I hope RAM marketing team send some twitter messages to GM marketing team showing the RAM's trailer attached with gate open with step being utilized as they were poking the RAM bear just days ago about their "dent maker" tailgate being so great. lol Film a GMC dropping its gate onto a trailer hitch ball. ouch! " GMC gets hit in the ball (s)" could be new marketing slogan for Ram's design!Yes, GM had a nice run with, what, 3-4 weeks of advertising a genuine differentiater?
The tailgate goes down just like normal.I don't like it. I like being able to put the tailgate down to sit on or for longer items.
Right so if the current tailgate is 30 add 75 I just don't know the weight of the current.Car and Driver said "75 pounds more than a standard tailgate, according to Ram."
Several station wagons built by many automakers of the 60's and 70's had tailgates that hinged both directions to let kiddos into the 9 passenger rear facing seats. The engineering can't be that tough with computer aids available today.Funny comment from GM engineer, regarding GM considering use of a barn door tailgate from GMauthority article:
"When GM debuted the GMC MultiPro tailgate last year, the automaker indicated that it had considered a barn door opening tailgate like the Ram’s, but ultimately decided against it.
“We did look at a bunch of different options… we didn’t want to do a barn door because you can’t package it well with a step,” said GMC Sierra program engineer Roger Olle. “We wanted the step to be the first priority, and we wanted to ensure it would perform the same as a standard tailgate. We didn’t want to sacrifice anything in terms of functionality.”"
What? So let me get this straight...they didn't do it because they "can't package it well with a step".... yet GM's PRIMARY STEP SOLUTION IS THE SIDE BUMPER STEP, which is identical height to the center portion of the bumper (where the license plate is), which is able to be accessed with 60/40 barn door hinge...
So the GMC Sierra program engineer is on record saying he doesn't think using the bumper as a step works??? That's a really unfortunate quote from a GM engineer!
Not to mention the fact they couldn't figure out how to make it act as a standard tailgate...yet apparently Ram engineers could
I bet a large part of it is to make that center latching system able to handle the rated weight of 2000 lbs.Why would this weigh 75 pounds more than the regular tailgate? Surely a few more hinges and latches don't weigh that much. Given this, and Ram's comment that the box needs to be replaced for retrofitting, is most of this weight due to beefing up the box sides to handle a swing gate?
I can remember last year prior to the 2019 Ram debut this design being tested on the new truck. I even caught a glimpse of it on a truck running around Naples, Fl. which was being tested out of the Rousch facility. Then there was no more talk of it. Now here it is. Better late than never. Although I would have very much liked to have it on my truck.
Good things come to those who wait...and the best is on it's way...just when I think I have made my decision, the competition gives RAM a reason to up their game.
I am driving my absolute favorite truck, if Pennsylvania winters hadn't been so hard on it...I may not even be looking.You, Sir, have the patience of Job
I am driving my absolute favorite truck, if Pennsylvania winters hadn't been so hard on it...I may not even be looking.
But my son wants it made like new for Him. I know RAM is going to make another dominating Big Gas Engine again...if I could just get a confirmation, I would wait longer.
But, I just gotta have one of these new Rams...the best they have ever made.
I think I may just wait to see if we get the other tailgate and the stowable ramps...if they weren't so expensive and depricitive...I would buy and not care, but I want to get what I need while getting what I want,and there is more to come
Good times to be a pick up fan.
I thought sport sedans were competitive, but they've got nothing on pickups. It's good to be the beneficiaries of the Big 3 one-ups-manship game. Mopar seemed to have turned a corner about 20 years ago and got VERY good at designing gas engines. The 5.7, 6.1, 6.2 Hellcat, and 6.4 have all been exceptionally durable and reliable. The 3.6 Pentastar is also definitely worth mentioning.
Mopar's Hellephant engine, the 7.0 L 426 cubic incher has been making a big splash since last fall. The new HD Cummins Ram is first to market with 1,000 lb-ft... and I think Mopar has their eye on being first with a 1,000 hp production vehicle. C'mon now. Idc who ya are, you gotta love Mopar passion!
IIUC, the 6.4L came to the Charger/Challenger first and then moved into Ram pickups. Maybe the same path for the 7.0 L... if so, I'd anticipate another couple of years for that move to happen. I stop short at calling this a confirmation, but it seems to fit the landscape considering Ford's new 7.3 L gasser and GM's new 6.6 L gasser in their trucks.