Breaking News: RAM IS KILLING OFF THE CUMMINS For 2025!!! 

His videos are quite good, but like 85% of his video titles are click bait guys lol

Need to bring back a manual transmission

Why would you post this? Don’t post clickbait. It’s been documented that a standard output will be using a ZF8 powerline. And the heavy duty will retain and different transmission much like a 8 speed Aisin for power outputs.

Cummins is going nowhere, they are just streamlining of the transmission and going with the ZF for everything IMO. Bye Bye 68RFE and Aisin.. It just makes more sense to keep things simple.

I ordered my 2017 RAM 3500 SRW Limited with the high output Cummins and the Aisin transmission with 3.42 gears. I have 210K miles, mostly highway non-towing. I get 20-22 mpg on the highway with the 3.42 gears. Sure, it is not fast off the line, but that is not its purpose, nor my need. It tows my 14K pound Montana 5th wheel with ease, again slowly off the line. I keep it limited to 5th gear while towing. I keep the fuel filters and oil / oil filter changed every 15K. I've had zero problems and love my truck. It performs as intended. I don't understand the need for speed in these HD trucks. Thanks JB.

68RFE has been used since the 6.7 came out in 2007.5 model year. More speeds in the limited diesel RPM range are better. Helps keep the engine in the prime RPM while allowing increased road speed for that RPM compared to the 6 speed. You have to remember the old 3 speed autos had 1:1 ratio in 3rd, that is now 7th gear on the Ford 10 speed. 68RFE is 1:1 in 4th and has two overdrives (5th & 6th). Power line is 1:1 in 6th with two overdrives (7th & 8th) if I am not mistaken.

Ram will not discontinued the Cummins engine.

Ty for sharing ... well I got my popcorn ready just waitin to see what they pop out with

I love my 68Rfe. Tows 14,000 lbs well and is a joy to drive empty. I also think on tests people showed 850 to the rear wheels which would be over 900 ft-lbs by the normal method. Tell me if I’m wrong.

Real power is when it’s loaded ! Drove ford wife has Chevy . I would rather pull with my Dodge it moves the load better less shifting in tow haul or drive mode . Don’t need to go fast just need to move the load !

Oh man, that 8 speed will blow the aisin away. ZF not only will be in rams, they will be in bigger commercial trucks the aisin couldn't

Bring back an eight speed manual transmission

Hearing this I wish I knew more about the used 2500 big horn I snagged, I told my wife that I want it to last 300,000 miles before I look at another vehicle.

I loved the ZF in my 1500. Makes my current 68RFE feel like a dinosaur. Not sure if a new transmission option will make it worth paying current prices for a new truck though…

Agree, one engine makes the supply chain easier and parts supply on hand less intensive.

I would be shocked in RAM raised the 2500 GVWR, small businesses dont want to get DOT numbers! I'm guessing ZF has a higher torque capacity powerline, and has been waiting on it for a while. That seeds them a fair amount of work for their new SC production facility.

Enjoy your content! Any word on a larger Gas HD Option 426 hemi??

I put 4.10s in my 2018 regular cab 2500 Cummins..... man what a difference.

Ok, the end clip was hilarious! I wonder what will happen to exhaust braking effectiveness with the extra gears, Ram is the leader in exhaust braking. Thanks for the great (click bait) video!

Dump the SO and 68. Add the 8 speed. Cummins doesn’t need more gears than that. Coming from a guy who has a SO and 68.

Thanks

Couldn't agree more about gearing. I tried getting 3.73's or 4.10's in my 2018 3500 4x4 single rear wheel with the Aisan and I was told it wasn't available. HUH! the customer couldn't get what they want. I love the truck except the gearing. The salesman said he called the factory rep and spoke to a female engineer and she said they won't put anything else in because this ratio is best for this truck. Nothing against female engineers, I don't like engineers period. They won't listen to anyone with field experience, "the numbers don't lie they say" maybe not, but the numbers aren't pulling a load up Loveland Pass either! Sorry for the rant. Enjoyed your video.

