I have a simple question. Why is it that Dodge does not have a 6-Speed Transmission option on their half ton pick-up trucks and 2500 Hemi powered pick-ups? I have test driven Ford and GMC half tons and the 6-speed is a nice feature. In-fact the Ford 5.4 with 6-speed felt like it had more guts then the 2009 1500 Hemi 5-Speed I tested. I know the gearing of a 6-speed would increase the power of the Hemi. I would love to have another Hemi truck but with a speed. Am I missing something with my powertran theory?

Btw, my last truck was a 2005 1500 Hemi with 3.55 gears. Now I have a Ford Escape. Had to save gas when I was commuting 70 miles a day. Now I drive 5 minutes to work. Ready for a new pick-up.

Thank you

 

Doesn't make since does it?

Dodge has always and continues to suck in the transmission department. Whether it be crappy transmissions or outdated transmissions like we have now. I expect a 6 speed in 2012 when everyone else has 8 speeds

 

A Hemi with a new 6-speed and the new Ram Runner Suspension System from Mopar/Kore would blow the doors off the Raptor.

 

Not sure why they stopped making the HEMI 6-speed manuals (in 2500's). They used to offer the 6spd with the 2500 HEMI, but they never offered it with a 1500 (unless it was a v6 6speed which was a totally different tranny). Now I dont think you can get it unless you buy the cummins engine.

 

Chrysler just seems years behind the competition on Transmissions. I read pickuptrucks.com all the time and I read of ZF possibly getting a contract for transmissions to go along with the 5.0L Cummins. If Chrysler did all of this, they would be the truck leader.

 

Yes that would be awesome, and what I am excited for is the 6.4 gas motor that is rumored to be in the works for the Ram.. Put my 6sp tranny behind that and i'm sold.

 

A 6 speed would make sense and would be nice, but let's not kid ourselves - the Ford 5.4 is nowhere near what the Hemi is even with a 5 speed. Not only is it slower, it gets worse mpg.

 

Hey, I thought my F150 4-speed auto was really good after a driving a 3-speed manual.
I also figure it moved along pretty well with its 4.6 which I believe is rated at 210hp.
Can't wait for my 390hp hemi to arrive complete with 5-speed!

BTW, mileage with this combo was about 19 at 65mph using cruise control on fairly flat highways.

 

I too have been waiting for a 6-45RFE for a couple of years, but I will say that the new VVT Hemi with the 5-45RFE is worlds ahead of my '05 Hemi 545 in the drivability department. Today, I took a nice test drive with a '10 and in particular with the range-select, I am very satisfied. My '05 has 4.56 gears and the '10 with 3.92s in respect to RPM seemed like a theoretical '05 with 4.30 gears. It is great that you can select the gear that you want to be in for all 5 gears; that is where the Ford is lacking. Ford is 1-2-3 and D for 4-5-6.

Also, I drove an FX4 this week too and it is no wheres near as torquey or powerful as the VVT hemi. The Ford seemed very lazy and smooth, with decent torque, but the '10 Hemi felt like a rocketship. My bet is that we won't see a 6speed auto until '12 in the Dodge.

 

I'll have to test drive a 2010. The '09 I test drove last year must have had really tall gears, because I didn't like how it felt compared to my 2005 Hemi.