged onto the freeway, and the takeoff was so smooth that the 390hp under the hood didn't become obvious until I put my foot down -- at that point there was no doubt about the truck's power.
The engine uses Dodge's Multiple Displacement System (MDS) to switch between eight cylinder and four cylinder operation, choosing the mode that's best for current conditions. The system changed so seamlessly that I really didn't notice when the switch-overs occurred.
I left the freeway to get a feel for the truck's performance on the varying surfaces of two-lane roads. The coil spring rear suspension gave a comfortable ride everywhere and the truck handled the curves real well. Like most trucks, the steering is a little softer than I like (in other words, it takes little effort to turn the wheel).
I parked the Ram Sport and climbed into a 4WD truck hooked to an Airstream trailer that weighed about 6100 pounds (with a tongue weight of about 850 pounds). The truck was outfitted with a HEMI engine and trailer tow mode, which changes the shift pattern to help you accelerate and decelerate when pulling a load (tow mode also turns off the MDS). The Ram had no problem pulling the trailer, but even with the tow mode, it shifted in and out of 5th gear fairly often.
When you're towing, the tongue weight on the back of a truck can sometimes push its rear down and lift its front, creating unresponsive steering. The Ram displayed some of this common problem, but it was minimal.
I thought the coil spring rear suspension held up to the weight of the trailer and the demands of the winding highways as well as any leaf spring setup would have.
One caution -- trailer towing mirrors are a must if you want to see around a horse or travel trailer. They aren't available with the truck and must be purchased later as an accessory.
Acceleration was excellent. At one point, I had to slow almost to a stop for a car that was turning off the highway. Once the car was out of the way, I put the accelerator to the floor. It went. I was pleasantly surprised at just how quickly the truck reached 60 mph.
Next I drove a 4WD Ram with 1,000 pounds of cargo loaded in the bed. Its ride was just as good as the other two Rams and the coil spring rear suspension didn't feel soft or weak under the load.
The area we were in was very dry, with tall grass that looked like a fire waiting to happen, so our off-roading was confined to rough trails -- enough to get a good feel for the TRX Ram. The truck handled the ruts and ridges in the road with no problems, aand provided a pretty smooth ride.
The roads were rough enough in places to check out the suspension articulation (up and down movement). The TRX truck's front and rear suspension had sufficient travel to keep the tires in contact with the ground on uneven surfaces.
Wrap Up
Before the 2009 redesign, I felt that Dodge didn't have as much to offer as some of the other truck manufacturers. So far I've only had a day to drive the new Ram, but that was enough time behind the wheel to make it obvious that the company is back as a serious contender in the trucks market.
