2015 auto or manual trans?

[Mingoglia]

While I realize you're using an exaggerated ratio to make a point, the higher the ratio, the more load on the entire drivetrain ahead of the ring and pinion, so limiting load based on axle ratio has merit.

It has merit, but the drivetrain can handle the additional load without premature wear, particularly with regular maintenance. The ujoints in our trucks and driveshafts are capable of massive loads and higher than typical angles of operation. In other words, there's a pretty big margin of torque handling built in. Most of the drivetrain upgrades done in newer generations of trucks have more to do with adding to the GVWR, than the GCVWR. Granted, as with everything you'll likely increase wear a bit, but in this situation we're talking $25 ujoints. As for the differential, a lower numeric number actually runs cooler. Is this all ideal? No, but with proper maintenance it's not the end of the world.

My frame of reference I'm using for my opinion on torque capability is based on my rock crawling experience. I use all 1-ton gear in my rig. Run 42" tires, with water to the top in the front tires, and have tons of gearing. I can on rare occasion snap chromoly 35-spline axle shafts and even every now and then $300 chromoly u-joints by just crawling obstacles with all the gearing I have mostly before the drivetrain. I'm very well versed in the type of torque 1-ton gear can take without going bang. Granted in my application heat isn't an issue, but with stock driveline angles the drivetrain in front of the diff stays plenty cool regardless of load.

 

[kthaxton]

It has merit, but the drivetrain can handle the additional load without premature wear, particularly with regular maintenance. The ujoints in our trucks and driveshafts are capable of massive loads and higher than typical angles of operation. In other words, there's a pretty big margin of torque handling built in. Most of the drivetrain upgrades done in newer generations of trucks have more to do with adding to the GVWR, than the GCVWR. Granted, as with everything you'll likely increase wear a bit, but in this situation we're talking $25 ujoints. As for the differential, a lower numeric number actually runs cooler. Is this all ideal? No, but with proper maintenance it's not the end of the world.

I'm kind of confused...it sounds like you want to dispute what I am saying.....but not.

My point is simply, and factually, lower gear ratios put less load on everything in front of the R&P, this includes driveline, u-joints, transmission, t-case (if in 4wd) and engine. This equates to more capability (i.e. towing) and less wear, with lower (numerically higher gears).

My frame of reference I'm using for my opinion on torque capability is based on my rock crawling experience. I use all 1-ton gear in my rig. Run 42" tires, with water to the top in the front tires, and have tons of gearing. I can on rare occasion snap chromoly 35-spline axle shafts and even every now and then $300 chromoly u-joints by just crawling obstacles with all the gearing I have mostly before the drivetrain. I'm very well versed in the type of torque 1-ton gear can take without going bang. Granted in my application heat isn't an issue, but with stock driveline angles the drivetrain in front of the diff stays plenty cool regardless of load.

But you are talking about axle shafts, these are not before the R&P and are actually seeing MORE torque with lower gears. It is irrelevant to the point I am making.

 

[Mingoglia]

I'm kind of confused...it sounds like you want to dispute what I am saying.....but not.

My point is simply, and factually, lower gear ratios put less load on everything in front of the R&P, this includes driveline, u-joints, transmission, t-case (if in 4wd) and engine. This equates to more capability (i.e. towing) and less wear, with lower (numerically higher gears).



But you are talking about axle shafts, these are not before the R&P and are actually seeing MORE torque with lower gears. It is irrelevant to the point I am making.

I might have been. I just like "hearing" myself talk sometimes. Bygones. haha

 

[kthaxton]

I'm the same way.....obviously.

 

[photowrite]

manual until my knees and shoulder won't handle it!

Put me strongly in the manual transmission camp, I'm happy to be in the minority. All combinations have their pros and cons, and I gladly concede that moden automatics are much better, even excellent tramissions. Though personal preference matters, and it's great to have a choice. Even with the 'control' offered with modern A/Ts, they still drive difffrently. Manual transmission trucks have 100% lockup in every gear, all the time [barring a slipping clutch].

