Well today was the day to do a couple test drives.Back ground. We are currently on our second Dodge/Cummins.We purchased a 1 or 2 year old 1993 Std Cab 4x4 Dodge/Cummins and drove and towed with it for around six or seven years. In June of 2001 we purchased a new 2001.5 Std Cab 4x4 Dodge/Cummins 235HP/460TQ auto tranny truck.In the summer of 2004 we upgraded from out 26' Terry 5th wheel to a 29' Cardinal 5th wheel. At 32K on the clock I had the 47RE transmission custom built for towing at DTT in BC, Canada, added stage one injectors, and a Edge Comp in timing only mode, DTT smart controller, replace the front half of me MagnaFlow SS 4" exhaust with a Banks 4" turbo mounted exhaust brake, Banks down tube and intermendiate pipe. Later came a PDR-35-12W turbo. At around 325HP and 650TQ at the rear wheels it tows our 12,400 pound trailer very well, delivering average fuel mileage of over 12MPG on long trips. The Dodge has 104K on the clock and is now broken in.So today we drive 40 miles up to Bellingham to drive a 2006 Quad cab SLT Dodge/Cummins 4x4 with auto tranny. It had 78K on the clock and look fairly clean for 32+K, which I think is over priced. Long and short of it was DW and I did not think that it was that much quieter on the freeway than our noisy old 24V Cummins. AND my cuurent truck would most likely run circles around it. Between the sloppy tranny/torque converter and stock hp/tq, I was not that impressed.So we leave the Honda dealer and cross the street and drive a block to the RAM dealer. Spend a lot of time talking to a couple nice guys Joe and Aldo, and then Aldo, DW and I take a 2013 Big Horn 4x4 LWB SRW 3500 400/850 with Aisin tranny for an extended 30 minute test drive.So I now know that a 3rd gen is not in the cards for me for a couple reasons. One they all seem to be over priced, and maybe they sell for a lot less than what you see them listed at. And number two I do not want another 47/48RE that needs thousand of dollars in upgrades. And number three, I want a 2013 or newer!!!!! DEF me baby! Talk about a nice truck!!!! DW really liked the backup camera! We talked a lot about the only offered 3.42 gears in the SRW 3500, maybe RAM will give in on that an allow the 3.73 at least.So I am ready, but wallet is not, DRATS! Did I say I really liked it? I really liked it!!!Off to buy a lotto ticket. Chris

Well after that "extended 30 hour test drive", you and Aldo should be pretty good buds!If not mistaken.......you do not need 3:73's.With that Aisin tranny all you need are those 3:42's

Old-Biscuit wrote:Well after that "extended 30 hour test drive", you and Aldo should be pretty good buds!If not mistaken.......you do not need 3:73's.With that Aisin tranny all you need are those 3:42'sOK, so it was only 30 minutes, my bad!!30 hours and it would be parked at home tonight!!!Regarding the gears. Both the RAM and Aisin trannies are double overdrive units and do not need the tall gears to cruise on the freeway at low RPM, so give us a choice like the duallies have, 3.42, 3.73 or 4.10's. Their logic is reversed.Aisin Seiki Six-Speed AS68RC (Dodge Cab and Chassis Only)Specifications: First gear: 3.74 n Second gear: 2.00Third gear: 1.34 n Fourth gear: 1.00Fifth gear: 0.77 n Sixth gear: 0.63Reverse: 3.54 .63 is a tall overdrive gear. My 47RE is .69!Chris

There is a current theead running about the weights of those things. Man they are heavy! My dually tips the scales ready to go right at 8000 pounds but the new ones are about 1200 pounds more. Thats crazy. Oh and my 4.10 rear end equipped sure does pull nice. And the fuel economy is every bit as good as the new ones with 3.42 gears.

The 2010+ body style is so much nicer than the 3rd gens.

I have the 68RFE 6spd auto running 3.42 pulling about 10-11k on the 13 Ram 2500 CTD and I don't notice really any difference between those gears and the 3.73s that I had on my 2012. I agree with you that the 13's are nice!