We use the zf trans in mass transit in busses matched with the cummins works for us maybe thats were there going with this

I have a single rear wheel high output Cummins with as69 RC transmission and I have 3.42 gears in the pickup truck from the factory. I also believe that the as69rc, but the 68 rfe can trace its roots all the way back to the old muscle car transmission. Matter of fact, a lot of the parts will interchange as far as the supporting pieces. I was wondering why my pickup refused to put down the power through first gear but now I know I can just manually shift her up to second and mash on the throttle. I still got the factory truck even if it's a 2025 beat cuz they say around 1200 ft lb of torque and I'm making around $1,650 because of all the bank's products on my vehicle and a tune. And you can't tune the AS69 RC transmission either to increase line pressures, but you don't really have to. There's actually a company that will rebuild it with completely forged internals. So when you want to go compound turbos and make around 2,500 foot pounds of torque where you don't have to worry about egts on a path pulling as heavy as you want as it'll just flow so much air. But the transmission will get ripped apart after 1600 ft lb of torque if you're not careful, but that's way better than the 68 rfe cuz that thing's only supposed to be able to take like 600 foot pounds of torque. So it's already out of the gate 200 ft lb of torque behind the low output. But I kind of like the primitive nature of the '69 RC. It just makes you feel like you're driving a diesel truck

I’m interested to see what they do.

I would love for you to ask for the 6 speed manual transmission or maybe even a 10 speed manual.

Omg people, kind of click bate, but it's RU-vid. It's interesting

I just bought a 23 HO Reg cab with the Aisin... It does some odd shifts unloaded sometimes but It doesnt effect drivablity i just let it do its thing. I like it so far.

Good video and I’m glad they are going to one diesel . I heard Ram doesn’t exceed the 10,000 weight deal because of tax/registration costs that come along with it in certain states. Not sure if that’s true….

Everyone who talks about this forgets the current Aisin Transmission is not rated for 1000 lb-ft by Aisin, it's rated 850 or 900 I believe and yet it has basically zero reliability problems with 1075 lb-ft. Ram will have no problem using the ZF Powerline rated for 1000 lb-ft with the high output Cummins. Of course whether they really do it remains to be seen. Commercial and medium/heavy duty transmissions are always rated conservatively for HP and torque so they can handle heavy weights and high or continuous duty cycles. And yes the title is click bait, but good video anyway.

Good info sir!

I hope they keep the column shifter

Keeping Aisin around wouldn’t make any sense since the power line is a medium duty trans so it works in all applications. Hopefully it’s not crude in its operation like the aisin.

According to the ZF Powerline data …it doesn’t meet Cummins torque numbers. The ZF also has other issues. All the electronics are enclosed inside the unit…..having to drop the transmission for anything even for something small. Aisin is till king.

6:24 That ZF spec sheet is REALLY throwing so many people off. Those torque numbers are for a higher class (heavier) truck. With the ZF behind the lighter weight of the RAM HD, the torque numbers go up. RAM HD is a class 2A truck (6,001-8,500 pounds). Class 5 (as seen on the right side of the spec sheet) is 16,001-19,500 pounds.

They keep the GVWR at 10k for insurance reasons.. in some states anything over 10k needs to be registered and insured commercially

I wish ram would bring back a manual option

Is the 392 Hemi still going to be available?

They need to change the short truck bed. A little bit longer

If they are getting rid of the Cummins, then Ram is probably developing their own engine.

If you were going to order a 24 before the old setups were gone would you get a 68rfe or Aisin in a 3500?

Bahahaha!! I love the "HA!! GOTTEEM!" Usually preceded by "deez nuts," but hey, I get it!!

Got em'

JB, hey man great discussion as always! Just one thing - PLEASE don't wish away the last real option for a true 3/4 Ton Class 2B Truck just to brag BS payloads against Ford, and now GM! Until the DOT raises their allowable GVWR for Class 2B, those of us with business use diesel trucks are very grateful to Ram for staying true to the truck class regulations. Want a Ford F250 Diesel 4WD for business use, but don't want to deal with CDL everyday, every trip!? Well - too bad, they are all light duty Class 3 now! GM says we can special order a 2500 Crew 4WD 6.6L Duramax with a Class 2B GVWR of 10k lbs., but at a premium and with a lengthy delay. It's all just Marketing Hype BS to say "Look at us, we have the highest payload!" It's wrong! It should be made more public that changing the sticker didn't make the truck more capable, it just made it a different DOT class and screwed the business owner out of a quality truck class without a massive amount of daily paperwork and CDL headaches that weren't necessary... I'm sorry, but this is one time when it's really not healthy competition amongst the Big 3 Truck brands, and instead it has hurt the industry. With that being said - If you and others are really hung up on changing GVWR to show higher payloads on heavier trucks, then by all means - lobby the heck out of the Dept. of Transportation to raise the 3/4 Ton Class 2B category Federally to a number like 10,800 lbs. or 11,300 lbs. to match these Fords and GMs and create a level playing field that allows for fair comparison amongst business owned trucks that don't require CDL for daily use! Your voice and platform can make a difference. Let's educate people on why these ratings are changing at other manufacturers and how it actually impacts the legal use of these trucks. Don't smack an engineer at Ram for being a legal holdout... shake their hand and tell them "Thank you!" Cheers! - Mark

Ford 10r140 is best transmission on the market if your looking to tow heavy.

