Sadly, saying goodbye.

[BradN]

A month ago, towing my reasonably light (3500#) toy hauler from New Mexico to Arkansas with my 2014 PW, I looked down and saw I was averaging 6-7 MPG.
Sadly (yes, I love this truck) I said, "I've got to get rid of this and buy a diesel." At the time I was bummed about having just spent $1800 on tires. Little did I know what awaited.
Two days later, a check engine light revealed a transmission code. Go to a respected transmission shop who dropped the pan and showed me a lot of metal.
Crap.
The shop owner stated, "Well, 107K miles is about right for a Dodge transmission."
A week later and $7000 lighter we headed back home to New Mexico.

To start my search for a Cummins, I called several transmission and diesel shops for recommendations on what year 2500 to look for regarding a good transmission for towing.
Without fail, the answer was a variant of; "Doesn't exist, buy a Chevy".
Damn.
Yeah, I know; ugliest truck made.

So, with great sadness, I leave the RAM world. I've ponied up for a 2020 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison 10sp that will (hopefully) work far better for it's intended purpose.

 

[2012RAM1500RT]

For 47 years I've been told to buy a ford or chevy. I've never once done it but you should do what works for you. Good luck. I will have to admit that the automatic transmission is something I won't brag on.

 

[Burla]

 

[turkeybird56]

OP yer choice. But wateva U do exceed the recommended GM maintenance schedule and stay at 7500 miles OCI.

Also keep an eye on the oil pump belt assembly back of motor. Most change out at 100K.

 

[chri5k]

Funny I Googled for “GM allison 10 speed transmission problems” and the second hit in the list was for a law firm offering lemmon law case evaluations. Hopefully that is not a sign of things to come for the OP.

 

[mikeru]

A month ago, towing my reasonably light (3500#) toy hauler from New Mexico to Arkansas with my 2014 PW, I looked down and saw I was averaging 6-7 MPG.
Sadly (yes, I love this truck) I said, "I've got to get rid of this and buy a diesel." At the time I was bummed about having just spent $1800 on tires. Little did I know what awaited.
Two days later, a check engine light revealed a transmission code. Go to a respected transmission shop who dropped the pan and showed me a lot of metal.
Crap.
The shop owner stated, "Well, 107K miles is about right for a Dodge transmission."
A week later and $7000 lighter we headed back home to New Mexico.

To start my search for a Cummins, I called several transmission and diesel shops for recommendations on what year 2500 to look for regarding a good transmission for towing.
Without fail, the answer was a variant of; "Doesn't exist, buy a Chevy".
Damn.
Yeah, I know; ugliest truck made.

So, with great sadness, I leave the RAM world. I've ponied up for a 2020 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison 10sp that will (hopefully) work far better for it's intended purpose.

You just dumped $8800 into your PW (tires and trans) and you dump it? I imagine it was paid off. How long will it take in fuel mileage savings to break even with the price you paid for the new truck? I get upgrading for quite a few reasons, but fuel economy isn't one of them. Especially on a truck that's paid off. Financially this doesn't make sense IMHO. You should just be honest with yourself and admit you just wanted a new truck

Anyway, getting a new vehicle is always exciting. Best of luck with your Chebby.

 

[Burla]

You just dumped $8800 into your PW (tires and trans) and you dump it? I imagine it was paid off. How long will it take in fuel mileage savings to break even with the price you paid for the new truck? I get upgrading for quite a few reasons, but fuel economy isn't one of them. Especially on a truck that's paid off. Financially this doesn't make sense IMHO. You should just be honest with yourself and admit you just wanted a new truck

Anyway, getting a new vehicle is always exciting. Best of luck with your Chebby.

The dude spent that on a check engine light and unless he is leaving something out, there is a couple bricks shy in his load. Like nothing wrong but mpg while towing and he shells out that stank on a truck that is running only to trade it. I feel stupider listening to these 1/2 stories to be honest. Buys a used diesel to tow a 3500 pound trailer around, check. Toss in the heavy heart stuff, common bud, he will know someday what we all know today, he will regret this.

Not saying we all don't hope it works out for the dude, but a famous guy once said stupid is as stupid does.

 

[turkeybird56]

Funny I Googled for “GM allison 10 speed transmission problems” and the second hit in the list was for a law firm offering lemmon law case evaluations. Hopefully that is not a sign of things to come for the OP.

That 10 speed was Ford/GM cluster. Ford having more probs than GM even.

 

[Jeepwalker]

What was the tranny code? No disrespect to the shop, and maybe it was totally legit, but I would never believe the ole 'shavings in a pan trick' from a tranny shop unless I saw them drop the pan and they directly carried it over to me (and the tech was wearing short sleeves! ).

