Horsepower is horsepower?
If that theory is true (in real circumstances), then a 385hp 6.7L Cummins diesel shouldn't spank a 381hp Toyota Tundra when both are tested 0-60 towing a 5740# boat. But it did. Must be the adva...
Forum Discussion
Hybridhunter wrote:Turtle n Peeps wrote:
4 plus lockup.
Gears don't make HP. Sure if I had a 6 speed in my 6.5 it may be a touch faster but that's about it.
My tractor has 12 speeds forward and I can keep it just where I want it to RPM wise. Tons of torque, just no HP, just like my pickup. It's no speed demon because it does not have a lot of HP; the same problem that this new dodge is going to have.
Remember, this trucks direct competition is going to be two trucks: 1 with over 120 more HP and the other with 60 more HP. And lets not forget the Yoda with over 400HP on tap. :E This truck and engine will get killed in a towing contest.
Yep. More gears only help with acceleration, or if there is not the correct gear for the task. The 6 speed on my truck has a shortish 2nd and a too tall 3rd for climbing steep at altitude. A tallish 2nd from a 4 speed trans would provide the perfect climbing ratio, so more speeds can leave gaps too. I can see why the journo's rave about the dodge 8 speed. Even with the low torque "pentastar" V6 in the Ram, they say it works.
Even then it depends.
The car I drove was quicker with a PowerGlide then a T400. Even though the T400 kept it in the band a little better, the Glide kept it there good enough and still beat it with less gear changes.
About all gears do in a towing situation is make sure you have enough torque to make it to the top of the hill. But the more gear you grab the slooooooower you go. Grab another gear; go even slower.
There is a reason an older Big Cam Cummins was topping a hill at 15 to 20 MPH even with 16 gears. Still did not help speed at the top of the hill even with all those gears.
You want to run fast? That takes HP.
