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HO vs SO driving/acceleration

I should rephrase what I said. In Ontario, the politicians "think" the police have the right to stop you if you are not at home. I believe that was rescinded. I don't care where people live, these mandated Covid restrictions are wrong. Suggestions are fine, but it should go no further than that.
 
I agree with you. Especially when politicians were sneaking away on vacations last December in the middle of that "stay home" order. Plus the wide open airport traffic, its really unbelievable, like we are living in some bizarro world...
 
put a pedal commander on it. that kills the dp. with all the daily driving, I'd go with the 68. that's what I did.
Great point. This was the exact reason I did not go with the HO...

Can't wait to see what kind of difference the Pedal Commander makes :)
 
Bumping this back to top. Seeing a lot of folks getting their new trucks so hoping for some input. Looking to order soon when 22 pricing is released.
 
We drove home our HO/Aisin Mega dually on memorial day weekend from Seattle WA down to SoCal.

The drive was absolutely flawless and surprisingly comfortable being a DRW (truck has oem rear air bags).

Ive owned a 68rfe truck (2016 cummins 2500) and now this 2021 Aisin. The new truck, although significantly heavier, is OBVSIOULY more powerful. Rolling full-throttle pulls are very impressive to put it nicely. From a stop, if i hammer it, all 4 rear tires are clawing for traction and on the brink of breaking loose.. this is not an exageration. Granted the truck has 4.10s but damn... it has a SH1T ton of power!!!

Regarding the Aisin.. It has been an absolute joy. All this talk of "id rather daily a 68rfe" is pure nonsense and completely made up fairy tale. This new truck drives easily as nice OR NICER at low speeds and part throttle than my 2016 68rfe truck.

The trans logic on both trucks (2016 68rfe and the new truck) are actually quite similar. The 2-3 shift happens a little too soon IMO on this new truck but it behaves exactly as my 68rfe did.

The shifts are NOT harsh or firm to the point of being uncomfortable. Not even close.

From a transmission perspective, to be honest, if you told me my new truck has a 68rfe in it, i'd believe you due to how similarly it drives around town to my 2016 2500.

We have a 9 day 1000+ mile towing trip planned in July, so i'll have some "under load" feedback on this HO/Aisin combo the middle of next month.

GET THE HO/AISIN! Ive been nothing but super impressed all the way around.
 
My 2021 HO 3500 dually runs well, very responsive but the other day I pulled out of a side road, just after it had shifted into 2nd I saw a semi bearing down on me so I put my foot down a bit (didn't floor it by any means) .... nothing. It took a good second, maybe a second and a half to giddy up. My quickest truck was my 2005 Ram 1500 Daytona. My 2016 2500 6.4 Hemi wasn't a slouch either. My quickest, liveliest vehicle? ... supercharged Nissan 350Z stick shift, man that thing moved. So moral of this story is, if you want something fast, fun and easy to drive .... don't by a truck where the axles alone weigh more than a hi-po sports car!
 
My 2021 HO 3500 dually runs well, very responsive but the other day I pulled out of a side road, just after it had shifted into 2nd I saw a semi bearing down on me so I put my foot down a bit (didn't floor it by any means) .... nothing. It took a good second, maybe a second and a half to giddy up. My quickest truck was my 2005 Ram 1500 Daytona. My 2016 2500 6.4 Hemi wasn't a slouch either. My quickest, liveliest vehicle? ... supercharged Nissan 350Z stick shift, man that thing moved. So moral of this story is, if you want something fast, fun and easy to drive .... don't by a truck where the axles alone weigh more than a hi-po sports car!
I think the people who find pedal lag a big issue are people not used to an hd vehicle…. That and with the tq management it means a long life for the trans
 
I think the people who find pedal lag a big issue are people not used to an hd vehicle…. That and with the tq management it means a long life for the trans
I'm all for long life out of my trans! Having just shifted into 2nd at low revs, I didn't expect much response in that situation.
 
We drove home our HO/Aisin Mega dually on memorial day weekend from Seattle WA down to SoCal.

The drive was absolutely flawless and surprisingly comfortable being a DRW (truck has oem rear air bags).

Ive owned a 68rfe truck (2016 cummins 2500) and now this 2021 Aisin. The new truck, although significantly heavier, is OBVSIOULY more powerful. Rolling full-throttle pulls are very impressive to put it nicely. From a stop, if i hammer it, all 4 rear tires are clawing for traction and on the brink of breaking loose.. this is not an exageration. Granted the truck has 4.10s but damn... it has a SH1T ton of power!!!

Regarding the Aisin.. It has been an absolute joy. All this talk of "id rather daily a 68rfe" is pure nonsense and completely made up fairy tale. This new truck drives easily as nice OR NICER at low speeds and part throttle than my 2016 68rfe truck.

The trans logic on both trucks (2016 68rfe and the new truck) are actually quite similar. The 2-3 shift happens a little too soon IMO on this new truck but it behaves exactly as my 68rfe did.

