How well does the RAM 2500 6.4 Hemi tow?

[BeerBrewer]

I'm looking for a new truck to tow an 8000 lb travel trailer and I'm torn between the 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L Hemi and 6.7L Cummins diesel. All the reviews that that I've read show that diesel will tow better than the 6.4L, so surprise there. Unfortunately, all the tests that I've read are done with at least 12,500 lbs and I'm wondering how the 6.4L hemi would do only pulling 8000 lbs.

We plan upon doing a lot of traveling out west, so we'll be towing up and down a lot of steep grades and I was hoping to hear some real world towing experiences on how the 6.4L Hemi does does in that situation pulling 8000 lbs. Can it maintain it's speed up the hills and do you have to red-line the RPMs doing so? How does it do going down? Does the 4.10 rear axle do much better than the 3.73?

Thanks.

[mlh]

I've seen all sorts of opinions about this one way or another. Here's my two cents. I had a brand new 1/2 ton ecodiesel. It was eight months old. I bought a travel trailer weighing in the 8000-8500# range. I towed it home from the dealer and traded the truck the next day. The ecodiesel struggled towing that much weight, not to mention, it did not have enough payload. I bought the 6.4 crew 4x4 with 3.73. It does NOT scream as others have suggested. It does NOT constantly shift as others have suggested. In tow haul, the top two gears are locked out. When in tow haul, it purrs along nicely at 2500 rpms. If I take it out of tow haul and just lock out 6th gear (in order to get an extra gear), it cruises along at 2000 rpms. Unless I'm climbing some hills, it doesn't shift back and forth. Does it pull as good as a diesel? No it will not, but I am more than happy with the way mine pulls and handles. Gas here is $1.89 and diesel is $2.99. I don't have to worry about DEF any more either. As far as maintenance goes, the diesel will cost more, contrary to other statements on this thread. The ecodiesel cost about $100 for the first oil change, and that was performing it myself as I always do. I don't even want to guess what the CTD would cost. I've always thought it would be nice to have a diesel truck, but after owning an ecodiesel (to get an idea of maintenance costs) and towing with my current 6.4, I'm not sure if I'd ever buy a diesel now.

[BubbaChris]

Grit dog wrote:

BubbaChris wrote:
One thing I haven't seen mentioned in this thread, if both trucks are 3/4 ton you'll lose a fair bit of payload in the CTD version because of the heavier engine (and supporting parts). Compare payload stickers between 2500 and 3500 versions of the CTD if you go the diesel route.

Best regards,
Chris

Only on paper or in your mind. Real world, payload capabilities are very close.
Please don't confuse beer brewer. He's already in a conundrum of epic proportions about the truck he might buy. I think we've been through most of the scenarios already.

Do you have Yellow Stickers to show comparable Mfg ratings between gas and diesel 2500's? I've seen high-end one tons with less than 3K of payload. My local Ford dealer got a 3/4 ton gasser in recently and I had him email me the yellow sticker (which was in the 3,300 lb range).

Yes, I've read lots of threads stating the negligible actual parts differences between 3/4 and 1-ton trucks (e.g. real world capabilities). But I observed a bunch of "diesel tows better" posts on this thread and felt like pointing out the downside of staying with a 2500 and going diesel.

Kindest regards,
Chris

[ShinerBock]

Bionic Man wrote:
Yeah. Because having to replace an engine at 371,500 miles when it is used almost exclusively for towing is pretty embarrassing.....

Vern, you should know by know that all those 3.0 diesels are worthless. Your low mileage before overhaul proves that......:R

For a diesel truck, yes that is low miles for a full engine replacement compared to the HD diesel in the same driving conditions. That is why someone stated that knowing this changes things.

As I said. I am not knocking his truck, but it should be stated when talking about that amount of miles so people don't get the wrong impression as they clearly did here. It is just something that I would do as well if it were my truck just like my dad does when talking about his old 97 F150 with 270k on the truck and 90k on the 2nd engine.

[VernDiesel]

Shinner I will work on adding a signature line. As to the thread again 8 speed all original no repairs 500,000 miles mostly towing TTs & boats. The transmission should be a significant improvement over the 6 speed with a dramatic improvement in drive-ability when towing heavy loads. Better gear spacing quick firm shifts power efficiency & fuel economy from better lock up and better acceleration.

[ShinerBock]

mkirsch wrote:

ScottG wrote:
And when your done with it you get the extra cost of the diesel back.

Many people will try to convince you of this, but it is not true.

You will get a PROPORTIONAL amount of the cost back at sale/trade time. That will be the same proportion as the used vs. new value of the rest of the vehicle.

They like to tell you that if you spend $10,000 extra on the diesel, your truck is worth $10,000 more at sale time. Nuh-uh. If the rest of the vehicle is only worth 20% of its original value, you only get 20% of your diesel money back.

I did the math on mine at 100k and I would have gotten back way more than 20% on trade in looking on both KBB and NADA. The gas version of my truck trade in/resale was $6k less(I paid 8k for my diesel in 2014) at 100k miles on both sites. The rest was made up in fuel mileage savings which isn't bad for the amount of added power considering most other engine upgrades like a V6 to V8 in half tons or V6 to V8 muscle cars never get recouped. You basically get the added power for all those years for nothing. Heck, even if it was an extra grand for those five years, it would still be worth it.

