3500 ho diesel trans

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Aero_Dave

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Feb 9, 2018
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Location
Boston
Ram Year
2015
Engine
Cummins 6.7
I had a 2015 3500 HO & Aisin & towed a 10k 5th-wheel. Never had any issues. Sold both truck & camper. Ordered a 2022 3500 HO & Aisin again, as I also just ordered a new 19k 5th-wheel. Let’s hope both truck & camper are good, once built. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Dave…
 

calkid

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Oct 23, 2017
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Location
High Desert Ca and Lake Havasu Az.
Ram Year
2021 3500 Cummins Laramie 4x4, 2015 2500 Cummins SLT 4x4
Engine
6.7
Went from a 2015 2500 with the 68RFE to a 2021 3500 H.O. Aisin. I wouldn't give up the extra torque of the H.O. because it shifts different. I find most comments about the Aisin are made by people that have never owned one or had an older one. I get very close in mileage than I did with my last truck, better when towing. I normally tow 13K and the H.O. doesn't work as hard as my last truck at that weight. The Aisin works as advertised, It's a true Medium Duty truck transmission. The best way to describe it is to compare it to a G.M. Turbo 400 behind a big block, very similar driving experience.
 

Gavin K

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Aug 7, 2020
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Location
Southern Maine
Ram Year
2021
Engine
CTD 6.7 (detuned for 4500)
I think you'll find most of the feedback on the Aisin comes from where people's expectations lie... if they expect light duty (GVRW < 14k) refinement, they'll be disappointed. If they have any experience with medium duty trucks (GVRW > 14k & < 26k), they'll find it to be a perfectly fine transmission that they never once have to worry about operating outside its limits (either on input torque or on output requested in terms of payload/towing).

I have it in my 4500CTD and have been extremely pleased with it (excepting the one 4-way intersection where I let off the accelerator to coast, only to then need a stab of power as a car came barrelling around the corner headed for my broadside.. it took a full half second to do anything :) Another forum member summed it up better by saying something to the effect of "any nitpicks you might have on unloaded days completely disappear when you haul/tow heavy with the Aisin. The damn thing actually gets better the harder you use it"
 

Billet Bee

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Jan 4, 2021
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Location
South Dakota
Ram Year
2020
Engine
Cummins 6.7 HOHD
I think you'll find most of the feedback on the Aisin comes from where people's expectations lie... if they expect light duty (GVRW < 14k) refinement, they'll be disappointed. If they have any experience with medium duty trucks (GVRW > 14k & < 26k), they'll find it to be a perfectly fine transmission that they never once have to worry about operating outside its limits (either on input torque or on output requested in terms of payload/towing).

I have it in my 4500CTD and have been extremely pleased with it (excepting the one 4-way intersection where I let off the accelerator to coast, only to then need a stab of power as a car came barrelling around the corner headed for my broadside.. it took a full half second to do anything :) Another forum member summed it up better by saying something to the effect of "any nitpicks you might have on unloaded days completely disappear when you haul/tow heavy with the Aisin. The damn thing actually gets better the harder you use it"
That must be why ours works so well then because we are ful timers that lug around a 27k fiver. I love my truck and wouldn't have any other. Yah you can experience a dead pedal if you let out of the throttle to coast and then immediately pick it back up but I've just trained myself on avoiding those situations
 

Gavin K

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Southern Maine
Ram Year
2021
Engine
CTD 6.7 (detuned for 4500)
but I've just trained myself on avoiding those situations
This training is what I'm working on right now -- makes for a pretty short list of issues, if I do say so.

Your fiver has a couple of tons on mine and confirms what I've heard from others -- those who haul heavy are consistently satisfied with it.
 

Billet Bee

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Jan 4, 2021
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Location
South Dakota
Ram Year
2020
Engine
Cummins 6.7 HOHD
This training is what I'm working on right now -- makes for a pretty short list of issues, if I do say so.

Your fiver has a couple of tons on mine and confirms what I've heard from others -- those who haul heavy are consistently satisfied with it.
Mine is billett silver like yours. My only concern with hauling heavy wasn't the aisin tranny but how would the factory auto leveling bags handle it ( since fca won't disclose there capability) and no issues or overload codes thus far, but I'm getting off topic i suppose
 

P B Casterlin

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Posts
73
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Location
NEPA
Ram Year
2019 3500 Dually
Engine
6.7 Cummins HO
Went from a 2015 2500 with the 68RFE to a 2021 3500 H.O. Aisin. I wouldn't give up the extra torque of the H.O. because it shifts different. I find most comments about the Aisin are made by people that have never owned one or had an older one. I get very close in mileage than I did with my last truck, better when towing. I normally tow 13K and the H.O. doesn't work as hard as my last truck at that weight. The Aisin works as advertised, It's a true Medium Duty truck transmission. The best way to describe it is to compare it to a G.M. Turbo 400 behind a big block, very similar driving experience.
This is good news. I was getting a little worried reading other comments. I ordered a 3500 Tradesman Dually with the HO and Aisin on March 17th. May the luck of the Irish be with this truck!
 

John Jensen

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San Diego County
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2016
Engine
Ecodiesel
Want to take all the "lag" out of it and make it run even better, get a Calibrated tune. Amazing! And now with SOTF, fun.

By the way, for those who don't know. The Aisin is the ONLY medium duty tranny among ALL the HD pickups. Only in the Ram.

A side note. When the SO gets tuned, the 68RFE has to be tuned/modified to handle the extra power. The Aisin can easily handle the added power.

Love my 2020 3500 HO and especially the Aisin.
 

madgoal1

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Joined
Feb 26, 2018
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Location
Florida
Ram Year
2020
Engine
H.O. Cummins
Have owned a 2016 and 2018 68RFE trucks, have extensive experience with an 18' Aisin, 17' G56, and a 2019 & 2022 68RFE through work. now own a 2020 Aisin truck, have 0 need for that much truck but would have been dumb not to grab it for the deal.

The 16 and 18 68RFE i really didn't like how they shifted, even after being tuned. random clunky shifts, and flaring stock, just felt super lazy. the 18 aisin was fine, occasional harsh shift but otherwise reminded me of my old LBZ with the allison, which i loved.
The 19 and 22 68RFE trucks performed much better than the 18 and older trucks. Calibration was much improved from factory, quicker shifting much less flare on the shifts overall much improved drivability.
20' aisin, still feels like my old allison. Has the occasional rough shift throttle position, low vehicle speed (1:2 shift). noticeable torque reduction in play in 1st-3rd gear when Engine is tuned, not as prevalent stock but i can still notice it. really wish i could tune the trans. firm positive shifts otherwise.

Truck is a Crew cab, standard bed, SRW, 4x4 and tuned (not a super aggressive tune) i am getting around 24mpg @ 70mph on flat ground with cruise control on. i dont tow so i cant give any figures on that
 

Billet Bee

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Joined
Jan 4, 2021
Posts
454
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Location
South Dakota
Ram Year
2020
Engine
Cummins 6.7 HOHD
Want to take all the "lag" out of it and make it run even better, get a Calibrated tune. Amazing! And now with SOTF, fun.

By the way, for those who don't know. The Aisin is the ONLY medium duty tranny among ALL the HD pickups. Only in the Ram.

A side note. When the SO gets tuned, the 68RFE has to be tuned/modified to handle the extra power. The Aisin can easily handle the added power.

Love my 2020 3500 HO and especially the Aisin.
100% agree. We haul a 27k fiver around the country and the aisin/ Cummins combo is perfect for us.
 
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