The 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually is a brute of a truck that has immense capabilities for towing, hauling, crashing through rough terrain - and making you feel like a towering power monster. Of the three manufacturers of heavy-duty pickups, Dodge has been at it the longest (since 2003). The Ford F-350, the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 and its pricier brother the GMC Sierra 3500 are the competitors.

The 2009 Ram 3500 Dually has been freshened with a new interior design and the most recent version of the 6.7L 350hp Cummins Turbodiesel I6. The monstrous towing capacity rates at 16,350 pounds. These dual-axle mammoths are available in your choice of 2WD and electronically-controlled 4WD configurations. The 4WD models feature a solid-piece front axle and steering that is powered by a recirculating ball system. The 2WD 3500 Duallys from Dodge feature the traditional rack-and-pinion steering and an independent frontal suspension scheme.

The Dodge 3500 Heavy-Duty Ram for 2009 has a larger cabin space than either of its competitors as well. Of course, it also features the now-famous and highly-original bold Dodge exterior styling - always significantly more eye-catching than either the Fords or the GM models. The cargo capacity of the beds is the area that Dodge gets outshined by the others in. The short bed configurations are shorter than practical - or expected. And the Mega-Cab variants have such a short bed that it may be lacking if your intent is to pull a fifth-wheeler. However, that is the only complaint to be noted about these excellent full-sized trucks from Dodge.

There are three separate cabin styles available for the Ram 3500 Dually: Regular, Quad and Mega. Full-length beds are the only style offered on Regular Cab models. Quad Cabs can be either short or long-bedded and the Mega Cab models ride on the same platform as the Quads, but replace some of the bed length with additional cabin space. Trim levels vary as well - dependent on the cabin style selected. The regular cab models come in either the ST or SLT. The Quads are available in ST, SLT and Laramie versions. SLT and Laramie are the only options for the Mega Cabs. All 2009 Ram 3500 trucks are dually-styled except for the short-bed Quad versions.

As would be expected, there are many different optional packages available, especially for the top-of-the-line Laramie trims. Leather seating, moonroofs, navigational systems, enhanced stereos and much more is available. What matters most to those who purchase a monster truck like the 2009 Dodge Ram Dually is performance though - and Dodge delivers big time here. Whether you choose the stock 6-speed manual tranny or the optional 6-speed automatic, you are going to feel the whopping power of that 6.7L Turbodiesel in an unmistakable manner.

There are of course a nice offering of both standard and optional safety features. However, there have been no safety ratings reported from any governmental agency as of yet for the 2009 Ram Duallys. It is however notable that the much lighter Ram 1500s earned a 5-star rating for frontal crash safety from the NHTSA.

Overall, the 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually full-sized pickup trucks deliver a lot of exactly what buyers are after: strength, performance, dependability and value. With MSRPs starting at $35,485, Dodge remains in the thick of the competition with Ford and GM. You have to get behind the wheel of each brand and drive for a while to determine which one suits you the best, but the Ram is definitely difficult to outdo.