2009 Dodge Ram pickup trucks
The 2009 Dodge Ram, introduced on January 13, 2008, features revised engines, a new rear suspension setup featuring coil springs fitted to a solid rear axle held in place with multiple links, a first-class interior, and two revolutionary storage systems, along with nearly every gadget seen on a minivan. The fastest 2009 Ram pickup will do 0-60 in a remarkable six seconds or less (2009 Dodge Ram R/T regular-cab 4x2 with short bed and 4:10 gears — Motor Trend achieved 0-60 in 5.7 seconds with a 14.4 second quarter mile) - with a normal V8 available on most models.
oh20 wrote that Ram 1500 hybrid-electric vehicles will be built at Warren and will use the same 5.7L HEV engine and transmission as the 2009 Durango hybrid; the Crew Cab is on the list to get the hybrid version. Another source said the Ram hybrid has been pushed back to late 2010 production.
Gas mileage increased along with power (except on the V6). Still rumored is the Ram R/T which, according to Mr. Source, will have an upgraded 5.7 HEMI, beefed-up suspension and steering, and a 4.10:1 axle. The aerodynamic drag of .419 Cd is best in class, beating even Toyota — as does the 0-60 time of under 6 seconds (according to Edmunds, Truck Trends, and Toyota’s official figure of 6.3 seconds).
Pricing
Base pricing has been set for 2009 at $22,170 for regular cab, $26,225 for Quad Cab®, and $32,530 for Crew Cab (all prices include destination charges.) Adding an eight-foot box costs $300 for Ram ST and SLT; 4x4 adds around $4,500 on ST, $3,600 on SLT; Quad Cab adds around $4,000 on ST and SLT. The TRX starts at $30,920 with a Quad Cab. Ram R/T (Sport) starts at $30,265 with regular cab, $33,900 with quad cab, and $35,955 with crew cab.
The 2009 Ram Hemi’s 390 hp (407 lb.-ft. of torque) is expected to have about 10% better gas mileage than the 2008 Ram Hemi — due partly to a 4% increase in engine efficiency, partly in an 80 lb weight reduction, and partly in extensive aerodynamic work. Highway mileage is expected to reach 23 mpg, among the top performers in pickups. Gas mileage will probably be considerably higher with the new Cummins turbodiesel engine, designed and produced specifically for the Dodge Ram. Even the revised 4.7 liter engine is getting a power boost, to 310 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque, while the V6 is beating the V8s of just a few years back with 215 horsepower (160 kW) and 235 lb-ft.
We have more details on the development and features of the 2009 Dodge Ram in our Industria Show page.
The mega cab is being replaced by a conventional crew cab, but the 2500 and 3500 models still have mega cabs and leaf-spring rear suspensions in the 2009 model year. After that, the 2010 heavy duty models will keep their leaf springs but drop the mega-cab for a standard crew cab. Chassis cabs will change to the new look in 2011 but will keep the leaf springs and gain a crew cab.
Powertrain
Details on the available engines, axles, transfer cases, and transmissions are in our 2009 Dodge Ram powertrain section.
| Ram engines | 5.7 Hemi | 4.7 V8 | 3.7 V6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 390 bhp (291 kW) @ 5,600 rpm |
310 bhp (231 kW) @ 5,650 rpm |
215 bhp (160 kW) @ 5,200 rpm |
| Torque | 407 lb.-ft. (548 N•m) @ 4,000 rpm |
330 lb.-ft. (447 N•m) @ 3,950 rpm |
235 lb.-ft. (319 N•m) @ 4,000 rpm |
| Redline | 5,800 rpm | 6,000 rpm | 6,000 rpm |
| Fuel | 89 octane recommended, 87 acceptable |
87 octane; E85 OK (FFV) |
87 octane |
| EPA mpg (2WD) | 13/19 | 13/19 | 14/20 (automatic) |
| EPA mpg (4WD) | 13/18 | 18/18 (misprint?) | |
| Emissions | SULEV 1 / Tier 2 Bin 10C | LEV 1 / Tier 2, Bin 10A |
A hybrid-electric version is expected by the 2010 model year; it’s nearly identical to the Hemi hybrid setup used on the Durango and Aspen hybrids.
