Ram HD redesign put off again

According to this article posted today by industry journal Automotive News (subscription may be required), the Ram HD trucks will receive another refresh of the 4th gen body in 2023, but will not receive an actual redesign until "around 2027". AN generally speaks in calendar years instead of model years, so these could be 2027, 2027-1/2 or 2028 models. By that point, the 5th gen body introduced with the 2019 Ram 1500 will be 9 years old... so there's a possibility that for this 2027 redesign, both lines could go to an all-new "6th gen" body.

https://www.autonews.com/future-product/future-product-electrifying-ram-lineup-comes-focus

 

Can't read the article without a paid subscription...... But not hard to believe given the current state of the world. Can't see them redesigning and tooling up when they can't get materials.

.

 

Agreed. In addition, right now the dealers are able to sell whatever little inventory they can get their hands on at or near MSRP. There would be no competitive advantage to change things up until the market resets.

 

maybe by 2027 the us will have more chip / semiconductor factories so that we dont rely so heavily on oversea suppliers. wishful thinking, i know. cheers!

 

Here are the 1500 and HD sections of the article...

1500: The lineup was burnished with several new packages to keep things fresh, including G/T and BackCountry packages for the 1500's Big Horn and Lone Star trims along with a 10th Anniversary Edition of the Limited trim. The Ram Clean Air System, filtering 95 percent of particulates, is now standard on all 2022 1500 models. A freshening should be in store for 2023. An electric version is slated for a 2024 release. The previous-generation 1500 Classic is slated to continue production through 2023.

2500/3500: Freshened versions of the heavy-duty trucks are expected to roll out around the same time as the 1500, in 2023. Redesigns are not expected until around 2027.

 

Actually there are 2 companies in the process of building mega chip factories in Arizona. One being Intel and the other being.... a Taiwan based outfit

 

The design of the current truck is just fine. They just need to concentrate their efforts on redesigning the transmission if they want to remain competitive.

 

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

 

I really like my 6spd AISIN... no need for anything more... Personally I don't like the way the GM 10spd drove and the lack of any EB functional feedback.. not sure if it would be better towing, but test drive was less than impressive.

 

WHY?
I know my truck is almost 13 years old now but I have had no issues what so ever with the 68RFE in my truck. When pulling my 5er I can cruise all day long at 1600 to 1700 RPM's in 6th gear. So, what advantage would a low revving Diesel engine have with more gears?

 

Nice to see others understand the straight 6 and 6 speed auto work VERY well together.

 

It has little to do with highway cruising as the top gear, whether its a 4 speed or a 10 speed, will be close. 10th gear on the GM trans is .64 to the 68rfe .63. It is the much tighter spread in between to keep you in the power band and more importantly the low 1-3 gear ratios that makes the difference. 1st in the 10 speed is 4.70 vs 3.23 1st gear in the 68rfe. The Aisin gear ratio doesn't compare much better, either.

Pulling 16-18k through fields and soft muddy lease roads with poor bases and unimproved back roads at low speeds the 10 speed would really shine. As it is I have to use 2 low for some areas for a lower crawl ratio which is less than optimal as it is just adding stress to other areas.

 

I can tell you towing 35k combined taking off on a steep grade is simply a non issue with the 4.10's and AISIN. I have towed my Son's 3500 AISIN 3.42's and the same can be said at 28k combined.

I wish I could lockout 1st gear on mine as it simply doesn't need it unless towing. So with the 10 speed I would want to lockout even more gears.

 

1, 4.10 in SRW is not available - and for what I use my truck for and the terrain I would never own a DRW.

2, we are talking very different scenarios - asphalt vs fields and wet lease roads with poor bases. Might as well be pulling something on square tires. 4.10s or 3.90's would help drastically. It stinks they put such a tall gear in these trucks. Everyone doesn't have the same needs.