The shifts are NOT harsh or firm to the point of being uncomfortable. Not even close.

From a transmission perspective, to be honest, if you told me my new truck has a 68rfe in it, i'd believe you due to how similarly it drives around town to my 2016 2500.

We have a 9 day 1000+ mile towing trip planned in July, so i'll have some "under load" feedback on this HO/Aisin combo the middle of next month.

GET THE HO/AISIN! Ive been nothing but super impressed all the way around.
Thanks for the great feedback! It’s post like this that make want to just go HO and forget about it.

Like I mentioned in the first post, this will be my 6th diesel, so I have a good idea what to expect, just trying to educate myself and make the right choice!
 
We drove home our HO/Aisin Mega dually on memorial day weekend from Seattle WA down to SoCal.

The drive was absolutely flawless and surprisingly comfortable being a DRW (truck has oem rear air bags).

Ive owned a 68rfe truck (2016 cummins 2500) and now this 2021 Aisin. The new truck, although significantly heavier, is OBVSIOULY more powerful. Rolling full-throttle pulls are very impressive to put it nicely. From a stop, if i hammer it, all 4 rear tires are clawing for traction and on the brink of breaking loose.. this is not an exageration. Granted the truck has 4.10s but damn... it has a SH1T ton of power!!!

Regarding the Aisin.. It has been an absolute joy. All this talk of "id rather daily a 68rfe" is pure nonsense and completely made up fairy tale. This new truck drives easily as nice OR NICER at low speeds and part throttle than my 2016 68rfe truck.

The trans logic on both trucks (2016 68rfe and the new truck) are actually quite similar. The 2-3 shift happens a little too soon IMO on this new truck but it behaves exactly as my 68rfe did.

The shifts are NOT harsh or firm to the point of being uncomfortable. Not even close.

From a transmission perspective, to be honest, if you told me my new truck has a 68rfe in it, i'd believe you due to how similarly it drives around town to my 2016 2500.

We have a 9 day 1000+ mile towing trip planned in July, so i'll have some "under load" feedback on this HO/Aisin combo the middle of next month.

GET THE HO/AISIN! Ive been nothing but super impressed all the way around.
I have had a similar experience. Really liking the truck
 
My 2021 HO 3500 dually runs well, very responsive but the other day I pulled out of a side road, just after it had shifted into 2nd I saw a semi bearing down on me so I put my foot down a bit (didn't floor it by any means) .... nothing. It took a good second, maybe a second and a half to giddy up. My quickest truck was my 2005 Ram 1500 Daytona. My 2016 2500 6.4 Hemi wasn't a slouch either. My quickest, liveliest vehicle? ... supercharged Nissan 350Z stick shift, man that thing moved. So moral of this story is, if you want something fast, fun and easy to drive .... don't by a truck where the axles alone weigh more than a hi-po sports car!

I think the people who find pedal lag a big issue are people not used to an hd vehicle…. That and with the tq management it means a long life for the trans
If you want a quick response, keep your RPM's over 1500 in any gear your in. The transmissions are programed to run as low of RPM as possible, for fuel economy. T/H helps, but then you have harsh down shifts. I keep 5th and 6th locked out while driving the city, and if I encounter a stretch of road where 55 MPH is necessary, then I'll unlock 5th.
 
S o I had a 2020 3500 SRW with the SO/68RFE and recently traded it in on a 2021 3500 DRW with the HO/Aisin. The 2021 is much faster and powerful and I love the way my transmission shifts. I also have no dead pedal, it is immediate. The new truck also has max tow package which has 4.10 gears where my '20 had 3.73 so that could be an issue but you can feel the higher torque and horsepower and for me the Aisin shifts better, I really like this transmission where I was not fond of the 68RFE.
 
I found it very difficult to read between the lines on forum posts about this topic. Going off of what I read alone.. I was about to pull the trigger on a HO/AISIN truck. Thankfully I got wise and made the drive to find both variants and test drive them... wow was I ever glad I did. Drive the new generation truck of each variant and the difference is stark. I drive a little more spiritidly than others and enjoy letting the big girl Cummins eat from time to time.. I felt like I was being managed more than driving in the HO/AISIN.. yes it had power but actually not as much as I thought it would feel. This was a 21' with 420hp/1075lbft of tq.. I have read that the truck limits power for longevity sake and knows when there is a load on it which will then compute and provide additional grunt.. hence why I believe so many dually owners love it as the truck always gives a little more grunt knowing there is more to pull. Now when I got in the SO/68rfe, it was like meeting an old friend.. very fast to respond and I had no problem or notice with shifting oddly or hesitation when driving. In other words.. the AISIN felt as many people say like a commercial bus, there is nothing wrong with it but you know you are not going to be in a hurry anywhere you go without having to ignore some of the odd hesitation or ''breaks'' the AISIN defueling forces on you. The AISIN is tried and true for stock application and will serve you a long time in that regard. However.. if you plan on modifying at all or like to live a little from time to time when you drive unloaded then the 68rfe is ready and willing to stay in the background and be out of mind, just letting you enjoy the power you asked for when you asked for it. Do yourself the favor I did and drive both as back to back as possible and you will know very quickly. As stated above as well the 68rfe has gotten much better and there is a TON of aftermarket support for it if you ever want to do a mid-life refresh of it down the road :)
 
If you consider it.. the 68rfe shifts and feels alot more akin to the way the Ford and GM diesels trans behave.. The AISIN really is in a class of its own with the shifting pattern and being so heavily reliant on self learning and correcting. Take it for what it is and that does not mean it is good or bad.. just different.
 
