Auto or 6 speed to tow with?

[FloridaEd]

I'm planning on trading in old Whitey for a 2005/6 3600 LWB CTD DRW Quad-cab when I get back from Alaska. I'm solidly sold on the CTD and will take the Dodge cripple crew cab that comes with it. The thing I'm not sure about is the transmission. I'm getting on in years and my knees get along much better while the truck is in cruise control.



I'm worried about all the shifting I will need to do in hilly/mountainous areas with a 6 speed.



My only reason for considering the 6 speed is additional braking when going down steep grades. My Ford just doesn't help a lot with auto transmission. I often drop to 2nd gear and 30 MPH on long downhill grades to feel comfortable with the load.



Can any of you who tow about 11,000 pound trailers give me some insight into how the 2005/6 Dodges handle such loads on downhill grades with auto transmission? Will these Dodges give me some engine braking with the transmission?



Would appreciate any experiences you might have.



Florida Ed

 

[DHayden]

I'm sure an auto guy will chime in, I have no experience with the auto's. However, with my power I hardly ever find myself downshifting to go up any hill. If you were going to drive this daily I sure can relate on the knee thing, but if your towing for leasure or on the highway most of the time the 6 speed is a great way to go. My exhaust brake works fantastic and usually I only downshift to 5th and thats rare. Please note I have a 2nd Gen with mods but the stock 3 gens have nice power.

Good luck on your new truck, I'm sure auto guys will help you out soon.

 

[NIsaacs]

Ed, since the question was transmission choice with towing in mind, I'm gonna say 6spd. Like DHayden said, once you get in 6th, set the cruise and relax. Most of your shifting will be starting and stopping. It is hard to beat the up and downhill control of the 6spd, especially with the exhaust brake. Again with towing in mind, the 6, close ratio gears has got to be better than the 4 wide ratio gears of the auto. I too, have no experiance with the auto in the CTD, however there are a hole bunch of guys out there that do.





"NICK"

 

[klenger]

I prefer the manual also, but rumor has it that the 2006 autos will be compatable with an exhaust brake. Please, do not purchase based soley on this rumor as many have been burned by similar rumors since the '03's came out.

 

[RankRam]

I prefer the manual also, but rumor has it that the 2006 autos will be compatable with an exhaust brake. Please, do not purchase based soley on this rumor as many have been burned by similar rumors since the '03's came out.

As always that's very good advice Ken.



Look at my sig and you can see what happened to me.



BTW I couldn't be happier with my 05 sixer!

 

[WOT]

There is another thread that has order info for '06 and it looks like the e-brake will be a factory option even with the auto (but until one orders it and it arrives I would be hesitant).

As far as autos vs 6 spd, I prefre the 6 spd. I have seen several posts that people with the Auto that tow a bunch prefer 4:10 because of the steep overdrive with the auto 3. 73 tend to lug and reasonable hw speeds (65 or so). You can only get 3. 73 with the 6 spd now because the OD in it is . 79 vs . 73 (previous NV 6 spd) vs . 69 (auto).

 

[Opie366]

I'm happy so far with auto transmission. I'm towing a 24ft travel trailer (10k max), and it does quite well with it. I'm running 3. 73 gears and it will lug a bit in the mountains. I would probably go with 4. 10 gears if I were to do it again though. I have no doubt that the 6speeds are more efficient, but I use the truck as a daily driver, and the wife has announced she is out of the gear shifting biz.

 

[LesStallings]

I pull a 15,000# gooseneck. I would not consider an auto (currently a 4-speed) until Dodge offers the rumored 6 speed automatic, assuming it was exhaust brake compatible.



I drive 10 hours a day with two stops when I'm on the road. Like others have said, downshifting is rarely, very rarely needed. I don't use the truck much when I'm running around town doing odd chores. It does need a bit of shifting in traffic, but not on the road.

 

[KBennett]

I am a manual guy who went with an auto in an '03 SO and was not happy with it. My main complaint is that going up steep grades the torque converter would keep locking and unlocking with only a 4K trailer.



I traded it for the '04 HO and really like it for trailering. This is my daily driver so shifting does get a little tiresome at times but it's well worth it when I hookup a load. My truck is stock and on a recent trip to Utah from Colorado, towing a 24' trailer that was around 7K, I only had to take it out of 6th twice for some steep grades.

