2012 vs 2013 RAM 2500HD?

[sidney]

What's the difference between the 12 and 13 RAM 2500HD?

It's not clear to me from the RAM website what changes have been made to the 2013 2500HD.

When you select "Explore the 2500HD" the RAM website takes you to the same page and description of the "Explore the 3500HD".

Is the 2013 RAM 2500HD frame, suspension and brakes essentially the same as the 2012 RAM 3500HD?

Are the significant changes to the 2013 2500HD the DEF Cummins and the interior redesign?

[goducks10]

dundonrl wrote:
2012 to 2013 Ram 2500.. from what I can tell, the 13 uses the 2012 Ram 3500 rear springs, the manual tranmission equipped went from 610 to 660 ft lbs torque, and you can no longer get the 3.73 axle ratio, only the 3.42. With that being said, they increased the towing by almost 4000 lbs, even going with a less capable rear end gear ratio. This to me, makes me think Ram was really under rating the towing capability of the 2010-2012 Ram 2500's in the first place.

I seem to have read that the new Rams have improved cooling and that could easily contribute to the higher tow ratings with the lower 3.42's.

[dundonrl]

2012 to 2013 Ram 2500.. from what I can tell, the 13 uses the 2012 Ram 3500 rear springs, the manual tranmission equipped went from 610 to 660 ft lbs torque, and you can no longer get the 3.73 axle ratio, only the 3.42. With that being said, they increased the towing by almost 4000 lbs, even going with a less capable rear end gear ratio. This to me, makes me think Ram was really under rating the towing capability of the 2010-2012 Ram 2500's in the first place.

[Cummins12V98]

wintersun wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Huge difference!

Brakes, rear diff, front axle disconnect, air induction, dual radiators, new high strength frame, more hp and tq, higher tow and carrying capacities and so on!

The new frame is only provided on the 3500 trucks. Ram like Ford makes different 3/4 and 1-ton trucks. With GM the only difference is the rear rotors are 3% larger and an extra set of leaf springs is added to the 1-ton trucks. Payload capacity for the 3/4 ton Ram is about half that of the 1-ton SRW trucks which is similar to Ford. With GM some 2500 truck configurations have a higher payload rating than some 3500 trucks - devil is in the details as the saying goes.

I would not assume that you get everything with DRW with the Ram trucks. This is definitely not the case with GM trucks where with DRW you lose Stabilitrak electronic stability control and you lose trailer sway control.

To get ALL the options you need a Dually.

[wintersun]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Huge difference!

Brakes, rear diff, front axle disconnect, air induction, dual radiators, new high strength frame, more hp and tq, higher tow and carrying capacities and so on!

The new frame is only provided on the 3500 trucks. Ram like Ford makes different 3/4 and 1-ton trucks. With GM the only difference is the rear rotors are 3% larger and an extra set of leaf springs is added to the 1-ton trucks. Payload capacity for the 3/4 ton Ram is about half that of the 1-ton SRW trucks which is similar to Ford. With GM some 2500 truck configurations have a higher payload rating than some 3500 trucks - devil is in the details as the saying goes.

I would not assume that you get everything with DRW with the Ram trucks. This is definitely not the case with GM trucks where with DRW you lose Stabilitrak electronic stability control and you lose trailer sway control.

[larry_barnhart]

During the truck tests I seem to see the prices are very close. Is this not true?
chevman

[Cummins12V98]

catfishmontana wrote:
Do all the '13's have the projector style headlights.? I was at a dealer today browsing and one of the trucks had 2013 in big letters written across the windshield....but it had the 2012 style headlights. They did have a Laramie model 3500 SRW.....the first I had seen in person.....I got sticker shock and drove off. The Ford dealer was closed , but I saw a 2008 mustang gt500 king of the road in the showroom as I stared through the window with hands next to my face shielding out the sunlight.....like a kid at a toy store window on Christmas.......I will be stopping again on our way back through in a few days. Mmmmm......Shelby mustangs........

You think you had sticker shock with the Ram's wait until you look at the Ford's! The shiny blue oval is very expensive.

[FishOnOne]

catfishmontana wrote:
Do all the '13's have the projector style headlights.? I was at a dealer today browsing and one of the trucks had 2013 in big letters written across the windshield....but it had the 2012 style headlights. They did have a Laramie model 3500 SRW.....the first I had seen in person.....I got sticker shock and drove off. The Ford dealer was closed , but I saw a 2008 mustang gt500 king of the road in the showroom as I stared through the window with hands next to my face shielding out the sunlight.....like a kid at a toy store window on Christmas.......I will be stopping again on our way back through in a few days. Mmmmm......Shelby mustangs........

Not all '13 have the projector style (aka HID) headlights. I believe that is an option.

[catfishmontana]

Do all the '13's have the projector style headlights.? I was at a dealer today browsing and one of the trucks had 2013 in big letters written across the windshield....but it had the 2012 style headlights. They did have a Laramie model 3500 SRW.....the first I had seen in person.....I got sticker shock and drove off. The Ford dealer was closed , but I saw a 2008 mustang gt500 king of the road in the showroom as I stared through the window with hands next to my face shielding out the sunlight.....like a kid at a toy store window on Christmas.......I will be stopping again on our way back through in a few days. Mmmmm......Shelby mustangs........

[Cummins12V98]

If you want all the upgrades you need to get the dually.

[45Ricochet]

catfishmontana wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Huge difference!

Brakes, rear diff, front axle disconnect, air induction, dual radiators, new high strength frame, more hp and tq, higher tow and carrying capacities and so on!

I don't think all those carried over to the 2500.

Well I believe a few items did but certainly not all of them.
Main difference between the 2012 and 2013 2500 has to do with the engine components like DEF, dual air induction locations, dual radiators. They also upped the GVWR. I don't believe you can get the new 11.8 rear axle or the Aisian transmission, or the bigger frame with the 2500. I believe they only have the 3.42 ratio also where the 3500's offer the 3.73 and the 4.10 in the DRW models.
There is finally a difference between a 2500 and 3500 other than the rear spring pack.

[thirtydaZe]

Some of the features listed are 3500 only. The 2500 gets more torque, hp, and a big increase in towing and payload.

The '13 also introduce DEF, a carry over from the cab and chassis trucks. The interrior is refreshed a bit too.

The biggest upgrades for the '13 probably max towing, 17000 gcwr 25000, and the addition of DEF to the emissions.

[catfishmontana]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Huge difference!

Brakes, rear diff, front axle disconnect, air induction, dual radiators, new high strength frame, more hp and tq, higher tow and carrying capacities and so on!

I don't think all those carried over to the 2500.

[sidney]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Huge difference!

Brakes, rear diff, front axle disconnect, air induction, dual radiators, new high strength frame, more hp and tq, higher tow and carrying capacities and so on!

Are you saying all the upgrades on the 2013 3500HD are included on the 2013 2500HD?

[Cummins12V98]

Huge difference!

Brakes, rear diff, front axle disconnect, air induction, dual radiators, new high strength frame, more hp and tq, higher tow and carrying capacities and so on!