I found it very difficult to read between the lines on forum posts about this topic. Going off of what I read alone.. I was about to pull the trigger on a HO/AISIN truck. Thankfully I got wise and made the drive to find both variants and test drive them... wow was I ever glad I did. Drive the new generation truck of each variant and the difference is stark. I drive a little more spiritidly than others and enjoy letting the big girl Cummins eat from time to time.. I felt like I was being managed more than driving in the HO/AISIN.. yes it had power but actually not as much as I thought it would feel. This was a 21' with 420hp/1075lbft of tq.. I have read that the truck limits power for longevity sake and knows when there is a load on it which will then compute and provide additional grunt.. hence why I believe so many dually owners love it as the truck always gives a little more grunt knowing there is more to pull. Now when I got in the SO/68rfe, it was like meeting an old friend.. very fast to respond and I had no problem or notice with shifting oddly or hesitation when driving. In other words.. the AISIN felt as many people say like a commercial bus, there is nothing wrong with it but you know you are not going to be in a hurry anywhere you go without having to ignore some of the odd hesitation or ''breaks'' the AISIN defueling forces on you. The AISIN is tried and true for stock application and will serve you a long time in that regard. However.. if you plan on modifying at all or like to live a little from time to time when you drive unloaded then the 68rfe is ready and willing to stay in the background and be out of mind, just letting you enjoy the power you asked for when you asked for it. Do yourself the favor I did and drive both as back to back as possible and you will know very quickly. As stated above as well the 68rfe has gotten much better and there is a TON of aftermarket support for it if you ever want to do a mid-life refresh of it down the road :)
Great post and review AEV. I really appreciate your feedback and you are right that I really need to get my butt behind the wheel of both. Like everything else, it all personal preference.
I have considered that I have one of the best 68rfe builders close to me if I keep the truck a long time/want to up the power.
 
I just bought a 2021 3500 SRW with the H.O./ Aisin. I just sold my 2019 3500 with the same combo due to the CP4 disaster. The 2021 is a completely different truck and for the better. The dead pedal and de fueling is gone and the transmission does not hunt for gears any longer. Big improvements were made for 2021.
My exact experience with my 2021 3500 SO. No dead pedal. However the wife's Honda pilot still takes off quicker....
 
I’ve got a 2021 2500 SO, so far driving it almost every day with 3000 miles on it I haven’t experienced any dead pedal. Doesn’t matter if I’m at a dead stop or cruising 40+ MPH if I press on the pedal the power is there and the truck takes off with no lag.
 
I found it very difficult to read between the lines on forum posts about this topic. Going off of what I read alone.. I was about to pull the trigger on a HO/AISIN truck. Thankfully I got wise and made the drive to find both variants and test drive them... wow was I ever glad I did. Drive the new generation truck of each variant and the difference is stark. I drive a little more spiritidly than others and enjoy letting the big girl Cummins eat from time to time.. I felt like I was being managed more than driving in the HO/AISIN.. yes it had power but actually not as much as I thought it would feel. This was a 21' with 420hp/1075lbft of tq.. I have read that the truck limits power for longevity sake and knows when there is a load on it which will then compute and provide additional grunt.. hence why I believe so many dually owners love it as the truck always gives a little more grunt knowing there is more to pull. Now when I got in the SO/68rfe, it was like meeting an old friend.. very fast to respond and I had no problem or notice with shifting oddly or hesitation when driving. In other words.. the AISIN felt as many people say like a commercial bus, there is nothing wrong with it but you know you are not going to be in a hurry anywhere you go without having to ignore some of the odd hesitation or ''breaks'' the AISIN defueling forces on you. The AISIN is tried and true for stock application and will serve you a long time in that regard. However.. if you plan on modifying at all or like to live a little from time to time when you drive unloaded then the 68rfe is ready and willing to stay in the background and be out of mind, just letting you enjoy the power you asked for when you asked for it. Do yourself the favor I did and drive both as back to back as possible and you will know very quickly. As stated above as well the 68rfe has gotten much better and there is a TON of aftermarket support for it if you ever want to do a mid-life refresh of it down the road :)
I drove both back to back last week and the HO was much smoother and quicker on pickup. The difference was definitely there. Thanks for the explanation though. Makes perfect sense. Cheers.
 
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