For the past nine months, "Take the TRX" has been a common refrain around the Four Wheeler office. Whether it's a road trip or a wheeling trip, the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX can do it all. This quarter, we focused on hitting the trails more and diving into the things we love and the things we'd improve on one of our favorite vehicles.

While the TRX is a more-than-capable trail machine, there is a certain type of terrain where the Ram 1500 TRX comes into its own. We found this magical TRX sweet spot when we were exploring some higher speeds on an undulating desert road with long, broad, low-frequency whoops. Spending our time between around 55 to 70 mph on a particular section, the TRX stretched its legs, soaking up the terrain, topping-out and lifting off over rises, and landing without ever hitting the stops. The 12 inches of front travel and 13 inches of rear travel give plenty of room for the suspension to breathe.

There have been times where we came into a G-out too fast. Fully puckered and ready for our consequences to reverberate through the chassis, we were saved by Bilstein's Black Hawk e2 semi-active shocks, which, unlike the Raptor's Fox Live Valve units, work on both the compression and rebound circuits (Raptor is compression only). The Ram 1500 TRX's jump detection mode doesn't just stiffen the shocks but unlocks the transfer case clutches to prevent driveline shock on landing and prevents the trans from upshifting into a taller gear. Front internal bump stops, known as a Jounce Cutoff (JCO), engage at the extreme end of compression travel and ensure that the true impact of a hard landing never reaches the occupants.

With 702 horsepower at our disposal and a suspension capable of keeping up, you'd expect the TRX to let you drive without intervening, and it does, especially in the Baja mode. At 90-degree intersections, full-on throttle-induced power slides are never ruined by overaggressive electronics. The Ram 1500 TRX also comes equipped with low range and a rear locker, which is nice for traversing those unexpected technical surprises, such as a washout or rocky climb.

One of the best parts of taking the TRX out with the family is enjoying the gleeful squeals coming from the back, along with repetitive shouts of "jump it again!" The Ram 1500 TRX performance is consistent and repeatable, and this truck really is the closest thing you can get to a short-course racer or chase truck with a warranty.

Speaking of warranties, the TRX has proven to be reliable, save for an incident when we woke up to a curiously dead battery (no, nothing was left on). After a jump start, the Ram 1500 TRX would display warnings to the driver, such as "Service Active Suspension System" and "Off-Road Management Limited - Avoid Aggressive Maneuvers." Our research seemed to indicate that this happens when the suspension travel sensors lose their position and need to be zeroed out by the dealer. We were told that the shocks revert to a non-active middle setting. Of course, we wanted to know what would happen if you took the TRX off-road and actually did engage in aggressive off-road maneuvers. You know, for science.

We can tell you that some small differences can be felt in driving around town, but it's nothing that the average passenger would notice. Off-road, the truck uses up travel a bit sooner, and you have to watch your lines and speeds a little more, but even in this mode, the truck still hits off road trails harder than its non-active suspension competitors. So, while Ram flashes a driver information center disclaimer, a competent driver can still take the truck out and have a good time even if the semi-active part of the suspension is offline.

Our only other concern with the Ram 1500 TRX was a flat tire, taken out by a tiny, but hard, stick. It has made us a bit wary about the factory Goodyear rubber, but we haven't had any similar incidents since, so knock on wood (too soon?). Fortunately, we were able to plug the tire and get home, but if the truck were ours, we might be looking at three-ply sidewall options when it comes time to replace the rubber.

During our scheduled maintenance, our local Ram dealer zeroed out the suspension computer under warranty and replaced our tire to the tune of $353.41, in addition to the scheduled service with tire rotation for $244.62. Shortly after, the same suspension warning returned, so we'll have to bring it back and get the issue resolved before the end of our loan.

With only a few months left of having the TRX in our daily life, please excuse us as we head back out to the desert for our adrenaline fix before Ram comes to collect. Although, if they want their truck back, they might just have to catch us first.

Because the Ram 1500 TRX is so much wider than a standard Ram 1500, the bodywork features muscular, but tasteful, bulges.

The TRX uses 325/65R18 Goodyear Wrangler Territory AT all-terrain tires, which are speed rated for 118 mph. With all of our aggressive trail driving, we have started to see a little bit of chunking of the tread.

Here is the culprit that took out our tire on the trail. Because it was in the sidewall, we plugged the hole to get home and replaced the tire out of safety.

Learning how to plug a tire is a great skill that can get you safely off the trail.

The Ram 1500 TRX uses a true ram-air intake system, which funnels air through a massive air box housing two air filters that measure in at a 13.3 square feet of surface area. One-way drains are used to clear the intake of any water.

In addition to the rear link-coil setup, the Ram 1500 TRX uses a kicker shock to help control rear axlewrap.

Here is a peek at the TRX's lower rear shock mount. Note how much material the aluminum-bodied Black Hawk e2 shocks have around the bushing, no doubt to provide strength. The beefy shaft is protected from pitting by a specially designed stone guard.

Technology Group ($1,095), Trailer Tow Group ($195), Advanced Safety Group ($995), Bed Utility Group ($845), Lower Two-tone Paint ($250), TRX Carbon Fiber Package ($1,295), TRX Level 2 Equipment Group ($7,920), TRX Red Interior Accents ($1,495), TRX Exterior Graphics ($495), TRX Hood Graphic ($895), Mopar Rock Rails ($995), 19-Speaker Harmon Kardon Premium Sound ($1,195), 18- x 9-inch Beadlock-capable Wheels ($1,895), and Trailer Reverse Steering Control ($495)