The manual transmission has been dropped, according to a Chrysler representative. Gas mileage with the Ram Hemi is said to be 23 mpg on the highway, a 10% increase — despite the 40-hp power boost.
Models
The base model is the ST, which has a simple four-gauge instrument cluster (tach, temp, gas, speed), an open top glove compartment, and vinyl seats and floor with steel wheels, black upper front bumper, and gray bumpers in front and rear. This is clearly a base model work truck.
The SLT features upgraded wheels, headlamps, and mirrors, with a painted upper front bumper, chrome bumpers, quad headlamps, and signal/puddle mirrors; standard wheels are 17” painted aluminum. The interior features carpet and cloth seats and trim, with a covered upper glove box, six-gauge instrument cluster with trip computer, and optional console with floor shifter.
The TRX model, available in quad and crew cabs, has an integrated two-tone style with flared fenders, body-color grille, unique wheels, and matching bumpers.
The Sport exterior is available with all cabs, has a standard Hemi engine, body-color mirrors, door handles, grille, and bumper fascia, dual exhaust, unique 20 inch wheel, upgraded interior with standard bucket seats and floor shifter, and soft dashboard padding with visible stitching.
The Laramie is available with quad and crew cabs, and features a chrome grille, mirror, and door handles; unique chrome wheels; two-tone exterior with integrated wheel flares; stop dashboard padding with visible stitching; and chrome trip with wood appliqués on both front and rear doors.
More details on features, styling, the interior, and safety features are in a separate page.
Suspension, steering, wheels
For 2009, a multi-link coil-spring rear suspension will provides improved ride and handling characteristics with no loss of capability. A coil-spring setup centralizes and absorbs bumps and impacts, while reducing the amount of friction in the spring system. This setup also weighs 40 pounds less than a leaf-spring configuration. Coil-spring setups are commonly used in heavy-duty applications such as semi trailers and railroad cars; and for the 4x4, the Ram now has a larger articulation range than its leaf-spring competitors, with less freeway hop.
Shock absorbers are forward-facing and positioned on the outside of the frame for optimum damping. Shocks are tuned for optimum balance in order to reduce ride harshness and provide more of an absorbent feel.
Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is standard; wheels run from a 17-inch stamped steel (ST) to 20 inch aluminum (optional on SLT, Sport, and Laramie), while a full sized spare is standard across the board.
Steve Williams, Senior Manager of the body-on-frame product team, on the new 2009 Dodge Ram suspension
Allpar: What is the design purpose for the rear sway bar to be mounted facing rearward?
S.Williams: Primarily, it was a packaging concern.
Allpar: What about frame rigidity? Wouldn't it be stronger with the attachment point ahead of the rear axle?
Williams: That was addressed early in the design phase. The only room for the bar was behind the axle, so the frame was a clean sheet design to accompany this. The frame is a box section, hydroformed to provide the strength required.
Allpar: It was mention during the reveal that no one has used a coil sprung rear in a pickup since GM used it in the 1970s. Those trucks were known to have poor handling loaded, and excessive wheelhop on acceleration when unloaded. How were these problems addressed?
Williams: The GM system was a three point suspension. The Ram's suspension is multi link that controls the motion of the rear axle. The spring placement helps to control wheelhop under accelaration.
Allpar: There was mention of a diesel for the light truck, Any hints as to size and configuration?
Williams: All I can say is that it will be a "V" design....you can speculate further if you wish. [Allpar note: this appears to have been pushed back at least one year.]
Allpar: The interior is a big improvement over the previous models. How much consumer input was involved in the redesign?
Williams: We visit Allpar and other sites, read opinions of our products, and take that into consideration when designing the entire vehicle.
Allpar: There is a hybrid system in Rams' future. Is it the same system as the Aspen's?
Williams: Essentially, yes, but reprogrammed for the unique needs of the Ram truck.
Bob Sheaves, independent suspension engineer, on the new Ram suspension
Overall, I am impressed with the efforts of the
suspension design engineers and development engineers on the new rear suspension of the Ram pickup. Building on the success of the original ZJ Jeep (Grand Cherokee) rear link-coil suspension design, it appears that many of the shortcomings of the original ZJ design have been corrected.
