I've been shopping for a newer truck. I have came across a 2014 Ram 1500 with the hemi 5.7L engine paired with an 8 speed transmission (8HP70). Anyone have feedback on this transmission as far as towing. I have a Nitro Z8. There is also a 2014 Chevy Silverado with the 6 speed transmission and 3.42 gears.

Which would be a more solid truck?

I have both trucks and a 20' skeeter the dodge will pull better and without the boat back there it will get 21 mpg hwy.

I have the Ram you're looking at.

I hauled a 16 foot pipetop trailer 350 miles from central Texas to the Rio Grande Valley loaded with about 3000 pounds with no problems. Had the cruise set at 70-75. I got 11.5 mpg.

I hauled a UHaul tow dolly with a Kia Rio the same trip down and back with no problems and got about 16 mpg.

Unloaded I get 20-21 as long as I keep it around 75. Above that and it starts dropping. At 80 mph it drops to around 18.

On the pipetop trailer I used the tow/haul mode most of the time. The Kia Rio not so much. Didn't notice any problems shifting or downshifting excessively either way.

Can't help you with the Chevy.

My wife's truck has the 8 speed tran hemi combo and it does pretty good pulling her grooming trailer.. stays in 6 or 7th gear and gets 12 13 mpg pulling it.. it weighs 3800 loaded and is a dang box with wheels, not very aerodynamic. Probably do a lot better with a boat.. gets really good mpg empty and that thing will flat out fly when you get on it..

I have the Ram Ecodiesel with 8-speed transmission. The 8-speed is as good of an electronic shift transmission as I've had. Shifts smoothly and correctly and makes the truck a pleasure to drive.

You will get better mpg with the Ram Hemi & 8-speed, no doubt, assuming the Chevy has the 5.3L.

Do yourself a favor and at least test drive a 5.7 Tundra. Not great gas mileage, 11-1/2 to 13 pulling a 21ft to 17ft respectively. But HUGE brakes and tons of power.

Haven't been beat by any gas truck empty either.

Now.....there is this one guy with an older Cummings Dodge....dam that thing gets going.

I have the 8-speed in my ram as well. Its been great for me so far and from what research I have done on it is supposed to be a very reliable transmission, far superior to any other one you are going to get in a ram 1500.

My fishing partner has one, it's a beast. Tows the boat like nothing is back there. I love it, but don't like the fuel mileage he sees day to day.

Toyota has been using the 5.7 unchanged for how many years now?

When they first came out with it, the 5.7 was easily the biggest and baddest mass produced 1/2 ton on the block. Its not so special anymore, all the others have upped their performance considerably.

Toyota has had the 5.7 since 2007...yes the whole truck is outdated but mine has been very reliable...supposedly an 8 speed is coming in 2017 or 2018 and a total redesign the next year

You can see towing tests on TFL Truck on Youtube. They do extreme towing up a mountain and also flat land towing. You may also want to consider reviewing Consumer Reports reliability data on the various makes and models. The ones with the highest MPG may not be the least expensive when you consider reliability and depreciation.

A bassboat is not really much of a load for today's half-ton pickups.

The chevy will get much better mpg. I have a ram with the 6spd...going to trade it in for an 8spd or a chevy next fall. The mileage sucks but has plenty of power.

The 5.3L with a 6-speed doesn't do very well. Ram with an 8-speed should beat it in gas mileage easily.

Now the chevy 6.2L is another story, but I assume that's not part of the comparison.

Never had too much of a gripe with Toyotas, I'm even ok with how they look. For me though I have never owned an unreliable vehicle from ford dodge or chevy and I feel they all make something that has the capability to do what I need and will get better fuel economy doing so.

I dont have a gripe with any of the makers. I have owned Ford Chevy Dodge and Toyota,I tend to keep them and rack up a lot of miles,my reliability statement really was more in line with what I spend other than maintenance the first 100k that I put on them.They would all be reliable I suppose,but the 3 Toyotas trucks I have owned were the only ones that got me to 100k without expense other than maintenance and wiper blades.Two of the 3 did get front discs before 100k.