Dodge Test Drive(s) | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

john_bet
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2014
Me Again wrote:
rhagfo wrote:
Get a better than stock rebuild on the Trans and have at it.

Yes, Russ it is going to be rebuilt to towing standards.

In 2004 with 32K on the clock, DTT built the tranny for towing with their 89 percent torque converter, billett input shaft, billet direct drum, billet accumulator and servo, their special level and billet struts, towing valve body and DTT smart controller for use of the Bank 4" turbo mounted exhaust brake.

Torque converter was the last of the single disc units. The extra steels and friction plates in direct stack resulted in the milled down direct clutch pressure plate that broke. Not sure why it broke, other than the smart controller does do lock to lock shifts!

This time it is getting a billet triple disc torque converter, new governor pressure sensor and soleniod, freshen up friction stuff.

Chris
I had my 48re with 154k on it rebuilt this past Sept with heavy duty parts and a brand S triple disc. The convertor shelled out with 2060 miles on it 25 miles out of Glendive, MT. A single disc was put in along with a new pump to get me home. Shop redid it with a brabd G triple disc. Have not towed with it yet as winter came along. Spring is comen. Maybe.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jan 31, 2014
rhagfo wrote:
Get a better than stock rebuild on the Trans and have at it.

Yes, Russ it is going to be rebuilt to towing standards.

In 2004 with 32K on the clock, DTT built the tranny for towing with their 89 percent torque converter, billett input shaft, billet direct drum, billet accumulator and servo, their special level and billet struts, towing valve body and DTT smart controller for use of the Bank 4" turbo mounted exhaust brake.

Torque converter was the last of the single disc units. The extra steels and friction plates in direct stack resulted in the milled down direct clutch pressure plate that broke. Not sure why it broke, other than the smart controller does do lock to lock shifts!

This time it is getting a billet triple disc torque converter, new governor pressure sensor and soleniod, freshen up friction stuff.

Chris
Bill1374
Explorer
Jan 31, 2014
Currently running an 06 quad longbed, it pulls like a dream. I just downsized from a 36 foot Hitchhiker at 16k to my Crossroads.On the road with my Dyna and motorcyle lift in the bed, all is well.

Sitting in the yard at home is a nice 96 extended cab with 95k on the 12 valve. When I go back north, I'm going to be working on that to go back on the road and sell the 06. It's box stock now but just needs a couple of tweeks to be good for me.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Jan 31, 2014
Me Again wrote:

..........
In the summer of 2004 we upgraded from out 26' Terry 5th wheel to a 29' Cardinal 5th wheel. At 32K on the clock I had the 47RE transmission custom built for towing at DTT in BC, Canada, added stage one injectors, and a Edge Comp in timing only mode, DTT smart controller, replace the front half of me MagnaFlow SS 4" exhaust with a Banks 4" turbo mounted exhaust brake, Banks down tube and intermendiate pipe. Later came a PDR-35-12W turbo. At around 325HP and 650TQ at the rear wheels it tows our 12,400 pound trailer very well, delivering average fuel mileage of over 12MPG on long trips. The Dodge has 104K on the clock and is now broken in.

So we leave the Honda dealer and cross the street and drive a block to the RAM dealer. Spend a lot of time talking to a couple nice guys Joe and Aldo, and then Aldo, DW and I take a 2013 Big Horn 4x4 LWB SRW 3500 400/850 with Aisin tranny for an extended 30 minute test drive.
...........

Off to buy a lotto ticket.

Chris

#1. you will not find a Gen3 truck as good as the one you have right now, the cab maybe nicer, but you have the necessary power.
With the 01 just at 104,000 it has tons of life left in, start a truck fund and start making payment to it, then this year or next maybe you can get a sweet deal on a year end close out unit.

