Ugggg Truck problems

[CliffordK]

I don’t want a 10 speed. Too expensive & complex for a pickup to pick up a little better fuel mileage.
Juice aint worth the squeeze.

I generally like my RAM 3.6L with an 8 speed auto.

The 3.6L is rated at about 305 HP, which is about the same as the vintage Chevy 350, perhaps even higher than some of them. But to get the high HP, it must scream a bit.

And gone are the days when a pickup would get less than 10 MPG. When empty, I can get from 20 MPG to 25 MPG or so. As good as the old half pint Ford Ranger.

I've driven 3 and 4 speeds, and there are often times when one extra gear, on the high end, or the low end would be nice, especially as freeway speeds have been creeping up. Or as some people mentioned, finding that perfect gear for creeping along in a traffic jam.

Is 10 speed better than 8?

 

[CliffordK]

On the newer Fords that have Shift-On-The-Fly or knob activated transfer case, you can use 4LO with the front axle/hubs disengaged to give you 2LO for moving heavy trailers around, makes it much easier on the transmission and driveline.
You use one of the upper Fitter switches and add a relay under the hood in the Vacuum operated hub system to open the circuit. I did on our F350. Can you do that on the Ram's?

Thanks for the suggestion. I might dig around and see if I could switch into Low range without 4x4. However, there haven't been many instances when I've felt that 4x4 would be bad for low range. A short few feet on the driveway it doesn't matter, and may help some with fir needles on the pavement.

I use 4x4 on gravel from time to time to prevent spinning. I could probably make do with 2wd, but no need to toss gravel around.

I did have one instance when my pickup threw itself into limp mode, and I had to put it into 4x4 low to limp into a safe spot up a hill where I could stop. It turns out that I was driving during plowing and disking season, and the air cleaner got clogged with dust. Yet the response to throw it into limp mode while on the freeway and flash a warning light was annoying.

The RAM will more or less shift between 2WD high and 4WD high on the fly. However, it requires the vehicle to be moving less than 3 MPH for a very slow shift into low range, so it isn't practical to jump in and out of low range very frequently.

 

[arto98607]

15 trucks in 20 yrs, wow.

Probably adds up to more in sales tax & titling fees etc. than I have spent on trucks in the last 20 years!

Oh well, each to his own.

 

[Tomtint]

15 trucks in 20 years? Not selling me on the longevity of Ford trucks...

Some years we would swap out 2 or 3 for tax reasons.

 

[dodge man]

Ford uses a vacuum system for their 4x4 engagement, I think that unique to them. There is probably a way to get 2 low In GH and Ram trucks but don’t know how.

I’m pretty sure the 10 speeds skip gears in normal driving and only use 8 speeds normally. My F150 is a 2017 and has the old 6 speed and I’m glad. My son’s work truck is newer and has the 10 speed and he doesn’t like it.

 

[Topzide]

BD diesel makes a 2 low kit for Ram. Wiring, switch and some relays.

 

[Hay Dude]

You couldn’t give me a manual transmission now. The automatics, most with manual shift feature are greatly improved and make driving so much easier.

Heck my IH 7500 dump has a Allison 3500 series 5 speed and it’ll pull like a train.
Looking at buying an IH tandem axle hay truck and I won’t buy one without an allison auto.

 

[KeithT]

There was a recall on early 2020 super duty 10-sp transmission. The first gear (planetary) was not properly hardened and could degrade over time leading to transmission fluid contamination and then transmission failure. I have a 2020 F350 PSD, I had the recall recently completed. I have 27K miles, never a problem. No problems at all before or after the defective part replacement.

 

[Muley Gil]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Ford lost me with the 6.0/6.4 diesel debacles. My brother and I had 13 Ford vehicles between us. His old F350 with 6.9 or 7.3 diesel 4-speed was bulletproof and how Ford earned their reputation. I went to Chevy 2500 6.0l and another bulletproof truck, except for rust. Now I have a ‘14 Dodge Cummins 3500 with Aisin, knocks down 20.5 real mpg on highway weighing 9500lbs. Might look there next, but can’t say of newer trucks. The smog equipment DEF stuff is killing these rigs. No longer 500k mile engines with smog hooked up.
While stationed in Bosnia years back had use of a Toyota Highlander (I think) with diesel and 4-spd. Basically a Suburban with a manual and a diesel, nice rig. Not a fan of any Jap trucks, but that was a good rig.

I was in Kosovo from 2002 to 2004, as an international police officer. We had Toyota 4Runners with the diesel engine and a 5 speed manual transmission. Those were pretty much bulletproof. They survived being driven by third world types.

 

[Gem99ultra]

So I have been a Ford guy since about 2003.. Had probably 15 of them or more. Currently have 3 of them. I bought a 2020 F450 Limited to use primarily for towing a 19K pound 5th wheel and occasional other towing needs. Went out this am to hook up a trailer and the wrench light came on.. Then the truck wouldn't move in drive or reverse... I shut the truck off and restarted it, Could then move it in Drive as well as reverse.. But the wrench light came right back on.. Off to the inter web I go and apparently the 10 speed transmission is a problem child in these trucks.. Have an appointment this week at the dealer to look at it. Truck has 15k miles on it so its under warranty.. Hopefully its a simple fix and does not tie up the rig long... Its supposed to be pulling our camper to Fla next month..

Ford 2019 and 2020 10-speed transmission have a serious defect, a defect that Ford does not seem to be able to correct. Son's 2020 10-speed F150 Lariat cost him over $8K in (non)repair bills and another $40K in lost trade-in value for a 2023 model. He had both Ford attempt repairs as well as certified transmission shops. None we able to FIX the problem of the 2 years of figihting the problem.
Sorry, this is of no help to you, but you sure aren't alone with the problem. Good luck.