The new spring layout shows the attention to details and vehicle dynamics that the people at "JTE" [Jeep-Truck Engineering] are famous for. While odd looking with its offset
springs to the layman, this design shows attention to the fundamentals of vehicle dynamics.
In 1967, GM used a 3 link (as opposed to the new Ram's
5 link) coil sprung suspension. The result was that
the vehicle had a very comfortable ride when empty
(industry leading, in fact), but when any load was
placed in the pickup bed, the vehicle became unstable
and sloppy handling. This result almost sank the new
trucks before they were even out of the gate (it was
deleted in favor of a conventional Hotchkiss shortly
thereafter). The new Ram is the first U.S. volume
built pickup truck since that time to attempt to use coil springs as its primary suspension system.
The pitch of the springs shown in the accompanying graphic show how the springs are canted and "bent" at the BPL position (BPL=Body Part Loaded- this means a loading of 2 each 150 lb passengers, full fluids, and 1/2 payload all combined to be the base point of design for the vehicle) to allow the reactions to motion of the ground contact patch ("where the rubber meets the road", to use an old marketing phrase of another company) to be efficiently controlled and isolated from disturbing the ride quality and stability of the vehicle.
The UCA (Upper Control Arm) links appear to be splayed outward at the frame attachment points, providing a lateral stability to the system that, in conjunction with the track bar (or "panhard rod") keeps the lateral shift of the axle, between jounce and rebound (maximum travel up and maximum travel down- NOT "bounce" and "droop"), to the minimum arc possible. Due to the over-constrained system (more about this in a moment) the axle will travel laterally in the vehicle, through an arc of approximately 2" total, left to right. The positioning of the track bar ensures that the travel will also be split evenly from jounce to rebound, minimizing the dreaded "head toss" so prevalent in the Jeep XJ (Cherokee SUV), MJ (Comanche pickup), and early ZJs.
The side view angularity between the UCA and LCA (Lower Control Arm) indicates a long instant center, a theoretical point in space ahead of the axle, that controls the fore and aft arc the axle travels through as it goes from jounce to rebound. By having a long instant center, you ensure the axle does not change the wheelbase a great deal, affecting braking distances and geometry and upsetting the transient dynamics of handling in an emergency lane change.
The rear stabilizer bar is the only complaint I have about this design. As was shown on the original Dodge Dakota 4x4, the most effective position of a stabilizer bar is to place the end links as close to a rigid body (meaning the center of the frame where the bend and torsion is minimized) as possible. I do not know all the compromises the engineering staff were forced to make, but I am concerned this location has forced several poor tradeoffs, primarily excess weight needed from larger than desired components to control the loading the vehicle sees.
The RamBox and other storage systems
The RamBox, an option on Crew Cab 1500 models, is Avalanche done right: instead of small plastic containers stuck onto the pickup bed walls, Dodge has set up full-length storage bins, lighted, drainable, lockable, and weatherproof, as wide as the wheel well, with 7.6 cubic feet of space. They include configurable bed dividers, an adjustable bed extender that fits onto the lowered tailgate for another 2 feet of length (7 feet long total), and a cargo rail system with sliding adjustable cleats for tie-downs. The system can hold 240 twelve-ounce cans, or golf clubs, fishing rods, toolboxes, or other gear, while still leaving enough room in the bed for a flat sheet of plywood — in short, it has 7.6 cubic feet of storage, while still leaving 49 inches between the wheel wells. (For more details, see our Features and Styling page.)
Chassis
The all-new 2009 Dodge Ram uses a low-torsion frame design that contributes to stability and handling precision while decreasing noise, vibration and harshness. Two frame lengths are available: 120-inch and 140-inch.
Portions of the frame are hydroformed for dimensional accuracy (hydroforming reduces the amount of welding that leads to distortion), and side rails are fully boxed. The front frame section incorporates advanced, high-strength steel that maintains overall strength and durability while saving approximately 30 pounds. New for 2009 are redesigned tow-hook brackets (four-wheel drive models). The rear section of the 2009 Dodge Ram’s frame is all new, and supports Dodge’s new multi-link coil-spring rear suspension.
The 2009 Dodge Ram is capable of handling a payload of up to an estimated 1,840 pounds and towing up to an estimated 9,100 pounds.
