Ram "Long-Hauler" Concept is the Ultimate Tow Truck - PickupTrucks.com News
Looking for the ultimate tow rig to pull your fifth-wheel horse trailer, car hauler or RV across the U.S. with just two refueling stops? The Ram Long-Hauler concept could be all the pickup truck you’ll ever need. It almost makes the 2007 Dodge Ram BFT look like a compact.
We're all over the Long-Hauler, along with our friends at Diesel Power Magazine.
The Long-Hauler name fits the truck’s length and driving range. The 197.4-inch-wheelbase pickup is based on the Class 5 Ram 5500 medium-duty chassis cab commercial truck (19,500 pounds gross vehicle weight). It’s been upfitted with dual rear wheels, an 8-foot cargo box and an extra 110 gallons of diesel fuel capacity – 60 gallons in a custom midship reservoir positioned between cab and bed and 50 gallons in a bed-mounted combo fuel tank and toolbox – for a total of 162 gallons. Pulling a big trailer, that's about 1,600 miles to 2,000 miles of range, by our estimates.
To make the ride as comfortable as possible, the Long-Hauler features Ram’s four-door Mega Cab configuration, which offers the most interior volume of any full-size pickup. For backseat passengers, there are adjustable footrests, tray tables, a refrigerator and Wi-Fi connectivity. It’s also trimmed inside and out with Ram’s new top-of-the-line Laramie Longhorn option package.
Under the hood is a 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six-cylinder oil burner rated at 305 horsepower and 610 pounds-feet of torque. It’s paired with a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission. The gross combined weight rating is 37,500 pounds, according to an information card that was with the truck when it debuted at the Mid-America Truck Show earlier this year.
Say goodbye to squat. All four corners have 19.5-inch Alcoa aluminum 10-lug wheels that are paired with a Kelderman airbag suspension front and rear to manage its high GCWR. The suspension is self-leveling and can manage the air springs independently, kneeling or raising them to provide an optimal rake for the truck.
Who’s the Long-Hauler customer? It’s aimed at power pullers who are looking to step up from a one-ton truck to more capable tow vehicle but think that Class 6 rigs, like a Freightliner SportChassis, are too much truck and too expensive. Think rodeo competitors, farm owners and full-time RVers.
There’s no word on whether we’ll see the Long-Hauler reach production, but we think certain elements, such as the air suspension, could reach the Ram Heavy Duty lineup.
If you want to check it out yourself, the Ram Long-Hauler will be at the Kentucky Derby on May 6 and 7 in Louisville.
In the meantime, also be sure to read Diesel Power's Long-Hauler story.
