2018 Ram 6.4l Hemi Towing Issues

[Bigdaddy]

When I had my 6.4L Hemi I got the one with the 4.10 gears which made a little different but man I did had to put my foot into it.

 

[crash68]

When I had my 6.4L Hemi I got the one with the 4.10 gears which made a little different but man I did had to put my foot into it.

You had to put your foot into it to get up to the torque peak/band of the engine, with the Hemi engines that around 4K rpms. I get a chuckle when guys complain their gasser is turning over too many rpms while towing. Torque is what you tow with, HP is how fast you go.

 

[GsRAM]

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.

Fair enough. Thanks for that Sir.

 

[928dennis]

TFLtruck constantly does YouTube videos of towing up the Ike Gauntlet (up to the Eisenhower tunnel in Colorado) which is an 8 mile stretch of I-70 that is up to a 7% grade (steepest grade on an interstate you will find), and also up to 11,000+ elevation so some power loss. Do some searching as they have several videos of different 6.4 Hemi trucks doing this at maximum towing weight. Believe they had at least one at 20,500 total weight (truck + trailer) and said it was down to 30 mph at some point in time.

The power loss is not just some, with a gas motor with no blower or turbo 3 to 31/2 percent loss for every 1000 feet..I live in Colorado and race, it kills HP.

 

[Mikethomas]

Octane does not increase power, but it can increase the ability for your engine to get to max power. The difference is subtle, but yes, with low octane your power is cut by the computer. Even with 91 octane my engine will ping slightly when worked hard. Maybe I'm just buying crummy gas but I've tried several different pumps.

Correct, engines requiring higher octane will knock and ping if not used, they will still run, just not up to it's capability

 

[Dan98]

Is it possible your transmission is getting warm enough to limp out. 6000 rpm in first gear under load and your near the top. Maybe put transfer case in low so you at least get converter to lock up in 2nd or 3rd. I honestly think it is you causing this issue. With all due respect I not at all trying to be rude. You dont really want or need to be at 6000 under load in 1st gear there is a better way.

Sent from my SM-J260A using Tapatalk

 

[62Blazer]

My point about referencing TFLtruck is that they were able to average 46 mph while pulling 14,000 lbs. up one of the longest and steepest freeway grades in the country, and that with only 3.73 gears. If you watch the video it was shifting back and forth but running fairly high RPMs. What the OP seems to describe does not sound normal.

 

[sam darakjy]

Not sure if I'm just a lucky one or what and by no means an expert in engines and their performance. I have a 2018 Tradesman 6.4 4x4 Crew Cab and have no issues at all that would make me want to purchase a Pedal commander or anything that would change this engine in any way. I read so many posts about throttle lag and such and I am not feeling it with my beast. Its just gets up and goes with no issues on 87 octane. Even with my 2500 lb truck camper I just do not have any problems and do not even use tow/haul when camper is on.

 

[68PowerWagon]

I have had this issue a couple of times. Once before re-gearing & once after. It acts almost like it is stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear. It just keeps lugging down. Both times it was where the road was curvy & I was at a really low speed. Maybe this 1st gear is just too tall for these gas engines. I have hit some pretty decent mountains in KY & TN. If I am rolling along at a good pace it runs 3-4k rpms & pulls like a train. I imagine this new 8speed tranny makes a world of difference. I was like you... I couldn't justify spending an extra 10k for a diesel knowing I was only going to pull this much 10-12 times a year. Although, we are really starting to enjoy this glamping so maybe I will upgrade here in the next year or two.

 

[Bldrinker]

My trailer is supposed to be 9800 empty. It’s scales 10,300. I just went on a trip and it was loaded fairly light so probably close to 12,000. Went up both sides of Baker grade about 50-55mph.

truck has 34” tires and 4:88gears. You want to keep it at 4000-4500rpm.

 

[Jversagejr]

Is it possible your transmission is getting warm enough to limp out. 6000 rpm in first gear under load and your near the top. Maybe put transfer case in low so you at least aget converter to lock up in 2nd or 3rd. I honestly think it is you causing this issue. With all due respect I not at all trying to be rude. You dont really want or need to be at 6000 under load in 1st gear there is a better way.

Sent from my SM-J260A using Tapatalk

To clarify, I never said I was at or near 6000 rpms. When I approached the grade, maybe 6% or so, I was in 4th gear. As I started up the hill, the truck shifted down to 3rd, then 2nd and about half way up shifted down 1st. As I originally stated once it shifted to 1st the rpms were up around 5000 then dropped. I had my foot to the floor and I was losing power and speed. Again Temps were fine and once I crested the hill and started down it shifted fine into the higher gears. Also as I mentioned earlier, the truck pulls great on straight sways and smaller hills.

