Fair question. I see the revamped 65RFE six speed is doing quite well, and I see so far no complaints, that I am aware of. Sadly, the Ford 6R80 is just a pathetic transmission, many complaints from Ford customers, national TSB etc. and it just get's worse, sadly. My thoughts go to our friends with the blue oval. I did post a question a ways back but no response, not like it was an emergency. OK, how do you all like the 65RFE six speed?

 

Its the exact same trans as you have now. There are no ratio changes, they just have access to the secondary second gear to make 6 for them. So how do you like your transmission.

 

I test drove a few 2012`s with the 6speed, i wouldnt hesitate to buy one.
Same transmission, just a few updates have been done to it.
Still waitin for a 12 HEMI R/T, that should be a hoot..!

 

I love mine so far, smooth shifts, 0 hesitation if your shifting from drive to reverse or from park to drive ... Its a night and day difference from the 42RLE i had in the dakota now that was a POS trany.

 

Thanks for your replies. I kinda figured with a new six speed ram owners would be discussing it. I have not seen alot of chatter. I guess no news is good news. I will just be quiet, I do not want to jinx the new six speed.

 

Like others have said already, the 65RFE is just the 545RFE with a different shift schedule.

Now the 66RFE in the '12 2500's is the 6speed you want.

 

From what I've heard and read so far, the 6R80 Fords and 6L80/90 GMs are generating various complaints from owners. Just had a ride in a Sierra the other day and behind the 5.3 motor it probably had a dozen downshifts in the 4-5 miles we travelled for lunch. Most of them were 6-5 shifts and a couple 6-4 shifts on VERY slight to no grades. The owner of this truck was more annoyed with what he described as rapid 1st to 2nd then quickly back to 1st shifts after making turns from a stop, although that didn't happen while I was in the vehicle. What did happen once was a fairly severe bang shift into 1st as the vehicle was slowing down for a stop light. Web complaints seem to be centered around irratic gear hunting.

On the 6R80s there are some similiar complaints as well, including violent or near violent downshifts. There are some reporting that Ford has had to replace these transmissions for complete failures and I know of two in my area.

What goes around comes around, as they say. It wasn't too long ago that the Ford and GM guys were gleefully pointing to Dodge truck transmission problems (RE-series), although neither GM or Fords had the same issue with people using the incorrect ATF. Since the advent of the fully adaptive and electronic RFE, Dodge's are now easily the most reliable automatic truck transmission. Chrysler pioneered the electronic automatic transmission and has learned a lot over the years. Now it's time for Ford and GM to catch up.

Some basic RFE information

The 545RFE (1999-2011) has the following gear ratios:

• 1st = 3.00:1
• 2nd = 1.67:1
• 2nd Prime = 1.50:1
• 3rd = 1.00:1
• 4th = 0.75:1
• 5th = 0.67:1
• Rev = 3.00:1

The 645RFE (2012) has the following gear ratios:

• 1st = 3.00:1
• 2nd = 1.67:1
• 3rd = 1.50:1
• 4th = 1.00:1
• 5th = 0.75:1
• 6th = 0.67:1
• Rev = 3.00:1

Note that 1:1 direct drive is 3rd gear on 545RFEs, and 4th gear on 645RFEs. Overdrive begins at 4th gear on 545RFEs, and 5th gear on 645RFEs. The 545RFE and 645RFE use the same transmission case and internal drive archetecture with a different torque converter for 645RFE.

The major difference between the 545RFE and 645RFE is the latter uses all six forward gears sequentially in the Electronic Range Select mode, but uses the 545RFE shift sequence in the normal drive mode. When in the normal mode, the 645RFE operates like a 545FRE and never uses 2nd and 3rd in succession (3rd becomes 2nd prime).

In both 545RFE and 654RFE transmissions, selecting Tow/Haul Mode shuts off MDS, prevents torque converter lock-up in 4th & 5th gears (545RFE) or 5th & 6th gear (645RFE), and utilizes a prolonged shift schedule in all forward gears.

Regards,
Dusty
2010 Ram Big Horn 1500 Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 545RFE, 3.92 LSD, dual exhaust, 20” wheels

 

I believe this is the second time you have tried to start an argument on with this topic, are you just a troll?

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/4th-gen...d-f-150-a.html

 

About a year ago I bought an F-150 in lieu of a Ram. My 6R80 has the dreaded 1-2 upshift issue and three attempts at fixing it have gone no where. I am pursuing a lemon law claim now and if I can get out of my F-150 without taking a bath, I'll get a new Ram.

Everyone on the Ford side brags about the better gearing over the Ram. I don't buy it. Yes the first few gears are much lower than in the Dodge, but the truck is also constantly shifting from 1s to 2nd in slow going. Couple the constant shifting with the fact that those shifts vary from abrupt to an obnoxious slamming and I think Dodge went the right way. Maybe that ultra low first gear is better for drag racing, but either truck has so much torque that a 4.2:1 first gear is just overkill.

The ONLY advantage my F-150 has is the keypad entry. I'll genuinely miss that option.

NC

 

Having owned the several of the Dodge 5 speeds, one ford 6 and two GM 6 speeds I can say without a doubt that the Mopar is easily the worst. The Ford is the best from the factory, and the GM is head and shoulders the best when tuned.