Pros and cons: Auto vrs. Manual trannys

[Andrew]

i was thinking today while at work where i have nothing better to do than think about ways to spend the lack of money i make. what are some pros and cons of auto vrs manual trans. id like to have a stick just cause there fun to drive, im in more control, but at the same time, im gunna be doing alot of towing, and or hauling, so i dont wanna make it hard. also i dont want to rough of a ride. also how hard is a swap from one to the other (auto to stick) just thinking it over. thanks for any help!

[Guest]

You ever see a slushbox in a Peterbuilt? Nough said.

[RussRoth]

You ever see a slushbox in a Peterbuilt? Nough said.

Actually they do put them in big rigs. You rerely see them other than fire trucks but there are some out there.

[Jeffc]

Swaping between the 2 in a 69 to 70 truck is
not bad, they both use the same rear hanger.
Finding all the big block stuff to fit may not
be cheap or easy for the manule, were as big block
727's are still pretty common still.

As far as useing them, it all depends on your
likes and dislikes. Autos do give you less to
think about and do, manules give you better
control but keep you stomping on the clutch,
shifting and braking all at the same time.

[Red]

Factor in slippage, higher torque and hp req. and possible leaks from the auto, plus maint. Id rather have the manual.

[wideblock]

if you are gonna be doing a lot of towing, id go with the manual. it gives you more control as you pick the gear, its not picked for you. this especially helps on hills where an auto would keep you on the brakes, and a manual allows you to downshift and use the engine for braking. plus, the auto will wear quicker in towing situations, more maintenance, more heat to deal with in the radiator (even with a seperate cooler) the auto is good for a driver, the manual is better for a worker

[digdoug]

I think if you're a/t is working good ,its not worth changeing out. . If you are working you're truck , an aux.cooler is worth its wieght in gold.If its just a matter of you're left foot falling asleep,I have a bb bell&flywheel for $300+shipping .

[Andrew]

well ill take a look around, i know of a few trucks around here, ill see what i can find. some very good points though. personaly i think sticks are more fun to drive, but at the same time, being tired and driving one just sucks some times. thanks for all the help..

[mopar-maniac]

Personally, I've never had a problem with a stick driving tired. After a while, shifting is like breathing. I prefer a manual for one because my left foot gets bored otherwise. The manual keeps my body in motion and keeps me awake and attentive. I never realized this until mowing hay with an Allis with a hand clutch. When my feet do nothing for 12 hours, I feel ready to set a record in the Boston Marathon. Same thing on the freeway, every now and then shifting out of gear and coasting down a hill just to keep active. Hopefully I'll find a truck 5 or 6 speed to give my truck a manual overdrive. The NP435 is great, but I think my engine would appreciate OD.

[Hobcobble]

I'm not sure we've covered the burnout factor....I
like the manual a lot better for smoking the tires
off a vehicle..... not that I do it or anything....
..... I'm just saying .
John

[mopar-maniac]

Also, most of the ladies like moderate burnouts from time to time. It's just hard as to get them to admit it.

[Hobcobble]

Yep... ... the wife has an '03 4x4 1500
HEMI.... she's laid some down at the local grocery
store parking lot.... said it was a mistake but I'm
not buying it!
John

[mudguts]

Hey Hobcobble, my Wife drives an 04 Ram 4x4 Hemi with an auto. I can't smoke the tires in that thing and I've tried like
We had an 02 F250 Stupidduty with a 6 speed and I could burn rubber like mad in that thing. My rock crawler has a 5sp and dual cases, 25 forward gears and 5 reverse gears. Talk about control.
Manuel all the way for me.

[Dodge-Sweden]

Autos:

Control the heat or it burns
Keep changing the oil and filter or it will malefunction(?) ::pale
Perfect for offrading
gearbox slip
No gear handling.
Allmost no gearing control
Burnout, just about the tekniqe


Manuall:

Gear control
no gearbox slip
Doesent burn if overheated
Oil, chek that its there
No filter
More work with the shifter?
hard to drive (with the feets/shifter) = No (you´ll do it when you sleep when get used to it)
Burnout, just about the tekniqe

That´s just how i see it.

It´s hard for me to drive a auto , keep presseing the"clutch pedal", and
gets bumps in my head. Ater a couple of windshield contacts i put the left fot some where in the backseat

i used (when i was young) put in the reverse and roll back a couple of
feets, then bang in the 1(manual) or D (auto) and press the gas padal to the floor
then just need to pray that it won´t blow up.
Then if it starts to spin one wheel just do some little brakes with the
handbrake and if it goes well both wheels gets spinning

just check that there is no parts laying when you leave (i break 1 rear axles and 2 gear boxes, a friend to me dropped the driveshaft between rear axle and gearbox in the traffic lights )

[Hobcobble]

Hey MudGuts..... the wife's Ram breaks loose quite
easily.... 3:54 open diff. Does your wife's have
an ASA? As far as an extended burnout.... like a
power-brake.... that might be tough with disc brakes
on all corners. My wife just poured the coal to it
from a standing start and wound it right up to 5000
RPM's . A couple of months later, she had to
replace a front tire [9 glass shard punctures] to the
tune of $170.... needless to say she doesn't spin
the rubber off tires anymore .

Hey D-S..... I agree on your points. Give me a
manual anytime. . My '03 W2500 Ram is
the first truck I've owned with an automatic. Its
OK... but I'd prefer a 6spd manual. Very few of
the dealerships inventory a manual shift Ram....
just not a lot of call for them.
John

[duracell]

i learned on a manuel and have been partial to them ever since and now that i've got my column shifter working i've grown to like it but i have to admit that doing a breakstand in an auto is a lot of fun too

[MountainMoparRobin]

I've always like manuals, but I've found that you do have to replace the clutch, pressure plate, and throw out bearing on a regular basis, especially if you do burnouts and you will eventually get more slipping the clutch, infact when I had a /6 from 88-89, I had to replace the clutch twice, once from pulling a car that was high centered on a cement wall the clutch got so hot the ring gear came off the flywheel, I swapped to a 440/727 in 1990 and have had no major work, just a shift kit, and have hauled anything you put out their and don't have an additional cooler, never had a problem from heating, and I street race it on a moments notice, I went to automatic because of the additional TORQUE, street city drivin, more consistant shift when racing with no slipping of the clutch plate, BURNOUTS! no problem, infact it will burn in first, grab rubber in second and in third, first gear ya can't give it full pedal or you will go no wear, but then again my 440 isn't stock!

[Guest]

You can't drive a stick shift with a joint in one hand and a beer in the other.

[SDCook]

As much as I like driving a stick, using the clutch kills my left ankle. Arthritis flairs up and I can't walk for days. It feels like a couple of 16 penny nails have been driven into my ankle. I'd go from mild pain to agony and back. Once I started driving automatics only, I haven't had trouble for close to ten years.

[mudguts]

Hey MudGuts..... the wife's Ram breaks loose quite
easily.... 3:54 open diff. Does your wife's have
an ASA?

Yes Hobcobble, it does have the ASA. I was just checking my paperwork and Ma's truck has the Off Road Group package ASA with 3:92 gears and all the other bells and whistles. This is the first truck we've owned with an auto as well.