 

[tjfdesmo]

To clarify, I never said I was at or near 6000 rpms. When I approached the grade, maybe 6% or so, I was in 4th gear. As I started up the hill, the truck shifted down to 3rd, then 2nd and about half way up shifted down 1st. As I originally stated once it shifted to 1st the rpms were up around 5000 then dropped. I had my foot to the floor and I was losing power and speed. Again Temps were fine and once I crested the hill and started down it shifted fine into the higher gears. Also as I mentioned earlier, the truck pulls great on straight sways and smaller hills.

I am almost sure this is exactly what the TFL guys experienced in 2014(?), and the truck "layed down" so bad it caused quite a stir. Ram apparently responded that it is programmed to do that to protect itself.

 

[GsRAM]

To clarify, I never said I was at or near 6000 rpms. When I approached the grade, maybe 6% or so, I was in 4th gear. As I started up the hill, the truck shifted down to 3rd, then 2nd and about half way up shifted down 1st. As I originally stated once it shifted to 1st the rpms were up around 5000 then dropped. I had my foot to the floor and I was losing power and speed. Again Temps were fine and once I crested the hill and started down it shifted fine into the higher gears. Also as I mentioned earlier, the truck pulls great on straight sways and smaller hills.

Reading that again, in if there is nothing mechanically wrong, your too maxed out.

 

[Jversagejr]

I am almost sure this is exactly what the TFL guys experienced in 2014(?), and the truck "layed down" so bad it caused quite a stir. Ram apparently responded that it is programmed to do that to protect itself.

Basically this is what I experienced but I seemed to have more power and speed loss. As I mentioned my RPM’s dropped way down and even with my foot to the floor would not increase. This is very puzzling as I am not certain if it is a programming issue with the transmission or something else. That is why I am wondering if possibly a custom tune would help.

 

[dhay13]

Towed my 9000lb boat today to storage. Only about a 7 or 8 mile trip and mostly back roads but went up a small grade at about 20-25 MPH and was only turning about 2300 RPM but I didn't feel like the boat was holding me back at all.

 

[NewBlackDak]

Towed my 9000lb boat today to storage. Only about a 7 or 8 mile trip and mostly back roads but went up a small grade at about 20-25 MPH and was only turning about 2300 RPM but I didn't feel like the boat was holding me back at all.

Towing a boat is very different from a travel trailer/fifth wheel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dhay13]

Towing a boat is very different from a travel trailer/fifth wheel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At higher speeds it definitely is. At lower speeds on hills not much different. Less tongue weight with a boat but as long as you are slow enough that the wind does not affect you then it's still 9000lbs. I have towed both extensively so do agree they do have their differences. Just towed my sons 8100lb TT 1400 miles to Texas a few weeks ago

 

[scott lass 18]

mine at 30,000 had a burning smell kept dropping way down 1 st gear high rpm s going up a steep hill just box loaded so foundly change fluid amsoil transmission and filter and a turner fix it to go to 2nd high rpm s but a lot better up hill and at 60,000 still great now ! burning smell went away ! dealer said awww its ok oh well

 

[68PowerWagon]

Basically this is what I experienced but I seemed to have more power and speed loss. As I mentioned my RPM’s dropped way down and even with my foot to the floor would not increase. This is very puzzling as I am not certain if it is a programming issue with the transmission or something else. That is why I am wondering if possibly a custom tune would help.

A custom tune will help a little but it is not going to alleviate the whole problem. The gear set up in the tranny is poor. To compound the issue they under geared the rear end. It's ultimately up to you on how much money you want to spend to help the issue. Currently I am not in the position to go buy another truck that is a diesel or that has the new 8 spd tranny. So I saved up & did the gears first & then several months later installed a custom tune. I wouldn't have went out & even spent that much money but we have discovered we really enjoy doing this so we are doing it more often. We were out somewhere different at least every other weekend this summer. I would like to keep this truck a couple more years & at that time if we are still enjoying doing this I will see if I can bump up to a diesel at that time.

 

[Jversagejr]

I really don’t believe I was maxed out in trailer weight. The 5th wheel is just a little over 9000 lbs dry weight and the day I was towing my tanks and water were empty. So even with my normal stuff loaded in the storage bins I was no where near full capacity. I realize this is not a diesel but it show still be able to pull the camper up a hill.