I’ve heard a number of Cummins fans saying they are waiting for an 8 or 10 speed transmission before getting a new truck. Why? Does the Cummins struggle to get your trailer moving from a stop? Or are you running higher rpm cruising than you’d like? Or is it just because Ford and GM have 10 speeds?

Because it is MOAR! speeds?10 speeds and more are needed to optimize gas engines.Why not use them in diesels too? Diesels don’t care.

Not needed. More speed towing is dangerous for many reasons, and you achieve a good speed now. Lugging any engine while pulling a weight not good either. Continual searching for correct gears can't be good. The best overall range for towing with that Cummins is around 1800 RPM so in my opinion not needed.

4x4ord wrote:I’ve heard a number of Cummins fans saying they are waiting for an 8 or 10 speed transmission before getting a new truck. Why? Does the Cummins struggle to get your trailer moving from a stop? Or are you running higher rpm cruising than you’d like? Or is it just because Ford and GM have 10 speeds?Well our old 2001 Ram 2500 with Cummins 5.9 and 3.55 gears, worked to get going off the line, it didn't struggle, but it was working to get our 13,000# 5er moving, we likely had about 300 hp and 610 torque. Now the same 5er behind the 2016 Ram CDT with Aisin and 3.73, 385 hp and 850 torque seems to not really working at all. Our towing (pulling) rating is 25,224#, so moving about half of what it is rated to pull.The old Ram was pulling about 1,000# more than it was rated at stock.

It just seems that all truck manufacturers are going to higher numbers of gears. I'm not sure its needed in a diesel though, but I'm not an engineer... heck I've never even been on a train before.That said, I've never felt the need for more gears in my CTD. Plenty of grunt to get moving off the line and most of the time I'm towing its in 6th gear and rarely downshifts. Seems to me that Ram knows how the engine is supposed to work and designed a transmission that keeps the powerband where it needs to be.

rhagfo wrote:4x4ord wrote:I’ve heard a number of Cummins fans saying they are waiting for an 8 or 10 speed transmission before getting a new truck. Why? Does the Cummins struggle to get your trailer moving from a stop? Or are you running higher rpm cruising than you’d like? Or is it just because Ford and GM have 10 speeds?Well our old 2001 Ram 2500 with Cummins 5.9 and 3.55 gears, worked to get going off the line, it didn't struggle, but it was working to get our 13,000# 5er moving, we likely had about 300 hp and 610 torque. Now the same 5er behind the 2016 Ram CDT with Aisin and 3.73, 385 hp and 850 torque seems to not really working at all. Our towing (pulling) rating is 25,224#, so moving about half of what it is rated to pull.The old Ram was pulling about 1,000# more than it was rated at stock.The 2021 Cummins makes 1075 lbft of torque and Ram quit offering the 3.42 gears.

Why do you Cummins guys want more gears | Good Sam Community

157 Replies

FishOnOne
Nomad
Apr 04, 2021
Huntindog wrote:
ShinerBock wrote:
noteven wrote:
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^

It is reference to the fact that the current Allison 10 speed in the HD trucks was not designed or built by Allison. It was designed by a joint collaboration between GM and Ford. GM builds the transmission in house and just slaps an Allison badge on it.

Personally I wouldn't care either way as long as it works, but Cummins12V98 has a hardon against anything Allison, fake or real. Maybe his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend was named Allison? That would explain a lot.....

Just pockin' fun Cummins12V98..... But you have to admit, this hatred for anything Allison is a bit irrational.
I am pretty sure that the Ford/GM joint venture was only for the 1/2 ton tranny.

Huntindog for once is correct..
Huntindog
Explorer
Apr 04, 2021
ShinerBock wrote:
noteven wrote:
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^

It is reference to the fact that the current Allison 10 speed in the HD trucks was not designed or built by Allison. It was designed by a joint collaboration between GM and Ford. GM builds the transmission in house and just slaps an Allison badge on it.

Personally I wouldn't care either way as long as it works, but Cummins12V98 has a hardon against anything Allison, fake or real. Maybe his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend was named Allison? That would explain a lot.....

