2018 Ram 6.4l Hemi Towing Issues

[Jversagejr]

Used Truck ???
Might wanna check out the Catalytic Converters !!!
They go bad (clogged) over time if engine burns oil !!!

The truck is used, it only has 33k miles on it. Could the Catalytic Converter go bad this fast?

 

[Ed F]

I am currently running 87 Octane. Have not tried 89 as of yet towing. Do you think a custom tune may help along with the 89 Octane? Also the reason I didn’t get a diesel is I will most likely only tow 10 or so times a year. So the added expense didn’t justify the cost.

When you’re pulling 10-12k pound trailers that’s diesel territory whether or not that ‘justifies’ the cost.

 

[GsRAM]

The truck is used, it only has 33k miles on it. Could the Catalytic Converter go bad this fast?

Highly unlikely unless you have some other concurrent issue going on right now that killed that cat. converter.

There is an old mechanics saying out there.....catalytic converters don't go bad, they are murdered. Something to think about anyway.

You said the trans was rebuilt once or reprogrammed or something? That's where I'd start. If all checks out with the truck then your simply asking too much from a 6.4/3.73 geared truck. If that is in fact the case, then you either need to re-gear to 4.56 or 4.88 gears (with that much weight I think I'd do 4.88s) or sell your truck and buy a Cummins powered truck.

Or just run yours the way it is and stay out of the mountains or save your money for a trans rebuild because if all else is normal and correct and your pushing it that hard, something is going to let go sooner or later and probably at the worst possible time.

 

[62Blazer]

Watched some of the TFLtruck videos last night. They had a '19 or '20 2500 6.4 Hemi 3.73 gears towing at max capacity (14,000 lb. trailer). Over the 8 mile stretch at 7 percent grade it averaged 46 mph. It was faster than the equivalent model Chevy 2500 6.6L gas engine but slower than the Ford 7.3L gas engine.

 

[NewBlackDak]

Watched some of the TFLtruck videos last night. They had a '19 or '20 2500 6.4 Hemi 3.73 gears towing at max capacity (14,000 lb. trailer). Over the 8 mile stretch at 7 percent grade it averaged 46 mph. It was faster than the equivalent model Chevy 2500 6.6L gas engine but slower than the Ford 7.3L gas engine.

I would expect it to be slower than a truck with nearly a liter bigger engine and a 10-speed.


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[Jversagejr]

Highly unlikely unless you have some other concurrent issue going on right now that killed that cat. converter.

There is an old mechanics saying out there.....catalytic converters don't go bad, they are murdered. Something to think about anyway.

You said the trans was rebuilt once or reprogrammed or something? That's where I'd start. If all checks out with the truck then your simply asking too much from a 6.4/3.73 geared truck. If that is in fact the case, then you either need to re-gear to 4.56 or 4.88 gears (with that much weight I think I'd do 4.88s) or sell your truck and buy a Cummins powered truck.

Or just run yours the way it is and stay out of the mountains or save your money for a trans rebuild because if all else is normal and correct and your pushing it that hard, something is going to let go sooner or later and probably at the worst possible time.

The transmission was replaced under warranty prior to me purchasing a few months ago. I am going to make an appointment with the dealer to have them check it out. Overall I am very happy with the truck other than the issues towing on steep grades.

Do you think if everything checks out with the dealer maybe a custom tune would help with the transmission and power issues in 1st gear?

 

[crash68]

I would expect it to be slower than a truck with nearly a liter bigger engine and a 10-speed.

If I remember correctly the Ford also has 4.30 gearing as compared to the 3.73 on the Hemi
TFL needs to start comparing all the same class of trucks the same way with comparable set ups. They did a test with the CTD one time and the driver was manually shifting the automatic trans then complained about how crappy it performed and was that it worse than the Ford which they put it in gear and drove.

(EDIT) The For truck used in this test was using a lower 4.3 gear compared to the Hemi 3.73

 

[GsRAM]

The transmission was replaced under warranty prior to me purchasing a few months ago. I am going to make an appointment with the dealer to have them check it out. Overall I am very happy with the truck other than the issues towing on steep grades.

Do you think if everything checks out with the dealer maybe a custom tune would help with the transmission and power issues in 1st gear?

I don't think a custom tune is your answer. If everything does checks out as normal, you are too maxed out. You need to stay out of the mountains, regear or buy a diesel. The rest of those items really won't do much except make your wallet weigh less.

