Standard vs. Auto, (Short Bed vs. Long), For Hitch Towing

[Bater]

All,



By way of background I am a many year TDR member, 17 year CTD user, multiple diesel owner (have had 12 of different flavors), and oh yes, sorry to say, am a long time forum lurker.



I am thinking seriously of replacing my '91 CTD 4x4 with an '08. This isn't because anything is wrong with the '91 as it only has 60k miles, was always garaged, and for that matter was rarely ever driven in the snow. Frankly it's almost like new. (Yes, it's been off road a few times, it's not a complete garage queen. ) More so it's because my wife and I recently bought farmland a few hundred miles away and it would be nice to ride in a quieter environment with room inside for clothes (a quad cab). Airbags would be big plus too. I would also like to be able to do some towing (large round bales, farm machinery) and if I was to put a hitch on the '91 (auto trans) it wouldn't have anywhere near the towing capacity of the newer trucks.



So with all of the above as background, what would you buy? Standard or an auto, short bed or long? The spec sheets make it appear like the auto on a short bed has the best "hitch" towing capacity, but I have always lamented that the '91 was an auto as I learned to drive on a standard as did my wife. Should I just get over that at my age (46)?



Do I get a short bed or a long bed? Short bed seems like a nice package but by the time I get my fuel tank/tool box combo in it I don't think I will have any room left for cargo. Would like to at least be able to put a full pallet of material on the back, but perhaps with a short bed it could just hang over the tailgate?



Anyhow, thanks for reading this far, and more so for any wisdom that you can impart!



Andy

 

[Wiredawg]

I would get a long bed... much more versatility, especially if you are going to install a tool box. As for the the auto or standard, both are capable and I think now it really is personal preference. I'd go drive both and see waht feels good to you.



Let us know what you get.



Good luck, Wiredawg

 

[Jeff Knight]

I to would go with the long bed. Both of my diesels have been manual transmission's. With the new 6sp auto I think I will try the auto next time. Like Wiredawg said it will come down to personel preference. Good luck in you decission. Jeff

 

[Gaylord]

I would get a cab/chassis model and put a flat bed on it. Far more paractical around a farm. Lots of room for tool boxes etc. , goose neck hitches and just easy space for throwing things on.

I would also opt for the manual as it will not cause any overheating at slow crawling, something that is a given on a farm.

Good luck and let us know what you decide. It is after all personal preference.

 

[16919]

Long bed, auto... ..... I have a hand shaker now..... it gets old after while

 

[Loren]

Some of this decision (long vs. short) depends upon how and where you intend to drive this truck. If you expect to take it to town and parallel park it, you had better get the short bed. If that's never going to happen, the long bed gives you the extra space you want. You will have problems with the long bed even in some mall parking lots.



Good advice above to drive both the auto and manual transmissions and then decide. That's what I did. It gave me a chance to compare the different beds at the same time. One of the trucks I drove at the dealership had a long bed. I hit the edge of the road (no curb, fortunately) as I rounded a right turn with the long bed, Quad cab. I bought the short bed.



Loren

 

[GCroyle]

.02$ or is it more like $1600?

Andy,

46 ain't too old to enjoy a handshaker. I know, look at my signature, I work for a clutch company. I like the interaction and control of the M/T vs. an A/T. sorta one more thing to control and have interaction with the truck, and they sound cool as you push it through the gears. I just enjoy it, seems like the right thing to match up with a Cummins.



Long Bed.



And save the money its about $1600 I think for the A/T option according to a magazine I just read.



Good luck, enjoy.

 

[mberry]

Andy,
46 ain't too old to enjoy a handshaker. I know, look at my signature, I work for a clutch company. I like the interaction and control of the M/T vs. an A/T. sorta one more thing to control and have interaction with the truck, and they sound cool as you push it through the gears. I just enjoy it, seems like the right thing to match up with a Cummins.

Long Bed.

And save the money its about $1600 I think for the A/T option according to a magazine I just read.

