'03 Dodge Ram 3500 Common Rail 5.9LOur First Look 4 Years Ago5.9L Common RAIL CumminsThe Ram 3500 was a brute, and it was the one everyone wanted to take home at the end of the test. Visibility was good on the road, but the massive A-pillars and tall cowl can limit how well you see that Hyundai in front of you. The Ram 3500 shared many components with its 2500 series brother (1410 U-joints, AAM axles, NVG 273 transfer case) we tested, but the Cummins diesel-equipped 1-ton actually rode better than the Hemi Ram, thanks to its optimized spring and shock tuning. We couldn't say enough good things about the new H.O. Cummins and felt cheated that the 305 hp/555 lb-ft diesel wasn't available in California. When mated to the NVG 5600 six-speed (the automatic was not available with the high-output package), the Cummins made the 7,150-pound truck accelerate like a pickup half its size. Even though the 3500 was slower at the dragstrip than the Hemi 2500 (hey, it takes some time to shift through all those gears), it still felt like it had more power than everything but the 6.0L Power Stroke. Under the hood the inline-six engine was set way back, but there was still room to service everything and maybe even add a second turbo. Inside the truck, judges still thought that the Dodge seats were too hard and flat and that the shifter was a little rubbery and not always easy to get into gear. Be prepared to shift this truck a lot on the street because of the close gear spacing, and don't be afraid to experiment with Third gear launches in the sand just to keep a lid on the explosive wheelhop. Overall engine noise was lower this year, thanks to a new Bosch common rail pilot-injection system. Cummins owners, however, will not be disappointed with the turbodiesel sound or the newfound horsepower. This was a tow vehicle to fight over!
Likes* Earth-moving torque* Six-speed transmission* Tons of cargo space
Dislikes*Needs a seven-speed tranny*Rear limited slip*Small rpm range
KellEy Blue BOOk Value$32,950with 53,000 miles
| SPECIFICATIONS |
| GENERAL |
| Manufacturer | Dodge |
| Model | Ram 3500 Quad Cab SLT |
| Base price | $35,030 |
| Price as tested | $42,370 |
| Options as tested | Customer Preferred Package |
28H (tow hooks, 8-way power leather seats, rear
60/40 split folding, LT265/70R17 tires, 17x8 cast-
aluminum wheels, power adjustable pedals,
electronic shift-on-the-fly transfer case, foglamps,
body-color side moldings, bright body-color grille,
Infinity AM/FM/CD/cassette, 7-speaker stereo,
leather-wrapped steering wheel with stereo controls,
overhead console with trip computer, flat-folding
load floor, sliding rear window, auto-dimming
rearview mirror, woodgrain instrument panel, dual
zone A/C controls, keyless entry, security alarm,
transfer-case skidplate), Trailer tow group (750-amp
battery, Class IV hitch, 7-pin wiring harness),
supplemental side airbags, 5.9L HO Cummins
Turbo Diesel, BFGoodrich on/off-road tire upgrade |
| ENGINE |
| Type | Turbocharged, intercooled, inline-six diesel |
| Displacement (liters/cubic inches) | 5.9/359 |
| Bore x stroke (inches) | 4.02 x 4.72 |
| Compression ratio | 17.2:1 |
| Induction type | Electronic, high-pressure common |
| | rail injection |
| Fuel required (octane)/capacity (gallons) | Diesel/34 |
| SAE peak horsepower | 305 @ 2,900 rpm |
| SAE peak torque (lb-ft) | 555 @ 1,400 rpm |
| TRANSMISSION |
| Type | Six-speed manual overdrive |
| Model | NVG 5600 |
| Ratios | First: 5.63:1; Second: 3.38:1; Third: 2.04:1; |
| Fourth: 1.39:1; Fifth: 1.00; Sixth: 0.73:1; Reverse: 5.63:1 |
| TRANSFER CASE |
| Type | Two-speed part-time with electronic shift |
| Model | NVG 273 |
| Low-range ratio | 2.72:1 |
| AXLES |
| Front type | AAM 911/44-inch |
| Rear type | AAM 1111/42-inch |
| Hubs | N/A |
| Ratio | 3.73:1 |
| SUSPENSION |
| Front | Live axle, four-link with track bar and coil springs |
| Rear | Live axle, longitudinal springs |
| STEERING |
| Type | Power-recirculating ball |
| Turns lock-to-lock/ratio | 2.75/15.40:1 |
| Turning radius (feet) | 44.6 |
| WHEELS |
| Size (inches) | 17x8 |
| Material | Cast-aluminum |
| TIRES |
| Size | LT265/70R17 |
| Brand | BFGoodrich Rugged Trail |
| Brake System |
| Front | 13.9-inch discs with ABS |
| Rear | 13.9-inch discs with ABS |
| WEIGHT (pounds) |
| Curb weight | 7,150 |
| Advertised GVWR | 9,900 |
| MILEAGE |
| EPA estimate (city/hwy. mpg) | N/A |
| As tested (mpg) | 10.91 |
| ACCELERATION |
| Standing 11/44-mile (seconds @ mph) | 18.51 @ 76.84 |
| BRAKING |
| 60-0 mph (feet) | 160.40 |
| DIMENSIONS (inches) |
| Wheelbase | 140.5 |
| Overall length | 228 |
| Overall width | 95 |
| Overall height | 78.25 |
| Front/rear track | 69/68.5 |
| Front/rear overhang | 39.25/48 |
| Minimum front ground clearance | 8.25 |