2018 Ram 3500 Limited Crew Cab 4x4 Dually

Die-hard truckers, who pull the heaviest of loads, regularly opt for one-ton dually pickups — the most formidable in the segment. Shopping the Ram lineup for a 3500 that’s big on hauling power, interior space and luxury, the 2018 Limited Mega Cab 4×4 with 6.7-liter Cummins grunt tops the list.

This high-end Ram comes with a serious price tag. Base price is $63,995, but adding the $1,295 Dual Rear Wheels package brings mandatory powertrain options into play. The $8,700 Cummins Turbo Diesel and its $2,695 Aisin heavy-duty six-speed automatic transmission companion are naturally bundled with the lineup’s supreme 3500 work truck.

A long list of options bumps the test truck’s price just north of $80,000. The most significant option is the $3,700 Limited Package. Highlighting this package are distinctively styled Limited leather bucket seats, wood/leather-wrapped steering wheel, power 10-way driver and six-way front-passenger seats, rear 60/40-split folding rear seat and the RamBox cargo management system.

Other key options upgrade efficiency of an already capable trailer hauler. A $1,595 Rear Auto-Level Suspension (4×4 only) helps keep loads level regardless of the cargo type or terrain. It partners with a three-link front suspension with track bar, coil springs, stabilizer bar and solid axle.

The most popular upgrade for hard-core trailer towing is a 4:10 axle ratio. While there’s a fuel economy sacrifice, the ($125) 4:10 axle-ratio option provides crisper acceleration and ups capability when pulling heavily loaded trailers, especially on steep grades.

Enormous torque provided by the Cummins I-6 Turbo Diesel is the highlight of the 3500’s impressive collection of tough-truck technologies. Increasing efficiency of the turbocharger and fuel delivery system boosts torque an extra 30 lb.-ft. The high-output Cummins can generate up to 930 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,700 rpm. Horsepower is rated at up to 385 at 2,800 rpm.

Cummins muscle teams with a new-for-2018 hitch designed by the Ram engineering team, allowing the 3500 to pull a fifth-wheel trailer well into the towing world’s stratosphere of up to 30,000 pounds. Standard trailer towing is 10,780 pounds. The payload max for the Mega Cab’s 6-foot-4-inch bed is 4,150 pounds.

While the dually sacrifices some ride quality to its single-rear-wheel Ram siblings, as well as an extra 8.7 inches of lane-crowding rear track width, it’s the safer, more stable choice for pulling large, heavy trailers.

Increasing the odds of maintaining control during a rear-wheel blowout are the pairs of 17-by-6-inch wheels with LT235/80R-17 tires beneath each flared fender well.

Included with the Dual Rear Wheel package is a 6,000-pound front axle with hub extension, 300-millimeter rear axle, aluminum rear axle differential cover, clearance lamps and chrome tubular side steps.

Along with having strong workhorse credentials, the test truck looks really cool. It’s cloaked with a black monotone paint scheme, accented with chrome body-side molding, lower-tailgate chrome trim and a distinctive chrome grille worn only by the top-line Laramie Longhorn and Limited models. Standing apart from the signature Ram cross-hair grille, the Limited’s all-chrome design features thin horizontal louvers and large, centered RAM lettering, flanked by horizontal U-shaped pieces.

The market has proven that when big-truck owners are working their pickups, a significant number like doing it within a luxurious cab. For 2018, the Limited model’s premium interior has been taken up a notch with the Ram Limited Tungsten edition. Its seats are upholstered in light frost beige leather with indigo-blue piping. The luxury theme continues with a suede headliner, and interior accented with genuine wood trim and brushed metal.

New-for-2018 technologies include 8.4-inch radios with pinch to zoom and enhanced resolution, USB Flip, Android Auto/Apple Car Play, 4G LTE and HD Radio. Sirius Guardian makes its debut with SOS, Assist, Remote Services, Send and Go and Vehicle Finder.

Advanced convenience and safety features for the new Rams include a Fleet Telematics Module for vehicle tracking, remote truck-bed switch for LED bed lights and standard backup camera on all Heavy Duty Ram models.

Bottom line, among a long list of pluses, it’s this big Ram’s extraordinary 930 lb.-ft. of torque that’s certain to tug on the emotions — and pocketbooks — of truckers with serious towing needs.