Do any of you have any experience and/or opinions on the 6.4 liter Ram trucks?  I had an '05 Ram 1/2 ton with the 5.7 for several years and it treated me fine other than the 1/2 ton lacking on the bigger loads.  I currently have an old '98 1/2 ton with the 360.

I'm wanting to get something newer, in a 3/4 ton or 1 ton, and more HP and/or torque would be preferable.  I hate to blindly only look at one brand, but I'm really only interested in Rams.  I really don't want to deal with the added costs for a diesel.  That has me looking at the 6.4's.  The truck won't be a daily driver.  It will probably only get about 5,000 miles a year.  I've dealt with 12 MPG trucks my whole life, so I don't think mileage will be a factor.  The biggest load that I could imagine pulling would be stuff that my uncles currently pull with Chebby 3/4 or 1 tons with 6.0's (gooseneck trailer with round bales or a dozen cows).

It looks like they have put 6.4's in Rams since '14.  Does anyone know of any strengths or weaknesses of specific years?  I can get by without many creature comforts, so I don't care about one specific year having a bigger touchscreen audio system than another.  

Unless the ARF Ram aficionados steer me in a different direction, I would be looking for something like a '16 2500 6.4 liter, four door, flatbed Tradesman with under 60K miles.  I think a 1 ton would be unnecessary for my needs, but if the right one came along, I think I could put up with the stiffer ride in exchange for the extra payload (that I'd probably never use).

I have no personal experience, but I've done a ton of research and talked with people who've owned them.  If was in need of a new truck, your description is exactly what I'd be shopping for.  Except maybe a Mega Cab.

I have no real brand loyalty regarding the big 3.  I have products from all of them out in my driveway/garage.

I guess I should clarify that I would be open to a Mega Cab as well, but I think I'd get by fine with the standard four door.

I'm getting ready to trade in a 2016 2500 4x4 6.4l with 156,000 largely trouble free miles on a 2021 Power Wagon with the same engine.

The newest generation trucks use a ZF design 8sp, the truck I'm trading has the 66RE 6 speed. I've never really had any dislike for the 6sp, but I've always kind of been suspicious of it. The solenoid pack failed in it at about 65k, out of warranty and not in the recall group. A call to FCA resulted in them repairing the problem, without drama for free, I was pretty impressed with their response.

The truck I'm trading still has the factory brakes on it, they offered me $18k sight unseen.

I was truck shopping after driving the Cummins 2500 for a couple years.  I test drove the gasser 2500 gen5 2019 with the plan of buying one for the wife.  Load ratings weren't a concern, but the 2500 just didn't have the zip that the 1500 5.7 did and I ended up buying her the lighter truck.  For ride quality alone, that was a good decision. The gasser was gutless pulling a decent grade, compared to the diesel.

I would say that if you want a 2500 gasser, DO NOT test drive a Cummins truck.

Any idea when they went from the 66RE to the ZF 8 speed?

I'm not sure if it has fluctuated from '14 to present, but the current 6.4's claim 410 HP/429 ft#'s of torque, compared to the 5.7's 395HP/410 ft#'s and the Cummins 370 HP/850 ft#'s.  I'd love to have twice the torque, but I'm going to just have to put up with the gutless climbs because I'm not going to drop the extra coin up front and on maintenance as I go along on a diesel.  Don't get me wrong, I think they're cool as hell, American as apple pie and badass, but they aren't even on my radar.

From the small amount of reading that I have done, it seems that the small gains in going from the 5.7 to the 6.4 are due to the 6.4 being designed more for durability and a broader torque curve, as opposed to milking every last HP out of the extra displacement.  That may all just be a whitewashed excuse for less than stellar gains though.

2019 I believe

Here is the back side of an intake valve @150k, when I had the intake off repairing a wire on an MDS solenoid that Brer'Rat Chewed off. They all looked like this. Attached File

If you're using it mostly for hauling, I'd seriously reconsider the diesel.  It's really a wash between that and a modern gas motor anymore, a lot like the 2t vs 4t debate for dirt bikes.  Sure the diesel's gonna be more $$ for oil changes or when something breaks, but the oil change interval is proportionally longer and there's fewer things to go wrong on a diesel engine.  The stuff that's common between them (driveline, axles/wheels, sensors, cab/interior, lights, etc) end up costing the same regardless of what motor it's got.
Also consider if you're using it for long-haul driving - diesel's much easier to deal with when it comes to slip tanks and fuel handling.

The 6.4's are plenty powerful for a 3/4 ton, or light-use 1-ton.  That and 4.10 gears would be a pretty good fit for me, but I'm happy with my gen3 power wagon (5.7/4.56).  Valve drive is the weak part on those 6.4's, with the MDS system.  Sounds like the later years have those issues figured out, but there's also not a lot of them with the mileage the early gen4's have that demonstrate those problems.

I'm looking at a 5500 6.7L in the near future.

Thank you for the feedback.  As far as hauling, it would really only be occasional.  I would expect that it will only tow a load that I wouldn't have towed with a half ton before three or four times and three or four hundred miles per year.  Truthfully, a 1/2 ton has gotten me by for many years, and an argument could be made that I should stick with that and have someone do the occasional hauling for me, as I do now, but I think I'm willing to sacrifice the ride to have some built in extra capacity.  I am not trying to write off you and wildearp's opinions on diesels, but I think that they would be extremely overkill for me.  I really think that a properly geared 3/4 ton 5.7 liter would do what I need, but I think I'd really like the small gains of the 6.4.  

