That mag is all advertising and just recently started paying attention to 4x4 and work trucks. If you think that you get an objective assesment, give me your acct., PIN and SSN #'s and I will get you in on a great investment. I see it as Chevy just bought a lot of AD space this month. If they think speed in the 1/4 mile is what makes a good work truck, they may just be smoking crack! I'm glad there is competition between the big three and I like all of them I just happen to Love My Dodge. All generalazations are false, including this one.

 

I think that may be the same article I read a few weeks ago, but I can't remember the magizine.
The testers rated the truck on different categories, including interior, and other non-performance items, so the final ratings could be considered subjective. It was also noted that the editor in chief of the mag drove a Chevy diesel.

On the performance numbers, Dodge did the worst. But there wasn't anything negative said about the engine itself. I looked for the gear ratio but didn't see it in the specs, but I think the big differences came from the transmission side. This appears to be Dodge's weak link.

Regards, Glenn

 

I can't speak to the Chevy, but I am a very recent transplant from a 2004 Ford 6.0. I can tell you first hand that loaded and towing my 8500+/- lb camper up and down the hills in my area my new Dodge CTD is WAY I say WAYYYYY better than my old Ford. I pull the same hills with the same camper at whatever speed I chose now in 6th gear with plenty of power left over. My Ford with the auto would down shift and scream and barely hold it's own. I will find out about the reliability of the Cummins, but the Ford did not set the bar very high. I have a stack of warranty work records a good 3/8" thick from my old truck.

I test drove the GMC version but the price and the aluminum heads steered me to my local Dodge dealer.

So far (1200 miles) I love this truck, you can keep the article and the other brands.

 

It is truly amazing how much rubbish magazines will publish. I tow heavy trailers. I have had 2 powerstrokes, and 1 duramax.. I now have a Dodge Ram.. It is by FAR the best truck I have had, used in the real world. I modify every truck I get, and do the same thing to each - I remove the muffler, put in an Air Raid filter system, and a Predator fuel chip. The Cummins responed best, by giving me a consistent solo mileage of 23 mpg - it out performs every truck on the road, and has not been beaten from a stop towing. - I towed 3 trailers between Seattle Washington, and Elkhart Indiana last month and on the highway, I did not need to change out of 6th gear on any hill. I was complaining about this, because the truck really needs a 7th gear - so much power, and not enough gears.

I regard myself as qualified to make this comparison, as the powerstroke I have is an '05, the duramax is an '05, and the cummins is an '06

 

I know exactly what your talking about there, I sometimes catch myself pushing in the clutch and attempting to put the shifter in reverse thinking I have another gear.

I have an 04.5 6 spd w/4.10's and my final ratio is the same as your 06 w/3.73's. 2300rpm at 70 is too high for my likeing, however you can get an overdrive gear set and solve that and also give yourself some gear slpitting.

 

WINAMAC,

Look into a "Gear Vendor" Overdrive unit. I have one on my 1998 12 Valve, and it will give you a 25% reduction in your RPM. They are a little pricy, at about $4,000 installed, (My truck came with it when I obtained it 2 months ago.) Another great advantage for me is the ability to split gears, that may not be a factor with your 6 speed.

Ralph

 

My truck is a 4x4, and the gear vendor fits to the rear of the transfer case, operating only on the rear... I have avoided the unit in the past, in favor of the US Gear unit, that fits before the transfer case. Unfortunately US Gear does not support the transmission used on the '06 trucks.. How does Gear Vendors deal with the 4x4 situation.