Unhappy with 6.4 hemi

[sandawilliams]

The 3.73s coupled with the 6.4 are absolute garbage.

Pulling a trailer or plowing snow, they suck. They're fine for the guy that tows once a month or year and just uses his truck to pickup groceries, but for actual work, they are terrible.

I've towed almost 55K with my 3.73's over all terrain with no problems. 8800 lb. trailer with 1500 in the bed. Noooo problems. I may go up the mountain in 2nd with the 4.10's going up in 3rd but big deal. Having operated heavy equipment and driven trucks for 40+ years you learn to get the best performance out of what your operating.

 

[sandawilliams]

The 3.73s coupled with the 6.4 are absolute garbage.

Pulling a trailer or plowing snow, they suck. They're fine for the guy that tows once a month or year and just uses his truck to pickup groceries, but for actual work, they are terrible.

I've towed almost 55K with my 3.73's over all terrain with no problems. 8800 lb. trailer with 1500 in the bed. Noooo problems. I may go up the mountain in 2nd with the 4.10's going up in 3rd but big deal. Having operated heavy equipment and driven trucks for 40+ years you learn to get the best performance out of what your operating.

 

[sandawilliams]

The 3.73s coupled with the 6.4 are absolute garbage.

Pulling a trailer or plowing snow, they suck. They're fine for the guy that tows once a month or year and just uses his truck to pickup groceries, but for actual work, they are terrible.

I've towed almost 55K with my 3.73's over all terrain with no problems. 8800 lb. trailer with 1500 in the bed. Noooo problems. I may go up the mountain in 2nd with the 4.10's going up in 3rd but big deal. Having operated heavy equipment and driven trucks for 40+ years you learn to get the best performance out of what your operating.

 

[sandawilliams]

The 3.73s coupled with the 6.4 are absolute garbage.

Pulling a trailer or plowing snow, they suck. They're fine for the guy that tows once a month or year and just uses his truck to pickup groceries, but for actual work, they are terrible.

I've towed almost 55K with my 3.73's over all terrain with no problems. 8800 lb. trailer with 1500 in the bed. Noooo problems. I may go up the mountain in 2nd with the 4.10's going up in 3rd but big deal. Having operated heavy equipment and driven trucks for 40+ years you learn to get the best performance out of what your operating.

 

[sandawilliams]

Seems this site posted my reply multiple times. Wont let me delete the multiple entries. Sorry.

 

[JD Mark]

I've towed almost 55K with my 3.73's over all terrain with no problems. 8800 lb. trailer with 1500 in the bed. Noooo problems. I may go up the mountain in 2nd with the 4.10's going up in 3rd but big deal. Having operated heavy equipment and driven trucks for 40+ years you learn to get the best performance out of what your operating.

And in my 6.7 I go up mountains in 5th or 6th without reducing my speed.

I've been pulling trailers since I was 15 with 318's, 360's (carburated and fuel injected) V10, 7.3s, 6.0s, 5.9's (including one in my F350 King Ranch) Cat 3126, a GMC with I don't even remember what engine, I6 in my Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. Running light, medium to some heavy equipment since I was 10. I'm not new to the towing game.

I stand by my statement that 3.73s coupled with 18" wheels and the 6.4 suck. It's a horrible combination. Especially if you don't manually select 4th gear, the transmission is constantly shifting. Shoot, even manually selecting 4th, it downshifts anytime you press on the go pedal.

Does it do the job? Yes. Is it a good match? Not in the slightest.

 

[sandawilliams]

And in my 6.7 I go up mountains in 5th or 6th without reducing my speed.

I've been pulling trailers since I was 15 with 318's, 360's (carburated and fuel injected) V10, 7.3s, 6.0s, 5.9's (including one in my F350 King Ranch) Cat 3126, a GMC with I don't even remember what engine, I6 in my Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. Running light, medium to some heavy equipment since I was 10. I'm not new to the towing game.

I stand by my statement that 3.73s coupled with 18" wheels and the 6.4 suck. It's a horrible combination. Especially if you don't manually select 4th gear, the transmission is constantly shifting. Shoot, even manually selecting 4th, it downshifts anytime you press on the go pedal.

Does it do the job? Yes. Is it a good match? Not in the slightest.

Michigan? Mountains? Try Monarch pass, Cottonwood pass, or any other high mountain passes in Colorado and you wont be pulling them in 5th or 6th.

