2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission ford 6.4 and cummins in sonomish pass WA.

[DCreed]

I think m1a is just saying that from a drivers view point, tech aside, that he would like to have the better points of the makes in one truck. the cummins engine, ford body/interior, and allison trans. I know of a few who have done the Fummins conversions and LOVE them, but I have yet to see the allison in one of them. I feel that dodge has slacked on the options list for its trucks compared to the likes of the king ranch or harley editions offered by ford, and as many have stated wheres the 8ft bed on the mega cab? As long as the makers wont offer a truck with anything goes options, then there will be folks that settle for what they CAN get and dream of what "could" be. No harm in it by me.

 

[EArp]

The 6. 0 produces about as much torque as a lawn tractor at 1000 to 1600 rpm.

Don't make me laugh Harvey, I just had surgery and it hurts too bad... :-laf For me, if it's a diesel and i'm behind the wheel it'll always be a Dodge Cummins!!

 

[bmoeller]

I had some fun March before last. Had the '97 and was pulling a 27' g/n stock trailer with a big load of hogs. Probably grossing close to 30k. Was on the interstate pulling a grade. Got stuck behind a Ford pulling about a 20' enclosed trailer. He could only handle 50mph. Once the line of cars passed me, I changed lanes and dropped to 3rd to light the charger. Hit O/D and blew his doors off. Haven't found a hill big enough to slow it down yet. :-laf

 

[TRoss]

I appreciate what m1a shooter is trying to say, and it is one of the reasons that I appreciate talking to cummins owners far more than others. I generally feel like our group is the least "brand loyal" (maybe because I'm inside of it, I don't see it). But generally I think there are a lot of people on here who say that they considered all of their options, looked at the numbers (rather than the logos) and chose the best engine or truck available. I also think its interesting that many of us are far more loyal to Cummins than we are to Dodge or whatever entity currently owns it.



Generally speaking, the TDR folks I speak to tend to point out that the V8 vs. I6 engine designs make a difference in what the trucks will do. As previously mentioned, the V8 will rev a lot higher, and that has some advantages. However, the I6 in our trucks produces great low end torque as Harvey pointed out. As I understand it, the I6 design (and subsequently low RPM) also means that our trucks will be on the road long after their same model year V8 diesels are getting scrapped/overhauled, generally speaking of course.



I always appreciate hearing people who are willing to criticize the weaknesses of their own preferred setup, because it means they aren't just brand loyal. I think for a lot of us, however, those weaknesses (like eating stock clutches and automatic transmissions for lunch) are also a plus in the long run, provided proper upgrades are made. All of this is to say, I appreciate this board and its members because I generally feel as though hard numbers (tested, not advertised) are preferred to simply brand bashing/praising.



Back on topic with this thread, my wife could attest that I like nothing more than to explicate the various reasons that the PoSD Diesel V8 is an inferior engine design usually being driven badly by a misinformed driver whose quest for power (even downhill power) is only further fueled by his frequent embarrassments in that area. It calls to mind that Duramax driver in his own video from a few years ago where he keeps saying "now, clearly that dodge is an inferior product, but I can't keep up with him" while his truck screams at him to pull over and let it rest. These rants usually arise after being tailgated in the fast lane doing five over the limit by a speeding Superduty towing an enormous fifth wheel who wants to fly downhill faster than I do. Of course, I do understand his plight, he better do ninety down this hill, because he needs to start the next hill as high in the RPM band as he can, because that is the only place his power exists (other than in his head).

 

[JMetzger]

I agree with HBarlow & some of the others. When we travel across the US & that has been 8 or 9 times I put the truck in cruse control & go my normal slow 63 MPH. The Fords & Chevys pass me on the flat but I just stay in CC & I end up passing them on the hills. I don't try to race anyone, I just stay at my normal slow 63 MPH & that includes the 6. 4. How do you tell a 6. 4, it says SUPER DUTY on the top of the grill.

 

[BDaugherty]

Personally, I bought a cummins engine that just happened to be wrapped in a Dodge truck. I've owned several Dodges both cummins and not and they've all been great trucks with very few issues. I've also spent a lot of miles in a C5500 duramax and F550 with the 6. 0. My experience was:

C5500: Quiet. Engine derated noticeably in the heat of the afternoon. Allison trans NEVER quit shifting.

F550: Started poorly in all seasons. Scared my wife in the winter. She thought it was going to explode. NO power down low. Ran like a scalded dog once wound up. 5spd torqshift trans was great. Tow/haul with vgt had better compression braking than Dmax/Allison with factory exhaust brake.



My '01 2500 Ram: Needs 3. 50 gears instead of 4. 10s. Loud. Starts great in any weather without preheating the grids. Can't compare apples to apples due to manual trans. However, it looked great going down the road pulling a 35' gooseneck with a '99 F350 4 door 4x4 with a dead 7. 3 loaded on it.