 

[GsRAM]

If I remember correctly the Ford also has 4.30 gearing as compared to the 3.73 on the Hemi
TFL needs to start comparing all the same class of trucks the same way with comparable set ups. They did a test with the CTD one time and the driver was manually shifting the automatic trans then complained about how crappy it performed and was that it worse than the Ford which they put it in gear and drove.

You are correct. Ford offers a 4.30 gear, 6.4 hemi is 3.73 or 4.10 as the optional, which quite honestly is still not enough gear for heavy towing, especially with the 6 speed.

 

[ramffml]

TFL Truck is garbage now. The above mentioned Ford vs Ram vs GM comparison was a pathetic attempt to compare those trucks and turned me off of their channel.

Roman + Andre are such sad Ford fanboys that I can't watch whatever they do these days. I remember Roman and Tommy complaining about how the Chevy Trailboss would skip and "struggle" across snowy rocks and dumped all over the truck because it doesn't have proper 4x4 features like a locking diff. Skip forward a few videos and they have some stupid SUV or 4 runner doing the same thing and lo and behold they're all sunshine and roses and "this toyota makes it look easy" type of thing.

That channel is now complete BS for the most part. None of their comparisons are apples to apples (which to be fair can be hard to do), but worse, their bias is so strong that you can't trust them for anything now.

Stephen left and is now on his own with his dad on the "Truck King" channel. Little less professional, but I do like their style and they so far seem to be doing a good job.
https://www.youtube.com/c/TruckKingChallenge/videos

 

[crash68]

Ford offers a 4.30 gear, 6.4 hemi is 3.73 or 4.10 as the optional, which quite honestly is still not enough gear for heavy towing, especially with the 6 speed.

I noticed it's sorta poorly worded, I was trying to point out the Ford an advantage of the lower 4.3 gearing over the Hemi 3.73

 

[NH RAM]

When you’re pulling 10-12k pound trailers that’s diesel territory whether or not that ‘justifies’ the cost.

That may be true with the 6 speed transmission, but not with the ZF. My 2019 with 3.73 and the ZF transmission pulls our 10k (9400# dry) 5W without drama- it's had three trips of 5 hours each way from New Hampshire to Maine without issue on the interstate while maintaining 65-70 mph. On rolling terrain, I stay around 2000-2500 rpms. If I need to pull a decent hill, I'll go up to 3,000 rpm and maybe 3500 rpms. The only time I need to go to 4,000 rpms is if I'm in a rush to merge onto the highway or if it's a steep hill on a back road following a curve I can't carry speed into. The RFE transmission murdered this truck and I didn't want it because of the poor towing reviews until it got the ZF transmission. It now is a very respectable gas truck. My towing capacity is 14k, but I wanted to keep my 5W under 10k dry because I think 14k for long trips is a diesel job, and I wanted some sort of reasonable fuel economy.

 

[NH RAM]

To the OP, what is a "steep" hill? It sounds like something is robbing power if you're getting into / passing the peak tq rpm range and still having issues maintaining any sort of reasonable roadway driving speeds. I recall the 6.4 and 6-speed weren't really stellar performers on the Ike, but I suspect your conditions aren't quite the same. I wonder if someone with a Snap-On Ethos or something similar could shed any light on anything creating issues while you're towing.

 

[GsRAM]

The RFE transmission murdered this truck and I didn't want it because of the poor towing reviews until it got the ZF transmission. It now is a very respectable gas truck. .

I know you like your truck and you should. It's the 2019 version of mine and the 8 speed is great.

Personally, I prefer the 4th gen styling of mine and the column shifter, which is still mechanically operated, at least it appeared that way when I was under it the other month.

I have to take exception to your underlined comment above. I think my truck is a great truck and pulls like a freight train compared to the dogs I pulled with over the past 20 years. Is your truck a better performer in the weights your towing? Yes, but to suggest 2018 and down are junk, which you did in so many words....no. I disagree.

 

[NewBlackDak]

That may be true with the 6 speed transmission, but not with the ZF. My 2019 with 3.73 and the ZF transmission pulls our 10k (9400# dry) 5W without drama- it's had three trips of 5 hours each way from New Hampshire to Maine without issue on the interstate while maintaining 65-70 mph. On rolling terrain, I stay around 2000-2500 rpms. If I need to pull a decent hill, I'll go up to 3,000 rpm and maybe 3500 rpms. The only time I need to go to 4,000 rpms is if I'm in a rush to merge onto the highway or if it's a steep hill on a back road following a curve I can't carry speed into. The RFE transmission murdered this truck and I didn't want it because of the poor towing reviews until it got the ZF transmission. It now is a very respectable gas truck. My towing capacity is 14k, but I wanted to keep my 5W under 10k dry because I think 14k for long trips is a diesel job, and I wanted some sort of reasonable fuel economy.

