Manual vs Auto Transmission
 

I know a good chunk of information about diesel engines but transmissions seem like a whole new world to me. When it comes to tranny's, it seems like the manual transmissions can handle more power and are a lot cheaper to upgrade then auto tranny's. But auto's are less of a pain in the a** when you drive but you don't get that bada** feeling when you drive :citd: So, I guess what I a asking is to enlighten me about tranny's a bit!

They're both pains in the ass. The very old-tech automatics were reliable but, not very efficient at delivering the power. For anything pre-80's the manuals of the era were superior to the automatics..... Then came the 90's and automatics were upgraded to having "lockup" clutches. Yeehah. The convenience of a self-shifter, and, on a long highway drive, the efficiency of a manual. But, the clutches weren't as big and beefy as those in their manual counterparts, so, they needed the ability to unlock BEFORE engine torque and trailer-weight resistance overcame their grip, made 'em slip, and sent particles and pieces of clutch debris thru the whole lubing system, thereby destroying the tranny. We put up with a lot of that over the last couple of decades, and destroyed a lot of automatic transmissions, even with mild power (I'm between 250-300HP and thrashed 2 or 3 automatics before getting my G-56). Nowadays, though, there've been some design improvements that have allowed the recent-production automatics to handle more torque better than their manual counterparts. The components are beefier, there're more gear ratios now, for smoother shift transitions, AND the computers that handle lockup/unlock instructions are much smarter.

SO, when you say, "which is better?" we ought to know "when was your truck made, and what kind of job does it have?"

There are guys who've put 10-speed manuals in their Dodge pickups. In so doing, they've increased the curb weight of the truck a lot, thereby decreasing their carrying payload, and cutting into their legal GCVW, as well, but, they can pull heavier trailers (from the practical sense, not from the legal/liability standpoint).

What ability do you want your truck to have?

I guess I will be using the truck for an everyday driver, play truck, and some towing.

your signature says "97 Cummins".... Depending on month, your truck and mine might be pretty much the same, mechanically. I've got an "early" 98, which is a 97 system with the newer '98 interior. I never liked the automatic, but bought that one so that my wife could help me drive on long tedious trips. in 260,000 miles, she's probably been behind the wheel for less than 5000...maybe not even 3000. I'd have been better off with the 5-speed. My transmission was rebuilt, and supposedly upgraded once or twice. And then the next guy says, "those weren't upgrade parts"..... The little voice in my head says, "well, f**k me a-runnin'!" ....THAT BEING SAID.....I finally got tired of the rebuilds and the "trust issues", so I had a G-56 installed a couple of years ago, and have been pretty damn happy with it. THAT ALSO BEING SAID.... Auto-to-manual swaps being easy-peasy-cheapy-cheesy don't exist any more, in vehicles that are more modern than the mid-1970s. They can be done, and if you're skillful, and well-equipped, you can probably accomplish it pretty decently in your own garage/shop. I'm not, so my primary "tools" for that job were a checkbook and an ink pen.

If you've got the option, and somehow don't have $1,000,000 worth of memories and sentiment tied up in your truck, I'd trade a slushbox truck for a manual. That's another reason I went to the expense and torture of the auto-manual swap under "Tiny". There's a million dollars-worth of memories and sentiment in her, so, she's likely never to be sold.

Both manuals and Auto's can be flat out expencive...
Big input for a manual, DD clutches, hydros, new Drive shafts, crossmember,( possibly t-case) .. etc .. then theres the R wiring and such..

The autos, TC, VB,Hardned input, steel planetary gears,good cooler(s), etc... fluid changes are more frequent on autos typically .. but the "Expence" , goes either way .

One could spend 5-6K either way .

made any kind of decision yet?

No, but I think I will go with an auto Suncoast built.

No, but I think I will go with a Suncoast built auto.

those guys have a really good reputation.... should work out well :tu: