62 SEPTEMBER 2019 FOUR WHEELER fourwheeler.com
fairlead, has been replaced by a Power Wagon–
specific version of the Warn Zeon 12 with 90
feet of synthetic line and a Hawse fairlead.
This change alone has carved 28 pounds off
the front of the Power Wagon and added a
more modern winch with faster line speed to
the truck’s toolbox.
We also like Ram’s implementation of the
360-degree camera idea, especially with that
gorgeous 12-inch screen. The cameras show
an immense amount of detail around the truck,
perfect for when a spotter is not available, and
the front camera offers dynamic gridlines and
assists in visibility over the massive hood.
Drivability of the Power Wagon is as good
as you remember. Some might bemoan the
addition of the rotary shifter knob instead of
the column shift, but we don’t mind it, and it
makes the vehicle interface a little cleaner. On
the highway, the Bilsteins and coils partnership
works out well and the Power Wagon doesn’t
give up on-road comfort for off-road capability,
or even on-road capability, as the unlocked rear
differential reverts to a very effective helical
limited slip, which means there are no clutches
to wear out. We will say that we prefer the
BFGoodrich All-Terrains of previous Power
Wagons, as the DuraTracs, as good as they are
on the trail, have an annoying lack of direc-
tional stability on the highway, requiring con-
stant smaller corrections to keep our heading
between the lines. This has been a complaint
on every other DuraTrac-equipped competitor
First Drive 2019 Ram Power Wagon
we have sampled. Otherwise, the cabin deals in
quiet, comfortable, and luxurious accommoda-
tions, with excellent outward visibility as well.
Off-road, the manual T-case shifter reminds
us of simpler times, even as we are soaking
in the latest in tech. Quite frankly, we love it.
We have little to complain about on the trail.
The DuraTracs are tough, the lockers work
seamlessly, and the newfound lower crawl ratio
makes the Power Wagon a mountain-climbing
beast. If anything, we wish Ram would upgrade
to the widely available 60mm (2.65-inch)
Bilstein shocks from the current 46mm (1.81-
inch) shocks to help control those big axles
over faster, washed-out terrain. We’ll also echo
the same sentiment that we have for the last
15 years: The Power Wagon should have 35s.
Period. Other than those improvements, the big
trail-ready Ram is about as perfect a factory
4x4 as you are likely to find.
One last item of note is that the Power Wagon
starts at a reasonable $52,900, nicely equipped.
However, if you are looking for something a
little simpler, the pro tip is to order a Tradesman
($39,850) and add the $7,995 Power Wagon con-
tent package that adds all of the Power Wagon
goodness and none of the fluff for $47,845. fwPOWER WAGON: THEN AND NOW
2005 (Quad Cab) 2019 (Tradesman)
ENGINE 5.7L Hemi V-8 6.4L Hemi V-8 w/MDS
HORSEPOWER 345 410
TORQUE (LB-FT) 375 429
PAYLOAD (LB) 2,430 1,660
TOWING (LB) 11,000 10,620
T-CASE/LOW RANGE RATIO NVG271/2.72:1 BorgWarner 44-47/2.64:1
FINAL DRIVE RATIO 4.56:1 4.10:1
CRAWL RATIO 37.2:1 (auto) 51:1
WHEELBASE (IN) 140.5 149.3
GROUND CLEARANCE (F/R, IN) 8.4/8.3 8.3/8.2
APPROACH ANGLE (DEG) 35 33.6
BREAKOVER ANGLE (DEG) 25.5 23.5
DEPARTURE ANGLE (DEG) 26.5 26.2
CURB WEIGHT (LB) 6,081 6,907|>In 2005, we piloted the (then) all-new Power Wagon
up Hell’s Revenge in Moab at Easter Jeep Safari,
putting many modified vehicles of the day to shame.->New to the Power Wagon is the rotary shifter
that is used in conjunction with the new ZF eight-
speed automatic transmission. Also note the easily
accessible front and rear locker buttons.
<|The Power Wagon comes with a manual transfer
case lever and three-across seating, but it can be
optioned with Ram’s latest tech, such as the 12-inch
Uconnect system.
->“OFF-ROAD, THE MANUAL
T-CASE SHIFTER REMINDS
US OF SIMPLER TIMES,
EVEN AS WE ARE SOAKING
IN THE LATEST IN TECH.”