Auto or stick???

[Davey]

I'm ordering a new 04. 5 3500 q/c dually. My 99' while having served me well, has me steering away from another auto. (o/d clutches going out of t/c, and general poor towing performance) The truck will see a fairly continuous 4000 lb load in the bed, with an occasional 11000lb travel trailer in tow. I will be upgrading "things" a little so as to be in the 400-425 RWHP area. While I understand that a dtt transmission will be ten-fold better than a stock one, will this much weight(max gcwr) be too much even for a beefed auto to live under, reliably?

How will an exhaust brake on a new dtt automatic work compared to one on a 6 speed. I like driving an auto more, but shifting won't bother me too much either.

Thanks in advance

Dave

 

[Fireman]

Davey,



I switched to the stick with no regrets, and I like the towing performance much better. The 6spd was a little stiff at first but has smoothed out over time. It is really a matter of wether you want to shift gears or not. Go for a test drive and see.



Fireman

 

[bighammer]

I think the only times I've wished I had gotten an automatic is for racing, or when somebody else needs to drive my truck.

 

[EMD-Run8]

The clutch action on the 6-spd is exceptionally light. It makes shifting gears fun. Besides, shifting gears helps the 'ol grey matter stay sharp. The 6'er I think may have better roll-on performance too. It picks up really good in the top gears where you'll be most of the time. Drive it, you'll like it.

 

[Task125]

stick it!

 

[boonsur]

Manual all the way!!!

Yes you can make the autos much more reliable, but the money you need to spend will go a long way towards power mods, etc. The New Venture is warrantied, even with an exhaust brake. And, rowing just adds that much more to the experience .

 

[Glen]

Real trucks don't have automatic transmissions. . . but heated, leather seats are nice.

 

[David Muench]

For your situation, I'd get a stick for sure. In my case I am only towing occasionally and not very heavy, so I went with the automatic for the fun factor. Next truck will be back to a stick (gonna be towing heavy again in the future).

 

[Spooled-up]

I went from a '99 auto to the 6 speed. No regrets. I think it would be cheaper to upgrade the clutch on a manual than to upgrade an auto to handle the same HP. You'll probably save a little when you order your truck. I'm sure you could think of something to put that money towards!

 

[klenger]

There's only one reason to get the six speed, ... they don't offer a seven speed.

 

[DPelletier]

Did the auto thing on my last truck. Sold it to get the 6 spd. For towing (especially on the heavy side), the 6spd is the obvious choice.



Dave

 

[EMD-Run8]

:-laf Yeah buddy on the 7-speed!! Hey, if autos were the way to go for runnin' the road they'd be in every class 8 tractor on the out there!!

 

[Davey]

Thanks guys. I kinda figured it was going to be along these lines. Wasn't really wanting to put $5000 into a brand new auto anyway.

 

[Steve M]

OTR trucks are almost all manuals. Local trucks are almost all automatics. Allison makes autos rated up to 80k lbs. They both have their place. The first automatic 18-wheeler I saw caught me by surprise. I've had three automatic Dodge Cummins pickups and one 5spd. They've all been reliable.

 

[Buffalo]

I have a '91 W-250 with a heavy-duty ATS trans with Triple-lock TC, and an '03, 3500, HO,6-speed. If you're going to spend a lot of time stuck in "rush hour" traffic in a large city, the auto would be nice. The 6-speed is my choice for towing. The first 3 gears are close ratio. You wind up quickly in them. 4 thru 6 seem like they have longer legs. That's with a 3. 73 rear-end. I really like the 6-speed and don't mind shifting.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Another advantage of the 6 speed is that this thing actually has decent engine braking. I live at the top of a very long gradual hill and I had to ride the brakes the whole way with my auto, I don't touch them at all (except for a couple of stop signs) with the stick.

 

[Heavy Duty]

Davey,

i am now on my 2nd SPD. IMO it is the only way to go if you plan on doing any heavy hauling.



The disadvantage is if you live in an area where traffic jams are an everyday thing. I commute to the D. C. area and yes, traffic up the wa-zoo. I've gotten use to driving my truck in the traffic. Sometimes I just put her in 1st gear and let it creep along. But the trade off is well worth it.

 

[Davey]

You've got a two speed. What's so bad about driving that in ?traffic?

Other than Calgary and Edmonton we have no major cities in Alberta and I'm only ever out on the open road.

Surprised there has been no auto supporter replies.

 

[XcumminsX]

Right Here





Get an auto. The 48re is a good transmission. Why would you want to row when your driving. Sit back relax put it in D and drive and enjoy the show. .



Nick

 

[Davey]

Do you tow heavy with your's though?