Just pockin' fun Cummins12V98..... But you have to admit, this hatred for anything Allison is a bit irrational.
I am pretty sure that the Ford/GM joint venture was only for the 1/2 ton tranny.
MFL
Nomad II
Apr 04, 2021
ShinerBock wrote:
noteven wrote:
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^

It is reference to the fact that the current Allison 10 speed in the HD trucks was not designed or built by Allison. It was designed by a joint collaboration between GM and Ford. GM builds the transmission in house and just slaps an Allison badge on it.

Personally I wouldn't care either way as long as it works, but Cummins12V98 has a hardon against anything Allison, fake or real. Maybe his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend was named Allison? That would explain a lot.....

Just pockin' fun Cummins12V98..... But you have to admit, this hatred for anything Allison is a bit irrational.

Allison hater....NOPE...here is my Allisen on back of bike!

Jerry
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Apr 04, 2021
ShinerBock wrote:
noteven wrote:
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^

It is reference to the fact that the current Allison 10 speed in the HD trucks was not designed or built by Allison. It was designed by a joint collaboration between GM and Ford. GM builds the transmission in house and just slaps an Allison badge on it.

Personally I wouldn't care either way as long as it works, but Cummins12V98 has a hardon against anything Allison, fake or real. Maybe his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend was named Allison? That would explain a lot.....

Just pockin' fun Cummins12V98..... But you have to admit, this hatred for anything Allison is a bit irrational.

How the HE!! do you know I have “hatred” ???

I don’t hate, I simply am pointing out fact. I thought you were all about that.

I have never said one bad thing about the GM or Ford transmissions in the current offerings.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Apr 04, 2021
noteven wrote:
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^

The “Allison” in the current GM light duty class 3 trucks are made by GM and are “Allison branded”.

Smoke and mirrors I say.
Grit_dog
Navigator III
Apr 04, 2021
Lol at Shiners post!
Grit_dog
Navigator III
Apr 04, 2021
ksss wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
There is NOTHING in writing stating RAM is changing transmissions.

There has been talk of a REAL Allison also.

Is there something wrong with the fake Allison? I have had 7 of them never spent a dime on one except to change the fluid. As long as they work they should, I could care less if its a 'Real" Allison or GM's version of a "Real Allison".

No, there’s nothing definitive posted publicly about Ram switching save for teasers from a couple years ago. Just like most new model/feature roll outs. But they’ve been testing with Ram for about 3 years now. I suppose Ram could go a different direction but doesn’t seem likely considering Chrysler uses ZF transmissions almost exclusively in all their longitudinal applications for years now.
Just like ZF claiming a paltry 850 ft lbs of torque input capability. That doesn’t even add up, for introduction into any light duty diesel or any medium duty applications that are in the upper end of power offerings.
Even in this day and age where everyone knows everything due to the internet, Corporations keeping developments under wraps is still an actual thing.

And yeah, the Allison knockoffs seem to be selling pretty well. And more bang for the buck than fake Gucci.
ShinerBock
Explorer
Apr 04, 2021
noteven wrote:
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^

It is reference to the fact that the current Allison 10 speed in the HD trucks was not designed or built by Allison. It was designed by a joint collaboration between GM and Ford. GM builds the transmission in house and just slaps an Allison badge on it.

Personally I wouldn't care either way as long as it works, but Cummins12V98 has a hardon against anything Allison, fake or real. Maybe his ex-wife or ex-girlfriend was named Allison? That would explain a lot.....

Just pockin' fun Cummins12V98..... But you have to admit, this hatred for anything Allison is a bit irrational.
noteven
Explorer III
Apr 04, 2021
“Fake” Allison? “Real” Allison?

What is this? ^
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Apr 04, 2021
ksss wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
There is NOTHING in writing stating RAM is changing transmissions.

There has been talk of a REAL Allison also.

Is there something wrong with the fake Allison? I have had 7 of them never spent a dime on one except to change the fluid. As long as they work they should, I could care less if its a 'Real" Allison or GM's version of a "Real Allison".

No but it really is a bit deceiving labeling the trucks with the "Allison" badge.

What would be a great marketing idea would be for RAM to say "Now you can actually have the real Allison with a Cummins engine right from the factory".

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Why do you Cummins guys want more gears

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