The Ram 2500 is the three-quarter-ton model of the Ram full-size pickup line. Its designation goes back to the Ram 250 of October 1980, and the truck has grown into the heavy-duty class of the range, with stronger axles, a stout automatic gearbox and a Cummins diesel option.
Ram 2500 at a glance
| Maker | Chrysler, Dodge Truck division; Ram Trucks from 2010 |
|---|---|
| Range | full-size Ram pickup |
| Model class | three-quarter-ton |
| Name introduced | October 1980, as the Ram 250 for the 1981 model year |
| Rear anti-lock brakes | standard on the 250 and 350 models from 1989 |
| Automatic gearbox | 47RH for 1994–1995, 47RE from 1996 to 2002 |
| Gearbox rating | 450 lb-ft of torque, trailers up to 19,000 lb |
| Transfer case | NP241DLD from 1993 to 1997, NP241DHD as an option from 1997 |
| Front axle | Dana 44 on the early light-duty trucks, Dana 60 on most |
| Rear axle | Dana 60 with the 5.9 V8, Dana 70 or Dana 80 with V10 and diesel |
| Manual gearboxes | NV3500 in the light-duty trucks, NV4500 in the heavy-duty ones |
| Motor Trend Truck of the Year | 2003 (third-generation heavy-duty), 2010 (fourth-generation heavy-duty) |
The English Wikipedia article covers the 1500, 2500 and 3500 together; this page uses the parts about the three-quarter-ton 250 and 2500. The source gives no production figures for the 2500 on its own.
History of the Ram 2500
The 250 in the Ram range
The Ram name arrived in October 1980 for the 1981 model year, when the Dodge D series pickups were rebranded and given the ram’s-head ornament that Dodge had used from 1932 until 1954. Dodge kept the old designation system: 150 for a half-ton truck, 250 for a three-quarter-ton and 350 for a one-ton, with D or Ram meaning two-wheel drive and W or Power Ram meaning four-wheel drive. The first-generation Rams were facelifted versions of the 1972 D series, recognised by larger wraparound tail lamps, twin rectangular headlamps and squared-off body lines.
First-generation trucks
The 250 was available as a standard cab, a Club extended cab or a crew cab, with 6.5 ft and 8 ft beds. Engines were the 225 slant-6, the 318 and the 360 V8, and from 1988 the slant-6 gave way to the 3.9 L V6 with electronic fuel injection, while the 5.2 L V8 also received injection. Rear anti-lock brakes became standard on the 250 and 350 models for 1989. Sales of the whole line stayed weak against the Ford F-Series and GM C/K trucks, rarely above 100,000 a year, because the cab and chassis dated from 1972, there was no powerful diesel until 1989 and no big-block petrol V8.
Into the heavy-duty class
The later 2500 became a heavy-duty truck in its own right. The 47RH automatic of 1994–1995 and its 47RE successor of 1996–2002 were used only in the 2500 and 3500, were rated at 450 lb-ft of torque and could tow trailers of up to 19,000 lb; the 47RH was rated the highest-capacity automatic in the one-ton class of any maker. Manual gearboxes ran from the NV3500 in the light-duty 2500 to the NV4500 in the heavy-duty trucks, with the NV4500HD for the V10 and diesel and the NV5600 offered in 1999 and 2000. Most 2500s used a Dana 60 front axle, with a Dana 44 on the early light-duty trucks, and the rear axle was a Dana 60 behind the 5.9 V8, a Dana 70 with the V10 or diesel and automatic, or a Dana 80 with a manual V10 or diesel. The Cummins B series moved from twelve to twenty-four valves in the middle of the 1998 model year.
Recognition
The heavy-duty Ram took Motor Trend Truck of the Year with the third generation in 2003 and the fourth generation in 2010, awards shared with the wider range that won eight times in all. Since Ram Trucks was separated from Dodge in 2010, the 2500 has been sold under the Ram name alone.
Design and features
- Three-quarter-ton class: the 250 and later 2500 sat between the half-ton 1500 and the one-ton 3500, with heavier axles and springs.
- A dedicated heavy-duty automatic: the 47RH and 47RE were used only in the 2500 and 3500 and were rated to tow up to 19,000 lb.
- Strong axles: Dana 60 front axles on most trucks and Dana 60, 70 or 80 rear axles depending on engine and gearbox.
- Diesel option: the Cummins B series was available from 1989 and gained a 24-valve head in 1998.
- Award-winning: Motor Trend Truck of the Year for the heavy-duty Ram in 2003 and 2010.
Ram 2500 versions
- Ram 250 (from 1981): the three-quarter-ton first-generation truck.
- Light-duty 2500: early trucks with a Dana 44 front axle and the NV3500 manual gearbox.
- Heavy-duty 2500: Dana 60 front axle, NV4500 manual and the 47RH or 47RE automatic.
- V10 and diesel trucks: Dana 70 or Dana 80 rear axles and the NP241DLD transfer case from 1993 to 1997.
- 1997 onwards: the NP241DHD transfer case became an option for the 2500.
The 2500 sits between the half-ton Ram 1500 and the one-ton Ram 3500; the Mexican-market heavy-duty trucks are described in the Ram 4000 article. More are in the Ram collection.
Video: Reviewed 2014 Ram 2500 Diesel: Power Player Indeed
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Ram pickup, English Wikipedia: designations, first generation, gearboxes, axles, awards
