just wondering if any one can tell me why the dodge feels stronger than the ford. the ford was a scab and the dodge was a quad cab and it felt stronger than my ford. i have not done any research on the dodge h.p. rateings etc.. (some may think this a dumb ? but i was just curious) THANKS 4 THE REPLIES!!

 

The gearing(if different) might have played a role in why one felt stronger than the other.

 

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i did not think there was that big of h.p. difference!

 

If it is the new style fords, probably weight is a big issue too. I think those two engines are fairly close, so it depends. Like A. Michael said, probably the gearing, if yours has the 3.55 it will be sluggish for sure. What years are you looking at?

 

both trucks are 2005's! i was thinking maybe it was the electric gass pedal the ford has

 

If the Dodge had the usual 3.55 gears in the rear like the Ford, the Dodge will run out of sight from the Ford. Reason? Can you say 5 speed transmission? It makes that much difference. My runnin' bud has a Dodge 4.7 Quadcab and runs away from 5.4s all the time. I haven't driven a Hemi in quite awhile but I assume that's why the Hemi seems so strong- better, much better transmission than the grossly outdated Ford slushbox. Engine to engine though, the Triton is a far, far better architecture.

 

The Dodge 5-45RFE is an hack job, with the same 4 widely spaced ratios as the previous 4 speed and an extra, taller overdrive for highway economy.

The Dodge is geared 6 to 7% shorter in 1st and 2nd gear. Put a 3.55 Dodge against a 3.73 Ford and the gearing is essentially identical for any kind of pulling or acceleration contest.

 

thanks 4 the info!! i guess the louder exhaust would also make one think that the dodge was faster also(maybe)? thanks again !!

 

If those really are the gear ratios of the 5-45RFE, it certainly is not a hack job, its an awesome transmission. I didn't really know much about these trannys, but they sound great. They have a sufficiently low 1st gear, unlike most other 4-speed autos, and an extra high overdrive for economy. I'd say that they did good with that tranny. Speaking of the Ford tranny, I did not know that they also have that low of a 1st gear.

BTW, the Mega cab.............now, thats a hack job! I am a Dodge guy, but that thing just ticks me off.

 

Compare those ratios to what you can do with a transmission built from the ground up as a 5 speed, like the 5R110W Torqueshift or Nissan's tranny in the Titan.

The Torqueshift has three closely spaced gears to keep the engine in its powerband and get up to speed towing. Ignoring converter slip to simplify things, the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts only drop revs by 30%. The Ford 4 speed and the Dodge 5 speed only get one shift in that range and that drops almost half of your revs. The Nissan drops 40%.

Nissan went another direction with a very short first and second gear to get revs up off the line or for downshift passing. Not an imperceptible 6 or 7% shorter like the Dodge, but 33 and 55% shorter. Even with the tall Nissan rearend the overall gearing for 1st and 2nd comes out 22 and 36% shorter than a Ford with 3.73s.

 

If the 4.7 my wife owned was as strong as claimed here we must of had a bad one, It was a 02 Dakota 4.7, 45 RFE, 3:55 gears 4x4 reg cab, and it wouldn't get out of it own way, and got awful gas mileage 13-16 MPG best. She bought an 04 Trailblazer with the 4.2, I-6 she has said over and over the Trailblazer is faster better torque, alot better gas mileage, and just alot more fun to drive. SO MAYBE SHE HAD A LEMON. DODGE WILL NEVER SELL HER ANOTHER VEHICLE & THAT IS WHAT SHE SAYS NOT ME. WHAT IS WORSE IS ONE OF HER GIRLFIENDS & HUSBAND OWNS A DODGE DEALERSHIP.

 

Diesels have closer spaced gears because of the narrower powerband.
48RE Gear Ratio
1st 2.45
2nd 1.45
3rd 1.00
4th 0.69
The torqueshift has a hole at 65 mph in its gearing. I personally thought it was a mistake but I dont hear folks complaining. I would imagine the tendency would be to kick it up to 75 before you pull a grade. Its what I would do.
The gear spacing for the dodge 5 speed seems appropriate to me. Though one would have to tow with it to get a feel for if its correct.

 

I've driven numerous Dodge and Ford trucks with these engines and various gear ratios, and the Dodge 4.7L always feels noticeably stronger to me. I think the 4.7L is just a more potent engine. I don't think it's about gears...I think the Dodge engine is just a stout motor. The 4.6L has always been complained about as "weak" since it's very beginning. I'm not sure what the deal is here....

 

i have to give my 2 cents as well...

I have a SuperCrew with a 4.6L and a 3.73LS Rear...my grandmother has a newer model Ram with the 360 (5.9L V8)...my 4.6L will run circles around that thing...

now give those trucks a real test...hook a trailer up to em and see where they get you...i'd rather have my 4.6 than that 4.7...