looking at purchasing new 2500 6.4

I love my Toyota Tundra, and it has done an awesome job pulling my 28' ~7600lb trailer around the north east. the only thing I don't like about it is the payload capacity (of all 1/2 tons).

So I'm looking at upgrading to a 3/4 truck which of course leads me to something from the big 3. I'm really not impressed with the interior of the GM trucks, so that leaves Ford and Ram. I've had both in the past and had good luck with both. I actually like the interior on the Ford over the Ram for the middle front jump seat (yes we use it!) and the straight accross rear bench (don't like how Ram made the middle seat shallower to put cup holders in)

However it seems that the Ram with the options I want is more in my price range, a stripped down f250 XLT is $38k. with the options I want mroe like $40k Looks like I can get a Tradesman with chrome package, backup camera, spray in bed liner, tow mirrors, 4.10's, 5.0 touchscreen radio, side steps and electric shift on the fly for $36k

I want to stay with a gas motor since my trailer is not that heavy and the truck is also my daily driver (~70 miles round trip).

I'm leaning toward the 6.4 Hemi for the better low rpm torque and the MDS on the highway. Just not sure 3.73 or 4.10 gears...most seem to say get the 4.10's if you are towing anything. Even guys with the 3.73's always seem to say stuff like "my truck pulls my trailer no problem with 3.73's...but given the choice I would have opted for the 4.10's" So I think that choice is a no brainer...only problem is the 4.10's are hard to find on the dealer's lots.

of course now that i'm looking for a Ram I notice them on the road....one thing I notice (mostly on the 3rd gens) is that the tailgates always seem to rust at the bottom edge. Is that still a concern with the 4th gens?

also many of the brand new trucks I have looked at have some sort of leak inside as the rear passenger side floor has been wet on at least 3 that I have looked at on dealer lots. at first I thought maybe someone left a window slightly cracked, but it seems to be a real concern? third brake light seal? window?

also looking for feedback on the new coil spring rear end also, on test drive it felt nice, but the leaf spring suspension never bothered me either on my older 3/4 ton trucks. Is the air ride suspension worth the extra $1600 or are the coils the way to go?

Id say definitely go with 4.10s i have 3.73s and theyre just fine but if i could change only one thing about this truck it would be gears...id say the 6.4 is a better motor for HD trucks because of low rpm tourque output where the 5.7 would be working slightly harder to produce less tourque across the powerband...good luck with shopping and enjoy the process its a lot of fun to be honest i dont see any advantage to my motor having mds though as i dont do much highway driving

Dont have air susp. but i prefer the coils to leaf springs just because ive driven several 2014 chevy 2500s and they feel like 1/2 tons compared to my truck

My .02...

I also would pull for the lower gears. The fuel mileage isn't much different between the 2. I know your looking at a gas engine but if you ever wander over to looking at diesels be carefull because that kills the payload (that was more of a heads up I know your not looking at diesels) I don't find to much of a issue with the middle seat having less depth that the putter sides no one complains about sitting there are car seats fit just fine. The only feature on the air suspension I would like is that it'll auto level once you load it up other than that it seems like more stuff to break and if you happen to over load it just a tad I'm not sure how it would react. I haven't herd of a door leaking just a few 3rd brake lights but not many.

3rd break light leaking has been a ongoing issue. I check mine after every storm, and so far im dry. I chose the 3:73's and have no regrets. But I don't tow heavy very often, and after current camper,(11k), we plan on downsizing.

4.10 would be preferable but if you can't find one on the lot I wouldn't order one and lose out on the massive discounts just for the gears. If you can find one on the lot with everything you want except the gears chances are you're gonna get it for a steal right now.

I should add while I would have preferred 4.10 I do not regret getting the 3.73 and the difference isn't enough to even bother me. It's just given two of the same truck I would take the one with 4.10.

3.73s perform great dont get anyone wrong on this motor has so much more potential that 3.73s just dont seem to tap into entirely

I was looking around for one as soon as I heard Black Gold wasn't going to be offered in '15. 4.10 was one of the options I was really wanting, but was able to find a truck that had all of the options but that. I figured I wouldn't pass up on the truck, with the thought in mind of when I lifted it I would really like to be running 4.56 gears anyway. The truck performs quite well with the 3.73's IMO.

I can't give you any performance feedback, but last week I ordered a 2500 w/6.4 and 4.10 gears. Years ago I was a die-hard Ford guy, but had an incredible run of lemons, so they were out. My '05 3500 CTD was not perfect, but it was the best truck I have owned to date. I'm sure my new 6.4 will be even better LOL

the rust around the wheel wells and lower tailgates seems to be mostly a 3rd gen thing. I haven't seen a 4th gen with rust (mine has seen 4 canadian winters).

I do get it rustproofed yearly though.

Mds works in these trucks but only below 65 or so, unless you have a tailwind 60 is about as fast as I have gone and had it hold mds. I also have 3.73's and wish I had 4.10's, with the 3.73's i wish for more torque from a stop. I payed 35k otd for mine back at the end of August, I only have the snow plow prep, 18" wheels, a/t tires, tow mirrors, brake controller and popular equipment group though.

