Tailgating has become customary for many people before the lockdown – the social events have always been so successful that lots of folks participated even though their vehicle did not possess an actual tailgate. Considering the lockdown, these parties have become a little trickier – but Mopar’s latest accessory for the Ram 1500 truck might present a solution for keeping the social distance: one person in the bed, one using the latest bed step and the rest arranged 6 feet from each other around the truck...
Jokeg aside, the new Mopar bed step is just another practical and easy to use accessory that could potentially enhance the functionality and utility of Ram’s truck lineup, and the company also points out the new factory-baked retractable center-mounted bed step has been developed specifically to be used with the brand’s proprietary multifunction tailgate.
As such, it can be used alongside the 60/40 split swing-away doors that have an opening of 88 degrees – just one push of the foot and the Mopar bed step quickly emerges from under the rear bumper for secure foothold and easier access to the bed’s storage area.
The new accessory (Part #82216265AB, MSRP of $395) is as tough as the rest of Ram’s credentials – the bed step is made out of high-strength aluminum, comes with a stylish black “e-coat” finish and can withstand a weight of up to 350 pounds (159 kg).
The latter value should be enough for a tailgater and his boombox, though we can imagine Ram and Mopar had more professional use cases in mind when they developed the technical specifications. This is probably why the brand is not limiting availability to models specifically equipped with the multifunction tailgate.
As such, the factory-engineered bed steps can be ordered with the Ram 1500 with standard tailgate for U.S. MSRP of $365, alongside the Ram 1500 Classic ($304) where it fits both single or dual-exhaust models, but the load rating drops to 300 pounds (136 kg), as well as the Ram Heavy Duty lineup (back to 350 pounds and $365).
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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