Aerodynamics
The cooperative application of aerodynamic science and innovative styling led to aerodynamic improvements on the new Ram that resulted in an estimated coefficient of drag (Cd) of .422 for a crew cab 4x4 model – compared with a Cd of .463 for a 2008 Ram Quad Cab® 4x4 (and .42 for the original 1994 Dodge Ram!). Extensive wind-tunnel testing was conducted to hone the 2009 Dodge Ram’s exterior shape.
- The shape of the front grille, hood, and exterior mirrors cuts wind resistance
- A subtle circumferential notch near the rear edge of each outside mirror housing causes airflow (and dust or water, when present) to separate from the housing. This also helps keep the door glass clean
- An air dam directs air flow around the vehicle to reduce drag, and cool the engine and air conditioning condenser
- Full cut-line doors reduce wind noise and drag
- A carefully developed curve at the leading edge of the windshield frame reduces drag
- A raised lip on the cowl screen directs air flow and water toward the sides of the windshield
- The cowl screen smoothes the airflow transition from hood to windshield, reducing turbulence and wind noise
- Troughs created by windshield side moldings channel water over the roof rather than around to the side windows
- Side windows offset from door frames were minimized to help reduce turbulence and wind noise
- Side sills are lowered, extending the attached air flow and eliminating some underbody turbulence
- The new front-end module has smaller gaps around head lamps to help aero performance
- A large tailgate spoiler integrated into the sheet metal improves aerodynamic flow
- Lowered windshield-wiper location improves visibility, as well as reduces wind noise and drag
- Flush-fit fog-lamp pockets eliminate drag of fog lamps
- Reduced wheel openings help decrease drag
- Optimized ride heights provide aerodynamic efficiencies
Quality assurance
Engineers have conducted approximately 40,000 hours of full-scale vehicle and system testing for durability and reliability of the 2009 Dodge Ram. Testing and validation in various climates included road trips to a variety of locations including Death Valley, Nev., Bemidji, Minn., Tampa and Denver. A full battery of lab testing included full-frame fatigue testing, door-slam testing, a road test simulator, and more than 200 hours of wind noise and aerodynamic evaluations in Chrysler’s state-of-the-art aerodynamic and acoustic test facility in Auburn Hills. By the time the 2009 Dodge Ram goes on sale, nearly 6.5 million customer-equivalent miles will be logged by Dodge Truck engineers.
The company is also employing techniques of Design for Six Sigma, which is folding in "voice of the customer" data along with lessons learned to ensure any vehicle reaching the customers’ hands is the highest quality. Since 1998, the company has seen its warranty costs drop nearly 50 percent.
Every facet of the development of the 2009 Dodge Ram was aimed at quality improvement. A few examples include:
- A hydroformed tubular front body structure is both stiff and light. The natural frequency of this structure and the continuity of its weld attachments to the cab were developed using computer-aided structural analysis
- The 2009 Dodge Ram’s sloping windshield is composed of two layers of solar glass for thermal protection and glare reduction
- Fenders are now bolted to a hydroformed inner structure for the engine compartment, and no longer serve as structural elements. This makes fenders easier and less costly to replace when damaged
- The overall cab construction uses a full-length roof ditch with continuous molding where cab and roof surfaces meet. One-piece bodyside outer panels match inner panels to form door openings with exceptional dimensional control
- To make the cab as quiet as possible, every path that leads to the interior is sealed. Joints are made as tight as possible and applied sealers are often expandable, which causes them to swell to form a tight seal
- The air-tight cabin forces air to flow through the cab and out via the cab-back air exhausters, rather than taking a shortcut that might leave some occupants uncomfortable
- Computer-aided analysis was used to develop bead (rib) patterns and mastic patch dampers that stiffen the floor pan and dash panel. The resulting panels achieve a natural vibration frequency that prevents them from amplifying with the frequencies of other vibration sources
- Doors are triple-sealed to keep out weather and noise. The first weatherstrip, in the greenhouse area, closes the gap to the door opening, cutting wind noise. The second is a full-circumference door-mounted seal. The third is a full-circumference body-mounted watertight seal. In addition, the wiring harness is on a plastic carrier, which is also a water shield for the interior trim. The integrated foam seal reduces traffic noise intrusion.
