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2025 Ram Heavy Duty To Get New ZF Powerline® 8-Speed

Watched it tis morning.
Seems they made a pretty significant effort to cover the Cummins and the future of the ZF8 story, they flew Kase and Andre to Germany for it.
Seems pretty legit at this point .

Anyone have the dates for the launch of the updated 2025 models?
I keep hearing later this year. That is about 5 months spread at this point, was about 10–11-month window when the media started talking about it.

Aside from the much anticipated mechanical updates which I am really looking forward to at least test driving one with this new ZF8.

I also really hope the cosmetic updates look good.
So many mfgs go way over the top with over stylizing their trucks to where they are starting to look really odd to me.
I think RAM has had the best looking trucks bar none for a good couple decades. I sure hope they do not screw that up.
 
cc1999 said:
Watched it tis morning.
Seems they made a pretty significant effort to cover the Cummins and the future of the ZF8 story, they flew Kase and Andre to Germany for it.
Seems pretty legit at this point .

Anyone have the dates for the launch of the updated 2025 models?
I keep hearing later this year. That is about 5 months spread at this point, was about 10–11-month window when the media started talking about it.

Aside from the much anticipated mechanical updates which I am really looking forward to at least test driving one with this new ZF8.

I also really hope the cosmetic updates look good.
So many mfgs go way over the top with over stylizing their trucks to where they are starting to look really odd to me.
I think RAM has had the best looking trucks bar none for a good couple decades. I sure hope they do not screw that up.
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i was actually going to look into trucks but i think ill fix mine and look into one of these newer models when it comes out and see how they do. if i dont like what i hear or see, i can always wait and see if the Rumor'd 8.3L duramax is a real thing in a year or 2
 
oledirteh said:
i was actually going to look into trucks but i think ill fix mine and look into one of these newer models when it comes out and see how they do. if i dont like what i hear or see, i can always wait and see if the Rumor'd 8.3L duramax is a real thing in a year or 2
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It would be pretty wild to see an 8.3L diesel engine (of any type) placed in a pickup these days. I can’t see how they would make that work though. The 6.6 is already jammed in there. Add to that the increase in size of the cooling package, emissions system, etc I just don’t see how it would be possible. I find myself wondering if that 8.3L rumor is misunderstood and GM is actually working on that engine for their commercial cab & chassis trucks. They used to offer a larger displacement Duramax in the Kodiaks many years ago.

I find it interesting that they currently only offer the 6.6 Duramax diesel in their conventional commercial trucks, but their LCF (low cab forward trucks) have the option of having a commercial B6.7 Cummins. Wonder why they didn’t offer the Cummins in the conventional cab and chassis trucks?
 
mbarber84 said:
It would be pretty wild to see an 8.3L diesel engine (of any type) placed in a pickup these days. I can’t see how they would make that work though. The 6.6 is already jammed in there. Add to that the increase in size of the cooling package, emissions system, etc I just don’t see how it would be possible. I find myself wondering if that 8.3L rumor is misunderstood and GM is actually working on that engine for their commercial cab & chassis trucks. They used to offer a larger displacement Duramax in the Kodiaks many years ago.

I find it interesting that they currently only offer the 6.6 Duramax diesel in their conventional commercial trucks, but their LCF (low cab forward trucks) have the option of having a commercial B6.7 Cummins. Wonder why they didn’t offer the Cummins in the conventional cab and chassis trucks?
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yea i forgot if it was the video i linked or something else i was reading, they felt that the motor wont exsist due to what you just mentioned let alone the demand for the c&C trucks aren't high enough to warrant the need for that big of a motor. and since the current Duramax is already pushing the truck to its capability without having to go bigger its unlikely they would need to go bigger.

even at the SO cummins in the 2500, if they can nail down the trans and have the tcm be more forgiving its more then enough to pull anything you want. you might not pull 15k up a mountain at 80 mph, but it will maintain speed for the most part.
 
I have inside info that there IS a new motor coming that will require a new firewall, so likely a new cab then.

Can't say any more than it's a few years out.

Still not convinced the ZF is coming until the new engine arrives.
 
Brutal_HO said:
I have inside info that there IS a new motor coming that will require a new firewall, so likely a new cab then.

Can't say any more than it's a few years out.

