FishOnOne wrote:
mkirsch wrote:
ol' grouch wrote:
Automatic transmission are a weak link for pulling loads. RV's will be lighter than I normally work with but I've seen automatics fail under medium towing. Add in the lack of a dip stick anymore and failures are becoming more frequent.
Do you have data to back up this assertion?
You've been in the business for 40+ years so you've seen automatic transmissions in heavy hauling go from being a joke to nearly universal. GM hasn't put a manual in a pickup truck in 10 years. It's been 8 years for Ford.
If these transmission failures were "more frequent" how come we hardly ever hear of them on this forum?
Really, I think you're basing this bias of yours on pre-2000 automatics, mostly the feeble early attempts of the '70s and '80s.
I believe the only reason Ram has kept their manual transmission is because they don't have a really good automatic and most of the hot shotters know it.
That's just not true. Anyone that knows Automatics know the Aisin in the RAM 3500's is a true Medium duty transmission, Same trans ran in many other applications such as the HINO Medium duty trucks.
Also the 68RFE has proven it's self to be very durable behind the CUMMINS in "STOCK" configuration.
And I would never go longer than 30-40K fluid change on any Auto I planned to keep.