manual or auto

7.3 Whitey

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And those are practical for a light duty pickup? Cmon. Those cost more, weigh more, and have a lot more in them (like planetary gears). Those have a lot more in common with an auto than a manual when it comes to a light duty truck.
How about a battleship diesel transmission? Anyone even look one up? No?
Because these trucks aren't heavy equipment. OEM to OEM , 7.3, 6.4, 6.0, the choice (even though I REALLY do want a manual)to go auto is a no brainer. I miss a good manual trans, I really do. I wish I could own a 4900 International service rig with a handshaker and a mechanically injected 466. I would have no problem saying the manual is way better than an auto, in THAT truck and application.
With a light duty (yes these are light duty trucks) a GOOD manual is not worth putting in because those big manuals, to be made smaller, would cost WAY more.
And you cannot even come close to the capability of an automatic (without the cps automanual thingamabob) with a tuner that can apply a good tune for 99% of the trucks applications. Call BTS and ask them who has the best tunes for your application on a stock or otherwise automatic.
Those examples are as ridiculous as saying, "Well the Cummins has a better big rig motor (e.g. C14) so I'm going to buy a crappy dodge 12v with a manual, and it'll go (insert adjective like faster, tow better etc) better than a 7.3 with an auto. "
Drivetrain, engine tech, and everything else has evolved. Its made big manuals, and little automatics AMAZING.
Back in the eighties a medium duty truck didn't have a V8. Go to the 90s and 444s, 3206s, etc are plentiful.
In the 80s no one wanted an auto.
From 99 on the manual has been considered taken off the map. Better trans tech evolved on the automatic because a majority of people who buy these trucks want an auto. Maybe because they're lazy or the truck is rated to a higher torque. How about emissions? EPA definitely had different standards for emissions on a manual super duty 7.3, than a manual.
 

m j

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Charles keeps adding in off topic Heavy truck stuff trying to convince us autos are taking over that sector, which they arent.
the stupid big stuff is in response to that. at least the loaded truck drags stuff was something cool.
 
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:whs: I get sick of this thread popping up in my replies. Get sick of all the biased OPINIONS and BS "facts" that are being brought in.

What facts are "bs"? I know all I posted is unbiased and totally based on experience not opinions. I believe Charles is also speaking for experience. If you haven't trashed a manual then you probably never will. Because you don't use one like what we do.
 

7.3 Whitey

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They could use it very well. My uncle rebuilt his manual at 115k miles and he now has 483k, without doing anything but replacing the clutch. Also very skilled at a manual. Only had his license since he was 12 and he's 70. He also has a stock 24v.
 
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They could use it very well. My uncle rebuilt his manual at 115k miles and he now has 483k, without doing anything but replacing the clutch. Also very skilled at a manual. Only had his license since he was 12 and he's 70. He also has a stock 24v.

Exactly. He uses it like it was intended. Stock, slow, can't tow a lot of weight. I can make the ZF last too. I just don't choose to degrade myself to something that has to be driven a certain way so you don't break it.

I had dillusions of manuals being bullet proof, long lasting and maintenance free. Then i owned about 10 of them. Now I only own one. No use for a manual in today's trucks.

I've never said that I dislike a manual. All I have stated in comparison is that the ZF 5-6's are less reliable and can't hold as much power as 5r and 6r equipped trucks do in stock form.

This argument will go one forever.
 

7.3 Whitey

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I agree with you. Except he tows everything. And he tows heavy. Lots of wood, equipment, machinery, etc. But as you can imagine he's a slow, patient driver. Its not a race truck, or a race puller. He matches shifts with an artists touch. And he spent 3500 to build his trans at the point it failed. And he buys a new 3disk clutch every year when he gets his taxes. An auto on that dodge truck would be equally bad, but this is about FORD transmissions. I have been taught how to drive like he does. I'm sure a manual would last a long time, with me. I wouldn't even tune it. It isn't meant to be fast. You must be patient, and it helps living in a rural community. I Dont have a choice where I live. That's the governments to make. So I bought an automatic. I can slam brakes , floor it, pay more attention to the road, because people in cities live in a bubble and play games on their phones while driving. Its that simple. And I have a 26 hr drive back home when I take leave. If you want to talk about destroying a trans, driving like I do with my truck, for 26 hrs, don't even think about it. In fact with 12k behind me I didn't even peg 190* F on my trans. This is going from reno through Nevada, through salt lake, wyoming, the great divide, Colorado then Kansas. In about a day. I smoke too, so stop and start for fuel, cigarettes(refuse to smoke in my truck), pissing, crazy drivers and fatigue, I'm sure an auto = the best choice. That's a pretty extreme use for these trucks. Yes there are those who put 5 million miles in ten years, but MOST, and I mean 90% oof people Dont have a truck with more that 200,000 miles. I Dont, but it'll get there quick.
 

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