Question is will the refresh include other things like say go back to solid lifter? Put some real engineering into the def systems? Time will tell.

Offer the zf auto8spd and a zf manual.... with about 500hp, and 1500lbft TQ. Might as well make a splash. The numbers are inevitable. So if you are gonna make that big of a change make it to the front of the pack

Add the Cummins 6.7 gasser to the line up.

10k GVWR keeps you out of the BIG taxes... Also, when not towing and used for business, a DOT number is NOT needed (10001+ GCWR needs it) In fact, GM offers a 9990GVWR rating on the 2500's for fleet buyers to skirt this very thing.

Makes sense for manufacturing to drop some power train options. And the competition has been that way for years. Allison made claims for years about 6 speeds would do everything in the trucking industry. But it was just more of bandwagon to go to 10 since it was the standard. And if ram was to drop Cummins they could go in house to the Iveco 6.7 NEF which is based off the Cummins . Just would have to be tweaked for road use

More power !!! HMM

The Aisin (made in Japan ) will out last any German made ZF crap any day. Look at ALL German built cars, they just barely make it pass the 50,000 warranty. I seen great ZF products but I also know Japan prides themselves with quality to last not always comfort.

thank you! Its so nice to hear from someone who understands transmissions and gearing in this day and age!!!! where few people understand what you and I understand! thank you much

You did a verbage error! You should have used "a" Cummins instead of "the" Cummins. The ZF Powerline is a no brainer! I have been wanting one ever since my wife elected not to get the manual with her '18 Ram 2500 6.7L. Any of the 6 cylinder Cummins engines have excessive power! The 4 cylinder Cummins with a ZF transmission would be the ultimate for many Ram pickup owners. Power with economy! I really like the ZF transmission in my '23 Jeep JLU, '20 Dodge Durango, and my '16 Ram 1500 3.0L. When the Ecodiesel gives up the ghost, a Cummins 4BT tier 4 engine will live in it's place. I already checked on the process to have it smog legal here in California.

I believe they will have a zf 8 speed for 2025 it is also used in garbage trucks and lighter duty semi trucks

Well in my opinion they should go with Allison

3:42 is what GMC is using in the diesel now.

It's easy to upgrade the 68rf. Regarding power......got enough 4 me..... and we tow every day. As long as we can delete the B I don't care....lol

Cummins maybe a good thing if it's diesel all the pickup truck with diesel have problems with the gas or oil.

You know Ram is making engine that able to use propane, gas, diesel, hydrogen with each of their own conversion kit

Great video JB, but even as a long tolime subscriber, and I say this with love... even I thought that was somewhat clickbait. A better title would've been something like Major Changes Coming to the Rams in '25". Enough of that. I 100% that Ram needs to up the GVWR on the 2500s. I honestly believe that Stantlis is going to phase out their HDs in the near future. European countries don't care about HD trucks because they are too big. I hope I'm wrong.

They are bringing in the 8 speed.same as the half tons.

This is clickbait, and yes the AISN is gone, old news buddy!!! They will only have the ZF transmission!!!

The future with the heavy duty trucks is going to be an electric axles with a small diesel engine to run a generator. Kind of like a diesel electric locomotive I believe it's Dana that already has their axles. Formulated where the central shaft that runs through the electric motor is your axle shafts and then your diesel engine. You basically start it and you forget it. It'll always stay at like a thousand or $1,500 RPM. Just enough to power the generator and your gas pedal just regulates the power to the axles and so you're talking massive amounts of torque. And no transfer case and no transmission. The only thing that would need to be serviced would be basically the engine oil. Perhaps a small battery pack which would be good for like job sites and stuff. But it's not really meant to power the truck so much as it is just to clean up the energy so you're not having spikes and drops like the generator will generally put out so the battery will act like it does just for even your vehicle when it's running. It just makes the energy nice and clean so the computer doesn't throw a fit😅

Well, looks like I will be getting a new Truck in 2025. I would prefer the HO in a 2500 . I bought the 2022 Laramie with SO. And no like for the click bait.

Longer bed for the mega cab or update the cab

I ordered a 2024 Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4X4 6’4” BOX March, 25 and it got built April, 25. When will I get it?