I have a 14 6.4 with the 4.10 rear end and really like the truck. I've had F150's and Power Strokes and this is my first Ram. Definitely plenty of power, gas mileage is a different story.

I didn't think the gas mileage was too bad on these trucks. It's a heavy ass machine so getting 16-18 on the highways was pretty impressive to me. Hell I can still get 15-16 on the highway driving at 60 mph and that blows me away.

TWILLIAMS9 said:

I didn't think the gas mileage was too bad on these trucks. It's a heavy ass machine so getting 16-18 on the highways was pretty impressive to me. Hell I can still get 15-16 on the highway driving at 60 mph and that blows me away.

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I would be cool with 16-18 on the highway too. Mine doesn't see those numbers unless I'm heading downhill.

How fast are you driving? I stay at 60 for best mpgs


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hammer40 said:

I have a 14 6.4 with the 4.10 rear end and really like the truck. I've had F150's and Power Strokes and this is my first Ram. Definitely plenty of power, gas mileage is a different story.

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I'm looking for a 14/15 2500 6.4 with 4.10's, but they are hard to find on the dealer lots. I'm wondering if I even need 4.10's?

My trailer only weights $7600lbs loaded so I guess 3.73's would be fine and given it's my daily driver (70 miles round trip) probalby a bit better on fuel?

still everyone I talk to on the forums says get the 4.10's, but they are pulling larger trailers, and I'm running around empty 95% of the time.

Still my current truck is a 5.7 Tundra with 4.30 gears and I love the way it gets up and moves when I ask it to.

any comments from guys with 6.4 and 3.73's?

katoom400 said:

I'm looking for a 14/15 2500 6.4 with 4.10's, but they are hard to find on the dealer lots. I'm wondering if I even need 4.10's?

My trailer only weights $7600lbs loaded so I guess 3.73's would be fine and given it's my daily driver (70 miles round trip) probalby a bit better on fuel?

still everyone I talk to on the forums says get the 4.10's, but they are pulling larger trailers, and I'm running around empty 95% of the time.

Still my current truck is a 5.7 Tundra with 4.30 gears and I love the way it gets up and moves when I ask it to.

any comments from guys with 6.4 and 3.73's?

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For the mileage penalty you get with 4.10's it is a no brainer to me. You can see what I'm getting for mileage with 3.73's so 4.10's can't be much worse. The off the line power gain would be worth it to me.

loveracing1988 said:

For the mileage penalty you get with 4.10's it is a no brainer to me. You can see what I'm getting for mileage with 3.73's so 4.10's can't be much worse. The off the line power gain would be worth it to me.

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would it be fair to assume the lower gears also give a bit more engine braking going down hills in tow/haul mode?

katoom400 said:

would it be fair to assume the lower gears also give a bit more engine braking going down hills in tow/haul mode?

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I doubt you would notice any differences. I doubt engine braking would notice a 200 or 300 rpm difference. Your main advantage is getting going. I am a little biased because I came from a 8 speed 1500, that thing had amazing off the line power. My wife's grand cherokee with the 3.6 and 8 speed has more off the line power than my truck as well. I am used to those and that is why I think I want 4.10's, I know the 3.73's would pull the load you want to pull just fine, but to me if I'm already getting 12 to 14 miles per gallon 4.10's might knock that down maybe another half of a mpg on the highway. If you do a lot of city driving the 4.10's would probably get you better mileage.

loveracing1988 said:

I doubt you would notice any differences. I doubt engine braking would notice a 200 or 300 rpm difference. Your main advantage is getting going. I am a little biased because I came from a 8 speed 1500, that thing had amazing off the line power. My wife's grand cherokee with the 3.6 and 8 speed has more off the line power than my truck as well. I am used to those and that is why I think I want 4.10's, I know the 3.73's would pull the load you want to pull just fine, but to me if I'm already getting 12 to 14 miles per gallon 4.10's might knock that down maybe another half of a mpg on the highway. If you do a lot of city driving the 4.10's would probably get you better mileage.

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You are probably right, and I'm used to the 4.30's in my Tundra.

I know it also has to do with internal tranny gearing as well. I've seen it said that the Ford with the 6.2 and 3.73 gears should be somewhat similar in feel to the 6.4 with 4.10's since the Ford tranny has lower gearing internaly. However in a back to back test drive 6.2 vs 6.4 both with 3.73 gearing the Ram felt much sanppier?

I did read somewhere that the Ford fly by wire doesn't let it accelerate has hard off the line until the rpm's build up?

I had the same tundra and similar trailer setup. I ended up ordering a ram 2500 6.4 with 3.73. I tow through the Adirondacks the 3.73 gets it done but I probably would go 410 if did again. I got a ton of small options on tradesman crew for 37 otd. So far if been happy stop and go kills has milage but backroads or highways the milage shoots up to 16-17 range. I added 5.0 touchscreen backup sensors/cam. Fifth wheel prep chrome heated power tow mirrors etc etc. I love the truck although paint is kinda ****** I have songs already but hey it's only perfect for short amount of time