I have a 1998 Dodge 3500 SLT Quad Cab 5.9L Turbo diesel 2WD Auto w/220,000 miles. I'm on my 2nd torque converter and trans. rebuild, and now it's time for another one. I pull a 25' goosesneck trailer loaded with tractors, my payload is usually around 10,000 to 14,000 lbs plus the truck and trailer.
I found a 1995 Dodge 3500 Quad Cab 5.9L Turbo diesel 2WD with a 5 speed transmisson w/250,000 miles.
My questions/help:
What's better for pulling, auto or standard or is it personal preference.
Will the 5sp from the 95 fit into my 98, and if not, what is the best auto trans. and torque converter set up to put in my truck?

 

Rebuild what you got, and put in some meaner parts. Extra clutches/steels, GM governor pressure sensor/solenoid, upgraded sun/planetary gear set, and a HUGE trans cooler. Sonax sure cure. Billet torque converter, etc.

Also, you aren't towing in overdrive are you?

Talk to the folks at wittrans.com, tell 'em what ya got, what ya wanna do, and they should be able to set you up with what you need. Not going to be inexpensive though.... In montec's trans thread, on page six, he has a list of parts for a guy that regularly towed 7k worth of trailer, expanding on that package a bit wouldn't hurt, but you are looking at over a grand, just in parts. (monte's thread can be found in the FAQ section of boards here.)

Changing to the manual would require a PCM change, and the wiring harness to go along with it, plus pedals, hydraulics, etc. Not sure it would be any more reliable, but, certainly easier to just swap out....

 

I'd say that it's a matter of preference that determines whether a manual or a juicer is better for towing. I prefer the juicer, but only if it's built for it. Otherwise, I'd want the stick and the stoutest clutch available for it. It's cheaper to replace a clutch in a manual than in an automatic.

I prefer juicers for towing because of the torque multiplication effect of the torque converter, which is great for getting a big load moving uphill from a standing start and for keeping it moving on a hard pull. The trick though is to keep the thing from getting too hot when it's working hard. If the ATF hits 270 degrees just once, varnishes form and the lifespan of the transmission is reduced.

If you've got the money to spend and prefer an automatic, I'm really fond of the PATC Mega Viper. It's got nards enough to tow way more than my half-ton can reasonably be expected to control on the highway. Don't scrimp on the torque converter -- get the biggest baddest beastie available, and add just as much auxiliary cooling as you can fit. An external filter placed between the transmission and the cooling parts is a very good investment, too -- with the remote filter that you can easily change every 30,000 miles or so, you never have to change the internal filter again because the remote catches everything before the fluid gets back to the pan. Speaking of pans, go with a deep pan with a drain plug. Maintenance is more likely to get done on schedule when it's easy.

 

Thanks for the info, and yes, I do tow in overdrive after torque lock up, that's when I get all my power, my torque doesn't lock up in 3rd.

 

Towing in overdrive is what is smoking your transmissions. Your owners manual should have mentioned that in nice bold, possibly red, letters. The trans simply isn't designed to take that kind of load. It is probably getting extremely hot, and just smoking itself.

A trans temp gauge would be a REAL good idea with the next rebuild as well.

 

Indeed it would! And just so it's said: You want to see temps between 150 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit on the cold side (in the pan). 200-220 for short periods won't kill any parts, but things start going south at 240 and above. If you hit 270 even once, it's time to purge all of the old fluid ASAP.

 

With the set up I have, my truck runs cooler in overdrive.
I leave it out of overdrive from a dead stop, then when I get up to around 45mph I turn the overdrive on to lock up the torque converter, if I don't I'm running to high of rpm's and she starts generating heat.

 

o/d at 45?? you're overworking that tranny......


and you said its cooler in o/d...does that mean you have a guage?

 

All our truck's engines run cooler in O/D, because we're driving fast enough to move air over the radiator (rather than just what the fan can pull through). However, that is engine temp, not transmission temp. Two very different animals. The gauge on your dash is strictly engine temperature, nothing to do with the transmission. You need to have an aftermarket gauge/temp unit set up to monitor the transmission temperature, if you want to see the trans temp.

O/D is when the transmission, not the engine, generates the most heat. Towing in O/D kills automatic trannies, because O/D is designed for unloaded, just passengers type driving. It is not designed for hauling loads of any size, let alone the weights you are describing, even on flat ground.

 

Manuals FTW.