- Bake-hardened steel door panels provide greater dent resistance than conventional steel doors because the steel hardens when subjected to high heat during the paint-curing process. Inner and outer door panels are also galvanized for corrosion protection.
- Expandable baffles are used at the base of the structural pillars to block noise
- In crew cab models, a reinforced structural pillar between front and rear doors provides a solid attachment for the front door latch striker, supports the roof in a vehicle rollover, supports the rear door hinges and gives side-impact protection for occupants. Rear door side impact beams are placed at a height where a car or truck bumper would make first contact
- Dual-bulb taillamps use acrylic lenses with optical reflectors to distribute light. Reflectors are vacuum metallized to provide a brighter appearance
- All-new top covers on pickup bed rails reduce box marring and scratching for long-term durability
Manufacturing
The Dodge Ram pickup truck will be built at two Chrysler manufacturing facilities in the United States, St. Louis North (Fenton, Missouri) and Warren, Michigan. The 2009 Dodge Ram Crew 1500 crew cab and Quad Cab® pickups will be built at Warren Truck. Ram standard cab and Quad Cab pickups will be built at St. Louis North.
With over a $400 million combined investment at the two assembly plants, each facility underwent extensive upgrades. Enhanced processes and new technology will also benefit future product launches and product variants due to the greater levels of flexibility.
In St. Louis North, the body shop was completely rebuilt, with the addition of 210 new robots and more than one mile of new conveyor, including an extensive use of clean, quiet, friction-drive conveyance systems. The Warren Assembly Plant added a 200,000-square-foot body shop with new automation, including 270 new robots, several new conveyors and use of a fast, quiet pallet conveyance system. In both facilities, the trim, chassis and final areas implemented a new sun roof installation process as well as modifications to the seat delivery system. Trim shop work stations were revised to produce the new interior and the chassis shop received multiple enhancements to manufacture new features for the truck, including the segment-first RamBox cargo storage system and segment-first multi-link coil-spring rear suspension system.
The 2.29 million-square-foot St. Louis North Plant was constructed in 1966. The plant employs approximately 1,085 people. The 3.32 million-square-foot Warren Truck Plant was originally constructed in 1937. The plant employs approximately 2,200 people.
Marketing
In the pickup truck market, customer preferences continue to change. For example, in the 2002 model year, crew cabs were relatively new and accounted for only 8 percent of the overall segment. In 2007, crew cabs accounted for nearly 50 percent of the segment. Following are target demographics for the 2009 Dodge Ram:
- 84 percent male, 16 percent female
- Median age: 52
- Married: 70 percent
- Median annual income: $64,000
- College educated: 28 percent
- Primary vehicle usage: 71 percent “personal”
The rumor mill
oh20 did not make any predictions, but redriderbob and Brenda Priddy were pretty far off. Autoblog was right about the suspension. The anonymous writer who told us about the new interior was completely right, including his prediction on horsepower from the new 5.7 liter Hemi and better gas mileage; he also predicted the models and end of the Mega Cab, and the new box storage system. He wrote, “The hood bows down towards the headlights more now, so it’s more sleek but still has the unmistakeable Ram-ness to it.” That was true, as was “The interior on the Laramie is luxurious, with multiple shades of brown and tan, bright chrome, and woodgrain panels. The Sport interior is the usual high-contrast color scheme, with bright chrome highlights. Both are impressive in appearance.” He gets the “oh20 Award for Predictive Accuracy.” Or at least he would if we could find him.
Brenda Priddy wrote that the 3.7 would be replaced by the 4.0, which was wrong; and she greatly underpredicted the 4.7 V8's power boost, but was right it would get more power. Brenda said the Hemi would get more power from a size increase, while we (correctly) said VVT would be used instead. She predicted a six-speed automatic.
Redriderbob said the big-rig styling would give way to aerodynamics; this version is more aerodynamic than the last one (the original “big rig” seems to have been equally slippery). He also went with the 4.0 V6, power updates on the 4.7 to 290 hp (which was fairly close), and a 5.9 liter or 6.1 liter Hemi with three valves per cylinder and VVT; he was right about the VVT. Like Brenda Priddy, he also predicted six speed automatics. Overall, Allpar did pretty well compared with the larger media world.
We have more details on the development and features of the 2009 Dodge Ram in our Industria Show page.
