MOPAR 6 speed automatic durability questions

[Gonzo 1066]

SO on all of the internet sites that I frequent, TDR seems to have some of the most accurate information. Guys on here generally tell it like it is instead of being so brand loyal that they cant tell the truth. How good is the Dodge 6 speed automatic transmission? Is there common problems? Is it better under a HARD towing environment than perevious Dodge autos? Is it possible to rack up a couple of hundred thousand towing miles on one?

 

[Jim W]

The reliability of the 68RFE auto depends on what you want to do with the overall truck. If you want to keep the truck stock and maintain the transmission like the O&M guide suggest, I believe the transmission should be good for at least 150K miles. If you want to add a programmer an add lots of horsepower to the truck say 120HP or more than the transmission may only last for a short time. The stock transmission is not built for a lot of power.

I know of an individual who has achieved at least 200K miles with his stock transmission hauling for a living with his 3500HD Pick-up. Then there is a kid (in his 20's) in the area that destroyed his transmission in a day (2012 Big Horn Ram). My son installed a Smarty JR on his truck for him instructing the person not to use the higher HP settings without up grading the transmission. Will he adjusted the Smarty to the higher setting and proceeded to do burn out's in 4 wheel drive in plowed fields; will the transmission only last one day.

I have 59K miles on my truck with city driving and towing a 5er with no issues to date using a Smarty SR67 set on CaTCHER 3 level. This only adds 60 additional Horsepower to the truck. I have been this way since I had 21K on the truck, I did buy the truck new in Nov 07.
Jim W.

 

[cerberusiam]

The 68RFE is under-sized, under-clutched, over managed, and full of the cheapest parts form the cheapest supplier. Just like every other transmission in an LD truck on the market, brand loyalty means nothing when it comes to the parts and the package.

You have a better than average chance of the transmission performing adequately for a good long time IF you leave the engine stock power, the trans stock tuning, and don't force the trans to perform outside its comfort level. Blatant abuse will kill it quick. Over weight and hard driving wil kill it. Change the power levels or stock tuning and your chances of problems go way up.

In other words, nothing has changed except the additon of 2 gears.

 

[RustyJC]

How good is the Dodge 6 speed automatic transmission? Are there common problems? Is it better under a HARD towing environment than perevious Dodge autos? Is it possible to rack up a couple of hundred thousand towing miles on one?

I guess I'd ask if you see the volume of failed transmission reports you saw with the 47RE and 48RE? I certainly haven't. I'm quite satisfied with the performance of our 68RFE both unloaded and towing a 16K GVWR 5th wheel - no problems whatsoever.



Rusty

 

[Simplysmn]

Well I have had 2 different truck's with the auto and Loved them both the 08 we put 92,000 in 3 1/2 yr's tow'd a wide range of thing's with it Never had troubles . now the 11 we have has 47,000 on it in 1 1/2 yr's and did awesome going to upper Washington State with a total weight of 25,500 the whole way nevr had any troubles pulling the hill's or anything . I guess it's all in how you treat them .

 

[Cummins12V98]

15,000 on mime. At 2,000 I did a comeplete fluid change to AMZ/OIL Universal ATF. The trans has performed very well. So time will tell!

I have heard of very few having problems with a stock engine. In fact I know of none.

 

[HBarlow]

There was previously a TDR member who used the screen name of Tulsa-Okie. He had an '07 or '08 6. 7 with the MOPAR six speed automatic that he used for commercial hot shot hauling. I think the transmission failed between 350k and 400k miles. IIRC he pulled a heavy goosneck flatbed tandem dual wheel trailer used for hauling commercial loads. I believe his engine was left in OEM tune but the truck was probably at or beyond Ram's specified maximum GCWR most of the time.

 

[LNaugle]

you want honesty... . call one of the top trans rebuilders and ask their opinion... . as far as mine goes... . they scare me... . no REAL upgrades available. AND who is ever satisfied with stock? lol!

 

[RustyJC]

you want honesty... . call one of the top trans rebuilders and ask their opinion... . as far as mine goes... . they scare me... . no REAL upgrades available. AND who is ever satisfied with stock? lol!

With all respect, I'm not sure that someone who hasn't figured out how to make a few $$$$ off the 68RFE (when that is the nature of their business) is going to necessarily be an unbiased source of information.



Rusty

 

[sag2]

The 68RFE is under-sized, under-clutched, over managed, and full of the cheapest parts form the cheapest supplier. Just like every other transmission in an LD truck on the market, brand loyalty means nothing when it comes to the parts and the package.

You have a better than average chance of the transmission performing adequately for a good long time IF you leave the engine stock power, the trans stock tuning, and don't force the trans to perform outside its comfort level. Blatant abuse will kill it quick. Over weight and hard driving wil kill it. Change the power levels or stock tuning and your chances of problems go way up.

In other words, nothing has changed except the additon of 2 gears.

