Got a thumbs up today

[Mustang71]

Dodge ( I'm sorry Ram) is the only way to get a manual in a new diesel. I've got a 2006 Cummins with the hand shaker. Best truck ever! Had an auto diesel and they just suck in the mountains out west.

View attachment 615234

At my last job I had to drive the international dump truck occasionally and not being used to the low rpm of the diesel I'd put it on the rev limiter a lot lol. I'm sure a Cummins is a lot faster and more fun to drive. We had an old Chevy duct cleaning truck with the 5 speed and the 6.5? Diesel that was a bit easier to drive.

 

[muddstopper]

I sit here and try to figure out how I'm going to buy a truck from the 90s and early 2000s for the rest of my life. I have an 06 with 170k on it Idk what's next. At some point I'll have to buy an all computer controlled truck with no key. Ugh.

With the price of new trucks, I believe I can buy a rust bucket, replace all the body and interior panels, new crate motor and tranny, add new tires and wheels, and basicly have a new truck and a lot of coin left in my pocket.

 

[TimberWolf530]

View attachment 614344

'89 GMC, 4-doors, dually, 4WD, dump bed 8' long and 8' wide.
Doors don't close well, backup lights don't work, heater fan barely blows, etc.

Now THIS is a work truck!!

BTW, this pic is when I was replacing the starter in a parking lot.

So, if you're replacing the starter, that means it was parked like that???????? Someone flunked drivers ed.

 

[GVS]

The reason manufactures don't offer manual tranny's is there no demand for them anymore. The modern auto is superior in every way .. almost all heavy/commercial equipment is going the way of the auto. Just the reduction in shock to the rest of the vehicle that a auto offers is worth the heat you have to address. My sons a diesel equipment mech.,my dads a retired Cummins mech. and owner of a small trucking Co..and I even spent 4 years as a apprentice master mech. so I've seen my share of exploded gearboxes... The little 4BT/6BT/ISB Cummins in stock form can destroy a NV4500/5600 with just a little too much hard shifting. Dodge had been the lone holdout with the manual and they where only offered in detuned trucks because they got tired of warranting all the busted transmissions/transfercases/driveshafts and ring&pinions.[/QUOTE]
The NVxxxx X/MIS isn't close to the ZF6 that was available in the ford. As for heavy equip.such as earth movers and heavy bucket loaders,many use a fully auto X/MIS.right down to a torque converter and planetary gear box and they are TOUGH!Over the road semis that have what some call autos are really auto shifters only.They have a clutch and an old fashioned G/B.No need to use the clutch,the electronics rev match for the next shift,up or down.No doubt about it,autos have come a long way but they will never match the flexibility of a properly matched hand shaker.As for detuned cummins in Ram P/U with NV manuals - the company installed the wrong X/MIS.There are X/MIS's that can handle what that engine puts out.

 

[Mustang71]

With the price of new trucks, I believe I can buy a rust bucket, replace all the body and interior panels, new crate motor and tranny, add new tires and wheels, and basicly have a new truck and a lot of coin left in my pocket.

48k for a f150 is crazy. Last time I was browsing around a lot all the f250s were cheaper than f150s, not by much but a 4 door 4x4 f250 was 45k. Idk what that comes out to a month but I won't be finding out anytime soon.

 

[Husky Man]

You've confused your opinion and preference with facts.

The reason manufactures don't offer manual tranny's is there no demand for them anymore. The modern auto is superior in every way .. almost all heavy/commercial equipment is going the way of the auto. Just the reduction in shock to the rest of the vehicle that a auto offers is worth the heat you have to address. My sons a diesel equipment mech.,my dads a retired Cummins mech. and owner of a small trucking Co..and I even spent 4 years as a apprentice master mech. so I've seen my share of exploded gearboxes... The little 4BT/6BT/ISB Cummins in stock form can destroy a NV4500/5600 with just a little too much hard shifting. Dodge had been the lone holdout with the manual and they where only offered in detuned trucks because they got tired of warranting all the busted transmissions/transfercases/driveshafts and ring&pinions.

Jeff, it sounds like you're confusing your own opinions and preferences with facts as well, if you're seeing that many blown up gearboxes, busted transmissions, transfercases, driveshafts and ring&pinions, then either there is a component quality issue, or a driver quality issue. If your Dad's small trucking company is seeing that many (ANY) blown up gear boxes, he seriously needs to screen his drivers better.

I have been a truck driver for over 30 years, 29 of it tractor trailer, and the ONLY time I EVER Blew up/Broke any of the above mentioned items, was in a GAS ENGINED. AUTOMATIC TRANNIED Pick up with a 11' camper in it, I was young pulled up i front of the house, shifted into reverse, and "Goosed" it a "Little to Hard", yeah, the ring & pinion went, NO Manual transmission involved.

