Tow Vehicle

[randy1953]

Any one had experience pulling with the 6.4 Hemi in a 2500 frame? Would be pulling from 7000 to 9000 pound area. Thanks

[parker_rowe]

IdaD wrote:
I would wait for the new model with the 8 speed transmission if possible. That should address the 1-2 gear split which was the biggest problem with the 6.4/66RFE combo.

I agree, if you aren't buying used or looking for big rebates with a new incoming model.

I am really looking forward to seeing how all the new gas HD trucks do when they come out. The Ram and GMC both look interesting to me so far.

[goducks10]

I tow a 9300 lb 5th wheel with a 2018 Ram 2500 6.4, 4.10 gears.
I tow in Oregon and the PNW and occasionally in NorCal.
On the freeway it will cruise easily at 60-65 mph or more if conditions are doable. In the mountains I lock out 6th and sometimes 5th depending on traffic and grades. I see 4500+ in the steeper grades. No biggie for me as it's only there for very short periods of time.
I don't have an issue with the 1-2 shifts. Yes it feels like a drop off on acceleration, but how often is that? I take off and hit the road for hours with out stopping. So maybe 3-4 times a day on a trip.
MPG's are low. 8.5-9 mpg. I would add that when not towing the trans is smooth as silk and the 1-2 shift is not noticeable at all. Only when trying to accelerate fast while towing do I notice it. 4.10's help IMO.
I came from a 12 Ram 2500 CTD and like the 6.4 better overall. I'm retired and do lots of short hops. In the winter the CTD was terrible at warm ups. I was it's worst enemy as far as emissions goes. The CTD definitely out tows the Hemi but thats just part of the overall experience. The Hemi is a lot easier to live with on a daily non towing scenario. If I towed heavier and more often then I'd 100% opt for the CTD.

[IdaD]

I would wait for the new model with the 8 speed transmission if possible. That should address the 1-2 gear split which was the biggest problem with the 6.4/66RFE combo.

[LanceRKeys]

That is a good honest report from someone that has pulled with both a gas and diesel. The only thing I think I would want to change would be to add a bigger fuel tank.

[ib516]

I had one, and towed a 37' 3 slides 5er with it. Trailer weight was 12k. Gcw was 21k. Towed all over the Rockies with no problem. Mpg was 7-9 when loaded to that weight, usually 8ish. I was very happy with it. Had to sell and start over after a divorce.

[rhagfo]

Kzspree320, That sounds like a nice honest report. Well written.

[Procrastinator]

Yes, there are many members on here that are using that combo. Most love everything about them except the fuel economy. The biggest advice I have read was to try to get a truck with 4:10 gears instead of 3:73 gears. The lower gears improve city mileage, help it tow better, and only lower the mpg slightly. Same with the F250, get the 4:30 gears instead of the 3:73 gears.

This package was on my short list, but there were zero dealers that had one available.

Good luck

[kzspree320]

Posted this in another thread in 2017 after first long trip. I am way heavier than you and it does good in eastern US. I have not towed above about 5,000 feet yet so still don't know how well it will do in Colorado passes.

I just got back from almost a 2,000 mile trip, which was the first long tow for my 2016 Ram 2500 gasser. I thought some on the gas vs diesel fence might be interested in how well this gasser tows my almost 35' Columbus fiver (tall profile, 13"4" high) which loaded to camp weighs around 12,000-12,500 lbs. Trip was from Louisiana through MS, Tennessee and Kentucky and then back through Alabama. Almost all of it was Interstate and I towed at 65 mph. For your info, last truck was a 2015 Ram 2500 with the 6.7 Cummins, which was destroyed in the August 2016 Louisiana flood. I have towed the same fifth wheel with both so I can compare. Let me start by saying it does not tow like the diesel. Yes, it has to shift more because it has less torque. If you want the easiest towing, and the extra $7-8K upfront and potential costlier repairs once the warranty is up doesn't concern you, then just get the diesel. Please diesel owners don't hijack this thread, I'm just trying to give info so people can make decisions. If you tow regularly in the western mountains at high altitudes, just get the diesel. If most of your towing is in the eastern US and not at high altitudes, this gasser tows pretty **** good. Yes, it tows at 1,000-1,200 rpms high than the diesel, but that's what it was designed to do. With tow/haul on, it never towed in 6th. Towing in 5th (still an OD gear) was about 2,300 rpms and 4th was about 2,800 rpms. On the longer and steeper pulls, it occasionally used 3rd at about 3,500 rpms. It could hold 65+ mph anywhere we went if you want. For the entire trip, I estimate it probably spent about 55% of the time in 5th gear, 40% in 4th gear, and 5% in 3rd gear. Almost all of the 3rd gear was in Tennessee and Kentucky. I will take this to Colorado in the future, but I do know I will have to bring my patience at times on the long pulls through the passes (yes, I love Colorado). I hand calculated my towing mileage, so here it goes by tank - 8.1, 8.1, 7.6, 8.0, 8.5, 7.8, 7.2, 7.8, 8.1, 8.0, 8.1. Since I like to have close to half a tank, most fillips were between 150 and 180 miles. In the diesel, I would have probably averaged 10.5-11.2 mpg and filled up about every 200-250 miles. The 7.2 mpg tank was against a stiff headwind. Looks to me like the overall average was about 8 mpg. That's about what I thought when I bought the truck. Non towing I get about 13 around town and 16 on the highway. My truck is rated to pull almost 16K. I don't think that would be fun. But at under 13K or so, it does a good job overall and great for a gasser. I do not regret my decision on this truck. YMMV depending on how you use the truck. I read a lot of ib516's posts before buying the truck. Overall, I agree with his towing impressions. Hope this helps others in the truck buying process.