Having the biggest towing numbers in the three-quarter-ton and one-ton pickup truck segment is a big deal for truckmakers. There was quite a bit of buzz generated when the new 2015 Ford F-450 claimed towing superiority and Ram countered by saying that comparing an F-450 with a Ram 3500 might not be an apples-to-apples comparison.
How quickly things change.
The 2016 Ram 3500 dualie with the 6.7-liter Cummins mated to the Aisin AS69RC six-speed transmission with the 4.10:1 gear option is now rated at 900 pounds-feet of torque with a few injection and boost tweaks. Interestingly, horsepower and peak torque numbers stay exactly the same, yet torque has increased by 35 pounds-feet.
Additionally, Ram has asked American Axle Manufacturing, which supplies Ram's axles, to improve the differential pinion seals and strengthen the structure of the pumpkin by going from a 12-bolt configuration to 16 bolts. AA will continue to use the aluminum finned cover for extra cooling and weight savings, but we're a little disappointed Ram didn't see fit to add a unique Ram emblem on the differential cover. Hopefully that will get rectified on a future trim package.
Cars.com photos by Mark Williams
