Rumor has it there is a new tailgate on the Dodge?

ib516 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:

FishOnOne wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Ram should have spent their money on a better transmission for their HD diesels so they can at least keep up with the 10-speeds Ford and GM are coming out with for their diesels. Then again, this isn't the first time Ram/Chrysler skimped on a good trans behind their diesels for stupid pointless **** that will hardly be used by most consumers.

I'm sure the cost to design a swinging door tailgate is is peanuts compared to the cost to develop a transmission. The fundamental problem with ram is they choose to essentially outsource their transmissions.

Well, that is not just limited to Ram. Ford outsourced thew design of most of their 6R transmissions(not the 6R140) to ZF, and then just built them in house. Ram could(and should) have done the same instead of their 68RFE or Aisin.

Don't get me wrong the Aisin is strong and reliable, but it's cr@py shifting is very slow cannot be tuned. The 68RFE stock shifting is better than the Aisin, but still not as good as the other offerings. You have to custom tune it to get it to shift like the others. The valve body and thin overdrive clutches are also cr@p on the 68RFE and need to be upgraded to handle any real power.

And don't even get me started on the cr@py stock inefficient torque converter that comes on all Ram HD's. That thing hardly puts any power to the ground unlocked and it's not until it locks in higher gears that the truck starts to pull like a train. My billet lower stall speed TC I put in front of my built 68RFE is way more efficient and made a world of difference on how much power gets to the ground in the first few gears when the TC is unlocked. Especially at wide open throttle.

Hopefully the fact that they upgraded the software and computer on the Aisin will make an improvement.

FWIW the Aisin is one of the strongest transmissions out there! you guys need to stop living in the past!

Rumor has it tailgate design is directly related to transmissions.

Me Again wrote:

IdaD wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
This sounds like an outstanding way to access the bed of the truck while still connected to a trailer.

Or to load the bed with a fork lift. Or to enter and exit the truck. Seems like a good well though out design.

I do think RAM does seem to be falling behind with the transmissions. But it wasn’t that long ago that the majority of posters here were certain that 6 speeds was all you need with the flat torque curve of today’s diesels. What changed?

To me it's a matter of diminishing returns. 3 to 4 gears is a bigger deal than 4 to 5 which is a bigger deal than 5 to 6 and so on. I do think more gears will benefit the gas rigs more because they have a narrower and higher torque curve compared to the diesels, but I'm sure the diesels will benefit too.

Benefit as in more shifting taking place to move forward, NOT! The RAMs with 4:10 gears could use a third over drive or taller gears out back and an extra granny gear. 10 would be a waste for 2 or 3 gears and the extra shifting. Chris

Also remember that the 10 speed transmission will not always use all ten gears when accelerating empty, but will most likely go thru all 10 when towing.

As for rams new swinging door design tailgate, it's a much better design concept that GM's flawed design. Having said that, I don't think I would option out a truck with either type of tailgate designs as of now for my use although when I first seen this design this morning the first thing I thought of was how much easier it would have been to unload those 15 bags of ready mixed from my truck bed recently.

FF286 wrote:
Is this going to be a heated tailgate to help when pushing the truck.




Lol. Just kidding.

Naw,,,, thats the one with the Bowtie.

IdaD wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
This sounds like an outstanding way to access the bed of the truck while still connected to a trailer.

Or to load the bed with a fork lift. Or to enter and exit the truck. Seems like a good well though out design.

I do think RAM does seem to be falling behind with the transmissions. But it wasn’t that long ago that the majority of posters here were certain that 6 speeds was all you need with the flat torque curve of today’s diesels. What changed?

To me it's a matter of diminishing returns. 3 to 4 gears is a bigger deal than 4 to 5 which is a bigger deal than 5 to 6 and so on. I do think more gears will benefit the gas rigs more because they have a narrower and higher torque curve compared to the diesels, but I'm sure the diesels will benefit too.

Benefit as in more shifting taking place to move forward, NOT! The RAMs with 4:10 gears could use a third over drive or taller gears out back and an extra granny gear. 10 would be a waste for 2 or 3 gears and the extra shifting. Chris

Bionic Man wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
This sounds like an outstanding way to access the bed of the truck while still connected to a trailer.

Or to load the bed with a fork lift. Or to enter and exit the truck. Seems like a good well though out design.

I do think RAM does seem to be falling behind with the transmissions. But it wasn’t that long ago that the majority of posters here were certain that 6 speeds was all you need with the flat torque curve of today’s diesels. What changed?

To me it's a matter of diminishing returns. 3 to 4 gears is a bigger deal than 4 to 5 which is a bigger deal than 5 to 6 and so on. I do think more gears will benefit the gas rigs more because they have a narrower and higher torque curve compared to the diesels, but I'm sure the diesels will benefit too.

Duplicate post

Complexity and weight were always issues for more gears in the transmission and additional features in the tailgate. Complexity is still high but weight seems to have leveled out.

My last pickup had a full barn door canopy on it pior to a truck camper. I removed and stored the tailgate for 10 years before mounting it again when I sold the truck. I guess I am not the market segment they are targeting.

TurnThePage wrote:
This sounds like an outstanding way to access the bed of the truck while still connected to a trailer.

Or to load the bed with a fork lift. Or to enter and exit the truck. Seems like a good well though out design.

I do think RAM does seem to be falling behind with the transmissions. But it wasn’t that long ago that the majority of posters here were certain that 6 speeds was all you need with the flat torque curve of today’s diesels. What changed?

This sounds like an outstanding way to access the bed of the truck while still connected to a trailer.