Ram 2500 with 6.4 Hemi

[FireGuard]

I've ben keeping up on the posts and researching the new 6.4.
I just sold my Lance camper and will keep my 21' Toy hauler. My 03 DRW with the Cummins pulls it well, but it's really more than I need and isn't the best daily driver.
My current needs for a p/u now are something to tow my TH with a 12k LB GVW (more realistic weight of 8-10k lb.), but also a newer truck that is a comfortable DD and easier to get around with and park.
I've been a diehard Cummins fan, but not sure if I want to deal with all the emissions and elec. equip on the new ones. Also seems like a lot of guys are getting check eng. lights and end up going back to the dealer for re flashes.
I know you can't beat 800 ft lbs of torque, but most reports are because of the torque management it doesn't feel that fast. Sure, towing heavy it would be the way to go.
I could buy a 14 Tradesman QC, 4x4, SB with a few nice packages for around $30K plus T&L, or spend around $8k more for the Cummins.
Those of you with the 6.4, how do you like it as a DD and would I be disappointed pulling my TH coming from a slightly modded 03 Cummins?
Any other pros and cons or comments are appreciated.
Also, seems like the 4:10 gearing is more common on dealer lots. What would be the milage difference having 4:10s?

[BubbaChris]

lbrjet wrote:
Must be something wrong with the truck. I had no problem towing that road, with the same weight, with my little 5.4L. Granted was going 45 MPH in 2nd gear at 4200 RPM's for some of it, but I'm towing at 98% of my GCWR.

I'm with you on this. I'm only pulling 6K, but also with the 5.4 and I can climb at nearly 10,000' in 2nd and accelerate up to 45-50MPH.

[lbrjet]

Must be something wrong with the truck. I had no problem towing that road, with the same weight, with my little 5.4L. Granted was going 45 MPH in 2nd gear at 4200 RPM's for some of it, but I'm towing at 98% of my GCWR.

[FishOnOne]

Baxter214 wrote:
I'm sincerely glad to hear that so many of you guys are pleased with the 6.4L. I really pored over any available details in deciding whether to go with the HEMI or the diesel, and the opinions I read here were helpful. I'm just not having the same experience. I didn't realize it until today when I looked back at some of the previous posts, but ib516, apparently you were the source of a lot of that. I didn't appreciate your implication the other day that I wasn't legit, but I'm glad you're a part of this conversation.

I weighed the truck and trailer again today (full tank of gas, trailer tanks empty) and my total weight net of the factory-provided dry weight of the vehicle is 9,300 lbs. To really get at the trailer weight I'd further net out the weight of the travelers (man+dog), the hitch, and about 30#s for a bicycle that rides in the bed. That puts me just under 9,000 lbs for the trailer weight. Again, I'm towing with the 3.73 axle ratio, but I'm still at less than 75% of the max.

Have u towed the same camper with a different truck?

Tomorrow I'm attempting to get up I-70 again. The service manager at the dealership gave me some specific signs to watch for if it's the fan clutch again vs. the normal strain of the vehicle. I'm also taking off much earlier in the day to capitalize on the cooler temperatures. I'll report back (hopefully) from Glenwood Springs tomorrow.

Have u towed the same camper with a different truck?

[ib516]

Baxter214 wrote:
I'm sincerely glad to hear that so many of you guys are pleased with the 6.4L. I really pored over any available details in deciding whether to go with the HEMI or the diesel, and the opinions I read here were helpful. I'm just not having the same experience. I didn't realize it until today when I looked back at some of the previous posts, but ib516, apparently you were the source of a lot of that. I didn't appreciate your implication the other day that I wasn't legit, but I'm glad you're a part of this conversation.

My apologies. Believe it or not, some people with way too much time on their hands have gone so far as to make up profiles just to stir the pot around here. I've been here since 2003, and I have seen it a lot. Grown men doing stuff like that - sheesh. Sorry I was suspicious.

I hope you get this figured out.

