G56'rs

[Randomrunner12]

Hey y'all with the g56, anyone of y'all ever gone from 4th to 6th when really getting on it?

Today getting onto the highway from an intersection I hammered down and going from 4th at 60mph to 5th the trans wanted me to go into 3rd but I caught it in nuetral and went to 5th and then 6th by the time I hit 85.

 

[JohnM45]

I'll only skip like that if i'm taking it easy... never when i'm on it hard. You sure you had the clutch in far enough? Timing is everything with this trans, I believe.

I'm only driving this truck for about 4k miles now. I'm learning that, like most things, its all about being smooth. The smoother you are the faster. And being smooth is all about timing...the G56 seems to be less forgiving and quite finicky about technique... especially if you want to shift fast.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Clutch was all the way to floor. I've noticed with this trans if I sometimes go to fast it doesn't like 4th - 5th. Maybe because I'm already going to fast in the range but not really sure.

Just wondering if anyone has had any issues skipping a gear when needed? I wish they'd make an 8spd manual lol. Sometimes it's like we need just a couple more gears.

 

[Ozymandias]

You can always and ever skip a gear or two in a manual transmission, no problem at all.
Also from 6 down to 3 going into an incline isn't a problem.
As long as it fits the rpm range of the engine it is fine.

You are in charge what gear is used.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Cool just what I wanted to know. I'd done it before but wasn't ever very sure!!!!

 

[RVTRKN]

The G56 isn't a very stout trans, and I would always shift it slow. When I would get on it, it would be getting on the freeway, and 5th to 6th was just few RPM's less. I don't see any issue going from 4th to 6th if you wound it up in RPM's, in 4th. Would I, heck no. This trans being aluminum with the bellhousing cast into the body of it, (its not a bolt on bell housing) gives it a weaker design. I always sore that if the G56 quit on me, I'd convert it to the NV5600. I'd be carefull due to the DMF, the design is to absorb the harsh vibrations from the CTD, and putting torque to it at high speeds is a disaster waiting to happen. These trucks are designed to pull hard and heavy, not speed shifting. Leave racing to the DMAX, thats all their good for, for 150K miles. Your CTD with the G56 is slightly weaker than the auto version, but it will outlast the competitors if driven correctly. Also if you haven't thought about it, set up a proper trans cooler, and run a synthetic 50wt trans fluid.

 

[nukegm]

my g56 clutch went out at 6k miles ( the pedal hydro unit ) i didnt drive it anywhere. flat bedded it to the dealer, and somehow they ended up replacing the hydr unit 3x ( a long story on another thread here ) and they replaced the flywheel, clutch and pressure plate. this kinda shocked me, as i would have thought them to be a little stronger or more stout than that....anyways, i have not speed shifted. what for - it kinda drives like a bus, im a caveman, and i like the stick shift. cheers comrades!

 

[AH64ID]

No issues at all. The trans won't know or care that you skipped a gear, as long as the gear you select is the proper one for the speed/rpm. But don't try to speed shift it, it's a truck trans.

The G56 isn't as weak as some report. The G56 was used for more years than any other manual transmission behind the CTD in a Dodge/Ram, and all of them a the highest power ratings and GCWR of any manual transmission in the CTD history with Dodge/Ram.

It does have it's flaws, but no more than the 48/68 transmissions.. or even the NV5600 which didn't seem to last as long on it's syncro's as the G56. It certainly much stronger than a NV4500.

 

[Randomrunner12]

Now I'm not saying I speed shift. When I shift even getting on it, I always go clutch to floor, nuetral pause for half second and then the next gear to let it kinda just fall into place.

I always shift above 2100rpms otherwise this trans is super notchy. I've had other family drive it and when they try to shift between 18-2k rpms drop way down to 13-14k and it lugs.

My biggest concern was the ability to skip a gear if need be.

 

[Cummins12V98]

A friend just bought a 2013 RAM DRW with the manual trans with 80k on the clock. What AMZ/OIL product should he be running in his stick?

 

[Randomrunner12]

Mobil delvac 50. Available at any grainger.

