We are always thankful for the feedback and questions that you send to us. On this episode of Ask Mr.Truck, we get to the bottom of the following: fuel additives (especially in diesels), gooseneck versus 5th-wheel trailer hitch connections and ratings, winter tire testing on trucks, Ike Gauntlet towing test benchmarks, and 2017 GMC Duramax 3/4 ton versus 2017 Ram Cummins 3/4 ton.
These are all great questions, but the last one that has to do with Cummins versus Duramax brings up many important considerations. The GM heavy duty trucks are getting a completely redesigned 6.6L V8 turbo-diesel engine (codename: L5P) for the 2017 model year. These truck should be arriving at dealerships this month. The Duramax is rated at 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. The first question is: do I buy a truck with an all-new engine and risk potential first-year reliability questions; or do I go for the 6.7L Cummins I6 in the 2017 Ram HD which has been around for a couple of years in its current tune? Also, Ram is rumored to get at least a Cummins power upgrade for the 2018 or 2019 model years. Should I wait for the next Cummins? What about the lighter-duty Ram 6-speed automatic transmission in the 2500 HD trucks and its reliability considerations?
These are all important questions and we address all of this in Episode #8 of Ask Mr.Truck below.
