Fuel Pacer System

[marty mopar]

Chrysler's Fuel Pacer System Was A Dazzling Half-Ass Response To The Fuel Crisis - Jalopnik

The fuel crisis of the early 1970s was sort of a wake-up call to American carmakers, who generally regarded fuel economy with about as much interest as a child regards long reports about reapportionment issues or maybe crop rotation. When people started buying Toyotas and Hondas because they got...

jalopnik.com

 

[70chall440]

Interesting, I have never heard of that.

 

[tonysrt]

That was when Chrysler was an innovator coming out with good idea's when they had engineers burning the midnight oil. Unfortunately I don't see them being like that anymore. As an 05 Ram owner, it took over 20 years for someone to come out with a convenient way to get in the bed of a pickup. We have to thank GMC and now Chevy has it.

 

[70chall440]

Personally I think the steps that Ford and Chevy use are a bit more of a gimmick than innovation... I am not saying FCA (or any of its incarnations) is/was necessarily any more innovative that anyone else but as a Mopar guy I would like to think they were/are. They brought many innovations over the years, to your example the Ram Box which is loved by many and no doubt a number of others. I say that the knob selector lever (for the trans) was not one of their better ones.

 

[tonysrt]

After having the Ram for 17 years and always struggling to get in the bed you'll know what I mean. As I said before we all looked for Chrysler to be an innovator but they seem to have taken a back seat to others. As a Mopar man from birth I just haven't seen any thing to write home about coming from them lately. Believe me I love my truck and it has been pretty much maintenance free in my 17 years of ownership.

 

[70chall440]

Well I have owned a 01 Ram 1500 since 2002 and my 14 Ram 2500 since 14, so I think that I understand what you are saying and where you are coming from. All of the big 3 copy each other based on what is popular, since Ram didn't do the steps I wonder if there isn't some issue there. I cannot stand the Ford interior or the GM exteriors so they are both not something I would even consider.

I love both of my trucks and am happy with them with or without steps.

 

[heminut]

Personally I think the steps that Ford and Chevy use are a bit more of a gimmick than innovation... I am not saying FCA (or any of its incarnations) is/was necessarily any more innovative that anyone else but as a Mopar guy I would like to think they were/are. They brought many innovations over the years, to your example the Ram Box which is loved by many and no doubt a number of others. I say that the knob selector lever (for the trans) was not one of their better ones.

My new Ram 3500 4x4 just came in Saturday. It has a push down step at the left rear corner, just below the bumper. It's a lot more convenient than my friend's Chevy truck with the step in the corner of the rear bumper, that step is not much lower than the tailgate itself.

 

[tonysrt]

To access my bed I keep a small plastic foldup step to get up there, unless I feel strong and pull myself up on the tailgate, but that hurts my knees. Luckily I don't have to do it so often.

 

[heminut]

To access my bed I keep a small plastic foldup step to get up there, unless I feel strong and pull myself up on the tailgate, but that hurts my knees. Luckily I don't have to do it so often.

On my 2019 Ram 4x4 I always stepped up on the rear tire to get into the bed, but I have a 36" inseam. That would be hard to do for shorter people.

 

[tonysrt]

I have done that a few times off the 20" wheels.