2006 Ram 3500 DRW Cummins, 4 speed automatic, 3.73 gearing.My garage kept truck only has 91,000 miles on it and runs great. It pulled my 12,000 lb. 2006 Hitchhiker fine. I just bought a 2019 Cedar Creek 41' 5th wheel and it weighs about 14,000 lbs. wet. My truck now grunts to pull this beast, never had this before. Going 55 is ok but start a mild grade and it grunts to keep 55.......yes I even have it in tow/haul mode. EGT's are 1,100 to 1,200 degrees climbing the grade. I have a EDGE performance computer kit installed by I had it turned off keeping truck to factory power ratings (360hp). I do not want to go to level 1 (380hp) or Level 2 (400hp) because I believe that while the engine will be fine everything behind the flywheel is getting stressed (torque converter/flex plate/transmission). Any thoughts?

Me thinks the new trailer weights more than 2K more than the old one. Go drive a new RAM and don't look back. You get a 6 speed tranny(get the Aisin tranny), exhaust brake and a much more capable truck.Example the 40'7" 36CK2 has a dry weight of 13134 and GVWR of 16525. If you have loaded it up pretty good you are most likely closer to 16K than 14K. Chris

Your stock power was around 325. not 360. Also your tow rating is around 14,300 so you are over loaded. I would install a trans temp gauge immediately.You need to beef up your transmission, esp. with the extra power. A performance rebuild will turn it into a totally different machine. If you don't upgrade the trans, you will destroy it.

May need to look into a lower set of gears.

Me Again wrote:Me thinks the new trailer weights more than 2K more than the old one. Go drive a new RAM and don't look back. You get a 6 speed tranny(get the Aisin tranny), exhaust brake and a much more capable truck.Example the 40'7" 36CK2 has a dry weight of 13134 and GVWR of 16525. If you have loaded it up pretty good you are most likely closer to 16K than 14K. ChrisBut it doesn't have a million miles yet...LOL

Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!

2006 Ram 3500 DRW Cummins | Good Sam Community

srt20
Explorer
Jun 28, 2018
ScottG wrote:
srt20 wrote:
ScottG wrote:
camilllit wrote:
Thanks guys. The EDGE system does have all gauges (trans temp/egt's/fuel pressure, turbo boost, etc.
Its not overloaded because that was its wet weight when we towed it home new. We only load a few things, basement is nearly empty, all grey/fresh/black tanks empty. I forgot the factory hp was 325. FishOnOne, you are right. I'm checking into it tomorrow!

Unless you added a sending unit to the trans for the edge to read, it definitely can not read trans temp.
Stock, you truck has what is essentially a switch to turn on a dummy light when it's way too hot.

My 05 read trans temp off OBD with Edge CTS.

I drove 145K with 120hp added to stock 48RE. Of course I didnt drive like an idiot or do boosted launches. I did go WOT weekly. 3.73 gears as well.

Or you can do as someone else suggested and go drive a new truck.

Sorry but unless a sending unit was added, there's no way it can do that. It can, like the oil pressure gauge on your 05, simply make something up.

I understand what you are saying. But how does it just "make something up"? Wouldnt it be cheaper and easier to put a $5 dollar sensor in the trans?

I havent had a 48RE apart, so I do not know for fact if it has a sensor or not. But I do know the temp rises as it warms, the TC will not lock until it reaches 50*F, and when the TC is locked for long periods the temp falls.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jun 28, 2018
Temps in the tranny pan will tell you shortly after burning it up that "you over heated the tranny". Best place is measure the fluid temp is in the output line to the cooler(s). Things happen a lot quicker there.

Do you have an exhaust brake.
bucky
Explorer II
Jun 28, 2018
camilllit wrote:
Mine reads transmission temperature. It also does the following;

06-07 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Juice w/ Attitude CTS2 - 31504

Accel Pedal Position, Barometric Pressure, Battery Voltage, Boost, Calculated Load, Corrected Speed, Engine Coolant Temp, Engine Speed, Fuel Level, Fuel Rail Pressure, Gear, Gear with Reverse, Intake Air Temp, Manifold Air Pressure, Mileage Coach, MPG Instant, MPG Average, Output Shaft Speed, Throttle Position, Time 0-60, Time 1/4 mile, Trans Temp, Vehicle Speed

This is correct. 2006 was the first year for Dodge Ram that these parameters were available thru the OBD2 port. My 05 won't read squat in comparison. These parameters have been in use for years to control various vehicle functions and settings by the PCMs, ECMs and BCMs of modern vehicles and their increasingly sophisticated emission systems. It just took a very expensive factory or SnapOn/MacTool reader to access them. Heck, I can control a HVAC actuator to see why my defroster won't change modes or read other parameters in milliamps with the right scanner.
srt20
Explorer
Jun 28, 2018
bucky wrote:
camilllit wrote:
Mine reads transmission temperature. It also does the following;

06-07 Dodge 5.9L Cummins Juice w/ Attitude CTS2 - 31504

Accel Pedal Position, Barometric Pressure, Battery Voltage, Boost, Calculated Load, Corrected Speed, Engine Coolant Temp, Engine Speed, Fuel Level, Fuel Rail Pressure, Gear, Gear with Reverse, Intake Air Temp, Manifold Air Pressure, Mileage Coach, MPG Instant, MPG Average, Output Shaft Speed, Throttle Position, Time 0-60, Time 1/4 mile, Trans Temp, Vehicle Speed

This is correct. 2006 was the first year for Dodge Ram that these parameters were available thru the OBD2 port. My 05 won't read squat in comparison. These parameters have been in use for years to control various vehicle functions and settings by the PCMs, ECMs and BCMs of modern vehicles and their increasingly sophisticated emission systems. It just took a very expensive factory or SnapOn/MacTool reader to access them. Heck, I can control a HVAC actuator to see why my defroster won't change modes or read other parameters in milliamps with the right scanner.

My 05 actually read all of that stuff as well. I have an Edge CTS that reads all that stuff, except the mpg.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 28, 2018
OP, sorry to hear your truck is now “grunting “.
To the person who reccomended a new truck being the solution, he may be offering to buy you one?
In the mean time, you can turn the edge up a level or 2 without self destructing the trans, if you know how to drive and what to watch.
For the cost of re gearing, you could drive until the trans pukes , if it ever does , and only spend a little more to rebuke the trans.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Jun 28, 2018
And fwiw, the 48 re is pretty strong, just factory is a loose converter and sloppy vb.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 28, 2018
Grit dog wrote:
And fwiw, the 48 re is pretty strong, just factory is a loose converter and sloppy vb.

Crank up the line pressure as much as possible that will help some.
Durb
Explorer
Jun 28, 2018
My 2004.5 has the same running gear as you except 10 less ft-lbs. I tow 10k pounds and find that I wouldn't like to go higher. My engine is relatively stock and everywhere I go involves grades. It will do the job but My EGTs limit me before lack of power. I have heard that some tuners may actually reduce power in certain situations such as towing, but just here-say. I have almost exactly the same miles as you. Be a shame to have to upgrade that truck.

I have an Edge CTS and it does read transmission temperature off the OBD port. The readings fluctuate as would expect relative to driving conditions. The idea that the numbers are made up seems silly.

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