Ram is ratcheting up the capability and luxury available in their new 2019 Ram 5500 chassis cab trucks. These are working trucks that offer payload capability that far exceeds that of a 3500 (1-ton) truck. The new 2019 chassis cabs now also come in a luxurious top-of-the-line Limited trim. Roman takes a close look at these trucks in search of massive capability and price tags that approach $100,000.
2019 Ram HD Chassis Cab
Let’s get the most important numbers out of the way. The new chassis cab trucks are rated to tow up to 35,220 lbs, have a maximum payload capability of 12,510 lbs, and have a combined truck+trailer weight rating (GCWR) of 43,000 lbs.
When you move up to heavier 4500 and 5500 trucks, the engine power ratings and available transmissions change. These trucks still come with a choice of two engines: 6.4-liter gas V8 or a 6.7-liter turbo-diesel I6.
The 6.4-liter HEMI V8 is rated at 370 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. This engine is mated to an Aisin AS66RC 6-speed automatic transmission with an optional Power Take Off (PTO).
The 6.7-liter Cummins Inline-6 is rated at 360 hp and 800 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a 6-speed Aisin AS69RC transmission with optional PTO availability.
One of the reasons for different power ratings in commercial trucks is that the engines are measured for power and emissions with a dyno certification process, not a chassis certification that is done with pickup truck with a GVWR of 14,000 lbs and below.
How much do these trucks cost? The starting price for a Ram HD 3500 Tradesman chassis cab with a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 is $36,445 including destination.
What about the top end? We priced out a Ram HD 5500 crew cab long wheelbase 4×4 chassis cab with the diesel engine and pretty much every option at $87,635. This gives you a fully-optioned truck with no bed in the back. It’s up to you to add whatever equipment to the truck. It can be a large service bed or a 5th-wheel towing bed, like the one you see on the Limited truck in the video below.
Additional equipment that is attached to the back of one of these trucks can cost anywhere from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. If that’s the case, then many of these well-optioned trucks with specialized equipments will retail for well over $100,000.
Check out all the details in the video below.
