whats better to pull trailer with??

[cheapskate]

its funny that everyone hates the dodge autos so much. I've got a 96 2500 with 220,000+ miles on the truck with the original tranny. this truck has spent its life towing 6000 to 14000 lbs. to say that a manual trans. truck will walk all over an auto is silly, speed wise. maybe if the auto wasn't shifting right.

 

[Barnie]

Hello,
An often overlooked feature of a manual transmission is that not near as many people ask to borrow your truck.

good point!!

 

[STANG302]

its funny that everyone hates the dodge autos so much. I've got a 96 2500 with 220,000+ miles on the truck with the original tranny. this truck has spent its life towing 6000 to 14000 lbs. to say that a manual trans. truck will walk all over an auto is silly, speed wise. maybe if the auto wasn't shifting right.

You are the minority and I'm very suprised the stock trans has lasted that long. I'm also in the minority for early 6.0 powerstrokes. The truck has never had any problems from day one. And every one is shocked by it.

I was not talking about drag racing a stick versus auto. Empty an auto will out run any manual trany truck. Based off gearing of the auto's and the time it takes them to shift. But pulling thats a different story. With a manual you can keep your self at the optimum rpm pulling any load in any condition. Auto's just don't do that very easily. Although they have gotten alot better over the years with the alison, torqshift and the new aisen trans in the dodges.

Everybody has there own preference stick vs. manual. Just pick what is more comfortable for you to use and you won't regret it.

 

[cheapskate]

i don't know that the 6.0 are really all that bad. my brother is a mechanic and has a fleet of trucks, with about 20 or so of the 6.0's, and he doesn't see many problems from them. and yeah, for towing a manual can be nice. nv4500s do break though, and thats not cheap, neither is a good clutch.

 

[Barnie]

i don't know that the 6.0 are really all that bad. my brother is a mechanic and has a fleet of trucks, with about 20 or so of the 6.0's, and he doesn't see many problems from them. and yeah, for towing a manual can be nice. nv4500s do break though, and thats not cheap, neither is a good clutch.

NV 4500s is that what this truck has with the reverse in the bottom left hand hole besides 2nd gear

 

[mini14]

when buying a truck u should also look at long term cost of ownership...the fords 6.0 is buried, to work on a major repair the cab has to be pulled, 4 hrs. to pull 4 hrs. to reinstall, thats 8 hrs. labor before any work begins...my friends 6 oh is in the shop now getting a new motor. Most major repairs on a cummins can be done in cab. The hpop/heui design of the 6.0 is fubar, in theory sounds great in execution is terrible. high mileage 6 ohs r few and far between most owners dump them as soon as the warranty expires because they r just too expensive to fix. In all fairness a cummins isn't all that cheap to fix, but everything is accesable

 

[STANG302]

when buying a truck u should also look at long term cost of ownership...the fords 6.0 is buried, to work on a major repair the cab has to be pulled, 4 hrs. to pull 4 hrs. to reinstall, thats 8 hrs. labor before any work begins...my friends 6 oh is in the shop now getting a new motor. Most major repairs on a cummins can be done in cab. The hpop/heui design of the 6.0 is fubar, in theory sounds great in execution is terrible. high mileage 6 ohs r few and far between most owners dump them as soon as the warranty expires because they r just too expensive to fix. In all fairness a cummins isn't all that cheap to fix, but everything is accesable

Agreed, 6.0's are a bear to work on. The only mod I have is a full turbo back exhaust. And what should have been under an hour instalation. Took almost two becuse snaking a bigger exhaust pipe up behind the motor is almost impossible! Alot of guys are creating Fumins, 5.9 in a ford chassis. As soon as the 6.0's go south.

Early 6.0's 03' and 04' are the most probematic models. The emisions equipment just wasn't designed very well. Egr coolers are the main problem creators. The coolers use engine coolant to cool egr exaust temps. Well the tiny little radiators in them are not soldered very well and deteriorate with time, some faster than others. When they fail and start to leak, letting coolant into the intake of the engine. And when she enters the cylinder the fluid can not be compressed by the pistons so it lifts the heads. Stretching the studs and making head gaskets useless! Wich is bad news! After 05' they seem to have solved the isue but there are still rare isues that arise. The worst is when guys try to mod 6.0's to the hilt. They just can't take the abuse!