Sorry, but I beg to differ with your first paragraph. First off, what factual information do you have that it fails more often than the RE transmission did? If you just search this forum I think you will only find a hand full of RFE failures so far. And the transmission has now been out going on six years.
The second problem I have with your statement is where is it written that the manufacturer has some obligation to build the transmission to hold more horsepower and torque than stock levels. The reason BOTH the RE and RFE are torque managed (562 lb/ft for latest RE, 800 lb/ft for the latest RFE) is so they DO live for the customer. The bottom line is the RFE transmission is far superior to the old RE, and at stock power levels, proper service intervals, and staying within published CGVWR ratings will provide transmission life well past 100,000 miles.

 

[sag2]

The 68RFE is under-sized, under-clutched, over managed, and full of the cheapest parts form the cheapest supplier. Just like every other transmission in an LD truck on the market, brand loyalty means nothing when it comes to the parts and the package.



You have a better than average chance of the transmission performing adequately for a good long time IF you leave the engine stock power, the trans stock tuning, and don't force the trans to perform outside its comfort level. Blatant abuse will kill it quick. Over weight and hard driving wil kill it. Change the power levels or stock tuning and your chances of problems go way up.



In other words, nothing has changed except the additon of 2 gears.

Sorry, but I beg to differ with your first paragraph. First off, what factual information do you have that it fails more often than the RE transmission did? If you just search this forum I think you will only find a hand full of RFE failures so far. And the transmission has now been out going on six years.

The second problem I have with your statement is where is it written that the manufacturer has some obligation to build the transmission to hold more horsepower and torque than stock levels. The reason BOTH the RE and RFE are torque managed (562 lb/ft for latest RE, 800 lb/ft for the latest RFE) is so they DO live for the customer. The bottom line is the RFE transmission is far superior to the old RE, and at stock power levels, proper service intervals, and staying within published CGVWR ratings will provide transmission life well past 100,000 miles.





Edit: Just did a little comparison with RE reman (R2118868AC) torque converter, average weekly demand 55. RFE reman (R8109671AD) converter, average weekly demand 3. I rest my case with facts.

 

[HBarlow]

I have only read or heard of one 68RFE failure. That is the one I mentioned above where a TDR member wore it out with approximately 400k miles of heavy commercial towing.

 

[cerberusiam]

Excuse me???

Sorry, but I beg to differ with your first paragraph. First off, what factual information do you have that it fails more often than the RE transmission did?

Where in the first paragraph did I mention failures?

What exactly do you disagree with? Under sized? Under clutched? Over managed? All the transmissions in this group (TQShift, Ally, 68RFE) are essentially the same?

The second problem I have with your statement is where is it written that the manufacturer has some obligation to build the transmission to hold more horsepower and torque than stock levels.

Huh?? I clearly stated over powering and abusing the transmission would have consquences, while stock power and letting the transmission work as designed would yield positive results.

Please explain how you can infer that an "obligation" exists to build them better from the context of the post.

If you just search this forum I think you will only find a hand full of RFE failures so far.

This forum and ONLY this forum is the final word on longevity of the 68RFE???

 

[mpaulson]

186,000 kms on mine, chipped/deleted to the 60hp range since the 10,000 km mark. Just added BG Chryslers TCM at about the 165,000km mark. About half the milage is towing the rv and toys at a combined weight of 23-24,000#. To date I have not touched the transmission other than annual spring fluid changes. I has been heated twice, once at about the 100,000k mark to 265 degrees, and two weekends ago to 284 degrees. This was the first time the dash temp light came on. I will be changing the fluid in the next few days because of this. The high temps are from driving at about 20 km/hr fully loaded up about a 15% rocky two track road in the back country, both times.
In my opinion, this is a great transmission and has taken allot from me as you can tell. You will see another post from today about shuddering, read my comment on that post about how I shift the transmission which maybe in part why I have had success so far.

 

[Jim W]

You have a better than average chance of the transmission performing adequately for a good long time IF you leave the engine stock power, the trans stock tuning, and don't force the trans to perform outside its comfort level. Blatant abuse will kill it quick. Over weight and hard driving wil kill it. Change the power levels or stock tuning and your chances of problems go way up.

In other words, nothing has changed except the additon of 2 gears.

Here is a link to a user who has used his 07. 5 or early 08 3500HD DRW with an auto for a little while. He has parted out the truck now and is selling off what can be salvaged. The truck had a useful life of over 14,217 hours and 440,000 miles as a hauler, hauling close to 33,000 LBS day in day out. This is his claim to the weight of his loads. First transmission work was done around 230,000 miles.
See link http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/6-7-liter-general-discussion/200753-6-7-210-000-mile-update.html

Jim W.

 

[HBarlow]

Not a bad service life for an ordinary factory truck.

Haven't seen any 47 or 48REs that could claim that record.

 

[AHarris]

52,000 miles, pulling a 10K camper 15K miles, plowing through 2 rough Northern WI winters on a quarter mile driveway (and yes we get REAL snow up here!), numerous firewood hauling runs, towing a boat almost every week, lots of normal highway driving for real estate showings (I'm a Realtor), serviced on time at dealer, ZERO problems. As a bonus this is about the best shifting transmission I've ever owned with with the exception of my Volkswagen TDI 6 speed DSG.



I don't know about anyone else, but for me the 6. 7 and 68RFE is BULLETPROOF... and I don't baby it!