Big 3 Tow Test...Cool Video!!

[KBalzuweit]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=115662



Check out the video!

 

[Amish Elegance]

Yeah, *****in'.



One for the diesel stop.



Congrats on your truck.

 

[pwr2tow]

KBalzuweit,

I have been thinking for quit awhile about getting a Chevy LBZ/allison LT1 4wd. Could I ask you some questions?



What kind of fuel mileage do you get towing and nontowing, could you also include the weight and speed.



Have you had a Dodge Cummins in the past to compare the 2. Which Cummins and transmission?



I think the lower stance of the Chevy would be beneficial in towing my 5th wheel.



Thanks,

 

[SHobbs]

Chubby 6spd auto. Dodge 4spd auto. Chubby V8 develops its power at a higher rpm band. Dodge I6 develops at a lower band. Get equally geared trannies and rear ends and try again. Is it me or are these test extremly lopsided? Am I wrong in thinking that if the Dodge had more than 4 gears things would have been different? Also how in the world can you compare 0-60 speeds, we all now that V8's are quicker off the line. To me there is no way to equally compare the three due to the engines, gearing and trannies. Now if they were all I6 or V8 sure.

 

[GWBourne]

Chubby 6spd auto. Dodge 4spd auto. Chubby V8 develops its power at a higher rpm band. Dodge I6 develops at a lower band. Get equally geared trannies and rear ends and try again. Is it me or are these test extremly lopsided? Am I wrong in thinking that if the Dodge had more than 4 gears things would have been different? Also how in the world can you compare 0-60 speeds, we all now that V8's are quicker off the line. To me there is no way to equally compare the three due to the engines, gearing and trannies. Now if they were all I6 or V8 sure.

I AGREE!! or when the test is done with autos and manuals in 2wd and 4wd... they need to get 3 trucks, one from each of the big three with as close to as possible options. problem is they tell the big three "hey, we are writing an article on such and such and need a truck" then the big three hand them the ride they want to have some publication for the month... . it is dumb. consumer reports rocks because they buy everything to do thier tests..... very un bias tests at that.

 

[MRaynor]

I agree also. I would be very interested in seeing durability tests on all three after they run the crap out of them the same way for a year.

Chubby 6spd auto. Dodge 4spd auto. Chubby V8 develops its power at a higher rpm band. Dodge I6 develops at a lower band. Get equally geared trannies and rear ends and try again. Is it me or are these test extremly lopsided? Am I wrong in thinking that if the Dodge had more than 4 gears things would have been different? Also how in the world can you compare 0-60 speeds, we all now that V8's are quicker off the line. To me there is no way to equally compare the three due to the engines, gearing and trannies. Now if they were all I6 or V8 sure.

 

[NIsaacs]

Did you guys read the article, or just watch the video? It wasn't as bad as some tow testing I have read. All trucks were 4x4, crew cab, auto's, duallys and diesel powered. They also used the towed weight, as 81 percent of their max GCW. Dodge-21,000, Ford-26,000 and Chevy-23,500, that made the Dodge the lightest of the three.



As far as info, yeah it was kinda Chevy biased





"NICK"

 

[p-Bar]

Ya it was all Chevy advertisement

 

[RVTRKN]

Hey you guys are now famous on the Diesel Place for crying. The test must of had a GM rep approval before the test, note the temp at time of testing. Wonder what would of happened if it were 115*

 

[SBeretz]

Seems to me, the RAM did pretty well, hard tellin how they would have stacked up with a 6 speed comparison. They said the 4 speed hurt its 0-60 times and thats about it, but really, the truck overall, by the testers seemed pretty good. I love my MC and how much room it has, and the power is awesome, with TQ right off idle. Maybe the chevy has "more power" but really, for day in and out driving, the Cummins is pretty awesome for mileage and driveabilty. I know it is not a true "test" but when my wife first drove the truck, she realized right away the power that is available even when starting in second gear. I guess it hard to buy the wrong truck, but depending on where your rules for truck buying goes, the Cummins, has way fewer issues than the PSD and the Duramax is a powerful and proven engine, but I always say to guys looking for a new diesel truck, look under the hood, what would you rather work on. They see my point. Scotty

 

[diesel0904]

maybe it just me but i would rather own a truck that doesnt look like a two wheel drive when it has 4x4 stickers on the fender like gm is known for. and another thing did the dirtymax blow a head gasket going up the hill.

 

[GAmes]

I want to see them do the same test after each truck has over 400k on it without any changes of injectors, head gaskets, or injector pumps.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Isaacs

The capacity of the Dodge is 23k not 21k. The should have simply placed the exact same load on each trailer. The capacity of the trucks is simply an opinion of the manufacturer. Did each truck have the same rear end gear?

 

[GAllen]

The 48RE has always been the limiting factor for our trucks. I knew that for sure when I traveled with an 03' GMC Duramax/Allison last summer. If I fell off the power band in 3rd, 2nd was too low to speed back up to the point I could pull in 3rd again (6% grade). My buddies GMC had that gear split right were he needed it and his truck pulled me on the grapevine going south because of it. If it wasn't a significant problem, DCX wouldn't be investing in a 6 speed auto.

 

[JHardwick]

Hey you guys are now famous on the Diesel Place for crying.

Yeah, and the resident Dodge guy on the Diesel Place is trying to tell the Chevy guys that the Cummins has been common rail since 98. 5 m/y

 

[JHardwick]

Did each truck have the same rear end gear?

The Ford had a 4:30, but I don't know where all of the final drives are.



I'm confident that my Cummins/4:10/6 spd setup is the best going, and the editors seemed to like driving the Dodge best.

 

[SHobbs]

Crying? Yeah right, it's called fair and even. I have to hand it to them for loading the trucks as equally as possible. Unless you get all three as close to the same you really can't compare. Each of the three have their strong points and weak points we all agree on that, but come on lets get on an even plane here. I wonder if the Chubby that was tested was used in the auto mode or auto manual allowing the driver to choose which gear he was in?

 

[pwr2tow]

Gee, I wonder if they put a 13 speed behind the duramax. Gee, I wonder if he was picking his nose and scratching his butt at the same time.



Come on guys the comparison was as close as you could get. The simple fact that the trucks come in stock form from the factory is what most of us buy our vehicle on, not what if's.



I surely didn't buy my new Dodge just to find out I have to improve the whole drivtrain just to be equal or better than the competition. I should have learned back in 1999 when I bought my first new Dodge.



Now don't get me wrong, I love my new Dodge but really think it could do better and the only way to make it better would be to modify it and loose my warranty or trade it in on a duramax and have a warranty intact.



I modified my new 1999 Dodge and there are just as many problems and headaches with modifying a vehicle and the cost is not much different either.

 

[NIsaacs]

The capacity of the Dodge is 23k not 21k. The should have simply placed the exact same load on each trailer. The capacity of the trucks is simply an opinion of the manufacturer. Did each truck have the same rear end gear?

The GCW of the Dodge tested, is 21,000, auto/3. 73 axle ratio. The Ford was rated 26,000 lbs GCW, auto/4. 30 axle ratio. The Chevy was rated 23,500 lbs GCW, auto/3. 73 axle ratio.



It was not Ford, Chevy or the testers fault, that the Dodge auto only has four gears!!





"NICK"

 

[CUMMINZ]

I'll say it again

The new Dodge short bed dually is rated at 23k not 21k. Dodge does not have a rating of 21k in the 3500. The article was in error. The real stupid thing about the 3500 SB dually is the 10. 5kgvw.



CUMMINZ