This is not only my oinion with trucks, but for cars and mororcyces too... Of course I have a couple A/T-equppted vehicles I can drive if I prefer/need one, very rare, but I'd like to sell one and reduce the fleet to include only one A/T rig.

Living in mountainous country, I much preffer chosing to upshift, downshift, remain in a particular gear, and/or being able to floor or releae the accelerator as I see fit with nothing changing but the fuel delivery that I [mostly] control, for the terrian and/or traffic conditions at any given moment. There is something special about driving a turbo-diesel [or other forced-induction] manual transmission rig that delivers much driving satisfaction to this gearhead. My wife's daily driver, a '13 VW TDI 6-speed, does the same for us; we love it.

 

[RVTRKN]

If you stay within the ratings, the G56 is OK, but stay with the DMF if you don't want it to sound like it's going self destruct. Also install a cooler and dump the ATF+

 

[Newsa]

G56 ain't perfect and it sure ain't bullet proof. But it's still better than dead pedal, erratic shifting, hard shifting, and all the other complaints I hear on this forum. If I wanted an automatic, I'd buy a drama max. When I first joined TDR a little over a year ago, many were complaining about Aisin ' s hard shifting. I wouldn't pull a horse or livestock trailer with something that was doing what was described on TDR. I also wouldn 't pull precious cargo if I didn't know when to expect dead pedal. I'll just rebuild my G56 every 150k. Do I wish the g56 had a cast iron case? Yes I do. Do I wish it had built in fins and a larger oil reservoir? Yeah. But I'll just buy the aftermarket fins, increased oil reservoir when my 7 year extended warranty is up. Seems like the Aisin has been corrected since I joined TDR some 16-18 months ago. And the jury's still out on the torque management with the 68rfe. I say that because I still hear complaints about the 68rfe.

 

[Mingoglia]

With my limited experience with my '15, and me being a HUGE manually transmission fanboy, I can say the only issue I see is the dead pedal...which sucks pretty bad, I admit. When I put it in gear, it engages pretty hard and clunks. I think this clunk is emphasized with 4.10 gears. I've however gotten rid of most of the clunk now that I have a steel driveshaft, and not the factory aluminum. As for hard shifting, it ****s hard in tow/haul mode when unloaded. I haven't noticed hard shifting when loaded down with a trailer though. Any shifting weirdness (mainly short shifting at barely above idle) seems to go away when loaded IMHO.

 

[kthaxton]

G56 ain't perfect and it sure ain't bullet proof. But it's still better than dead pedal, erratic shifting, hard shifting, and all the other complaints I hear on this forum. If I wanted an automatic, I'd buy a drama max. When I first joined TDR a little over a year ago, many were complaining about Aisin ' s hard shifting. I wouldn't pull a horse or livestock trailer with something that was doing what was described on TDR. I also wouldn 't pull precious cargo if I didn't know when to expect dead pedal. I'll just rebuild my G56 every 150k. Do I wish the g56 had a cast iron case? Yes I do. Do I wish it had built in fins and a larger oil reservoir? Yeah. But I'll just buy the aftermarket fins, increased oil reservoir when my 7 year extended warranty is up. Seems like the Aisin has been corrected since I joined TDR some 16-18 months ago. And the jury's still out on the torque management with the 68rfe. I say that because I still hear complaints about the 68rfe.

My 68RFE shifts fine. What exactly is the jury determining about torque management? The only evidence I see of TM is (and this is only my assumption) slow initial acceleration from a stop, mildly annoying, yes, but I am used to it. If this is what it takes to get this monstrous torque and to move these incredible loads while allowing the drivetrain to survive, I'm all for it.

Remember, things are never as bad, or as good, as they sound on the internet.

 

[Newsa]

My 68RFE shifts fine. What exactly is the jury determining about torque management? The only evidence I see of TM is (and this is only my assumption) slow initial acceleration from a stop, mildly annoying, yes, but I am used to it. If this is what it takes to get this monstrous torque and to move these incredible loads while allowing the drivetrain to survive, I'm all for it.

Remember, things are never as bad, or as good, as they sound on the internet.

