I like the auto because, I too, am lazy. I simply don't want to do a lot of shifting in rush hour freeway traffic. If I was doing more highway driving and towing, I might lean toward the stick for all the reasons mentioned in the earlier posts. I tow a 6-7,000# trailer and do fine with the auto and 3. 55s. It seems the 4. 10s would put me in a better rpm range, but running empty, the 3. 55s are great and they still do the job pulling.
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2002 2500 final decision or Please help the undecided
- Thread starter ulhpilot
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Check my sig for what truck I have. I have hauled over 18,000 lbs
of hay @ 60 mph for 200 miles and the trany never even comes close to failing. I have over 20,000 miles on truck now and it drives like a raped ape. I test drove a 6 speed the other day and it was pretty cool too. Just don't like the shift pattern. As for the reliabiltiy; auto's have burned clutch packs, 5 speeds have a 5th gear nut problem, 6er's have smaller clutch. another thing to keep in mind is the manuals don't back uphill very good.....
of hay @ 60 mph for 200 miles and the trany never even comes close to failing. I have over 20,000 miles on truck now and it drives like a raped ape. I test drove a 6 speed the other day and it was pretty cool too. Just don't like the shift pattern. As for the reliabiltiy; auto's have burned clutch packs, 5 speeds have a 5th gear nut problem, 6er's have smaller clutch. another thing to keep in mind is the manuals don't back uphill very good.....
It took me five tries to find the ultimate setup. If you're going to tow, get the 6-speed. You're going to want the longbed if you can fit it into your garage, because it's a lot more stable on the highway. If, down the road, you decide to upgrade your camper to a 5-er or a larger tagalong, you won't have to buy more truck like I did. (read: EXPENSIVE) My . 02. Henry
Try um both and see what you like. Drive them in situations where you are gonna drive - stop & go, highway and in town. Then decide what fits your bill because you are the one that is going to be behind the wheel. I drove them both and decided how I was gonna use it and the decision was an easy one. I love my truck and know I made the right choice. Would I make any changes in it? No 
So when you decide what's right for you you will know. Take your time and ask alot of questions and if you have any doubts ask more questions. I love my 6 banger and 3. 55's. I do drive in stop and go traffic and the 6 gears give me quite a bit of choice and get up and go when I want/need it. Its a dream on the open highway. I know its not for everyone. you know the old saying " Different strokes for different folks ". You are almost there so take a little extra time and effort and you will soon be enjoying that new truck with the mighty Cummins in it.
So when you decide what's right for you you will know. Take your time and ask alot of questions and if you have any doubts ask more questions. I love my 6 banger and 3. 55's. I do drive in stop and go traffic and the 6 gears give me quite a bit of choice and get up and go when I want/need it. Its a dream on the open highway. I know its not for everyone. you know the old saying " Different strokes for different folks ". You are almost there so take a little extra time and effort and you will soon be enjoying that new truck with the mighty Cummins in it. Went thru the same decision thing on the auto or 6-speed. Finally decided on the 6-speed. Reason being, I like the peace of mind of not having transmission overheating on long mountain passes. I have an aversion to break downs, so I went with the manual.
The need to pull a heavier load some day was another factor. 6-speed is starting to loosen up and shift easier as the miles add up. Where I miss an auto is in stop and go traffic with a load behind. Good Luck
The need to pull a heavier load some day was another factor. 6-speed is starting to loosen up and shift easier as the miles add up. Where I miss an auto is in stop and go traffic with a load behind. Good Luck
Well,
Just like several guys have mentioned, there is no clear answer, but here goes.
I bought the auto because: a) I do a lot of city driving and I hate shifting and clutching in rush hour stop and go traffic. b) I tow relatively light weight (my trailer is approx 6000 lbs loaded) c) I intend on keeping the drivetrain stock.
This having been said, I think the 6spds are cool. If you buy a 6spd (my buddy has one) you never have to consider upgrading your truck if you buy a heavier trailer. I am positive that they get better mileage and would no doubt take increased power levels better. I keep going to the dealership and drooling all over the eth 6spds that they have there, but then logic sets in and I realize that mine is a better choice for my needs. Ask yourself what you are going to use the truck for, then make up your mind.
Good luck.
Just like several guys have mentioned, there is no clear answer, but here goes.