I had a tranny shop do just that to me once in Phoenix many yrs ago when I took a recently-purchased car to a shop for a tranny fluid change. They showed me some shavings and a piece of aluminum & recommended a rebuild. Fortunately for me, I had rebuilt a couple GM automatic trannies by then, I couldn't place where that piece of metal would have been located in the case. I told them to continue to change the fluid. Then they kind of got aggressive on the rebuild...and didn't want to let me take the car. I had to threaten to call the cops. They changed it and I drove that car back to the midwest. Drove it a while. Sold it to my sister who drove it for a few more years. A couple months after the incident my aunt (who lived there) sent me a newspaper clipping about how the same shop (chain) got busted undercover trying to scam people for the same thing.

But hopefully in your case you did the right thing. My neighbor has almost the same truck (in white) and loves it. Tows like crazy. I've driven it. He told me to 'punch it' ...and oooh'd about the power. I didn't want to tell him that my Hemi seems to have more acceleration (empty).

 

[2012RAM1500RT]

I'm not trying to make fun of your truck OP (you said they were ugly yourself) but I've never been able to unsee this comparison.

 

[BradN]

Wow, didn't realize this place has more tools than Snap-On. Maybe not so sad to leave after all.
To answer a couple questions brought up here.
-Wife and I take the camper out for weekend trips every few weeks, 10-11 months/year, so yeah, turning 6 mpg into 16-18 mpg is a real thing. One trip to Salida (the nearest place we frequent) will save over 50 gallons of fuel.
-Yes, I wanted to go with a RAM but a was convinced otherwise by several independent (re: Not Chevy dealers) diesel and transmission shops. (but hey, you guys are the experts, right? My bad.)
-Yes, old truck was paid off. So is new one. Making this swap cost a whole $6K. And I end up with a truck that will most likely outlast the new transmission I just bought for the old one.
-Also, planning to upgrade to an overland-style camper that weighs closer to 6500#.
-Yea, I did all this over a check engine light, the pan full of shrapnel had nothing to do with it. Burla, I didn't tell 1/2 the story, you just read half of it.

 

[BradN]

View attachment 550022I'm not trying to make fun of your truck OP (you said they were ugly yourself) but I've never been able to unsee this comparison.

I don't disagree. In a beauty contest, RAM wins, hands down.
Unfortunately, that's the only contest it wins.

 

[ramffml]

Wow, didn't realize this place has more tools than Snap-On. Maybe not so sad to leave after all.
To answer a couple questions brought up here.
-Wife and I take the camper out for weekend trips every few weeks, 10-11 months/year, so yeah, turning 6 mpg into 16-18 mpg is a real thing. One trip to Salida (the nearest place we frequent) will save over 50 gallons of fuel.
-Yes, I wanted to go with a RAM but a was convinced otherwise by several independent (re: Not Chevy dealers) diesel and transmission shops. (but hey, you guys are the experts, right? My bad.)
-Yes, old truck was paid off. So is new one. Making this swap cost a whole $6K. And I end up with a truck that will most likely outlast the new transmission I just bought for the old one.
-Also, planning to upgrade to an overland-style camper that weighs closer to 6500#.
-Yea, I did all this over a check engine light, the pan full of shrapnel had nothing to do with it. Burla, I didn't tell 1/2 the story, you just read half of it.

Ram uses the excellent aisin 6 speed transmission in their 3500's, you could have bought one of those as it's not a dodge tranny.

But I guarantee you will never see 16 to 18 mpg pulling that load with a diesel if you got 6 with your gasser. You may see 10 to 12 if you're lucky.

 

[mikeru]

Wow, didn't realize this place has more tools than Snap-On. Maybe not so sad to leave after all.
To answer a couple questions brought up here.
-Wife and I take the camper out for weekend trips every few weeks, 10-11 months/year, so yeah, turning 6 mpg into 16-18 mpg is a real thing. One trip to Salida (the nearest place we frequent) will save over 50 gallons of fuel.
-Yes, I wanted to go with a RAM but a was convinced otherwise by several independent (re: Not Chevy dealers) diesel and transmission shops. (but hey, you guys are the experts, right? My bad.)
-Yes, old truck was paid off. So is new one. Making this swap cost a whole $6K. And I end up with a truck that will most likely outlast the new transmission I just bought for the old one.
-Also, planning to upgrade to an overland-style camper that weighs closer to 6500#.
-Yea, I did all this over a check engine light, the pan full of shrapnel had nothing to do with it. Burla, I didn't tell 1/2 the story, you just read half of it.

I think you're being optimistic with your fuel economy numbers there. But I'm sure you'll find that out on your own.

I'm no Dodge or Ram fanboy. I've owned Ford, Ram, Chevy, and GMC trucks. They all have their faults. But making a thread where you're in essence bashing on Ram trucks (or at least the transmissions in them) you have to expect a certain amount of push-back. And now you're bashing the forum members. Nothing good can come from this thread. I'm closing it down.