It’s easy to say it greats when you aren’t pulling 6-8% grades and at elevations of 5-11K feet.


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[NH RAM]

I know you like your truck and you should. It's the 2019 version of mine and the 8 speed is great.

Personally, I prefer the 4th gen styling of mine and the column shifter, which is still mechanically operated, at least it appeared that way when I was under it the other month.

I have to take exception to your underlined comment above. I think my truck is a great truck and pulls like a freight train compared to the dogs I pulled with over the past 20 years. Is your truck a better performer in the weights your towing? Yes, but to suggest 2018 and down are junk, which you did in so many words....no. I disagree.

I also like the 4G styling; the 2019+ styling has taken some getting used to and if the 8 speed was available in a 4G body I would have probably opted for the 4G styling.
My apologies, I should have clarified... the statement about it now being a respectable gas truck is based on my opinion for my purposes, which was drawn from reading review after review on the all-knowing internet and watching towing reviews from owners, not just TFL.
Everyone I know that drives an HD truck drives a GM 6.0 so I have no real world experience with the 6.4 and 6-speed to draw a conclusion from. I didn't say 2018 and below were junk, not in any form. I simply feel that the 6.4 was outclassed in towing due to the transmission.

 

[Firebird]

That may be true with the 6 speed transmission, but not with the ZF. My 2019 with 3.73 and the ZF transmission pulls our 10k (9400# dry) 5W without drama- it's had three trips of 5 hours each way from New Hampshire to Maine without issue on the interstate while maintaining 65-70 mph. On rolling terrain, I stay around 2000-2500 rpms. If I need to pull a decent hill, I'll go up to 3,000 rpm and maybe 3500 rpms. The only time I need to go to 4,000 rpms is if I'm in a rush to merge onto the highway or if it's a steep hill on a back road following a curve I can't carry speed into. The RFE transmission murdered this truck and I didn't want it because of the poor towing reviews until it got the ZF transmission. It now is a very respectable gas truck. My towing capacity is 14k, but I wanted to keep my 5W under 10k dry because I think 14k for long trips is a diesel job, and I wanted some sort of reasonable fuel economy.

Like you, I'm thrilled with my 2019 Ram! It pulls like a beast, and my tow capacity is 17,034 pounds, that isn't bad for a gas truck. It just plain embarasses my 2018 with the 6.4 and 6 speed with 3.73 gears.

 

[NH RAM]

It’s easy to say it greats when you aren’t pulling 6-8% grades and at elevations of 5-11K feet.


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I'm not sure what your goal is with this- a truck doesn't tow great unless it tows 6-8% grades and in elevation of 5-11,000 feet? Clearly forced induction has the advantage at elevation and I wouldn't argue that a CTD couldn't do the job better.

My point: It's easy for me to say it's great when it accomplishes what I need it to in a satisfactory manner. It's pulled my 7500# TT from New Hampshire to South Dakota and back this summer. Route 9 through Vermont and into New York isn't "high elevation", but it has a lot of switchbacks at 8-9% grade and not at highway speeds. Pulling those hills is no fun because you can't maintain speed due to road design, sharp curves, and bumps. The way down is just as bad as the way up.

I'm not implying that it's competing with a turbo diesel, but when I have 5,000 miles towing at least 7500# in a year, and I think it did great, that's not such a bad thing.

 

[tjfdesmo]

It’s easy to say it greats when you aren’t pulling 6-8% grades and at elevations of 5-11K feet.


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^^^This^^^

I owned a '15 6 speed, and drove my buddy's '19 8 speed. The 8 speed really wakes up/unleashes the 6.4, BUT, as pointed out above, the 6.4, like all NA engines, gets seriously wheezy from altitude sickness.

 

[dhay13]

Mine pulls 9500lbs just fine but I have the 4.10's. I have no experience with the 8 speed so can't compare but based on how easily my sons towed his TT last month I don't think 10,000lbs would have been an issue. He has 4.10's also. More than that and I'd have to try it to see but his was 16,180lbs on the scales. The TT was about 8100lbs. My tow capacity is 15,600ish