Concerning your comment on the valve drive in the MDS system, do you have any more info on that?  Was there a certain year where they did something different when the issue was figured out?

I change my fuel filters every 15K miles.  I don't even need a jack, truck is high enough to reach.  What am I missing here with all this extra maintenance I hear about?

The Cummins adds about $9K up front, I recall, and that is the hardest pill to swallow for most.  

I almost bought the wife a Cummins, but was worried about all this extra maintenance people fret about. (was somewhat worried about her putting the wrong fuel in it)

I may be talking out my ass, as I've never owned a diesel.  Listening to buddies talk about maintenance on theirs's (admittedly, not new Cummins) it ranges from fuel filters every oil change (older Powerstroke, so it sounds like not at all applicable), oil changes that cost double, spending multiple $K's replacing injectors occasionally, etc.  Let's say every maintenance thing I listed is not at all applicable, or is an altogether old wive's tale, etc., then let's say that every other cost of ownership line item is a complete wash, the $9K upfront is not in the cards for me.  

I'm not a diesel hater, they absolutely have their place.  But everything that I need to occasionally pull, has been easily pulled by small block gassers for many years.  My family does not have huge equipment.  What equipment we do have doesn't get towed a long way.  If everyone were to upgrade to bigger machines, trailers and diesel pickups, they will leave me in the dust and I will absolutely regret my decision.  But I don't see that happening.

They do hold a lot more oil, but dealers have "loss leader" oil changes that keep the price low.  They try to run you up on things you don't need, but they do that on the half ton trucks too.  

When they get pissed, they snap off a couple wheel lugs, but after the service manager gets fired, things return to normal.  

I have 75K mile warranty on the Cummins part, so I make sure the dealer does the oil changes for now. I doubt I could do them cheaper.

I have a 2020 Power Wagon with the 6.4. I only have 2200 miles on it, but so far so good. I will say it is a thirsty bitch so keep that in mind if you need good MPG. I'm retired and really only drive local so MPG isn't a big concern. If I was commuting a lot for work, I would choose something else. It does do better on the highway. Power is good. I don't haul trailers so I can't comment on that. Pretty much just use it for lumber and going off-road.

Good thread in GD on this vary topic.

Damn that's a good looking machine.

That was very helpful, thank you.  That was the most non-anti-Dodge/Ram thread that I've ever read on ARF!  

I talked to a buddy that turns wrenches on a fleet of utility trucks that range from Colorado's up to a tractor trailer, with lots of 1/2, 3/4 and 1 tons in between.  He said they have a handful of 6.4's in their fleet ranging from '17 to '20.  He said that the oldest one only has 60K miles, but no issues with either transmission, or anything else thus far.

I have to say, I'm a big Dodge fan and I *really* don't like my 2014 6.4 set up with a utility box.

Transmission locked up, it was fixed on our '16 truck under recall but they wouldn't fix it on this truck.  

Cruise control will intermittently work.

Throws low battery CEL's ( and several other CEL's) that clear after 2-3 days

Hard starting after the weekend sitting in the 65* shop.  (cranks for 4-5 seconds and idles rough shortly after it fires up )

Had one hell of an episode where it lost almost all engine power, but would idle.  Spent 6 weeks at the shop (Not a truck issue, more of a dealer issue) and they gave me 4 different reasons why it was acting up, finally insisted on bad gas and sent it back.  That's probably when the hard starting issue began.

Will I buy Dodge again? Yes.  Do I call this one a piece of shit every day? Also yes

Here’s my reply to the GD thread...

2020 2500 6.4 Tradesmen owner checking in!

I’m constantly blown away at how much the engine/trans combo just works!  It simply gets after it! I tow a 23’ travel trailer and a 20’ boat and it does it without blinking an eye!

It does get shitty gas mileage around town but I didn’t buy a 3/4 ton gas truck for the excellent gas mileage. Recently did a 1200 mile road trip with approx 1000lbs in the bed and average for the trip was 18.6 mpg, I’ll take it!

I got mine with the 8.4” screen and I love the simplicity of the interior.

So far, it’s been a great truck and I’m very pleased with it!

Thanks to everyone for the responses.  I'm going to price out a new one, then go from there.  Random online searches for '14 - '19, 2500/3500, 6.4 liters with 4 doors and a short bed with under 100K miles are starting between $25K and $30K (and very few, if any, would have the 8 speed).  Once I get a price for new, I will work backwards to try to figure out how many $K's the warranty and 0 miles is worth to me.

They're not worth that much used unless they're optioned out.
I'd sell my 2016 Tradesman with 65k miles for about $20-22k, from my research that's the going rate.

I'm nowhere near ready to buy, so I've got lots more looking left to do, but when I sorted low $ to high $ in the search parameters above, within 500 miles of Central MO, there seemed to be very little under $25K.
ETA:
Auto Trader
Car Gurus (I couldn't filter out 1500's, but the first 2500 I see is at $27K)
Carfax
[url=https://www.truecar.com/used-cars-for-sale/listings/ram/2500/body-truck/location-jefferson-city-mo/?cabType[]=Crew%20Cab&cabType[]=Extended%20Cab&driveTrain[]=4WD&engine[]=8%20Cylinder&fuelType[]=Gas&mileageHigh=100000&searchRadius=500&sort[]=price_asc]TrueCar[/url]
ETA 2.0: I'm not sure why my last link didn't work... anyhow, if I'm missing something here and going rate is low $20's, maybe I'm not looking in the right place?  I don't buy a lot of vehicles, so if you know somewhere that they sell regularly at those prices, I'd sure appreciate a link or more info.  Thanks!