Finally got a chance to tow with the 6.4

[Firebird]

It towed fantastic! I am just blown away with how easily this thing moves the camper. Prior to this, I have always towed with a Cummins, and honestly, I didn't miss the diesel.

 

[14hemiexpress]

Congrats nice view! Glad to hear more positive towing reviews.

 

[392DevilDog]

The 392 Hemi and now especially with the 8 spd has narrowed the need for a diesel.

As soon as a person realizes that Hemi likes to turn over 3000 rpm...it is just sweet music to the ears

Glad to hear you feel the sane as me.

We are camping this weekend. The temperature is perfect

I love September

 

[Fitz-0518]

^^^You are making a good point that for some maybe obvious but for others needs to be explained. The Diesel versus Gas choice in the 2500 and 3500 is a choice that many of us considered carefully. I do not believe RAM did a good job explaining what and why the 6.4HD for our trucks was/is a highly credible towing choice. Your point regarding the RPM curve and trans design is the secret to why our towing experience is so satisfying. When I replaced my wife's 07 Mega Cab with the 2018 2500 and a larger horse trailer, I thought I would be stuck with paying another $10,000 for the Diesel. Higher maintenance cost and higher fuel cost. This forum helped me understand that the 6.4HD is a truck towing design engine. Not the answer for all towing. But a solid choice many of us. Fitz

 

[392DevilDog]

It took me two trips to explain this to my wife.

The first trip...she said...well the Cummins never downshifts. I tried to explain reason to her...but well, you know.

I did finally explain the Torque range difference.

I told her...the truck loves to be at 4000 RPM.

The next trip I selected 2nd gear to hit 4000 RPM...and we just flew up the hill...she said she gets it now...and do not ever tow that fast again.

6.4l BGE....BIG GAS ENGINE.

The reason the 5.7 liter Hemi ia now gone is...because it was not designed to be a HeavyDuty cycle engine.

The 6.4l goes through the same 300,000 mile tests as the Cummins.

The 5.7l could only be rated to 9000 GVWR in the 2500 and could not be used in 3500 DRW applications. (For 4th Gen).

The 6.4l has the same 10k GVWR as the Cummins and can be used in the DRW 3500 at capacity.

The biggest hurdle RAM has...is defeating the loyal Cummins customer. The Cummins has legendary power...but the 6.4l will do what 97% of people need their Cummins to do.

Just got to enjoy the chorus of 410 horses hiting the pavement at 4000 RPM

 

[Travelin Ram]

I love my 6.4, and it’s fine, up to a point for towing. However as someone who tows heavy and often, I’d not choose it over a diesel. Because of the fuel bill, and the music gets old after enough days behind the wheel.

For use within spec, it is a great choice for a truck that is driven more often without a tow.

 

[Ramrodd]

I just got our 2019 2500 Saturday and I had to go get our travel trailer Tuesday. Like y’all said above it is so much nicer than the 2009 1500 hemi 5 speed I had. It towed our trailer like it wasn’t even back there. The 6.4 and the 8 speed mated together are tuned very well and it isn’t a white knuckle experience anymore. I was very surprised at how well it did.


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[NH RAM]

The 6.4 tows well, for what I have. When shopping for a 5W (got tired of towing a travel trailer) I kept the dry weight under 10k so I could keep the loaded weight below 12k and have a couple thousand as a buffer. I also heard that the 6.4 tows well up to about 10k pounds, so I didn't want to go over the recommended weight by other users. My Cougar is 33'6" and a bit over 9,000 dry; I don't have a wet weight yet, but I estimate around 10,500 loaded. Traveling 5 hours between NH and Maine has been easy so far with no concerns for power or maintaining speed; I do try to stay below 70 to conserve a bit of fuel. For this weight, there is no NEED for a diesel and I rarely get to 4000rpms- maybe once or twice per trip.

If I was traveling full-time or regularly with my 5W, as TravelinRam pointed out, I might opt for diesel as the fuel pumps for diesel's always have a nice long, straight approach off the highways whereas the gasoline pumps are far less convenient and occasionally damn near impossible to use with a large trailer. I would also appreciate lower rpm power, but it's not a concern.

The 6.4 has it's place, as does the Cummins. I'm just glad we now have two, technically three, solid engine choices- I never really considered the 6.4 with the 6 speed a solid choice for towing unless it had 4.10's because of the trans gearing gap, but even then it left a lot to be desired.

 

[Ramrodd]

I haven’t towed but for maybe 10 miles, but what kind of fuel mileage are you guys getting and at what speed. I don’t plan on going over 65


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[NH RAM]

I haven’t towed but for maybe 10 miles, but what kind of fuel mileage are you guys getting and at what speed. I don’t plan on going over 65


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For my trips so far, my evic shows an average of 9 mpg between 63-70 each time; my goal is usually 65mph. That's towing my previous travel trailer (7500# loaded and 31' long) from New Hampshire to South Dakota and back, as well as towing my 5W from NH to Maine and back a couple times (500+ miles each trip).

 

[Fitz-0518]

My wife tows her 2 horse goose neck sleeper with our 2018 2500 6speed 2wd quad cab. The wet weight is 7800-8200 pounds with water tank, horse and all the comforts of home. Her "Horse Camp" tow trips are from Central Ca to the Coast or up to the Sierra's. Many up and down hills and a couple mountain pulls. In tow haul, we believe MDS is off. So her average tow mileage is running 9-12 MPG. She keeps to the right lane and likes 60-65 for safety.
Around town, with manual gear selection set at 6 which disables the MDS. We get 14 to 16. We have gotten as high as 18 on a flat road trip. Fitz

 

[dhay13]

Just towed my sons TT 1400 miles with his 2018 2500 6.4 with 4.10's. I checked 4 fill ups and the worst was 8.0 and the best was 8.5. We were doing about 67 or so the whole way. Doubt there would be much difference with the 8 speed at highway speeds. You might see a difference at stop and go speeds but I think highway driving would be very similar.

I have never driven one with the 8 speed but I have no issues with the gear spacing on the 6 speed

 

[Firebird]

Just towed my sons TT 1400 miles with his 2018 2500 6.4 with 4.10's. I checked 4 fill ups and the worst was 8.0 and the best was 8.5. We were doing about 67 or so the whole way. Doubt there would be much difference with the 8 speed at highway speeds. You might see a difference at stop and go speeds but I think highway driving would be very similar.

I have never driven one with the 8 speed but I have no issues with the gear spacing on the 6 speed

The 8 speed in my 2019 is so much nicer to drive than my 2018 with 6 speed, it transforms the truck!

 

[14hemiexpress]

I haven’t towed but for maybe 10 miles, but what kind of fuel mileage are you guys getting and at what speed. I don’t plan on going over 65


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When I pulled my dads trailer 8600lbs about 500 miles round trip I averaged 8.5. On the way there I was holding 10mpg for a long time until I hit bad weather then it dropped to 9 and had head wind on the way home. 55-60 the whole way.

I'm about to make another trip and I'm going to baby it and hope for 9mpg round trip.