First time Ram buyer--6 vs. 8 speed? Other things to consider?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Ratman6161

Senior Member
Joined
May 16, 2022
Posts
243
Reaction score
256
Location
Buffalo, MN
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.4 Hemi
I thought they were dial select only...??
It is true that its dial select andnnot a column shifter. But I can manipulate and manually control what gear I'm in by using the + and - buttons. So the functionality to control Things as I want is there. It's just controlled a bit differently.
 

Ratman6161

Senior Member
Joined
May 16, 2022
Posts
243
Reaction score
256
Location
Buffalo, MN
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.4 Hemi
I would just like to add a clarification. The gear limit is not a manual gear selection. It only limits the top gear the truck will use. A manual mode would be more useful to me. The truck will still automatically shift between gears up to the top gear you specify.
Yes, but...no not really. They call it a limiter but I can manually kick it down to what ever gear I want so it's just semantics. If I click the - button it will limit the maximum gear to the gear it's currently in at the time.

So if I click the button and it reads 6 I can click it again to get 5 and again to get 4 etc. It doesn't exactly work the other way in that if it's in 6, I can't force it to 7 or 8....just set the maximum to 7 or 8 and wait for it to do It's thing. But I never really have a reason to force an up shift. It's always a down shift so effectively I have manual control. But I think that applies to every auto transmission I've owned. The only thing I've driven that has total manual control is an actual manual transmission.
 
Last edited:

Ratman6161

Senior Member
Joined
May 16, 2022
Posts
243
Reaction score
256
Location
Buffalo, MN
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Yep. And nobody needs a 2500 Ram to tow a 6,500 lb trailer.
My 1500 Eco Diesel has:
8 speeds,
No MDS (Mad Derangement System) on a diesel,
Manual Shift buttons on steering wheel,
Tow/Heavy duty button modifies shift points,
The highly convenient out of the way fun Spin O-Matic dial shifter on the dash,
3.92 gears,
tow capacity of 10,800 lbs
cargo capacity of 1600 lbs.

I can engage the cruise control in the mountains while towing a 6,500 lb trailer and kind of forget its back there.

While a gas engine revs higher (and is considerably noisier in the mountains) a properly equipped 5.7 Ram can tow and carry about as much, if properly equipped.

You don't need a 2500 Ram.
Nobody? Let me give you a scenario.

My travel trailer is heavier but it has a 13.2% tongue weight. A hypothetical 6500 pound trailer with that percentage would have a tongue weight of 858# . My WDH itself weighs 106# the OP's 1500 has a payload of 1490#.

1490 - 858 - 106 and he has only 526# of payload left.
Add a hypothetical 200# man + 130# woman and 2 100# kids and you get 530# worth of humans any you are over your payload...hope you don't want to have anything else like coolers, personal items etc.

Then again if it were only the two adults he could squeak by. Or if the tongue weight is something less than my 13.2% or any of a long list of other factors. My point is that "nobody needs a 2500" is a way o er broad statement. You won't really know until you get the as loaded rig on a scale
 

Dusty

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Posts
1,223
Reaction score
1,262
Location
Rochester, New York
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Are you saying that informed buyers are avoiding the 6-speeds? From my research it looks like both tranny's have been offered in 2500s since 2013. Is the 6-speed considered an overall lower quality transmission?
No. The RFE series (645RFE for 5.7s) are pretty stout and when well maintained are very reliable. The newer 8HP series appears to have few rivals for reliability, and are smooth shifting, more efficient transmissions. In the 3/4 ton trucks many are finding the very low geared, 1st and 2nd gears in the 8HP negates the need for 4.10 differential gearing.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 3 June 2018. Now at 81598 miles
 

Dusty

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Posts
1,223
Reaction score
1,262
Location
Rochester, New York
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 Hemi
25’ and 5200# towed occasionally? I’d buy a 1500.

With an 8 speed.
So would I.

I tow <6900 lbs. five or six times a year for 250 miles in sometimes hilly country...with a 3.21 axle, and the eight speed performs fantastically.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 3 June 2018. Now at 81598 miles
 

BadHemi2014

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Posts
827
Reaction score
1,437
Location
Greater Cincinnati area
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 Hemi
I'd rather have the 8spd, especially after I was told it could shave up to a full second off my quarter mile time!
But, the 65RFE in my 1500 has 134K trouble free miles. It's also a breeze to maintain esp with a lube locker gasket, I can change filters and fluid almost as easy as an oil change, no complicated procedure needed.
 
Top