[Bionic_Man]

Yeah. Because having to replace an engine at 371,500 miles when it is used almost exclusively for towing is pretty embarrassing.....

Vern, you should know by know that all those 3.0 diesels are worthless. Your low mileage before overhaul proves that......:R

[mkirsch]

ScottG wrote:
And when your done with it you get the extra cost of the diesel back.

Many people will try to convince you of this, but it is not true.

You will get a PROPORTIONAL amount of the cost back at sale/trade time. That will be the same proportion as the used vs. new value of the rest of the vehicle.

They like to tell you that if you spend $10,000 extra on the diesel, your truck is worth $10,000 more at sale time. Nuh-uh. If the rest of the vehicle is only worth 20% of its original value, you only get 20% of your diesel money back.

[ShinerBock]

VernDiesel wrote:
Yes at 371,500 she pushed out a head gasket likely in part due to having been low on coolant. (more than once as I had been dealing with a coolant leak) This has been covered on this forum several times is not hidden and was not part of the 8 speed transmission discussion. Apparently I should add a signature line with this info in it. 🙂

Yeah, it probably needs to be mentioned when you state how many miles you have on your truck so people that do not know don't get the wrong impression as they did here. There are many threads that I don't even go into and if someone else would not have stated it in one of the threads that I happen to be in then I would not have known either.

Not knocking your truck, but an engine/trans/rear end/injector/turbo replacement or rebuild is generally stated when talking about that kind of mileage on any vehicle so people don't get mislead into thinking its all original.

[VernDiesel]

Yes at 371,500 she pushed out a head gasket likely in part due to having been low on coolant. (more than once as I had been dealing with a coolant leak) This has been covered on this forum several times is not hidden and was not part of the 8 speed transmission discussion. Apparently I should add a signature line with this info in it. 🙂

[Lantley]

ShinerBock wrote:

RoyJ wrote:

VernDiesel wrote:
Get the coming 6.4 Hemi with 8 speed and 4.10. Consider the factory rear air ride as well. I have 500,000 miles (transporting TTs commercially) on a 14 Ecodiesel 3.92 and have towed 8k TTs many times. The transmission has never been repaired and still shifts quick and firm. But I have changed the fluid 5 times now. I would say consider the ED as you will use A LOT less fuel but IMO 8k is about the max practical load for a half ton platform to tow a TT.

Holy ****!

Totally changed my view and doubts about an ED!

He is on his second engine.

I did not know that:h
2 engines changes everything:S

[ShinerBock]

RoyJ wrote:

VernDiesel wrote:
Get the coming 6.4 Hemi with 8 speed and 4.10. Consider the factory rear air ride as well. I have 500,000 miles (transporting TTs commercially) on a 14 Ecodiesel 3.92 and have towed 8k TTs many times. The transmission has never been repaired and still shifts quick and firm. But I have changed the fluid 5 times now. I would say consider the ED as you will use A LOT less fuel but IMO 8k is about the max practical load for a half ton platform to tow a TT.

Holy ****!

Totally changed my view and doubts about an ED!

He is on his second engine.

[ShinerBock]

I would wait for the 8-speed 6.4L. The only complaints that I hear from most 6.4L owners has to do with the 6-speed trans and its gear spacing. It just doesn't allow you to utilize the power of the 6.4L at normal speed limits, and with the TC unlocked you are not getting full engine horsepower.

The engine itself seems solid aside from a few lifter issues that several have had on the Ram forum I frequent. It has more tech and is a bit more complicated than the Ford 6.2L and GM 6.0L due to the intake runners and MDS so it is not your grandfathers old fashion V8.

[VernDiesel]

RoyJ.. Mine with tune turbo brake axle to frame air bags load tires a good WDH and scale set load does an 8k TT quite well. Only 55 mph up a long grade though. Anyway useing a CAT scale might be too much to ask of the average slub or newbie. Also fwiw using cruise moderate acceleration etc and limiting speed to 65 truck averages 14.0 mpg with box TT.

500k

[Camper_G]

My 17,,6.4/3.73 geared truck pulls my 6k tt very well. Yeah she gets up in rpm in the mountains but once up there she pulls like a freight train. I have to back out of it some.

I'd tow anything south of 10k with my truck all day long. North of 10k or if your full timing, yes go diesel, but I do love my 6.4. Its got a ton of juice.

Just my .02.

[Grit_dog]

VernDiesel wrote:
Get the coming 6.4 Hemi with 8 speed and 4.10. Consider the factory rear air ride as well. I have 500,000 miles (transporting TTs commercially) on a 14 Ecodiesel 3.92 and have towed 8k TTs many times. The transmission has never been repaired and still shifts quick and firm. But I have changed the fluid 5 times now. I would say consider the ED as you will use A LOT less fuel but IMO 8k is about the max practical load for a half ton platform to tow a TT.

That is seriously impressive!
Unfortunately maybe you haven't been following the adventures of beer Brewers truck shopping. He passed 1/2 ton a while back even though that is the best and most practical solution for him on multiple fronts.