I have only had the misfortune to drive One tractor with an automatic, for 2 days, and there have been few trucks in those 30 years, that I was as Happy to Park and walk away from as that one. I shift clutchless, WAY smoother than the smoothest shift that POS EVER made. The first 14 years driving tractor trailer were doing foodservice deliveries, delivering to Burger King, Arby's, Wendy's, Arctic Circle, and Burgerville's, all over Oregon, Washington, Northern Californicated, and Western Idaho, 8-12 times a day, in places a truck was never meant to be. If just maneuvering a 48' trailer in those places didn't teach you good clutch and shifting habits, it being a 3 compartment FLOOR load, not palletized and wrapped, DID, it doesn't take too many 40,000# loads of messed up groceries to teach a driver, the finer points of smooth truck handling.

As far as "almost all heavy/commercial equipment is going the way of the auto. " maybe in your Dad's small company, but not the companies that I have talked to, with the exceptions of some Beverage distributors, smaller side loaders, and farmers, because many of the "Migrant Farm Workers" WERE tearing the hell out of the equipment, but that is a DRIVER ISSUE not an equipment /component issue, My step Father was the parts dept Manager at Roberts Motors, (Now Pape) the Portland Kenworth dealer for Many Years, and he told me about the trouble with the farm workers.

If your equipment is suffering so much from "Shock" then again, it ISN'T a Component issue, it is a DRIVER issue, what is the Name of your Dad's small company, so I can add it to the list, topped by SWIFT, of trucks to be wary of out on the road.

Doug
30+ Years, 3,000,000+ miles Moving freight from Point "A" to Point "B"

 

[JeffHK454]

Wow..panties got all wadded up..

 

[sirbuildalot]

Wow..panties got all wadded up..

He brings up valid points though.

Many kids these days can't drive a stick, because most newer cars and trucks are auto and there isn't an option. That doesn't mean one is superior. I believe automatic trannies are so common because they are easier to drive, not because they are superior. The easier/lazier way usually wins out. People have to have auto trannies, heated seats, a/c, 15 kinds of satelitte radio, cd player, TV's on seats, power windows, self closing doors, cruise control, automatic sensors for tire pressure, back up cameras, etc, etc.

You honestly think all that stuff is superior? I don't

No wonder vehicles are so f*****g expensive. You cant get a plain jane model because everyone has become lazy and wont buy one. They'd rather have a second mortgage and their optional equipment.

 

[GVS]

He brings up valid points though.

Many kids these days can't drive a stick, because most newer cars and trucks are auto and there isn't an option. That doesn't mean one is superior. I believe automatic trannies are so common because they are easier to drive, not because they are superior. The easier/lazier way usually wins out. People have to have auto trannies, heated seats, a/c, 15 kinds of satelitte radio, cd player, TV's on seats, power windows, self closing doors, cruise control, automatic sensors for tire pressure, back up cameras, etc, etc.

You honestly think all that stuff is superior? I don't

No wonder vehicles are so f*****g expensive. You cant get a plain jane model because everyone has become lazy and wont buy one. They'd rather have a second mortgage and their optional equipment.

Funny!In June I took delivery of a '17 Mustang convertible equipped with all the options you mention except self closing doors and auto X/mis.Oddly, the majority of recent buyers of late model mustangs that I talk to buy them with a manual X/MIS.There is a demand for them but the manufacturers don't want to admit it as far as trucks are concerned.

 

[Mustang71]

Funny!In June I took delivery of a '17 Mustang convertible equipped with all the options you mention except self closing doors and auto X/mis.Oddly, the majority of recent buyers of late model mustangs that I talk to buy them with a manual X/MIS.There is a demand for them but the manufacturers don't want to admit it as far as trucks are concerned.

Must be nice I don' have a mustang anymore. I'd love a new one and they are much cheaper than trucks and suvs. Idk how you could buy a mustang in automatic that's just boring.

 

[c5rulz]

How much wood did that end up being?

A hair over 2 cord. I was a pansy and didn't unload it all that day, and finished 2 days later when the aches/pains went away.

 

[c5rulz]

I am pleasantly surprised how the auto tranny in the F250 Super Duty will hold back on hills. Also will automatically downshift depending on how much gain is on the integrated brake controller and grade of the hill. The tranny also has manual mode so you can shift like conventional gear box and lock out the top gears when you have very heavy loads.

 

[Husky Man]

Wow..panties got all wadded up..