I bought the auto because: a) I do a lot of city driving and I hate shifting and clutching in rush hour stop and go traffic. b) I tow relatively light weight (my trailer is approx 6000 lbs loaded) c) I intend on keeping the drivetrain stock.
This having been said, I think the 6spds are cool. If you buy a 6spd (my buddy has one) you never have to consider upgrading your truck if you buy a heavier trailer. I am positive that they get better mileage and would no doubt take increased power levels better. I keep going to the dealership and drooling all over the eth 6spds that they have there, but then logic sets in and I realize that mine is a better choice for my needs. Ask yourself what you are going to use the truck for, then make up your mind.
Good luck.
If this is an area of concern, it would be worth doing some measuring. Our QC long bed fits in our garage with about 2" to spare. Of course, our house was built in 1983, so I can't speak to new construction homes.....
Love our HO/6-speed/4. 10 for pulling our 13,500 lb 5ver. Wish it had a 7th (and maybe 8th) gear when running the freeways empty, though.
Rusty
sb vs lb
Make mine a sb with auto. It fits my garage... . lb would not. Stop and go traffic and crowded parking lots are where my truck spends 98% of the time. I would have done a long bed as I discovered it had a better turning radius than my extended cab sb chevy. The garage won though Some say resale is better on the lb. Hey thats ok, but when you reach 200k and 10year old truck I dont think that will make a hill of beans. I keep mine that long between new trucks.
David
Make mine a sb with auto. It fits my garage... . lb would not. Stop and go traffic and crowded parking lots are where my truck spends 98% of the time. I would have done a long bed as I discovered it had a better turning radius than my extended cab sb chevy. The garage won though Some say resale is better on the lb. Hey thats ok, but when you reach 200k and 10year old truck I dont think that will make a hill of beans. I keep mine that long between new trucks.
David
. Thanks everyone for the great response. I'll be going to the dealer(s) next week and hopefully they will have a couple trucks I can use for comparison. I've already driven an auto, but not sure what gears. Reading the replies has got me hosed on the bed length now. Sh#t. I've got a 24' garage so it should fit, if it can get in the door (7' or 84" high). Another decision. I saw a couple Reg cabs (in the sigs) that looked mighty fine, too. For some reason, I keep getting this image of a HO/6 speed with 4. 10s and 35" tires??
Go for the 8' box with the quadcab! It comes in handy and makes the truck look all the bigger!
Well said, DPelletier - it's all about your own individual needs.
Well said, DPelletier - it's all about your own individual needs.
Im w/ FIREMAN dAVE
the first thing I did was have DTT build me a real auto trans, (after 1k) this truck pulls a 6k trailer every weekend under 130 F . Of course this is w/a double deep pan & sinthetic -- but its in the hot line also. I too am lazy after a long day of work & dont feel like shifting. I know this sounds simple, but if I still have 2 hrs of crap to do at home every night, its nice to have this as "my time". (drive time) I chose the 410's because I knew I was putting 35"s on this rig. No regrets. We all have nice machines , just need to pick how you will use it, and your personallity-----Proflow
the first thing I did was have DTT build me a real auto trans, (after 1k) this truck pulls a 6k trailer every weekend under 130 F . Of course this is w/a double deep pan & sinthetic -- but its in the hot line also. I too am lazy after a long day of work & dont feel like shifting. I know this sounds simple, but if I still have 2 hrs of crap to do at home every night, its nice to have this as "my time". (drive time) I chose the 410's because I knew I was putting 35"s on this rig. No regrets. We all have nice machines , just need to pick how you will use it, and your personallity-----Proflow
transmission????
