Bigblock, while what you say may be true, you made an important qualification at the end of your last post - performance not reliability. The topic of this thread is more related to reliability/durability. I also dispute your claims about performance. While the ford/chevy transmissions may have better numbers, at the end of the day, why do you have a truck? Most of us want to get from point a to point b with no trouble and reliably. The 48RE having the most reliable record, and not performing POORLY seems the best choice out there transmission wise. I can see wanting an allison or torqshift if the 48re performed badly, but since it does what most people ask of it reliably, what more do you want?

 

Point taken. 48re is just as you said, not the worst trans ever and its very durable, which is a better combo that the other 2 offer.

I just wish we could have an electronically shifted 6 speed auto that could handle the torque and be able to use the exhaust brake effectively. Imagine towing GCW at 70mph, getting onto the exit ramp, letting off the go-pedal, and the truck slows to 10mph all by itself without using the service brakes before you get to the stop sign/light. It's possible. In fact, if the trans could take the torque, i bet you could also get a huge improvement in fuel economy.

I'm off the soap box, sorry for the rant. Hope no one is offended here, I love my CTD.

 

Bigblock I don't think anyone would be offended by your comments - we're all here to toss around ideas, and most of us aren't so married by blind loyalty to our trucks that we are willing to see when others have better offerings. I really agree that exhaust brake compatibility has been a huge downside to the 48RE, and many times I cursed myself (that is until I hit rush hour!) for not getting a 6spd and jake brake. More gears would also be nice. I dont mean to contend the 48RE is the ultimate trans by any means, that's for sure. The shift patterns and the early lockup of the TC are things I'm not that happy with...but knock on wood I've got 48k on it with no issues - with some long trips with 9K lbs behind me.

PS stop making me imagine an exhaust brake, I'm starting to get wood

 

I guess there is not much to do in Cleveland!! Or is that anyone to???

 

I bet the 6 SPEED auto is a Cummin and not too far away!

 

Nah there are plenty of things to do and women, but there is always a special place in my heart for anything Cummins related


I'd love to see Dodge borrow from MB. They have some unreal SEVEN speed automatics with I hear quadruple disc tc's. Either way a measly 5 speed auto in our trucks would be a start !

 

Tschwab I've taken plenty of roadtrips with my 48re and 3.73 with the stock tires at around 85mph for extended periods, and one more gear would have been nice for mpg sake. Aside from that and the TC locking up a little too early for my taste, I have no complaints about the 48re.

 

Now now.My neighbor bought a 05 dually 3.73 48re.He claims its ok at best.Said he regrets not getting the 4.10 gears.Says towing to get to the sweet spot is 70 plus and that he dosen't like.Also says in hilly interstate towing it lugs,missis the sweet spot cause eaither to fast for the road conditions or too slow to pull good.He had a 03 6speed 3.73 and liked it just fine.But the auto o/d final drive is higher by just enough to be a pain.Says MY truck pulls MUCH better then his.I believe a 6 speed auto is coming down the road.G.M.knows it and will have a jump on it.

 

Hounddog I have auto and 3.73 and now 35" tires, which drops my ratio even lower, near 3.40. It's great now, I don't know why anyone aside from folks that tow really heavy all the time would want 4:10's. I recently towed 9000lbs from OH to FL up and down 5% grades with the cruise stuck on 70 in OD without an issue. Yeah it downshifted a few times but never lugged. My buddy with 4.10s had to put bigger tires on his truck just because he kept redlining on the highway. Maybe some of you folks never get to 70mph zones, but most people do about 80 in the 70mph zones...4.10's just rev too high. There is no best choice with the wide variety of usage.

 

My neighbor and use our trucks to pull.Never bought them to run 80. 70 is my limint.I tow 10k 68 mph or so.Once in a blue moon 70.I drive my 1500 slt at 80.He pulls others folks horses for a job.70 is his limint and 65/68 is his preferred.I have barreled my truck to 90 on the axxx of a 7 series BMW for laughs.But its rare for me to do that.Thats not what the truck was designed for.We see folkes go by us towing heavy at 75 plus and their NUTS.I've seen nasty wrecks with r'vers and big horse trailers running that speed towing.No thank you.Mine runs 65/68 mph up the hill and down the hill in all but the BIGGEST inclines in 6th.Thats it for me.The other is also too nerve racking.

 

I purposefully looked for my truck to be as close to the Powerwagon specs as possible and still have a diesel! The 48Re makes for effortless towing as I tow 3k daily and 6-8k occasionally. 4.10's

I tried rowing 6 with 4.10 gears and kept wanting to shift again.+My wife likes to drive it too!

I have 7 years or 70k miles to decide whether it is durable enough.

 

I know I don't have much experience with these trucks yet as I just got mine, but what is considered too high in the rev department. I have 4.10's and am turning about 2450 rpm @ 80 mph. At tow speed, 65-70 mph, it's just crossing 2000 rpm @ 65 mph. Seems ok to me.

 

I didn't mean to say that 4.10's would put anyone in the danger zone, unless you're really cookin. I just prefer the lower rpm/better mpg of the 3.73 at highway speeds.

Tschwab, even the 80 year old grandmas in their town cars and crown vics do 80 on I-75 (I recently moved up from FL). Most of the time if you're doing 80 you're in the middle or right lane and are getting passed. One time I was in a big group of cars crossing alligator alley (75 miles of flat/straight nothing), and for 30 mins we were 95-105mph. The ol cummins got part of it's break in that day People up here in OH are a lot more tame though, so I typically average 5-7mph over the limit, which keeps the police away. In my old age (28 ) I'm trying to keep it a little more reasonable

Now with the 35's and 3.73 when cruising empty at 70mph, I'm around 1800rpm. I really like that for mpg etc. 80mph puts me just around 2000-2100 I believe, but don't quote me there.