G56 Update

[Deleted member 995608]

Aww you guys are killing me. Today I want the G56 and tomorrow I'll want the Aisin. Decisions, decisions....

I don't like that Ram removed the adjustable pedals with the G56. It's very rare, but my wife sometimes needs the truck so I'm not sure she'll be able to reach. I'd have her test drive one if there was a 2015 within a reasonable distance.

And I just can't get over buying an auto. After only owning manuals for so long, not sure I'd know what to do with myself. Even when we're in the wifes Tahoe, I occasional find my self trying to push in a clutch pedal and reaching for the shifter.

 

[RVTRKN]

If your easy on it and keep it cool no matter how you do it, it should be a good choice. Mine was perfect until I had to go to a Solid Mass Flywheel, now I wnat to get rid of it. AH64ID, good luck if you get one, but I am going to the NV5600 when mine breaks, no matter what it costs. It will cost less than replacing it with equally equiped 3500 at todays prices.

 

[Bob V]

The adjustable peddles and the remote start not being available with the manual trans is what pushed me to the auto. Now that they all are both 6 speeds I don't see the manual having the same benefits as it use to. This is from a guy that would not look at a auto trans truck before.

 

[RVTRKN]

And the quality of the Dodge auto's are leaps and bounds of what they used to be.

 

[AH64ID]

The biggest thing I don't like about the auto is the gearing on a SRW truck. One of the big reasons I prefer a manual is the low gearing for back roads driving and towing, of which I do quite a bit. 1st in the auto just isn't low enough to do the job without generating a lot of slippage and heat... but even then given the options I think I would go auto and have 4.10's installed over a manual and a tuner.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

We rented a SUV to go to NFR this year and it had an selectable gear auto transmission something or ruther. I was constantly messing with it, trying to find the right gear, which never seemed right. I hope the Aisin won't be the same way. If so, I might as well stick with what I know best - manual transmission.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I posted some time ago what a top warranty guru told me when I was planning to buy my 2013. He said the Aisin was good, but on checking cost, he noted it was a lot more money. He said the 68RFE was much improved and probably adequate for me. I asked, what about the Aisin? He said, "it doesn't break."

 

[mfurrh55]

I've been running the g-56 for 141,000 miles pulling heavy and the only thing i've done is replaced the dual mass flywheel with a smf and new clutch at 124,000 miles and changed the fluid to the mobil-delvac 50 wt., and mine is still going strong and still pulling loads, Monte

 

[photowrite]

Aww you guys are killing me. Today I want the G56 and tomorrow I'll want the Aisin. Decisions, decisions....
snip...

Like you, I live around and drive in the hills and mountains all the time. As good as the latest automatics are, I've yet to find one that's as good at gear selection as I am. That's partially because I can see the road and traffic ahead and can slow down, ramp up, or select the most appropriate gear using my decades of driving experience. One can manually shift an A/T, and I do so all the time with my two A/T 4WDs, but it's not the same, I much prefer a properly-geared manual.

Of course there is also the sheer pleasure of actively driving a vehicle, including shifting gears. Some love this, others not so much.

The biggest thing I don't like about the auto is the gearing on a SRW truck. One of the big reasons I prefer a manual is the low gearing for back roads driving and towing, of which I do quite a bit. 1st in the auto just isn't low enough to do the job without generating a lot of slippage and heat... but even then given the options I think I would go auto and have 4.10's installed over a manual and a tuner.

I could not agree more. Everything I type about about control and gear selection is more true when it comes to towing and or off-highway travel, as you know. And when towing off-highway...

 

[photowrite]

I've been running the g-56 for 141,000 miles pulling heavy and the only thing i've done is replaced the dual mass flywheel with a smf and new clutch at 124,000 miles and changed the fluid to the mobil-delvac 50 wt., and mine is still going strong and still pulling loads, Monte

Yeah, like another member posted, they may not be as bad as some think, we often hear more complaints than compliments, but I've heard some praise too. My G56 only has a few thousand on it, so I'll likely have to wait several years for any failures. If I need to replace the flywheel with a single-mass, that's okay, had to do that on my F-350 too. For now I like the stock clutch, the engagement feel and smoothness is excellent, and with Red Line MT-90 oil in the box as of last weekend, it should be much happier over the long haul.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

That's the bad part about the interweb, we rarely get to read the good reviews. Mostly, we're reading the rants from people that are perpetually unhappy.

 

[RVTRKN]

All DMF's fail early in the life of the G56, that's a fact, so there's $2K, then transmission inspected by a competent shop, so there's a $1k (browned bearings in my case and most likely others as well if not filled a quart over) and then the cost of protecting the aluminum case, in my case, $700.00, if you install the Girdle, that's a $1K. This is my reality, and with only 35K miles at time of DMF replacement. Now I have a noisy transmission, and even though I'm told that's normal and not to worry. My 40+ years as a mechanic just can't get used to the rollover noises at low RPM, I'm not including the dual disk clutch that makes noise as well, that I elected to have installed.

The cost of the Aisin transmission option $2K

 

[Regcabguy]

One time a manual trans F-550 or similar pulled up with the loudest trans I'd ever heard. The sound would come and go as the guy was maneuvering around the parking lot. I don't know if it was a DD,aftermarket single or just a marble filled stock Ford trans.

 

[RVTRKN]

Maybe you confused it with my truck. :-laf:-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[Cummins12V98]

When towing I padle shift no different than if I had the stick. I can downshift before it has a chance to lug.

 

[photowrite]

When towing I padle shift no different than if I had the stick. I can downshift before it has a chance to lug.

I do too with my A/T trans.

Sometimes an unnecessary downshift can be avoided with a manual, adding just a bit more fuel can help stave off a downshift that might be forced by an A/T.

No doubt the new autos are good transmissions.

 

[Newsa]

Just make sure you have ATF+4 in there in the event of a warranty issue.

Yeah, I paid for the extended warranty. I'm keeping ATF+4 until the warranty expires. Even though my conscience says it's not designed to lubricate a manual. But I always thought ATF generally was able to withstand the high temps of an automatic. But could be wrong.

 

[Newsa]

I've been running the g-56 for 141,000 miles pulling heavy and the only thing i've done is replaced the dual mass flywheel with a smf and new clutch at 124,000 miles and changed the fluid to the mobil-delvac 50 wt., and mine is still going strong and still pulling loads, Monte

mfurrh, That is a welcome post to all the doom & gloom about towing with a g56. Do you tow in 6th gear up hill when the engine allows? Or do you always downshift to 5th even when the engine can pull in 6th?

 

[Bob V]

ATF was used as factory fill in some manuals in the 60s. If you think about it, the same amount of HP and Torque goes through an auto as goes through manual. It is also used as differential lube in many front wheel drive cars, manual or automatic. I am not saying the ATF is the best, but it is capable. It also has a 194 VI (viscosity Index) which means the viscosity is somewhat stable as the temperature rises.

 

[mfurrh55]

mfurrh, That is a welcome post to all the doom & gloom about towing with a g56. Do you tow in 6th gear up hill when the engine allows? Or do you always downshift to 5th even when the engine can pull in 6th?

If it will pull in 6th then it will stay in 6th, I don't lug it in 6th though, Monte