The glasses look good

I don't think they can sell customers a 1075 torque engine with a 1000 torque trans. But I'm usually skeptical. I would look at the 875 torque engine with a 1000 torque 8 speed torque converter trans.

Why would they? Don’t they know they are only the crate that Cummins uses to ship their engines in?

ZF builds nice smooth shifting transmissions and it will blow away the 68rfe , and be better than asin

They are going with the ZF for the new diesels. No need for Aisin or the clunck box of the 68

I prefer aisan transmission because better than others. I'm transporter every day dealing with heavy trucks and suvs aison transmission better than ford because let's check small example on ramp loaded 14500bs and move aison first 1 2 3 speed better than ford it's not losing power because we're driving every day but for when gets loaded on straight or gets speed no way can't stop it. Ford like BMW but RAM like working car every day pay back. Believe me if day fix egr, dpf issues, and they'll put manual dpf regeneration. Ram will be number one. For me still number one I don't know your choice. But Nobody can kill aison transmission with Ram 3500 4500 or 5500. Thank you

They need to put the Allison 6speed behind it. Since gm drop Allison in there trucks.

Possibly! Possibly!

Zf has a commercial 8sp out for a while. It handles way more than either of these do. They'll probably get the 8sp from 2500 to 5500. The 8sp is in big things in traffic. What better way to test them than to run the piss out of them in a garbage truck.

You got it backwards. It should be Cummins is killing off Dodge. If Cummins wern't in Dodge trucks nobody would by them.🍻

In my opinion, there should not be an option for a transmission. A big truck should have the power and ability to pull with reliability and ease.

Ram - this is FIAT

Ram needs to go 8 speed transmission 10 speed is too much but one thing ram really needs to do is put on 20 inch wheels that 17 inch wheels that’s from the 80s, 2024 now I can only imagine the look of a 20th wheel lot better

They said all trucks will be high output .the transmission is zf 8 speed. The high output is only 450 horse power the torque is only 1100 foot pound

Definitely clickbait lol. My two cents is having two versions of the diesel is just a way to squeeze more money out of the customers. I know some people will argue until they are blue in the face that the power difference makes a difference but I’m not one of them. With all that extra power just comes extra torque management. Also about the gearing, again the 8 and 10 speeds are nice but I think they are about the limit for improvements and they are nowhere near the jump in performance as going from a 4 speed to a 6 speed was.

I believe the zf powerline is the same transmission in the peterbilt medium duty trucks. If so, that trans is garbage!!!! I work for a peterbilt dealership and manage a fleet of about 300 trucks. Maybe 40 of those are medium duty with the zf transmission, we have replaced 4 transmissions on trucks with as little as 1,500 miles. All were under 10K miles, 10% failure rate........ this trans is worse than the 68rfe.

If they produced a bare bones,rubber floor mat,roll up windows,standard transmission work truck for the real truck user they couldn’t keep them in stock! What is available now is what I call Sissy trucks.90% of the people who own them couldn’t drive a stick if their lives depended on it!

They are ditching the aisin and the 68rfe and going with a 8 speed ZF like they have in everything else

Man don't scare me like that!!! I was so shocked reading your title. Glad they're not fully discontinuing the 6.7. 😂

They need to build a truck peaple can afford there getting to high price 😊

Well at least Ram fixed 1 of its problems

The other thing they're looking to do is bring in a gas-powered 6.7l cummins in 2027. The government is cracking down on the emissions. If this is done, it would almost be the same motor as the diesel except injectors and head.

No it’s nothing new that I haven’t heard,good one JB😅

Very good video!!!

I predict less issues than your typical unveiling of a new configuration. This ZF has been under development in the Ram for at least the last 5 years. I’ll put the link for the video of its characteristics in the 4th gen Cummins with 4.10’s. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SDvDSDtBRIg.htmlsi=QlONRVy-d_-1LgwD

Are they insane?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Ram is not killing off the Cummings.

FAKE NEWS. They are upgrading the transmission with an 8 speed transmission in 2025.

Damn bro..resorting to clickbait? Lame

I always enjoy your videos, very informative...I drive a 2022 RAM 2wd with the Hemi eTorq 5.7 and a 3.92 (?) rear-end and it tows great, I have no need for a HD truck but if I did I think I would lean towards Ford F450....have multiple buddies that drive Fords and they appear the overall better truck mile 0-100k

Yeah, but which one has the standard trans ?... oh, wait

Click bait....just to show you I watched till the end, actually enjoyed your videos seems very informative.

they did the same with the 5.9 back 2003/ 2004. When you have a newer higher output introduced eventually it takes over.