 

[FCecelin]

I've had both. although the auto trans was in a ford with the torqueshift . I was happy with the transmission, it worked as advertized. The engine did not . . My 2004. 5 is equally at home on any terrain ,in or in the hills . I very rarely have to shift out of 6th . This is an very good combination for me to pull the 5th wheel camper. Low maintenance, bullet proof and no work once under way . Camper weighs 10400 empty. .

 

[BGlidewell]

I'm pulling 15k with an auto. Waiting for the ATS to come out of beta so I can lock up my torque converter to maximise the pacbrake and I should be set.

 

[mpwalker]

I tow a 13,740 pound 5iver with the 2005, 3500 dually, LB with the auto trans and after 23,000 miles have been impressed with how well it handles any road I put it on, 6 percent grades up or down have not been a problem for this transmission, if I leave it in OD it seldom downshifts and on the downhill in cruise it will downshift to hold the speed on it's own with very little brake assist required. Am sure the manual would do even a better job and the exhust brake also would be added braking, however I have kept my cummins total stock and am not sorry to this point.

 

[OTRPU]

mp, you doing the billit shafts?



Cheers,

Steve J

 

[PatrickCampbell]

If you get an auto, 4. 10 gears or don't bother.



Otherwise get a 6spd, either gears will be fine.



Personally, I had an auto with 3. 73s and did enjoy towing at 20,000 gross.



The new autos don't let you lock out of OD so I don't know how you're going to get ANY additional braking downhill.



Let me ask this - Why would you NOT get a 6spd?



BGlidewell has some aftermarket mods that would help and auto do what a 6spd does out of the box.

 

[cwsoules]

I have an automatic with a 4:10 rear end. I wanted an exhaust brake so at 60K miles I had the transmission upgraded by DTT, exhaust brake, and smart box installed.



If I get a new truck I will probably get a SRW 3500 quad cab with an exhaust brake, full set of gages, and cummins diesel. If I get an automatic I would have DTT modifications made right away. Our safety going down steep hills is more important than a transmission warranty. A 6 speed box would be nice but I would most likely get tired rowing thru the gears in heavy traffic or climbing a steep hill. As I am retired I would prefer to relax when driving.

 

[tschwab]

Ed,



We tow about the same weight, while I agree with most of the posts (6 spd with ex brake would be the best combo overall when towing) there also comes the trade-off of having to row thru the gears in heavey traffic and if this is your daily driver, it may get old real quick. I really like the quickness and convenience of the auto.



How often do you tow? What type of terrain will you be towing in (mountains or mostly flat)? Wife wanted an auto and would not drive a stick in our congested city traffic and since this is "her car" during the week, we went auto and it has been great. As far as needing an exhaust brake, I have never felt that I have needed one. The brakes along with properly functioning trailer brakes have worked fine and the brakes on the 3G Rams are exceptional.



As far as the 3. 73/4. 10 debate goes, I believe TDR member Tommeygun said it best, we wont even order a truck with 4. 10's unless the customer tows 80% or more of the time.



Of course, with 4. 10's you pick-up 2K capacity.



'05 3500 auto w/3. 73 = 21K GCVWR

'05 3500 auto w/4. 10 = 23K GCVWR

At least that is what it is for my truck as calculated from the DC website.



It sounds like you really want the auto AND the exhaust brake, I would ask TDR member and Dodge salesman Tommeygun if it is a fact you can get the '06 auto with factory installed exhaust brake. Just remember that the '06 will come with a 3/36 instead of the current '05 7/70.

 

[PatrickCampbell]

Is dodge going to give us something for taking away 3/36? More gvw? Lower price??? I would LOVE to see a higher GVW... ...

 

[Freddbull]

Freddbull

I just get a kick out of my babe', almost 5' & 110lbs get behind the wheel and slide thru the gears as smooth as silk. She's Colombian & don't know how ta drive an automatic. Oo.

 

[Mundgyver]

Go with the 6 speed, Jordan Brake Controller and a exhaust brake. I have 147,000 turns now and still have my factory brakes. I have been to 23,000 lbs and have not had any problems. Between the exhaust brake and the cruise contol, both on and cruising down the road, the truck will hold what every speed I want, up-hill, down-hill, to does not matter. And if you get boared, you can always drop in a Gear Vendors for 11 speeds forward. You just have a whole lot more control with a 6 speed.

 

[BHanks]

I tow 14k for 4months of the year(summer) and have an automatic but would prefer the 6 speed. My wife said that she would not help me drive if I got a stick so we have an auto. So guess who is the BOSS... We alll know the answer but some willl not admitt it... :-laf :-{}