 

[JD Mark]

Michigan? Mountains? Try Monarch pass, Cottonwood pass, or any other high mountain passes in Colorado and you wont be pulling them in 5th or 6th.

I bought it in Kalifornia because my Furd burned up outside of Vegas. I was towing my fifth wheel back on 70 doing just fine coming up to Eisenhower Tunnel until some idiot in a Subie flipped on their turn signal and started moving over in front of me. Hit the brakes and horn at the same time, then put my foot to the floor and accelerated the rest of the way to the top.

Pulled it through the Sierra Nevadas before heading home.

That was before pieces parts fell off. Now it's even better.

 

[2018 Hemi]

Another thing it didn’t keep in mind was pulling into gas stations with a 36’ RV instead of diesel truck lanes, sometimes it gets very tight

 

[2018 Hemi]

What gear do you have mine are 373

 

[JD Mark]

What gear do you have mine are 373

Me? 3.73

 

[JD Mark]

Michigan? Mountains? Try Monarch pass, Cottonwood pass, or any other high mountain passes in Colorado and you wont be pulling them in 5th or 6th.

Jut for grins and giggles...I used the Google to find out some info about those 2 you mentioned.

#1 2 lane roads, I was referring to 4 lane highways, with at least 2 lanes in the same direction.
#2 They both have curves and from what I can tell, 70 MPH with a 27' fifth wheel is nigh unto suicide on either one.
#3 Those are both pretty high, so definitely losing some HP due to altitude.
#4 Just cuz I live in Michigan does not mean I don't and can't travel outside of Michigan.

I bought my 2500 on August 1, by the time I got home on the 13th or 14th, I had over 5,000 miles on it. I put over 500 miles on it just driving around SoCal without my fifth wheel before we left for the rest of our trip.

 

[GsRAM]

And in my 6.7 I go up mountains in 5th or 6th without reducing my speed.

I've been pulling trailers since I was 15 with 318's, 360's (carburated and fuel injected) V10, 7.3s, 6.0s, 5.9's (including one in my F350 King Ranch) Cat 3126, a GMC with I don't even remember what engine, I6 in my Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. Running light, medium to some heavy equipment since I was 10. I'm not new to the towing game.

I stand by my statement that 3.73s coupled with 18" wheels and the 6.4 suck. It's a horrible combination. Especially if you don't manually select 4th gear, the transmission is constantly shifting. Shoot, even manually selecting 4th, it downshifts anytime you press on the go pedal.

Does it do the job? Yes. Is it a good match? Not in the slightest.

I won't go through the list of trucks I've had and all the trailers I've towed, but I've been towing trailers for nearly 30 yrs now with several half, 3/4, one ton and also semi truck.

Honestly, if that's how you feel, you should trade your truck and buy something your happy with. Life is too short. That's what I did the end of 2016 when I dumped a 1500 Silverado I hated.

How much weight are you towing? Your truck is geared the same as mine and I have no issues. Plenty of power, more than I need. Is the gearing what I feel it should be? No. 4.10s should be the standard gear and 4.44s optional. But to say a 3.73 geared
Truck is garbage for real work..i must respectfully disagree.

You need to match the truck to the task. If I was towing north of 10k I'd have a Cummins, period. But if one buys a 3.73 geared truck, then tows a 13k fiver one may not be happy with the performance. That does not make the 3.73/6.4/6 speed garbage or terrible, in my opinion that's a purchase error by the owner.

You don't buy a 16oz hammer to drive railroad spikes. Again, just my thoughts and opinions. I think my truck is great for what it is. Yes deeper gears and the new 8 speed would be wonderful I'm sure, but I've worked my truck hard and loaded it heavy and she's treated me well. I have no major complaints...just some nitpick stuff.

 

[2018 Hemi]

Yes I agree with you it was my mistake not using my head instead of loving the ride and power on the test drive. It’s a great truck just not what I was use to. I can see another Cummins in the future but won’t be towing much more with winter coming.

 

[GsRAM]

Yes I agree with you it was my mistake not using my head instead of loving the ride and power on the test drive. It’s a great truck just not what I was use to. I can see another Cummins in the future but won’t be towing much more with winter coming.

When I'm ready to retire and purchase a large 5th wheel to snowbird in, I'll be getting a one ton diesel powered truck (similar to the one Big Daddy just bought) no doubt about it.

 

[dhay13]

I have been towing since I was about 11 or 12. Yes...11 or 12...lol. My dad had a 1976 F250 4 speed and I towed it around the hay fields with a trailer while dad and his buddies tossed haybales on it. Started towing regularly when I was 16 (1985) and have owned a trailer of some type almost every year since. The heaviest being my current boat/trailer combo at about 9000lbs and 32' end to end.