Ulhpilot,
I think we all have our oppinions but here I am throwing in my two cent's. Both my father and I have 2001 diesel's mine being a six speed and his an automatic. I firmly believe you have to decide what the majority of your driving consist's of and what you prefer from the get go, since I have put many miles on both truck's I would have to say I love the automatic!!!!! It drives like a big block gasser!!!! It's all go when you step on it! But I also love my six speed!! I have towed in the mountains with both trucks and would have to say with as little as your looking at for weight you could probably be extremelly happy with either configuration. There are deffinatelly days I wish I had an automaatic, especially when I feel like going quickly with the flow of traffic or just playing a little stop light grandprix!!! But on the other side the six speed is wonderfull to tow with especially when you really load it, but I just might consider an automatic in my next truck cuz let me tell you the newer auto transmission is nothing like the older one and I do love the relaxed feel of driving it. And it even comes with a PTO take off on it now if that tells you anything of what kinda work it's meant for. We pull all the time in my familly and I definatelly believe that you should just test drive them all and then just get whatever feels right to you!!! Besides thats what the long warranty is for if you do have any problems anyway!!!!! Just my two cent's Seth
Ulhpilot,
I think we all have our oppinions but here I am throwing in my two cent's. Both my father and I have 2001 diesel's mine being a six speed and his an automatic. I firmly believe you have to decide what the majority of your driving consist's of and what you prefer from the get go, since I have put many miles on both truck's I would have to say I love the automatic!!!!! It drives like a big block gasser!!!! It's all go when you step on it! But I also love my six speed!! I have towed in the mountains with both trucks and would have to say with as little as your looking at for weight you could probably be extremelly happy with either configuration. There are deffinatelly days I wish I had an automaatic, especially when I feel like going quickly with the flow of traffic or just playing a little stop light grandprix!!! But on the other side the six speed is wonderfull to tow with especially when you really load it, but I just might consider an automatic in my next truck cuz let me tell you the newer auto transmission is nothing like the older one and I do love the relaxed feel of driving it. And it even comes with a PTO take off on it now if that tells you anything of what kinda work it's meant for. We pull all the time in my familly and I definatelly believe that you should just test drive them all and then just get whatever feels right to you!!! Besides thats what the long warranty is for if you do have any problems anyway!!!!! Just my two cent's Seth
transmission
Forgot to mention that both trucks run 3. 55 's and are great to drive but the auto with two wheel drive does seem to get much better milage than my four wheel drive! Good luck!!!!!
Forgot to mention that both trucks run 3. 55 's and are great to drive but the auto with two wheel drive does seem to get much better milage than my four wheel drive! Good luck!!!!!
Dave MacArthur
TDR MEMBER
I really believe that at this point it is a matter of personal preference (not reliability). I have the auto/3. 54's. I was concerned 3 years and 65k miles ago about reliability of the auto. Mine has been perfect. Actually has fairly crisp shifts for stock. Many posts on the site confirm the reliablity of the auto. I think it would be a blast to have the 6 speed sometimes; but most of the time I want the auto. I would get the 3. 54's again. I have 33" dia tires (255/85's) and I run at 2,000 rpm on the highway. I would however get the longbed if I had it to do over again. I don't often need the full length, so I was mainly concerned about parking, manuevering etc. This is a big truck anyway. It's not like I can pull right into a close (fairly small) parking space anyway! I almost always back into parking spaces. The longbed has a longer wheelbase and I think rides/handles better and probably wouldn't be any harder to park etc.
Dave.
Dave.
Gearing........
Oo. I went with the Six speed and the 4:10 gears, and this is what I found. I often tow my TT, and this was the reason for buying this truck. I do not mind the shifting, and the old addage that gears are multipliers of torque is an absolute. What I have discovered living in So Cal, (every place I travel is either up or down mountians) is that once I am on the road in sixth gear, due to the 4:10 rear end, the truck drives like an automatic. On most hills or grades I simply accelerate to maintain speed, while passing powerjokes like they were standing still. And that is without power mods. Not that I am against them mind you, I just have not found the reason to need them yet. When I move up to a 12,000 pound 5ver, that may change. In conclusion, I LOVE the six speed and 4:10 gear combo. Hope this helps! :--) Oo.
Oo. I went with the Six speed and the 4:10 gears, and this is what I found. I often tow my TT, and this was the reason for buying this truck. I do not mind the shifting, and the old addage that gears are multipliers of torque is an absolute. What I have discovered living in So Cal, (every place I travel is either up or down mountians) is that once I am on the road in sixth gear, due to the 4:10 rear end, the truck drives like an automatic. On most hills or grades I simply accelerate to maintain speed, while passing powerjokes like they were standing still. And that is without power mods. Not that I am against them mind you, I just have not found the reason to need them yet. When I move up to a 12,000 pound 5ver, that may change. In conclusion, I LOVE the six speed and 4:10 gear combo. Hope this helps! :--) Oo.
You can't lose. You've received good input already, but since this is similar to "voting", here's mine:
If you like being first off the line at the light, you need to get the auto. Otherwise...
ETH (HO), 6 speed, 3. 54, BD Brake and 4" exhaust, EGT, boost, and fuel pressue gauges.
ETH (HO) - Power gain over ETC is marginal, but you get stronger factory clutch, that much easier to BOMB with SBC when you wear out your first one.