Mine is still pulling strong at 268,000, 32' Copper Canyon @11,000#. Get a better than stock rebuild on the Trans and have at it.
djcjc
Explorer
Jan 30, 2014
you guys are all way to technical for me I bought a 2012 Mega Cab dually brand new last summer with the cummings diesel and a 4:10 rear end pulling a 30 ft Jayco TT. I love the truck and the way it pulls the TT sway is gone and enough power to pull anything fuel mileage sucks but I knew that going in.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jan 30, 2014
Did they give you an idea of what it will take to make it road worthy again?
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jan 30, 2014
Me Again wrote:

In June of 2001 we purchased a new 2001.5 Std Cab 4x4 Dodge/Cummins 235HP/460TQ auto tranny truck.

In the summer of 2004 we upgraded from our 26' Terry 5th wheel to a 29' Cardinal 5th wheel. At 32K on the clock I had the 47RE transmission custom built for towing at DTT in BC, Canada, added stage one injectors, and a Edge Comp in timing only mode, DTT smart controller, replace the front half of me MagnaFlow SS 4" exhaust with a Banks 4" turbo mounted exhaust brake, Banks down tube and intermendiate pipe. Later came a PDR-35-12W turbo. At around 325HP and 650TQ at the rear wheels it tows our 12,400 pound trailer very well, delivering average fuel mileage of over 12MPG on long trips. The Dodge has 104K on the clock and is now broken in.

And the custom tranny failed!!!!

Chris

Rather then a new truck we are rebuilding the transmission in our 2001. Chris

Well spent the morning at the tranny shop, and this is what we found. Broken 'direct clutch pressure plate'.

So for those the are interested. The part that broke is number 26 in the on left of second line.

To add more clutches and the part being squared off, they use a direct clutch pressure plate that is machined down like this around the out edge where the snap ring goes.
larry_barnhart
Explorer
Oct 15, 2013
45Ricochet wrote:
Got to hand it to you Chris, you withstood a 30 minute test drive and came home empty handed :B I know I couldn't have done that. Lucky for me the closest Ram dealer is 75 miles away so the temptation rarely enters my mind. Sure glad I don't use the dealer for PM's :W

All the guys running 3.42's over on the Cummins Forum are happy about the towing. Don't think I've heard one complaint yet!

OBTW Donn

NC's 2013 DRW loaded Longhorn weighed in at 9140, not sure where you saw the 12k weight. But yeah 9140 is about 1k more than mine so they are heavy.

Easy for me to figure if the payload and towing capacity is that high the truck needs to be heavier.
chevman
Me_Again
Explorer III
Oct 15, 2013
45Ricochet wrote:
Got to hand it to you Chris, you withstood a 30 minute test drive and came home empty handed :B I know I couldn't have done that. Lucky for me the closest Ram dealer is 75 miles away so the temptation rarely enters my mind. Sure glad I don't use the dealer for PM's :W

All the guys running 3.42's over on the Cummins Forum are happy about the towing. Don't think I've heard one complaint yet!

OBTW Donn

NC's 2013 DRW loaded Longhorn weighed in at 9140, not sure where you saw the 12k weight. But yeah 9140 is about 1k more than mine so they are heavy.

Well they must have played with torque limiting at the lower RPM's(unleashed), as in the past they have been very restricted down at lower RPM's to make these very tall gears work. It was based on the need to higher RPM's in the past to get transmission line pressure up to hold torque converter locked etc. Bill at DTT coached me when towing not to rolling into the power below 1800 rpm's for this reason.

Chris
45Ricochet
Explorer
Oct 15, 2013
Got to hand it to you Chris, you withstood a 30 minute test drive and came home empty handed :B I know I couldn't have done that. Lucky for me the closest Ram dealer is 75 miles away so the temptation rarely enters my mind. Sure glad I don't use the dealer for PM's :W

All the guys running 3.42's over on the Cummins Forum are happy about the towing. Don't think I've heard one complaint yet!

OBTW Donn

NC's 2013 DRW loaded Longhorn weighed in at 9140, not sure where you saw the 12k weight. But yeah 9140 is about 1k more than mine so they are heavy.