Still not convinced the ZF is coming until the new engine arrives.
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“New engine” as in: a new version of the Cummins to replace the current 6.7? Or, “new engine” as in a totally different engine option aside from the 6.7 and 6.4?
 
Im curious how fast it shifts and how much interference from the torque management there is. My new f350 work truck rips, but shifts too damn much, plus a bunch of other dumb ford stuff.
 
gpattikjr said:
Im curious how fast it shifts and how much interference from the torque management there is. My new f350 work truck rips, but shifts too damn much, plus a bunch of other dumb ford stuff.
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I see 2 reasons it's 8-speed instead of 10.

1. Too damn much shifting with a 10-speed
2. Cummins don't need all those extra gears

8-speed is a perfect gear spread for the ISB. Bigger/more power engine will rip with an 8-speed 2nd gear start, skip shift trans.
 
cc1999 said:
I also really hope the cosmetic updates look good.
So many mfgs go way over the top with over stylizing their trucks to where they are starting to look really odd to me.
I think RAM has had the best looking trucks bar none for a good couple decades. I sure hope they do not screw that up.
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AI Generated. Well? I am digging it. But the spy photos don't support this.
 

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Brutal_HO said:
I see 2 reasons it's 8-speed instead of 10.

1. Too damn much shifting with a 10-speed
2. Cummins don''t need al those extra gears

8-speed is a perfect gear spread for the ISB. Bigger/more power engine will rip with an 8-speed 2nd gear start, skip shift trans.
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I don't disagree on the 8 speeds.
 
Allegedly they asked ZF engineers if they considered a 10 speed and they said yes, they did look at 9 and 10 speeds but they felt 8 was the happy medium and it was best to not go farther. I remember in 2020 when Ford released the 10R140 trans in the Super Duty the guys at TFL asked Ford engineers if they will eventually go to even more trans gears and they said no. They said there is a point of diminishing returns and beyond 10 speeds would go too far. So obviously we have reached the point where the number of gears in the transmission has been maxed out. Somewhere between 8-10 gears is the sweet spot.

I didn’t take it as a whole new Cummins engine. I’m understanding it to mean that the Cummins is getting another update. Power numbers are expected to match Ford’s H.O. engines (which will be hard to do with an I-6 configuration, but we’ll see) and improved emissions are expected, with the potential of alternative fuels coming later.

Unfortunately the Ram/Dodge/Jeep brands have had a LOT of different owners in my lifetime and Stellantis is absolutely the worst ever. So I will believe it when I see it. Sixteen years of the same cab and they still have no plans for a FULL update? This company just doesn’t really care. I mean, there are BASIC things like A/C power outlets in the bed with 2kw of juice that you still can’t even get on a Ram. Things that seem like a no-brainer on a work truck. They’ve fallen so far behind the times it’s pitiful.
 
Why would it be hard to do on an I-6? I have a friend with a toyota supra and the 3.0L I-6 that puts down over 1,000HP to the rear wheels. Also, another friend who had a BMW 335i with 3.0L I-6 that put down about 750HP to the rear wheels. AND another one of my friends had an old 5.9L Cummins that put down 1,500HP to the rear wheels. Just a few examples to show what's possible is not limited by inline configuration or V configuration, there are tons of other variables that come into play.
Some mild tuning on the 6.7 Cummins HO easily beats the stock Ford HO, so just curious why you think it will be hard to do on an I-6 ?
 
while the ZF might be more stout than the 68rfe- I don’t want the power of the HO with lower compression and worse MPG- I want longevity. The 68RFE has ran great in the 22 and 24. I don’t want a skip shift and neutral shift at every stop light- sounds like excess wear to me. I can’t wait to compare rebuilt costs on this this. Maybe I’m boring but I’m happy with old tech.
 
LegendaryLawman said:
while the ZF might be more stout than the 68rfe- I don’t want the power of the HO with lower compression and worse MPG- I want longevity. The 68RFE has ran great in the 22 and 24. I don’t want a skip shift and neutral shift at every stop light- sounds like excess wear to me. I can’t wait to compare rebuilt costs on this this. Maybe I’m boring but I’m happy with old tech.
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I hear ya, This old girl never failed me...s-l400.png Was quite the bit** to send a text message though :p
 
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