Drain, take apart center console and refill it all from the shift tower. Also check the orange boot while there. If torn, go to parts store and buy any cv axle boot and install with a hose clamp. I think mine was a 3" maybe 4". Haven't had an issue in 100k.

 

[Ozymandias]

There is no benefit from resting in N while changing gears, none.
But as sayd, go slow into a gear so that the synchrons have time to slow down or speed up the geartrain.

 

[RVTRKN]

Thats a good choice in oil, Amzoil is just dressing, no I'm not starting a oil war. The weakness of the G56 was well documented in an article by Joesph Donnelly in the TDR magazine, just after the G56 came out. Regardless of opinions here, it can run hot, which mine did, and its the poorest design Dodge has used. I'm not saying its the worst trans behind our CTD's, but it certainly has its weaknesses which cost me a couple of grand. The NV5600 had one flaw that was expensive to upgrade, but other than that, it is the most robust designed transmission behind the CTD. Unfortunalty New Venture Gear went out of business, by the time I bought my 07 C&C 3500 G56 truck. My brother is stll running my 04.5 CTD NV5600 at 150K trouble free miles.

 

[RVTRKN]

Thats the bennifit of double clutching, bringing up the syncro's

There is no benefit from resting in N while changing gears, none.
But as sayd, go slow into a gear so that the synchrons have time to slow down or speed up the geartrain.

speeds before the next gear.

 

[AH64ID]

A friend just bought a 2013 RAM DRW with the manual trans with 80k on the clock. What AMZ/OIL product should he be running in his stick?

This fluid is very close to what MB spec’d for the G56. It’s worked well for more than a few folks that have bought it thru me.

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-prod...and-transaxle-gear-lube-75w-90/?code=MTGPK-EA

The MB all climate spec is a GL-4 75w-90, which the Amsoil is. The SHC 50wt was not the all climate MB spec, just one of the spec’d fluids and for temperate zones.

 

[Cummins12V98]

" Amzoil is just dressing"

That's fine but I buy it at Dealer cost and that is what I like to use so I would like to know what people have been using.

 

[AH64ID]

Mobil delvac 50. Available at any grainger.

Drain, take apart center console and refill it all from the shift tower. Also check the orange boot while there. If torn, go to parts store and buy any cv axle boot and install with a hose clamp. I think mine was a 3" maybe 4". Haven't had an issue in 100k.

Pretty sure it explains your notchy shifting, and shifting issue that started this thread.

Ive know a few folks that try the 50wt bandwagon for the G56 and end up back in a GL-4 75w-90 rather quickly for shifting issues.

 

[Ozymandias]

Thats the bennifit of double clutching, bringing up the syncro's

speeds before the next gear.

Correct, but only if done properly, otherwise it harms the transmission.

And to me, double clutching can only be learned properly with an un-syncronized transmission that gives real feedback if done good or not.

In general, our CDL driving instructor's tell us not to double clutch on a synchronized transmission, but let the gear slip in not push in.

 

[RVTRKN]

I tried the actual MB oil (expensive if it can be found) that MB recommended for the G56, and removed it within a thousand miles. Tried 50/50 mix of the MB oil with Royal Purple syncromesh fluid and with a 50/50 mix with Pennzoil scromesh oil. I finally settled on the Mobil delvac 50wt oil. It by far was the best oil I used. If your going to go to GL-4 75w-90, you better add a cooler. The 50 wt was also to heavy and retains heat, so the 75w-90 would even be worse. I have docummented proof that the G56 runs hot and even hotter with a heavier oil. The testing of temps and shiftability is why I went to a real transmission cooler. When the G56 gets hot, the gears can mesh out of alignment due to the softening of the aluminum. Like I posted, it's in the article writen by Joseph Donnelly.

 

[RVTRKN]

Yup, and during the DMV testing for my class A, they wanted to see you double clutch your truck. So I practiced double clutching my NV5600 before I tested. Thats interesting info about double clutching a sycronized trany.

Correct, but only if done properly, otherwise it harms the transmission.

And to me, double clutching can only be learned properly with an un-syncronized transmission that gives real feedback if done good or not.

In general, our CDL driving instructor's tell us not to double clutch on a synchronized transmission, but let the gear slip in not push in.