Manual vs Automatic transmission in TV

Can't imagine wrestling a standard by choice. I guess truckers do it for money but I'll stick with the Allison with cruise grade braking and tap shift if needed.

OK, I'm going to go against the grain here and state that my preference is a manual transmission, which my last 3 trucks have been. They cost less, generate WAY less heat especially under load, are extremely reliable, and are a snap to drive for an experienced driver. I drive a 2012 F-150 for a work vehicle and as much as I will admit that the newer automatics are better than they used to be, they are still not as good as a manual. I also can't help but think that these transmissions will cost a fortune in the future to rebuild/repair when the time comes, which it will especially when towing heavy.

With all due respect to those who state that they are difficult to get a heavy load moving, back a trailer into a campsite, etc. I can't help but think that they have not driven a manual transmission mated to a modern diesel with plenty of low end torque. My Cummins/6 speed manual transmission has the zero throttle launch feature which means put the transmission in the PROPER gear (not too high, especially under heavy load), and easily let the clutch out. This is easily accomplished with any heavy load on any hill and the truck does not even snort. The Cummins/manual transmission combo was a match made in heaven!

In regards to driving in heavy traffic, as long as I am watching traffic ahead and using the exhaust brake in full on mode, I can easily drop down to 15 mph in 5th gear using the exhaust brake and pull out of it without downshifting. If you are a race to each light and hit the brakes kind of driver, this method will not work for you!

Yes, the Cummins is derated on paper with the manual transmission. I drove Cummins equipped trucks with both the manual and automatic transmissions and the manual transmission did not feel any more sluggish, perhaps because of the power absorbed by the automatic. In any case, I am not at all unhappy with the power of my truck and even if I was a programmer will easily fix that when my warranty is up.

And lastly, I'm not sure why some are saying the manual transmissions are gone when Ram still offers the Cummins with a manual.

Just my 2 cents worth.

ricatic wrote:
These transmission threads make me chuckle...I especially enjoy the black helicopter theories about government interventions and manufacturers conspiracies.

Reality is neither of these factors could eliminate the manual transmission from the manufacturers catalog. What eliminated the manual transmission was purely lack of sales. The take rate for manuals in the last 15 years or so is less than 2% of all HD pickups sold...20 trucks or less out of a thousand sold.This ridiculously low take rate came when the manual transmission was the "standard equipment".Buyers paid more for their automatics....much more...

As horsepower and torque increased, the then current crop of manuals needed serious upgrading and re-engineering to handle the power. Who would pay these costs? The manual transmission buyers had been riding for free for years on the backs of the automatic trans buyers. The manual had become the "option" with no cost. Now, there was some big development costs to be incurred in keeping an option that virtually no one was buying.

I once posted a question in one of these threads about "who pays". I simply asked if anyone of the angry manual transmission devotees would pay $2000 additional(above the now standard transmission truck price)for the option to have a manual transmission...IIRC...I had one taker...

Simple economics was the cause of the no manuals from GM and Ford...For the record, I am not anti-manual transmission. I have a million miles behind me shifting gears...I am against asking automatic trans buyers to continue to pay the bill...

Regards

Well said...

Our 05 truck with a manual tranny for our work hand was surprisingly tricky (And a very disappointing)to get heavy fertilizer tanks and heavy cattle trailers moving from a dead stop when on very soft ground.

I'll be the second taker on that Ricatic, I really miss the option. But yep, supply and demand, simple as that.

rjxj wrote:
I thought about a stick for a minute then thought about my old body and said no way.

This is me as well, but I only gave it some thought for about 5 seconds. The first bit of stop and go traffic would have me begging for an automatic transmission.

It is ironic that I just spent the last week in a vehicle with a manual transmission connected to the 6.2 gasoline engine in a Camaro.

I was thinking this morning as I shifted that it would be great to have this combination in a 1500 Crew Cab long box. I averaged over 22 mpg with this car, including 0-60 in less than 5 sec, and listening to rear tires chirp on the shift to second gear. (I may have also tested the g meter in the heads up display on freeway ramps.)

Then I thought about how I never managed to drink my coffee on the way to work, how difficult it was to make perfectly smooth shifts, and trying to get it into reverse and back uphill smoothly.

So tonight, I will probably not know what to do with my left foot, but will know why I love the automatic transmission in my HD.

Kind of a moot point now, there gone.

These transmission threads make me chuckle...I especially enjoy the black helicopter theories about government interventions and manufacturers conspiracies.

Reality is neither of these factors could eliminate the manual transmission from the manufacturers catalog. What eliminated the manual transmission was purely lack of sales. The take rate for manuals in the last 15 years or so is less than 2% of all HD pickups sold...20 trucks or less out of a thousand sold.This ridiculously low take rate came when the manual transmission was the "standard equipment".Buyers paid more for their automatics....much more...

As horsepower and torque increased, the then current crop of manuals needed serious upgrading and re-engineering to handle the power. Who would pay these costs? The manual transmission buyers had been riding for free for years on the backs of the automatic trans buyers. The manual had become the "option" with no cost. Now, there was some big development costs to be incurred in keeping an option that virtually no one was buying.

I once posted a question in one of these threads about "who pays". I simply asked if anyone of the angry manual transmission devotees would pay $2000 additional(above the now standard transmission truck price)for the option to have a manual transmission...IIRC...I had one taker...

Simple economics was the cause of the no manuals from GM and Ford...For the record, I am not anti-manual transmission. I have a million miles behind me shifting gears...I am against asking automatic trans buyers to continue to pay the bill...

Regards

What did you get for a fifth wheel?

proxim2020 wrote:
Trying to meet ever tightening emission standards is another reason why we're seeing manuals disappear. It's much easier for manufacturers to write algorithms for auto since everything is interconnected electronically. The ECU knows the speed, rpm, load, etc and can easily control the engine/transmission to reduce emissions. It's not so easy with manuals since the operator can select a gear on a whim. The operator can easily lug or over rev a gear which will cause emission spikes.

I still love my manuals, but when it comes to towing I'll stick with the autos. When you think about it, they're the best for longevity. The vehicle spends its whole life trying to protect itself. It's more complicated and little less efficient, but the trade off is that you'll probably get more life out of the tranny and engine.

The reason the manual transmission is gone in a nutshell. There was a discussion a while back that manual transmission are not De-rated on power just measured at different parameters then automatics.