an old boss of mine has a 2003 ram 2500HD quad cab 4x4 lwb with a hemi that he regularly uses to pull around a trailer and dandy digger (for drilling rock and dirt holes for fences) that weigh about 8k not to mention the bed is full of tools such as a generator and hauls around 4 guys in it and it does the job, BUT.. that thing has to rev like crazy, it regularly hits the redline while pulling through each gear. when it doesn't have the trailer on, it hops right up there. 5500 comes very quick, i had the chance to drive it once and it apparently doesn't have a govern on it like gm's do at 98 >.> i was like, when is it gonna stop. but after 40,000 miles he's had to have it taken into the shop at least twice. and who knows if it's gone in more since i worked with him, it's been about a year. i think it went in once for some sort of seal on one of the front wheels, it was shooting a nice ring of oil around the front wheelwell and i think it went in once for some transmission related prob. i don't know dodges all that well but i've heard a lot about dodge and their transmissions goin' poop. i remember him getting about 13mpg in that truck but that was everything combined.. towing that trailer, empty, long trips, in town. i don't think he ever went on one tank only doing one of those and nothing else.

 

The Hemis have a different automatic tranny than other rigs.

 

my friends dad just bought a dodge with a hemi and it has ok pickup but all he does is brag that is has a hemi and it has chrome wheels STOCK. i am like i don't give a crap and i just can't wait till i finish my first truck (the 48) and show up at his house and he is in his first car (a dodge minivan) at that moment i will ask if he wants to go to the drag strip and then i wait to see the look on his face.