My 2018 2500 6.4 4.10's pulls my 9000lb boat perfectly. Sure it revs. I have never owned a diesel and only driven a few and never towed with one so can't compare. My son has an 8000lb camper and towed it 3 hours with a company owned 2017 Duramax. He then bought his own 2018 2500 6.4 Hemi with 4.10s and a week later towed his camper 1500 miles. He complained about it at first saying it was a dud but then realized it wasn't a diesel and that it had to rev out then he said it wasn't that bad. Now granted we aren't towing 13000lbs either. But so far we are both happy with ours.

 

[2018 Hemi]

Glad to hear it they are very nice built trucks, this is my 3rd Ram but first gasser

 

[JD Mark]

Honestly, if that's how you feel, you should trade your truck and buy something your happy with. Life is too short. That's what I did the end of 2016 when I dumped a 1500 Silverado I hated.

Easier said than done. I have a fleet of 10 trucks, all work trucks. I have somewhat of a replacement schedule setup for them. We add plows, with the associated wiring and mounts; warning lights; letter them up; etc. Just because I don't like something that kind of works doesn't mean I can sell it and replace it just for that reason. It has to start costing me money in order to justify it.

The other issue is what is this doing to the tranny? Constant shifting is not good for trannies. Or the engine is getting lugged and still causing tranny issues.

How much weight are you towing? Your truck is geared the same as mine and I have no issues. Plenty of power, more than I need.

It varies...#3-12K.

Power is not the issue. Where that power is and how that power gets to the rear wheels is the issue. And what long term issues there might be is another issue.

You need to match the truck to the task. If I was towing north of 10k I'd have a Cummins, period. But if one buys a 3.73 geared truck, then tows a 13k fiver one may not be happy with the performance. That does not make the 3.73/6.4/6 speed garbage or terrible, in my opinion that's a purchase error by the owner.

I agree, I made the mistake in not researching better. But the salesman doesn't know any better either. When he tells me to tow in 4th gear, there's an issue. He buys a few dozen of these trucks specced the same to sell off the lot to landscapers\snowplowers. But it isn't the right gearing for either job. And that's obvious when he tells me to tow in 4th gear.

Pulling 5-6K, the tranny shouldn't downshift every single time I accelerate just a little...like on a slight grade (I'm in Michigan, we don't have grades like out west) or losing a couple miles an hour due to a headwind. That shows the gearing is wrong. Yes, I bought the truck. No, I will never buy another one setup the same. Very good chance I won't buy another 6.4 because of it.

 

[NewBlackDak]

Easier said than done. I have a fleet of 10 trucks, all work trucks. I have somewhat of a replacement schedule setup for them. We add plows, with the associated wiring and mounts; warning lights; letter them up; etc. Just because I don't like something that kind of works doesn't mean I can sell it and replace it just for that reason. It has to start costing me money in order to justify it.

The other issue is what is this doing to the tranny? Constant shifting is not good for trannies. Or the engine is getting lugged and still causing tranny issues.



It varies...#3-12K.

Power is not the issue. Where that power is and how that power gets to the rear wheels is the issue. And what long term issues there might be is another issue.



I agree, I made the mistake in not researching better. But the salesman doesn't know any better either. When he tells me to tow in 4th gear, there's an issue. He buys a few dozen of these trucks specced the same to sell off the lot to landscapers\snowplowers. But it isn't the right gearing for either job. And that's obvious when he tells me to tow in 4th gear.

Pulling 5-6K, the tranny shouldn't downshift every single time I accelerate just a little...like on a slight grade (I'm in Michigan, we don't have grades like out west) or losing a couple miles an hour due to a headwind. That shows the gearing is wrong. Yes, I bought the truck. No, I will never buy another one setup the same. Very good chance I won't buy another 6.4 because of it.

Install 4.88s/5.13s, and an ATS thermal bypass valve delete. You’ll be up in the power band quicker, and the tranny will run 15-20° cooler.


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[JD Mark]

Install 4.88s/5.13s, and an ATS thermal bypass valve delete. You’ll be up in the power band quicker, and the tranny will run 15-20° cooler.


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It's been considered.

On another note, I just replaced the thermal bypass valve on my '14 Cummins. It is running cooler, but not as much as it was. I will do some checking on that, thanks.