The Specifications of a 1997 Dodge 3500 Ram 4X4 8.0 Liter V-10

The 1997 Dodge Ram 3000 appeared during the full-size pickup truck's second generation of production (1994 to 2002). There were four engines for the vehicle, the most powerful of them being the 8 liter 300 horsepower V-10 engine. It was provided as an option for the 1997 Dodge Ram 3500's trims, which included its four-wheel versions: the LT Regular Cab 8-foot Bed 4WD and the ST Club Cab 8-foot Bed 4WD.

Engines, Transmission and Fuel Economy

Although the 8-liter V10 engine was optional for the LT Regular Cab 4WD and the ST Club Cab 4WD trims of the 1997 Dodge Ram 3500, the standard--as it was for the other trims--was a 5.9 liter 235 horsepower V-8 engine. The 8 liter V-10 engine had 450 ft. lbs. of torque and had a compression ratio of 8.4 to 1. The trims came with a standard five-speed manual transmission with overdrive, although getting a four-speed automatic was made optional. Fuel economy was rated at around 13 mpg for city driving and 17 mpg for highway driving.

Safety Features

The 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 4WD trims had driver airbags and anti-lock brakes. Head restraints were included in the front seats, and the seat belts consisted of three-point reel ones for the front seats and lap static ones in the back.

Interior

Air conditioning system, split bench seats, stereo system with AM/FM radio and cassette deck, and power steering were some of the standard interior features of the 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 4WD trims with the 8 liter V-10 engine. The ST Club Cab, though, could accommodate twice as many passengers as the LT Regular Cab; the ST could take up to six people as opposed to the LT's three.

Exterior

As two-door vehicles, the LT 4WD version of the 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 had a curb weight of 5,744 lbs., while that of the ST 4WD was 5,974. While the LT 4WD and ST 4WD shared the same wheel size at 16 inches, the ST 4WD's wheelbase of 155 inches was larger than that of the LT 4WD, which was 135 inches. The ST 4WD's turning diameter of 52 feet also surpassed that of the LT 4WD, which was 45 feet.

The exterior dimensions of the trims were 244 inches in length, 94 inches in width and 77 inches in height. Ground clearance was around 8 inches, although that of the ST was slightly higher. Mechanical foldable mirrors, tinted glass and interval wipers were some of the standard exterior features of the trims.

Price

The original manufacturer's suggested retail price for the LT 4WD was $22,770, while that of the ST 4WD was $25,120. As of 2010, according to Kelley Blue Book, the estimated price value range for the LT 4WD is around $4,500 to $4,900, while that of the ST 4WD is around $5,400 to $6,000.