I forgot to mention that the 68RFE has a separate computer by itself to control the transmission. Maybe they should adapt that computer to the Hemi and these transmissions as well. At least until someone comes up with an idea of how to incorporate the 68RFE into our Hemi trucks.

 

I guess I could get used to it if not watching the RPM's while driving. Like I stated, it is not really causing that many issue, but I have yet to also pull the boat which will be tomorrow actually. I am hoping the in tow/haul mode it will be less sensitive but won't know until tomorrow.

 

tow haul makes it hold gears much better. Honestly the way it holds gears in tow haul should be the way it acts all the time. The biggest reason why these transmissions suck is because of all the city people who buy them and then use them just to commute to work and then complain about them being too rough so dodge dumbs them down to make them happy.

 

Exactly! I once rode my father in one of my cars that had a really bitching and very hard shift kit and he refused to ride in it again. He also once complained about his then new 69 Chevy Impala catching second gear rubber and thought something was seriously wrong with it (lol) and traded it back in after one week for another. He was really pissed because he traded an all power 66 Plymouth wagon for it that he loved and couldn't get it back. I looked under the hood of it and it had a 375hp/350 (emblem on the breather in big red numbers ), unheard at the time. Someone must have special ordered it prior to my dad getting it, but old people and other 80% are interested in soft shifts. We are just a small handful looking for all around performance.

 

Actually, I think that the tranny itself is purdy darn good but the tranny controller programming STINKS.

I'm on my second dodge with the 545RFE and no mechanical problems but I do hate the stock shift schedule.

The Superchips custom tranny schedules have helped a little bit but not much.

 

I had this transmission in a Grand Cherokee 5.7 I used to own, and got very familiar with what the OP described. By the way, I just ordered a 2011 1500 Outdoorsman 4X4 5.7 so that'll be round 2 for this powertrain and I.

4th and 5th gear are very very close to one another. Cruising down the highway, in response to throttle input, hills, load, etc, the transmission could be doing any one of the following:

- 5th gear, converter locked
- 5th gear, converter unlocked
- 5th gear, MDS (allows a little converter slip to mask engine vibrations)
- 4th gear, converter locked
- 4th gear, converter unlocked
- 4th gear, MDS (again with a little converter slip)

Because 4th and 5th gear ratios are so close to one another, those situations all end up within a couple hundred RPM of each other and could easily come across to the driver as hunting for a gear. The transmission may or may not actually be changing gears...could be moving between a locked and unlocked converter, or MDS and MDS-off, or it could actually be changing gears. Tow-Haul mode kills off 4 of those possible combinations by locking out 5th gear and not allowing MDS.

 

Nah...they act up all through the gears at any cruising speed and yes, the tranny is strong but the software program is weak.

 

You know , Not to be critical of some posts. BUT, maybe the tranny is doing what is was designed to do.. Give a smooth ride and help improve gas mileage. Sometimes I think some of us watch things too close. Like seeing when the tranny changes gear, and if it changes when you want it to. I'll bet if you asked on this forum when the tranny should or should not shift you would get thousands of opinions. Like other post I've read where someone thought the center console is crap and should not be in a truck. I'll bet there are a thousand opinions on this too. Anyway, I was bored waiting for the Steelers to start and thought I would just my write MY HUMBLE OPINION. PS, My tranny works great and shifts when I think it should. OH, and please remember, THIS IS JUST MY OPINION...

 

The more I drive the truck, the more I appreciate the way the whole engine/tranny package works. Maybe it's in my brain, but after 13k miles, it seems to be shifting a little firmer. I drove a 6 speed 4WD CC Chevy and it also seemed to shift often. It seems to me that if we have the 4 & 5 gears and the converter locking in and out, that it is normal for the tranny to look for the best gear for the load.

I remember the old days, 2 speed power glides and no over drive. I prefer todays technology.

 

Man that would sum up my observations PERFECTLY!!!! I guess to be fair... I do love the truck from outside to inside to power smoothness of transmission.

I guess as a previous poster stated.. I will most likely get used to it also.. cant wait to tow with it and feel the power at work.

Thanks