So I have been researching alot of things on several diesel websites and it seems like for the price I would pay to upgrade my auto to handle, lets say 400hp/900ftlbs, I could do a munal swap with a stout clutch and actually come out a little cheaper. Does this sound right?

From everything i have read about the manuals, with a good clutch these numbers are easily sustinable and i will be towing a 5th wheel around quite a bit. Comments welcome!

 

In the end, its well worth it!! I had a guy to price me a fully billet auto comes with triple disc TC for $4,500

I got a donor truck and putted the 5speed in mine. and roughly paid 12 or 1300 for the clutch then had to get the upgraded hydralics and the upgraded input shaft.If you do swap it out. Its a peice of cake because your pedals are held on by a snap and a rod. Then there should be a rubber peice you can take out and put in your hydralics. Nothing major except cutting the whole out in the floor (which aint too bad) But after i did, i was real happy, the truck felt like it had more power after the clutch broke in. But i hauled a truck to my shop and the truck wasnt even gruntin. pulled like nothing was there! I tell everyone, if your gonna pull (if it either a 5wheel or sled pulling) a straight gear is the way to go!!

 

how much did you end up having in the whole swap?

 

then when your manual spits 3rd gear and upgraded 5th gear nut and shaft fails your into it some more. Upgrade the auto and you will be very happy. I have had both and love the auto.

 

If I had an auto I would do a Suncoast Extreme Rebuild Kit, Valve Body and Triple Disc Converter.


If I had the 5spd I would fix the 5th gear nut, Valair Dual Disc Street Clutch and Upgraded Input Shaft.


Luke

 

If your gonna haul, you need a straight gear. And to fix the 5th gear. you can just weld it on no problem!

In the whole haul, its well worth it because you dont have to get a filter for the manuel trans and also retorque the bands every so often and put in a bunch of fluid!

 

im happy with my 5speed stick i upgraded the nut after i lost 5th and good to go. I put in a luk clutch and 450 hp rated southbend clutch and smoked those .. so 550hp+ clutch (1300$) now and no problems and i tow a deere backhoe that weighs 16k plus 6k trailer and 8ktruck. i pulled with auto before and felt like trans was slipping, now grab a gear and go....

 

My old 97 had the 5spd and we have put something like 8 trans and 10 clutches in it (Lost count). Everything from broke input shafts to stripped teeth off 4th gear. Just can't keep a trans in that truck. Mind you its always loaded or over loaded and got well over 400,000 miles. The 99 we had we put in 3 5spd's and 4 clutches with 285,000 miles when I sold it. My 02 is the first auto I have had. The stocker lasted till about 95,000 miles and then I put in a fully built Goerend trans and will never go back to a manual.

Oh and that was only 2 stock clutches, the rest were aftermarket.