 

[redprospector]

NV 4500s is that what this truck has with the reverse in the bottom left hand hole besides 2nd gear

Nope, 4500 is a 5 speed.

Andy

 

[redprospector]

It's not so much that you "lost" it as your shifter could no longer reach it at it's new position on the shaft...

I figured it was "lost" because I couldn't find it anywhere.

That was a terrible feeling when it went out. I was coming back to New Mexico from Alabama, grossing a little over 28,000 lbs. I was north of New Orleans running about 70 or a little better when POW!!! It sounded like a rifle went off in the cab, and 5th hole was the same as neutral. That was a long trip home in 4th gear.

Andy

 

[Barnie]

Nope, 4500 is a 5 speed.

Andy

are the 6speeds any good like the one i'm looking at????

 

[redprospector]

are the 6speeds any good like the one i'm looking at????

I've only pulled a few loads with a 6 speed like you are looking at. From that little experience with them I can only say that I like the way they pull. The gears are spaced closer togeather (rpm wise), and that is really good for pulling big loads.

Andy

 

[Boike]

I have an 06 with the 6 speed and it has been flawless. 1st gear is only needed with loads. I have only owned a few autos, but I would agree steer away from the Dodge Autos unless they have been built or you are planning on doing a build.

 

[Barnie]

I've only pulled a few loads with a 6 speed like you are looking at. From that little experience with them I can only say that I like the way they pull. The gears are spaced closer togeather (rpm wise), and that is really good for pulling big loads.

Andy

I noticed the rpm's also and when the truck gets up to 120km/h in sixth the rpms are quite high, geared low for pulling I guess

 

[R Walter]

Another consideration is that the NV5600 6 speed is out of production, not that many ever manufactured (compared to the NV4500) and parts are getting harder to find all the time.

The NV4500 5 speed has been around for a long time, parts are everywhere, and it is pretty bullet proof with the exception of the 5th gear nut which is easily upgraded with a well-known fix.

 

[mdavlee]

He's looking at a g56 by his description. They are okay transmissions. They are an all aluminum case that won't withstand sled pulling. If you stay under 650hp they seem to do fine if they aren't abused.

 

[Barnie]

He's looking at a g56 by his description. They are okay transmissions. They are an all aluminum case that won't withstand sled pulling. If you stay under 650hp they seem to do fine if they aren't abused.

the only upgrade this truck is going to get is a new Sirius satellite radio that's it, it has all the upgrades I need already done to it.

 

[046]

sounds like a killer truck... I'd chose std tranny over auto anyday.

I've had both... cummins with auto and now 12v cummins with 5sp.
pulled 30k lbs+ loads with a 12v cummins with stock auto. so it can be done, but you have to watch your rpms.

if one wants to spend the mega $$$ to beef up their auto tranny. it will hold up to cummins no problems.

it costs less $$ to beef up a clutch than an auto. all series had their particular problems. 5th gear nut was one of them. my 5th gear nut has been welded. so it's not coming off, but it'll be a pita to service again.

 

[redprospector]

I noticed the rpm's also and when the truck gets up to 120km/h in sixth the rpms are quite high, geared low for pulling I guess

I'm not sure how many MPH is equal to 120 KMH, but at 2250 in 5th gear my truck is running about 74 mph, and that's where it likes to run. The 6 speed I drove was running a few mph faster at 2250 in 6th, but not much.

Andy

 

[Barnie]

another thing I noticed about this truck is the reverse is quite fast, I 'm just thinking how this would be delivering firewood with 7 ton in the trailer. I guess I could always put it in 4 low for this but this would put strain on the
4x4 components in the front end when maneuvering.

 

[mdavlee]

I just use 4low to back up with trailers or just use the clutch in and out. I haven't torn anything up in the 4x4 so it should be ok unless you're turning a lot on pavement.