Jeff, the more that I think about your claims of "Shock Stress" the more I question just how much you know of what you speak. In 30 years of driving trucks, your post was the FIRST time I had EVER heard any claims of "Shock Stress". Even in a pick up class vehicle, a PROPERLY shifted manual, should induce less "Shock Stress" than an automatic, using the clutch in a manual should give an easier shift, than shifting under load like an automatic. Shifting without the clutch, once rolling, in the "Heavy Commercial" segment, should induce even less "Shock Stress", as the shift is happening during the slack in the shift pattern, and then a smooth acceleration, after the shift has already been made. An experienced driver can/should make an extremely smooth clutchless shift, if you are ever in the Portland area, I will risk violating the company no rider policy to show you, you obviously have never ridden with an experienced driver.

As I have already said, if you are experiencing the type of failures, that you are describing, it is either a component, or driver QUALITY issue, the manual transmission has been, and STILL IS a mainstay, in the Heavy Commercial market, with MANY, MANY vehicles seeing 1,000,000+ miles of service, very FEW automatics, in ANY segment of the market see that kind of longevity.

For your own reasons, you obviously prefer Automatics, but I personally dispute your claim that "They are Superior in Every Way" and that is coming from making a living with them for over 30 years.

You use a Laughing emoji to describe my post, but I suggest that it is You that should be Laughed AT, not Laughing,

Doug

 

[muddstopper]

My experience with automatics in 1 ton trucks has been pretty poor. If you load the truck, pull trailers up hills, the auto wont hold up. Now if your just riding up and down the road then thats a different matter.

 

[GVS]

Jeff, the more that I think about your claims of "Shock Stress" the more I question just how much you know of what you speak. In 30 years of driving trucks, your post was the FIRST time I had EVER heard any claims of "Shock Stress". Even in a pick up class vehicle, a PROPERLY shifted manual, should induce less "Shock Stress" than an automatic, using the clutch in a manual should give an easier shift, than shifting under load like an automatic. Shifting without the clutch, once rolling, in the "Heavy Commercial" segment, should induce even less "Shock Stress", as the shift is happening during the slack in the shift pattern, and then a smooth acceleration, after the shift has already been made. An experienced driver can/should make an extremely smooth clutchless shift, if you are ever in the Portland area, I will risk violating the company no rider policy to show you, you obviously have never ridden with an experienced driver.

As I have already said, if you are experiencing the type of failures, that you are describing, it is either a component, or driver QUALITY issue, the manual transmission has been, and STILL IS a mainstay, in the Heavy Commercial market, with MANY, MANY vehicles seeing 1,000,000+ miles of service, very FEW automatics, in ANY segment of the market see that kind of longevity.

For your own reasons, you obviously prefer Automatics, but I personally dispute your claim that "They are Superior in Every Way" and that is coming from making a living with them for over 30 years.

You use a Laughing emoji to describe my post, but I suggest that it is You that should be Laughed AT, not Laughing,

Doug

Shock load or stress is a factor but the driver can eliminate it with proper clutch use.Both on engagement and disengagement.If a driver is clutchless shifting and is good at it you won't know he/she shifted except for the change in RPM.

 

[VW Splitter]

The internal combustion engine runs most efficiently at wide open throttle, but not at high RPM. To get max fuel millage you should mash the gas pedal to the floor, then shift to the next gear well before 2000RMP. Try that in a automatic, not gonna happen. Often I am happy with the gear I am in but I might want to hold it to the floor while climbing a hill. That doesn't work in a auto either. Mash it too hard and it will downshift, let off too much and they up shift. I am much happier picking my own gears.

 

[Mustang71]

The internal combustion engine runs most efficiently at wide open throttle, but not at high RPM. To get max fuel millage you should mash the gas pedal to the floor, then shift to the next gear well before 2000RMP. Try that in a automatic, not gonna happen. Often I am happy with the gear I am in but I might want to hold it to the floor while climbing a hill. That doesn't work in a auto either. Mash it too hard and it will downshift, let off too much and they up shift. I am much happier picking my own gears.

I do that in my work truck all the time haha but it's a company vehicle. I always liked putting a standard into overdrive and being able to give it a bit more gas when I needed to but keeping It in that gear unlike an automatic that downshifts when you try to accelerate to much. The driver should judge the road condition not the transmission.

 

[Marine5068]

Hell, with all the trucks on the road, I want to go shake hands with anybody I see actually using their truck for work! My last truck purchase, the salesman kept going on about all the great technology. I had just come from helping at my buddy's sawmill. Probably looked like that kid from Charlie Brown with the dust cloud over me. I simply asked "Do I look like I give a s##t about WiFi?

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

Good one. I always use my trucks hard. It's a tool not a toy.