Good luck, enjoy.

I'm not trying to correct you Gary, but with the new 6SP auto, you do have interaction and control if you want it. If it were me, I would definitely get the long bed/auto. Long bed's ride better on the road, and you definitely have more room after adding the fuel tank and toolbox. I have a manual trans now, only because the 48RE wasn't out long enough for me to trust it on a long term basis. I really wish I had an automatic.

P. S. Do not trade in your '91. If you want to sell it, sell it privately. You'll get way more money for it than you would trading it in. I'm sure there are many here that would love to have it. I know I would.

 

[Jim W]

Hi I am new to this form as you can see from my post. In my sig you will see that I have a MEGA Cab wheel base is the same as a long bed but they only come with a short box from Dodge. I have pulled a 5er with a short bed gas engine last year. With no trouble other then filling up the truck with the 5er attached at gas stations. This is why I went to a Diesel easier to fill the tank, I hope.

I think the new 6 speed auto is absolutely great along with the tow haul mode botton and the Exhaust Brake this should be a great TV. From what I have read from "hotshotters" they put the truck in tow haul mode then manually shift the 6 speed auto and they say this is better then the manual transmission. ( Not Trying to start a war). I have driven both manual and auto towing and I will pick an auto any day, do not have to slip the clutch backing up is one reason. Put a transmission temp gage with a EGT gage and you are all set. Just my $0. 02. Good luck and enjoy the new truck.

 

[RGrizzle]

i have a 6 speed manual and really like it because there is no chance of overheating the truck if something were to go wrong with the transmission . the new autos are good as well though so it just goes on personal preference . if i were getting the quad cab , i would go with the long bed . i went with the short because i really wanted the mega cab and i don't regret getting the mega .

 

[Grizzly]

I have a Long Bed with a 6 speed standard, but it's your call.

 

[Bater]

Thanks for your comments!

You guys left me some great comments. Thank you!



Tallying so far I get:



Long bed 8

The overwhelming preference.

Short bed 1

Although Loren who has a short bed suggested it's really situation dependent. I will make it a point to drive both the same day before I order.

Other 1

Gaylord's flatbad comment certainly made me think. If I went to a 4500 flatbed I could get that new Aisin transmission. Regrettably, while the parkways around the NY/NJ/CT area will generally let a pickup pass, I don't think a flatbed will cut it. I once got yelled at for driving a Chevy Luv diesel on a NY parkway!



Manual 4

Good comments on some of the typical merits of a standard, less heat, more driver interaction. GCroyle maybe you are right. Perhaps a 6 speed would make me feel younger! On the other hand I already have a little arthritis in my knees...

User Preference 2

Auto 1

Would Switch To Auto 3

Interesting comments from Jim W's "I will pick an auto any day" to mberry's "I really wish I had an automatic". The folks who have standards now and would switch to autos are certainly making me think.



Oh and to mberry, no worries. We haven't traded a car to a dealer in 25 years. We have either driven them until the wheels fell off and then sold them for parts (which is why the '91 CTD is pristine, we have almost always had at least one vehicle in the driveway we used as a "beater" or "train car"), or we have auctioned them off on eBay. We will undoubtedly do the latter with the '91.

 

[klenger]

I've had 3 CTD's with manual transmissions. My next one (if there is a next one) will be the auto. 2WD for sure (don't need 4WD in AZ desert). I've debated about long box or short box. My last two trucks have been long boxes, but I think I'd like to try a short box to be able to make u-turns when not towing. On the other hand, setting up a short box for 5ht wheel towing reqires a slider, which is an expensive and heavy option (using the PullRite SuperGlide). Using current pricing on the Dodge website, a long box is actually cheaper than a short box (3500 SRW), and I think the long box standard hitch would be lighter than a short box with the superglide, so I'm pretty sure I'd get the long box again. If you are towing with a "bumper" pull hitch, then the box length doesn't matter, other than the space it allows. From my perspective, driving a long box in traffic is a non issue, other than making u-turns. Good luck.