I really like my Dodges, but I have to admit that the others have some good ideas and nice features. The only thing that really kills me is the bragging that some of the others like to do. There's nothing better than just letting them talk... it just gives them enough rope to hang themselves when they can't live up to all the talk.

 

[2-ND TIME]

Sonohomish Pass

Wow my truck empty wouldn't do that! Thumbs up there.

 

[LVJUNIOR]

I had an 07. 5 dmax and an 03 cumins similarly equiped except the dodge had exhaust waste gate and a chip. My dodge could not even come close to my max. If I could afford the payment I would buy another one in a second. I am bot bashing the cumins but let's be fair the dmax allison combo is a good pulling rig

 

[AClayton]

I had an 07. 5 dmax and an 03 cumins similarly equiped except the dodge had exhaust waste gate and a chip. My dodge could not even come close to my max. If I could afford the payment I would buy another one in a second. I am bot bashing the cumins but let's be fair the dmax allison combo is a good pulling rig

You can't even spell CUMMINS right..... it is possible that you neglected to drive the 03' properly!!!



Alan

 

[LVJUNIOR]

I apologize for my spelling errors. I type on my blackberry and it changes Cummins to cumins. However, I feel that is unfair to state that I neglected to drive my truck properly without knowing me or anything about me. I have owned 5 diesel pickups from all 3 companies and am speaking from first hand knowledge. I did not join this forum to praise Dodge and Cummins for being the holy grail of diesel powered pickup trucks and engage in bashing any one with a different opinion. In fact, I have discontinued using at least 4 other forums because there was more my truck is better than your truck banter than factual information.



I know that I can not build my 12v to get 1500hp and get 30mpg. I joined this forum to find information to educate myself to do repairs and performance improvements from people that are more educated than I am on the subjects. I also would like to be able to help others that may need the information I have acquired along the way. If you have enough money you can beat anyone on the road with any one of the big 3 trucks. However, I stand very firm that the 2007. 5 Duramax in stock trim out performed my 2006 Power Stroke with a super chip and my 2003 Cummins with a banks chip pulling the same 14,000lb trailer up the same long 6. 5% grade.

 

[AKaiser]

The Allison is a very good transmission behind any NON-modified diesel engine. You add more power to the Duramax and the transmission's electronics start flipping out and causing limp-modes and such. You add more to a Cummins,and no transmission will live behind it without serious and expensive mods. The Allison can be built to withstand modest increases in torque but a huge cost. When huge hp is made,better off to go with an alternate choice.

Per Destroked.com, an Allison conversion is around $7500, which is pretty close to what I was quoted by GMac (here on TDR, Gabe on DTR) over a year ago. Add an additional grand (estimated) or so if you want a competition pulling rig. Subtract what you can get for your current transmission (est $2-3K for a G56) and you're hovering around the $6K mark.



BTW, I personally met (face-to-face) with GMac. He's prior service Air Force OIF vet, and a pretty down-to-earth guy. If I still have this truck after a third deployment, it's getting the Allison treatment.



Also "I had a chat with Dave Goerend about the allison and dodge trans differences, and he told me he would take a built allison over a built dodge trans any day of the week for sled pulling, drag racing, towing, etc" -LanceD at https://www.turbodieselregister.com...91653-allison-transmission-3.html#post1861004

 

[DCreed]

Per Destroked.com, an Allison conversion is around $7500, which is pretty close to what I was quoted by GMac (here on TDR, Gabe on DTR) over a year ago. Add an additional grand (estimated) or so if you want a competition pulling rig. Subtract what you can get for your current transmission (est $2-3K for a G56) and you're hovering around the $6K mark.



BTW, I personally met (face-to-face) with GMac. He's prior service Air Force OIF vet, and a pretty down-to-earth guy. If I still have this truck after a third deployment, it's getting the Allison treatment.



Also "I had a chat with Dave Goerend about the allison and dodge trans differences, and he told me he would take a built allison over a built dodge trans any day of the week for sled pulling, drag racing, towing, etc" -LanceD at https://www.turbodieselregister.com...91653-allison-transmission-3.html#post1861004

what did you think he would say? allisons are junk?

The top racing Dmaxs are using a 47RH if that tells you anything. They got sick of breaking the allisons and they are WAY more expensive to build. A full billet well built race trans w/converter runs $7k why spend more to put in an allison?

 

[AClayton]

I just spoke with Dave this morning about my new trans for my 01'... . cool guy and very knowledgeable. As many transmissions as he does and the following he has... . I would take his word on Allisons. The Allison in my RV has 40K and every last mile on that thing is close to or slightly above the suggested GCWR.



Alan