Test drove a new 3500Cummins, left me disappointed and confused

[neverhme]

Guys I was ready to pull the trigger but found the truck did not have the Asian transmission #1 I had no idea you could even get the cummins with the old school mopar 6 speed, is this the same trans as my 2015 6,4 hemi uses?, i was upgraded to handle more loads in my dump trailer for my landscape biz. #2 so I go to build a ram and you cannot even order a 3500 REGULAR cab 4x4 cummins with it?, now things are getting weird cuz the dealer DOES have a 3500 dually cab and chassis cummins in stock WITH the Aisan trans. in it. Now I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but most guys work trucks ARE reg. cabs and we plow we pull we work the truck and need that trans alot more them billybob look at me with the laramie package does.

 

[tjfdesmo]

The SO Cummins comes with the 68RFE. It is not the same as the 66RFE, but it is no Aisin.

The pickup HO comes only with the Aisin, as does the C&C tuned engine.

Pure speculation, but the order window, or some configurations may become limited as they (hopefully) move toward building 2025s.

You may want to wait for the 2025, as they are rumored to have the ZF Powerline 8 speed, which should be a homerun.

Check with @AnthonyRI on 2025 info updates.

 

[markabby]

who is this BillyBob guy?

 

[jejb]

Just more info. The SO (standard output) Cummins and the HO (high output) Cummins are the same displacement, but the HO has more power, obviously. The Aisin tranny is the only option with the HO. So if you find an HO truck, you know it has the 8 speed in it.

 

[tjfdesmo]

So if you find an HO truck, you know it has the 8 speed in it.

Not yet. The Aisin is still a six speed. The rumor for '25 is that with the advent of the ZF 8 speed, the HO (specs TBD) will be the only Cummins.

 

[06 Dodge]

Based on the release of build info on 11/15/24 the build sheets for both 2500 & 3500 trucks only list one Cummins engine and one transmission sales code DFM ( saw a photo of the trans tag on another site) of course of you buy a truck with a Hemi you get the 8HP75-LCV.. Also read the Cummins will be rated at 430/1075

 

[tjfdesmo]

Based on the release of build info on 11/15/24 the build sheets for both 2500 & 3500 trucks only list one Cummins engine and one transmission sales code DFM ( saw a photo of the trans tag on another site) of course of you buy a truck with a Hemi you get the 8HP75-LCV.. Also read the Cummins will be rated at 430/1075

You beat me to it!

 

[jejb]

Not yet. The Aisin is still a six speed. The rumor for '25 is that with the advent of the ZF 8 speed, the HO (specs TBD) will be the only Cummins.

My bad. I thought the Aisin was an 8.

 

[M376X6]

My 2022 3500 with the HO Cummins has the 6 speed Aisin.

 

[nlambert182]

Both the Aisin and 68RFE are 6-speeds.

Aisin - dipstick on the driverside
68RFE - dipstick on the passenger side

OP - I wouldn't shy away from either transmission. Been running them for over a decade and as long as you take care of it and don't beat it like it owes you money, don't delete/tune it and crank up the HP, it will be fine.

 

[68PowerWagon]

My bad. I thought the Aisin was an 8.

Nope... we all wish it was. Hopefully the new ZF will be just as robust. I think I will wait a year or two to find out how well it does.

 

[tjfdesmo]

Nope... we all wish it was. Hopefully the new ZF will be just as robust. I think I will wait a year or two to find out how well it does.

Hardware-wise I am pretty confident in the ZF durability. Ram's programming and integration... ???

Rumors of some changes to the Cummins that I do not favor. Supposedly glowplugs instead of grid warmer. Supposedly the injector pump does not look like a CP3 derivative, but more like the dreaded CP4. If that turns out to be true, I'll be keeping my '24 for a while.

Still all speculation until Ram coughs up some specifics.

 

[68PowerWagon]

Hardware-wise I am pretty confident in the ZF durability. Ram's programming and integration... ???

Rumors of some changes to the Cummins that I do not favor. Supposedly glowplugs instead of grid warmer. Supposedly the injector pump does not look like a CP3 derivative, but more like the dreaded CP4. If that turns out to be true, I'll be keeping my '24 for a while.

Still all speculation until Ram coughs up some specifics.

Yeah I would have thought they would have learned their lesson with the CP4! Their grid heater does need to be replaced with something. It just seems very inefficient the way they have it in there. And the more carbon that clings on to it the worse it gets. My truck only had 5k on it when I took mine out & it already was coated pretty well.