I ended up just doing things the old-fashioned way and pinned the brake, revved the TRX up to 2,200 rpm, then let it eat. No matter how many times and how minutely I moved the truck forward or backward to satisfy the suspension's sensors, I couldn't convince them that the wheels were on the same plane. I followed a RAM representative's instructions and engaged Sport mode to send 70 percent of available torque to the back wheels, pushed the Launch Control button, jammed my left foot down on the brake, brought the revs up with my right foot to the 2,200-rpm sweet spot he suggested, and then saw a message in the instrument cluster telling me the truck had to be on level ground. Not only does the TRX have 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, it also has Launch Control and automatic full-time four-wheel drive to make the most of those insane numbers. We soon came to a stop to do some testing of our own. Several sections subjected the trucks's front and rear ends to drastically different degrees of banking and used up substantial amounts of the TRX's suspension articulation and 13 inches of front and 14 inches of rear wheel travel. We dipped into those deep reserves again as we bobbed and bounded our way across the infinite divots in the remains of the Cinder Lakes Crater Fields where NASA's Apollo program astronauts tested rover prototypes in 1967. ![]() We then wound our way through a series of tree-lined serpentine trails that were just broad enough to allow our 88-inch-wide rigs through without getting too many forest pinstripes on them. Once we got into the park, RAM's crew and Barlow aired our 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires down to 30 psi to give them the wide footprint and extra grip they were going to need. Worst case scenario, we all had walkie talkies to communicate our whereabouts. She was easy to keep track of in her giant red RAM 2500 Power Wagon equipped with suspension mods and aftermarket wheels and tires. RAM contracted Nena Barlow of Barlow Adventures, a company that guides four-wheel-drive adventures through Sedona, Arizona and Moab, Utah, to captain a lead-and-follow drive up, down, and around Cinder Hills. Luckily, my colleagues and I were in excellent hands. Taking a 6,300-pound full-size truck through that was going to be an interesting experience. ![]() Located within the Coconino National Forest, Cinder Hills is 13,500 acres of volcanic craters and loosely packed rock surrounded by towering ponderosa pine trees.īefore my fellow journalists and I made our way out there in a convoy of TRXs, I overheard that the terrain could be exhausting because your feet would sink a few inches into the rocks every time you took a step. I was completely unprepared for the terrain that lay ahead of me. I had previously experienced the Hellcat-powered supertruck's capabilities by performing 55-mph jumps off of sand ramps during its media launch, so I thought I knew what to expect. RAM was at the Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona in September to show off its newest adventure-ready trucks and invited me to drive the 702-horsepower TRX at the Cinder Hills Off Highway Vehicle Area. to go wheeling and camping, learn from industry experts, and buy off-road and camping gear for their rigs. ![]() Every year, overlanding enthusiasts meet at Overland Expo events in different parts of the U.S.
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