TFLTruck Takes The Ram 1500 TRX To Its Limits Up The Ike Gauntlet:

There is no doubt that the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX has shaken up the performance off-road market. The 702 horsepower Ram 1500 TRX is built for all-out high-speed desert running, but it can also do rock crawling putting it at the top of some pickup buyers’ must-have lists.

Since it’s unveiling, a lot of potential and future TRX buyers on the 5thGenRams.com owner’s forums have been discussing the fact that the TRX is rated significantly less in payload and towing than the rest of the Ram 1500 portfolio. With a maximum payload of 1,310 lbs. and a towing capacity of 8,100 lbs., the TRX is far below the 2021 Ram 1500 Rebel Crew Cab 4×4 (with the 5-foot, 7-inch box) equipped with the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 with eTorque. The Rebel with the HEMI with eTorque has a maximum payload rating of 1,770 lbs. and a towing capacity of 11,220 lbs.

With the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX having a U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $69,995 (not including a $1,695 destination charge), the TRX is far from cheap. People who are looking at the performance off-roader as a fun weekend vehicle might have to use it as a work truck during the week, leaving many to question if the offering can do both effectively.

Our friends at TFLTruck recently got their hands on the all-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX and have already started answering the concerns of many future owners. But how does the truck hold up on the “Ike Gauntlet”, TFLTruck’s signature towing stress test? The Ike Gauntlet involves both a downhill decent testing braking capabilities, as well as a grueling climb with elevations in excess of 11,153 feet, a 7% increasing grade up an 8-mile stretch of I-70 near Denver, Colorado. 

The TFLTruck team recently maxed out both payload and towing capacity on their 2021 Ram 1500 TRX tester and decided to give the truck a shakedown the Ike Gauntlet, to see just how it would perform under full load. Loading the box with the TRX’s optional bed-mounted spare tire and Chinese dual-sport dirtbike, as well as towing a new CanAm Maverick X3 on a 3,000 lbs. trailer, puts the TRX just over its ratings.