How do you drive with your Aisin?

[JSoloman]

So, I'm curious if you all have preference. Do you just drop it in Drive and go or do you set it so the read out on the dash lets you know what gear you going into?
I've driven a standard trans for so long, it's tough to just be in "D". Does it make a difference or is it personal preference?
Also, I might add that with the 3.42s, the smart EB doesn't really do much, at least for me. I've found myself running with the full EB and feel I have more control to stop.

Let me know what you guys think.

J

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I have driven stick shift trucks since 1980. There was one short time with an automatic gasser Ram, 1985-89. I put the 2013 Ram into drive and forget about it. When towing, I use tow/haul mode, and it fairly agressively downshifts after you hit the brake if you stay off the accelerator pedal. In normal mode, the shifts are mild. It takes very little time to get used to it, and especially in town it is nice to have such a strong, heavy (probably 380 lb) automatic which takes no baby-sitting.

 

[LHarper]

I just put it in "D" and go. I like the full EB and tow/haul mode. Like the Aisin more everyday. Best option I purchased on this truck.

 

[JSoloman]

I can't wait to get mine broke in to tow the trailer. I'm sure I won't miss the clutch.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Also, I might add that with the 3.42s, the smart EB doesn't really do much, at least for me.

J

It won't be as effective as it would be with a 4.10 ratio as with start ability and grade ability with a load.

Here we go again...:-laf

Bill

 

[Jim W]

So, I'm curious if you all have preference. Do you just drop it in Drive and go or do you set it so the read out on the dash lets you know what gear you going into?
I've driven a standard trans for so long, it's tough to just be in "D". Does it make a difference or is it personal preference?
Also, I might add that with the 3.42s, the smart EB doesn't really do much, at least for me. I've found myself running with the full EB and feel I have more control to stop.

Let me know what you guys think.

J

First I do not have the AISIN nor do I have one of the newer 6.7L Cummins Ram trucks but I was at the rally held at CMEP this year.

So base on what was told to us I think the Smart brake is mainly to hold a set speed when towing. Such as you are going down a 6% incline and you want to maintain the speed limit with the trailer in tow; at say 65MPH or 55MPH. You turn on the smart brake and tap the brake pedal at say 65 MPH; the trucks ECM will maintain the set speed limit with the Smart Brake (exhaust brake) doing the work to keep the truck at 65MPH. At least this is how I understood the use of the smart brake on the new trucks. Someone please correct me on this if I am wrong .

Now as far as shifting the AISIN I think this would be RPM dependent and where you are driving the truck. For me when I tow I usually keep the truck in drive unless I am not on the interstate or on a mountain grade as I might shift out of 6th gear and go to 5th gear because the RPM’s may be down and the EGT’s are above 1000F. When I am not towing and driving around the city/countryside I will lock out 5 and 6 because this will lug the engine down around 1,100 RPM’s or so. I like to stay above 1,500 RPM’s as I find this is the best engine speed for my truck. I am running 3:73 gears and 17” tires.

Jim W.

 

[crabjoe]

Here's what I've found.. I've found that 6th gear is useless... Every little hill causes it to hunt between 5th and 6th because of the 3.42s. The Exhaust brake only works down to about 30mph ... again, I'm thinking because of the 3.42s.

With that said, I also drive with Tow/Haul activated. I've found it helps my MPG, and allows it to hold gears a bit better...

 

[Wertles]

I drop it in drive, hit the exhaust brake and just go. The EB works very well with the 4:10. I don't use the tow/haul unless I'm pulling something. Too many rpm's empty around town. It's also rare that I use the smart brake. The only time I use that is when I'm empty and have passengers.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

The only time my Aisin has downshifted to fifth at highway speed (75) was pulling a trailer uphill. I was in tow/haul mode. After cresting the hill, it goes back to sixth. If there is a succession of uphill-downhill-uphill etc, it will downshift--upshift etc. I use the shift lever mounted switch to lock out sixth when there will be such a series of hills. Otherwise, sixth gives the best mpg. Of course, my SRW 3500 has 3.42s.

 

[JSoloman]

So, here's what I will be driving in, in the short term, I've got 45 miles from home to work on a 2 lane highway (I prefer to hitting the interstate). Speeds range from 35-55mph, as I have a couple of small towns to go through. As Bill Stockard and crabjoe said, it's going to take a bit of getting use to going from 4.10s to 3.42s. I'll figure it out, however I want to feel I have CONTROL of this rig and it feels to be a bit more than the ol' 5.9. So far I've relied on the tow/haul and the EB to feel as though I have the advantage. Once I have the trailer in tow and am out on the interstate will give me more of an idea what the smart brake will be like.
At this point, and for the next year, most of my towing will be over the Coast and Cascade Ranges, so I should have plenty of time to get a feel what this beast can do. I know my years driving fire engines and water tenders, it was drop 'em in drive, hit the EB and go.

 

[rrl989]

Now that the novelty has worn off I just put it in "D" and go. The Auto EB does'nt do much for me when empty, the Full mode has a more noticable effect when empty.
If in tow/haul mode with the EB on Full, it's too aggressive for me to use around town. I have about the same commute as you. I have the 3.73/300MM Rear.

 

[Jim W]

I am curious about the 4th gen’s engine rpm’s when you are driving around town say at 30 to 45 MPH with either the 3:42, 3:73 or 4:10 rear ends with the AISIN 6 speed auto? Also does the indicator tell you what gear you are in?

Because if I let the computer choose and just put the truck in drive I am between 1,100 RPM’s to 1,200 RPM’s in town in 5th or 6th gear. I know that I have a 08 Ram with the 68RFE but I am curious on how the AISIN will is different now in selecting what gear to use in town.

Jim W.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I haven't paid a lot of attention to rpm. In normal mode, the Aisin lets the engine loaf at low rpm if there is essentially no load on it, but downshifts as needed. It is more aggressive about downshifting in tow/haul mode. Ram engineers told me that the new 6.7 is efficient and has best torque from 1200--2000 rpm.

 

[AClayton]

I agree.....these trannies upshift to the tallest gear to loaf the 6.7 around at a 1000 or so rpm. I have learned to drive this new truck with the emphasis of letting the computer select whatever gear it wants and if it doesn't suit me, I manually drop a gear. Loaded or not......if you feel the engine is lugging, just momentarily stab the throttle and then immediately release......the computer will drop one gear, give you the desirable rpm you need to finish climbing your grade, and then as you crest over the hill you pull the throttle back and it will immediately upshift. Very smart transmission!! It absolutely does NOT hunt.....the computer will hold that gear all the way until you finish climbing the grade. I love it.....you just need to be as smart as the transmission is and learn how to work together.