6 speed - A gear for every speed. When you get on a big hill, dropping to 5th gives you good speed and "direct drive" in the transmission, which is your minimum wear configuration for heavy loads. Also, having manual makes adding an exhaust brake easier because you don't need to spend more money on auto upgrades.
3. 545 - RPM in sweet spot at 70 mph, mpg spot at 60 to 65 mph, and you're not towing "heavy". The 3. 54 vs 4. 10 decision is really too close to call - strong supporters on each side of the fence, but I agree with previous posts on 3. 54 w/manual, 4. 10 w/auto.
BD Brake - 'CAUSE IT'S FUN! Oops, I mean because since I got one, with the shifter mounted switch, I don't even get that red dust on my front wheels any more. That's a major drop in brake wear; BD is one of few options that will eventually pay for itself. Side benefits include speedy warm-ups, ability to leave it idling without fouling it up, and a handy mounting place for a post-turbo EGT probe (pre-turbo better if you BOMB heavily, post better for turbo cooldown monitoring - and know that some strongly disagree and believe pre-turbo is the only way). My main point is that BD port makes post-turbo mount EASY; if you want pre-turbo instead that's fine and has benefits.
4" exhaust - HO generally considered to have "marginally high" EGT's out of the box; with 4" exhaust my peak EGT's have dropped 150 degrees or more. You're towing - get it.
Gauges - Protect your investment - don't get stranded. Details MORE than adequately covered in numerous other threads.
Good luck, and Enjoy!
If you like being first off the line at the light, you need to get the auto. Otherwise...
ETH (HO), 6 speed, 3. 54, BD Brake and 4" exhaust, EGT, boost, and fuel pressue gauges.
ETH (HO) - Power gain over ETC is marginal, but you get stronger factory clutch, that much easier to BOMB with SBC when you wear out your first one.
6 speed - A gear for every speed. When you get on a big hill, dropping to 5th gives you good speed and "direct drive" in the transmission, which is your minimum wear configuration for heavy loads. Also, having manual makes adding an exhaust brake easier because you don't need to spend more money on auto upgrades.
3. 545 - RPM in sweet spot at 70 mph, mpg spot at 60 to 65 mph, and you're not towing "heavy". The 3. 54 vs 4. 10 decision is really too close to call - strong supporters on each side of the fence, but I agree with previous posts on 3. 54 w/manual, 4. 10 w/auto.
BD Brake - 'CAUSE IT'S FUN! Oops, I mean because since I got one, with the shifter mounted switch, I don't even get that red dust on my front wheels any more. That's a major drop in brake wear; BD is one of few options that will eventually pay for itself. Side benefits include speedy warm-ups, ability to leave it idling without fouling it up, and a handy mounting place for a post-turbo EGT probe (pre-turbo better if you BOMB heavily, post better for turbo cooldown monitoring - and know that some strongly disagree and believe pre-turbo is the only way). My main point is that BD port makes post-turbo mount EASY; if you want pre-turbo instead that's fine and has benefits.
4" exhaust - HO generally considered to have "marginally high" EGT's out of the box; with 4" exhaust my peak EGT's have dropped 150 degrees or more. You're towing - get it.
Gauges - Protect your investment - don't get stranded. Details MORE than adequately covered in numerous other threads.
Good luck, and Enjoy!
I had a 3/4T 4x4 Chev 30 years ago (gulp!) Held out for a standard at the time. First clutch change at the local garage and they did something to the 4 WD felt like it was binding all the time. Told myself next time I'd get an auto, maybe it would last longer. Got an automatic now - it's convenient but you don't have the control. When I'm creeping along in traffic on the highway at 29 mph, I'm fretting 'cause I can't get a couple of mph to get it to shift. I didn't test drive a standard (the dealers I went to didn't have any on the lot), but I'll bet I can shift smoother with a clutch. Still love the truck though. And I'm glad I got the 02 - wife likes the look of the 03's - I don't (yet), and from what I've been reading about under hood access, I wonder if the value of my 02 didn't just go up?!
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Issue 128 – Digital Version
Digital Magazines
FREE!
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Renew
Subscribe
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Back Issues
Subscription Status
Address Change Form
Buyer's Guides
Ram Diagnostic Trouble Codes
The Perfect Collection
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Dodge/Cummins Historical Overview
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What Makes Us Tick?
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