True that things are never as good or as bad as they seem on the Internet. But the only people complaining about the g56 are people who own automatics
But I can repost many links to threads where owners of 68rfes complain about launch shudder, erratic shifting, and maybe dead pedal. And not sure if dead pedal is specific to Aisin or 68rfe..... or both. I'm not complaining about all your automatics. I'm just saying there are alot of owners complaining about how their powertrain works. And the problem isn't the cummins. I'm not impressed at all with the automatic transmissions that Ram offers. Aisin has an opportunity to surpass Alison as the industry standard if they figure out the dead pedal issue. If Aisin really is bullet-proof, it wouldn't need torque management that causes such temporary absence of power as dead pedal.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/251568-Transmission

 

[kthaxton]

Are we even sure that dead pedal is a transmission symptom?

 

[RVTRKN]

Do I wish the g56 had a cast iron case? Yes I do. Do I wish it had built in fins and a larger oil reservoir? Yeah. But I'll just buy the aftermarket fins, increased oil reservoir when my 7 year extended warranty is up.

The coolers from Geno's really didn't work on my G56, and once I installed temperature sensors, I saw up to 250* temperatures. Anyone with a G56 should consider my cooling system that I developed for mine, and I now keep my trans temps at @ 175*, even at 23K combined weight.

 

[Newsa]

Are we even sure that dead pedal is a transmission symptom?

G56 trucks don't have dead pedal.

 

[Newsa]

The coolers from Geno's really didn't work on my G56, and once I installed temperature sensors, I saw up to 250* temperatures. Anyone with a G56 should consider my cooling system that I developed for mine, and I now keep my trans temps at @ 175*, even at 23K combined weight.

Might attempt that after my 7 year warranty is up. Is the filter necessary because of the pump?

Are those Geno's coolers on the side? Was there a plug to remove or did you tap them for your sump and return?

 

[AH64ID]

G56 trucks don't have dead pedal.

That doesn't mean it's an auto trans issue, just something with the auto trans programming. It is probably on the engine side and not trans side.

All engines have torque management but they may get it differently.

 

[Newsa]

That doesn't mean it's an auto trans issue, just something with the auto trans programming. It is probably on the engine side and not trans side.

All engines have torque management but they may get it differently.

I agree. And if it can be fixed with a chip, then it should be fixed by Ram. IMHO

 

[photowrite]

The coolers from Geno's really didn't work on my G56, and once I installed temperature sensors, I saw up to 250* temperatures. Anyone with a G56 should consider my cooling system that I developed for mine, and I now keep my trans temps at @ 175*, even at 23K combined weight.

250*+ Is the kind of temps I used to see in my ZF-S5 in an F-350 using overdrive. Did your G56 get than hot only in overdrive, or in direct as well? With ATF, or all/other oils?

I love the idea of only 175* @ 23k GCW.

Your setup looks good.

 

[RVTRKN]

Might attempt that after my 7 year warranty is up. Is the filter necessary because of the pump? Yes

Are those Geno's coolers on the side? Yes Was there a plug to remove or did you tap them for your sump and return? I drilled and tapped them.

250*+ Is the kind of temps I used to see in my ZF-S5 in an F-350 using overdrive. Did your G56 get than hot only in overdrive, or in direct as well? With ATF, or all/other oils? Both, but that was only at 15K GCW with the boat in my signature.

I love the idea of only 175* @ 23k GCW.

Your setup looks good.

look for the answers in the quotes.

Because the oil cooler is located behind the inter cooler, it can cause the oil temp to rise across the cooler from high boost pressures/temperatures when climbing grades at 23K, so I shut it down until the boost drops off. That's an unexpected consequence, and if it had been a 4th gen truck, I would have used BD performance's oil cooler, in link provided.
http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/...mission-coolers-1030606-replaces-1030610.aspx

 

[photowrite]

That's an unexpected consequence, and if it had been a 4th gen truck, I would have used BD performance's oil cooler, in link provided.
http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/...mission-coolers-1030606-replaces-1030610.aspx

Thanks for the link, cool idea to use that BD cooler. I may have to work on a custom installation in the months ahead.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Are we even sure that dead pedal is a transmission symptom?

From issue 86.....