If my truck wasn't satisfactory to me, I'd say so. I have had inadequate tow vehicles before (minivans) and it is no fun struggling when you're supposed to be enjoying your time. I guess I'm just a bit surprised at your description of the way it performs as my experience is so much different. I pull 11 or 12k with mine, and there has only been one time where I have had it to the floor and no been able to gain speed towing up hill. It downshifted to 2nd gear, held about 5500 RPM and was at about 70 mph. Had it upshifted, it would have lost speed, so the trans correctly held the gear.

[Bedlam]

That area has some good grades and twisty roads, but it is half the elevation of where the OP is towing. I think this is part of the issue having a normally aspirated engine at altitude, but something else is going on with that particular engine that has yet to be diagnosed.

[e-light]

ib516 wrote:
I've had a very different experience with my 6.4L Hemi.

It has climbed every grade I point it at, and not at 35 mph, and I tow just under 12k lbs.

New member, 3 posts, all talking about poor performance of the 6.4L Hemi? Seems a bit weird. :?

Same here...about the same weight as well. Just got back from a 2000 mile round trip, had a nice long pull outside of Chattanooga at 5% grade. I use speed control and manual downshift the tranny. I could have run up that grade at any speed I wanted to. I had it at 60 mph and yes it does REV, it's a gas engine. But my temps were very good and it just pulled right up the hill without missing a beat.

Not the first big tow I've done with the truck either. I pulled it through the Smokey's Tenn/NC pass...pretty tough stretch there, lots of trucks pulled off to the side. No issues there either...manually downshift it and let it rev.

[FishOnOne]

Hope your tow goes good. We're currently in the DFW area so not much hills

[Baxter214]

I'm sincerely glad to hear that so many of you guys are pleased with the 6.4L. I really pored over any available details in deciding whether to go with the HEMI or the diesel, and the opinions I read here were helpful. I'm just not having the same experience. I didn't realize it until today when I looked back at some of the previous posts, but ib516, apparently you were the source of a lot of that. I didn't appreciate your implication the other day that I wasn't legit, but I'm glad you're a part of this conversation.

I weighed the truck and trailer again today (full tank of gas, trailer tanks empty) and my total weight net of the factory-provided dry weight of the vehicle is 9,300 lbs. To really get at the trailer weight I'd further net out the weight of the travelers (man+dog), the hitch, and about 30#s for a bicycle that rides in the bed. That puts me just under 9,000 lbs for the trailer weight. Again, I'm towing with the 3.73 axle ratio, but I'm still at less than 75% of the max.

Tomorrow I'm attempting to get up I-70 again. The service manager at the dealership gave me some specific signs to watch for if it's the fan clutch again vs. the normal strain of the vehicle. I'm also taking off much earlier in the day to capitalize on the cooler temperatures. I'll report back (hopefully) from Glenwood Springs tomorrow.

[surveyorjp]

ib516 wrote:
Sorry about that. It was set that way a long time back when this place was full of troll sock puppets.

That was one reason I faded away, the arguments and trolls..
Just popped in today to see how things were. I don't own an RV anymore. Hoping to change that soon.
Many advances in trucks the last few years. I'm playing catch up. Good info about the newer 6.4 Hemi

[ib516]

Sorry about that. It was set that way a long time back when this place was full of troll sock puppets.

[BurbMan]

Thanks, I tried to PM you a few months ago about something that I thought you might be interested in but heck if I can remember what it was now.....

[ib516]

BurbMan wrote:

thomasmnile wrote:
Look up Ib516 and shoot him a PM.

FYI, he doesn't accept PM's.

I had it set to only accept PMs from people on my buddy list. I changed it to open now.

[BurbMan]

thomasmnile wrote:
Look up Ib516 and shoot him a PM.

FYI, he doesn't accept PM's.

[DakotaDad]

Sport45 wrote:
The GCWR has nothing to do with what you are actually pulling. It's a measure of what the vehicle is 'Rated' to pull.

Ugh, you are correct. I misused GCWR. Try to clear up one thing, mess up something else. Bleh.