 

FWIW,
I'm very happy with my 4th Gen 2017 5500 and 5th Gen 2019 1500. I know the 2019+ HDs aren't labeled 5th Gens due to a number of things, but I would buy a 2022 Ram HD whatever we want to call the Gen in a heartbeat. I like the looks, the powertrain, and the available options. Although completely satisfied with the 6spd Aisin, I wouldn't mind an 8 or 10spd... not more top or bottom, just more in between.

So that and a couple bucks will get you a regular cup of coffee.

Chee-eers, Ron

 

I also mentioned my Son's 3500 AISIN and yes it has 3.42's and takes off on grade with ease at 28k.

My 11 DRW 68rfe did struggle on grade at 29k combined with 3.42's.

To do it over again I would get my exact truck with 3.42's and AISIN even at 35k combined.I have a friend that is as heavy as I am towing with a 13 Mega Dually 3.42's and AISIN, he lOVES it.

 

I like my truck too. I liked my 2001. Every time a new truck comes out there are the guys that say WHY!? MINE IS GREAT! Good for you, good for me, good for all of us. Things change, technology changes, you are not the same as me, I am not the same as you. Somewhere there a guy with a model T yelling "WHY!?" it does everything I need! At one time guys were yelling "20,000 lbs? who needs to tow that much in a pickup?" Then it was guys yelling about 25k then 30k and so on. 4 speed? My 3 on the tree does what I want. 5 speed? My four is all anyone would ever need. Six? Ridiculous..they are just trying to charge us more for these trucks...and so on...and so on...
I'm getting older now, but in 10 more years I hope I'm not THAT guy. Now, everyone go out and tell the kids to get off your lawn!

 

The six speed is the ONLY trans that has had fairly equal spacing, that is why it's been so good.

 

Just because it works well doesn’t mean it markets well, and marketing sells. Wether you think the truck needs an upgrade or not, it does from a marketing standpoint. Why else would Ford built an all new diesel for a pickup and stuck with a V8!? Marketing, period.

Really all I hear with repeated, excessively repeated, rants about new trucks not needing to change is jealousy.

I had no real complaints about my 05 until I did, that’s it. It did everything I asked of it, and more. The 18 just does them better. That doesn’t fault the 05, just goes to show that things generally get better with time… as they should. It’s not intended to discredit old trucks, but rather its intended to sell trucks.

At the end of the day any new or redesigned product is intended to sell goods. Your enjoyment of said goods is almost always secondary to their enjoyment of selling goods.

So embrace and enjoy the change, it’s going to happen either way…. These are just trucks after all.

 

Every 68RFE I have driven seems clunky, always seems to upshift too soon and lugs the engine, won't downshift quick enough when pulling a load on a grade so now the torque convertor starts to shutter, the transition from 4th gear to 3rd gets kinda rough at times... I have 104k on this truck, use it but don't abuse it. I have serviced the transmission 3x since purchasing the truck in 2010 with Mopar filter/oil. It would be interesting to know if there is much difference between the early and later model 68rfe transmissions as far as improvements goes.

My truck is tuned stock power/delete and stock sized tires (LT265/70/17). It is not turned up so as not to put extra strain on the driveline. It has plenty of power for the loads that I pull. I went through the paces and once tried a transmission tune and didn't like it at all so I took it off. There wasn't much difference between normal and tow/haul mode with the transmission tune. I like the tow/haul mode when pulling a load - not for driving around empty.

I have driven the ZF 8 speed transmission with a 6 cyl Pentastar and a 5.7 hemi. The transmission seems much more refined, very responsive and always seems to be in the correct gear - it was a pleasure to drive, what more could one ask for.... Maybe my next truck will be the 6.4 Hemi or a different brand diesel.

I think Ram has milked enough out of the 68RFE and it's time to move on and use another 6, 8 or 10 speed. I have not driven the Aisin transmission and it would be interesting to try one out some day. The Aisin also seems to have it's share of critics too on internet forums but take that with a grain of salt.
Just some observations guys.