Check out BadStratRT's Homepage story about the 2012 Heavy Duty. What are your thoughts about this best in class bad-***?

 

If I were going to haul heavy (and someday i will) I would love this truck. Plenty of grunt is an understatement. Odd the 2500 Hemi wont get the 6 speed, must be a different case on the 6 speed that wont match up to the gasser?

 

The article is incorrect, the Hemi 2500 HD is getting the new heavy duty 66RFE six speed transmissions. It's the same as the 68RFE but in a 545RFE housing and comes standard in the Hemi 2500.

 

You sure? BadStratRT gets his info straight from Chrysler, not second hand. He knows the right people.

 

So what's the new tranny? 68rfe with modified ratios? AS68RC? Something new?

 

The 66RFE ratios are 3.23, 1.84, 1.41, 1.00, .82, .63, just like the 68RFE...same gears. If your order a 2500 Hemi, you will be forced to upgrade to the 66RFE. And if you choose the 66RFE, you have to upgrade to the hemi. And the 66RFE will not be available in the 1500's, you're stuck with the 65RFE which has the same gears as what you have in your hemi now...3.00, 1.67, 1.50, 1.00, .75, .67. It's just reprogramed to use 2'nd prime (1.50) as 3'rd gear which sucks because they are too close together and does nothing improve your ET...it's a waist.

 

I got mine straight from Chrysler too so I don't know what to say about that. If you want to check for yourself, call in to Chrysler and build you a 2012 2500 Hemi and you get the 66RFE only option. If you order a 2500 5.9, your only option will be the funky 65RFE. Then build you a 2012 1500 of any model or any motor and the best you'll get is the 65RFE. They can tell you the gear ratios of both transmissions and what they are available in, just ask them. And you can not special order any 1500 Hemi with the 66RFE, I tried that too. "EDIT": http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2011/06 (oh well, I couldn't get it to work so you'll have to read it all, lol! )

 

This whole "6 speed" thing has me confused.........I guess we will all know soon enough when the models come off the line. I will just keep holding my shifter to the left in the mean time for my 6 speed

 

Well you basically have a 6 speed now if you own a 1500. All you have to do is manually shift your truck and you'll have an idea how its gonna feel like. Manually shift from 1 to 5 then when in 5th gear at highway speeds hold your shift up to put it back on auto and your 6th geart will engage. But like previously said the 2nd and 3rd gear are really close ratios so its kinda useless.

 

I guess we will just have to wait and see on the 1500's