In today’s economy, most of us don’t have the extra money lying around to pay somebody else to take care of our landscaping needs. However, just because we’re on a tighter budget these days does not mean we have to go without. Taking care of your own landscaping needs is not as hard as you may think it is, especially when you’ve got the right tools and resources at your disposal. That’s why I recommend the 2021 Ram 1500 for all your DIY landscaping needs.
The new Ram 1500 has some pretty remarkable features that put it a step above the competition, and these features come in handy for any homeowner who wants to take care of his own yard improvement projects. The 1500 provides enough power and capability to get the job done right and enough safety features to ensure you don’t destroy your truck or your yard unintentionally. Let’s take a look at why the 2021 Ram is such a great asset for these kinds of projects.
Towing Around Yard Equipment
While the Ram 1500 might not have the best in class towing, it does have enough towing capabilities to take care of home and yard improvement projects. The 2021 Ram gets up to 12,750 lbs of towing capability. This is more than enough capacity to tow around many different landscaping tractors.
A compact track loader is a good tractor for hauling around dirt or rocks, and your Ram will have an easy time not only hauling around a bed full of said dirt and rocks but also a trailer loaded with either a 317G or a 325G track loader. Each of these track loader options will offer more than enough power to get your dirt and rocks where you want in no time. Compact track loaders also have the option of putting on other attachments such as trenchers or mulchers, so with one Ram and one tractor, you’ll have everything you need to finish your landscaping project in no time.
The Unique Features of the Ram 1500’s Multifunction Tailgate
You might be thinking that’s all fine and dandy, but any ½ ton pickup truck should be able to handle towing around landscaping tractors and equipment. Well, you’d be right. However, there is another feature of the 2021 Ram 1500 that puts it leaps and bounds in front of all the competitors when it comes to landscaping and home improvement projects such as these. That would be the multifunction tailgate.
With most pickup trucks, your tailgate opens by swinging down towards you. This provides a big opening with which to access anything that’s inside the bed of your truck. However, with most hauling jobs, you are now stuck with a big 2ft gap between you and the stuff you are trying to unload. In the past, people have done their best to get around this inconvenience, but now you don’t have to worry about cutting yourself off at the chest in order to reach the things you need.
The 2021 Ram has solved this issue by equipping their pickup truck with a tailgate that splits down the middle and opens sideways. Now you can get even closer to whatever is in the bed of your truck. When you’re trying to work on a landscaping project and need to get your tractor as close to your dirt or rocks as possible, that extra 2ft will make a world of difference. This feature also allows complete access to the bed even while a trailer is still attached. Perhaps this will be the feature that turns landscaping into a true DIY project rather than a recruit all the neighbors to help project.
Imagine being able to drive your tractor right up to the back of the truck and scoop your dirt and rocks directly into the bucket without having to have a friend get in and shovel your bucket full. When you reach the end of the dirt and rock piles, you might have to climb in yourself and sweep everything closer to the edge once or twice, but with the swing away tailgate, unloading the bed becomes so much easier.
But what about those jobs that you actually want the traditional tailgate for? Let’s say you’ve got a bed full of trees that you need to get planted in your new yard, but they are just too long to fit with the tailgate closed, or you just have one heavy tree that you want to get as close to the hole you’re planting it in as possible. Well, not to worry, the Ram 1500 tailgate opens downwards like a traditional tailgate when the job calls for it. And the tailgate is able to carry a weight of up to 2,000 lbs of weight for those big jobs.
Back your truck as close to the place where you’re planting your tree as possible. Now, using a rope system or a couple of strong friends, shimmy your tree to the edge of the bed and onto the open tailgate. When the tree is on the open tailgate, you now have easy access from all sides to grab and lower the tree down into the hole safely and carefully, all without worrying about damaging your truck. Repeat this process with as many trees as you need, and don’t worry about maxing out the Ram because it can handle this type of project easily.
Ram 1500 Safety Features
The tailgate and towing capacity are not the only features of the 2021 Ram that makes it a reliable truck for DIY landscaping projects. The Ram also comes equipped with a variety of safety features that will ensure your truck and your yard remain safe and whole throughout the project. The 360 surround-view camera is your perfect yard improvement companion.
Backing up a big truck can be unnerving enough in a driveway or parking lot where just about everything you need to worry about hitting is higher than your tire. However, this is not the case with a landscaping project. Now your entire yard is a landmine filled with rocks, potholes, baby trees, shovels, rakes, and who knows what else. You don’t want to scratch your truck or give yourself a flat tire, and you certainly don’t want to destroy your hard-earned yard.
With the Ram’s 360 surround-view cameras, now you can see absolutely everything that is within a certain amount of space from your vehicle at all times so you can maneuver your in-progress yard with ease. This is a great feature to have when you’re dumping rocks and dirt or moving around those trees we mentioned earlier. You can also use these cameras to safely hook up a trailer in one try instead of seven or eight.
The 2021 Ram is a Homeowner’s Best Friend
There are plenty of great trucks on the market today, and all of them have their own unique offerings as far as features and capabilities. However, the Ram 1500 can do it all. For the homeowner or anybody who is trying to do a DIY home or yard improvement project, the Ram 1500 is going to be a lifesaver. The 2021 Ram offers homeowners a truck that will truly become a companion rather than just another vehicle. So what are you waiting for? What project will your Ram help you with next?