 

[GCroyle]

mberry

I have never had the pleasure of trying the new Aisin A/T, so I can't really comment. With the increase in computer controls, I would be expecting these to be "special" and definetly improved over traditional A/T's.



I also owned an '86 1200 Gold Wing but I NEVER EVER rode the then new GL1500 6 cyl. for fear of exposing my brain to the next gen of Gold Wing and it's 10K price tags.



About the pedal effort, you need to try one to evaluate it, it is easier than you might assume.



Enjoy your search!

 

[Grizzly]

You guys left me some great comments. Thank you!







Andy, are you talking about a GN, 5th wheel or bumper hitch. I believe you have decided on a long bed, which is a good and the most versatile choice. As far as transmissions I believe in a solid 6 speed standard, however if I were buying a new Dodge/Cummins now, I would have to reconsider the new 6 speed auto trans. They are much improved and may be better for towing then a standard.

 

[jgillott]

I've had 3 CTD's with manual transmissions. My next one (if there is a next one) will be the auto. 2WD for sure (don't need 4WD in AZ desert). I've debated about long box or short box. My last two trucks have been long boxes, but I think I'd like to try a short box to be able to make u-turns when not towing. On the other hand, setting up a short box for 5ht wheel towing reqires a slider, which is an expensive and heavy option (using the PullRite SuperGlide). Using current pricing on the Dodge website, a long box is actually cheaper than a short box (3500 SRW), and I think the long box standard hitch would be lighter than a short box with the superglide, so I'm pretty sure I'd get the long box again. If you are towing with a "bumper" pull hitch, then the box length doesn't matter, other than the space it allows. From my perspective, driving a long box in traffic is a non issue, other than making u-turns. Good luck.

My '07 is the first short box truck I've owned. I talked myself in to it knowing that I would be using it as my DD much more than my previous trucks. Though there are times that I appreciate the shorter truck as far as parking/maneuverability is concerned, I really miss the capacity of the long box. I can certainly see another long bed in my near future.

 

[RideSlow2004]

Long bed with the auto. Looks like you keep your stuff for a long time, and as much as I enjoy selecting gears in a smooth box, the clutch is more than my knee can take. Just think about pushing that clutch down when you are 56 in stop and go traffic. Long wheelbase has not been a problem, I was actually in downtown Seattle today, and had no problem parking it on the street.

 

[AMink]

Bed size--I miss the long bed my 97 had, but the Mega doesn't come that way. If it did, I'd have it. I end up parking in BFE most of the time anyway, so another 2 feet wouldn't have mattered.



transmission--I drove the G56 next to the auto when I bought my truck. I don't tow anything really huge, so I opted for the auto with it's lower RPM's at highway speed. So far, it's been fine.



Sounds like you'd do fine in a QCLB. Do you have kids? My 14 year old has LONG legs. The quad cab didn't offer a whole lot more room than my Extended Cab. Long trips began to get annoying!

 

[Bater]

Looking like auto - long box...

It seems like the tides are taking me towards an auto. You are right RideSlow2004, if we like a vehicle we keep it a long time and not sure I would want to be clutching in my mid 50's. I was talking to my wife about this last night and she thinks that the incredible increase in traffic over the last twenty years is probably making the auto the way to go. (She would love a standard and really wished we could have gotten one in her Liberty CRD. )



Grizzly, I am thinking of a bumper vs. gooseneck hitch as I don't see myself doing that much hauling, it would be more of an occasional thing. However we are looking at a 3500 with single wheel package so we could consider a light GN trailer down the road.



Oh, and AMink, we are empty nesters as my daughter is in California. I had to relent and buy her a gas Honda Pilot to take out there!

 

[opjohnny]

After 4 years with a short box stick if I was to do it again it would be long box and the new auto. I just wish I could put my 5. 9 in front of the new auto!