So I'm looking at getting rid of my PSD F-250 for a new CTD 2500. Among my list of complaints with my truck... is that its an automatic. Call me crazy but I don't like driving an automatic.... I perfer to do the shifting and want a manual tranny. As far as usage.. I won't normally tow huge loads, for the most part I'm only hauling around motorcycles and an enclosed trailer.

The people I've talked to swear that manuals are evil and that the auto is the only way to go. I'm 99% sure they are talking from their @sses but would like to know the real opinions from those who drive 'em. I.E. durability how nasty it is to drive etc.

Thanks!!

 

i have an 04.5 with a 6 speed manual and i love it. i have heard horror stories, but always about the automatics. if you don't plan on a lot of heavy towing, you might want to consider the higher gear ratio. BTW, i have not heard 1 bad story about the NV5600 or the G-56?? trannies.

 

Thats exactly what I wanted to hear.

3.73 is the only gearing the 6spd comes with. Everything i've read puts that about the same as an auto with 4.10's. Down the road oversized tires might be what the dr. ordered.

 

this is the only horror story with the G56. you might have 3.73's on tha axels, but it will spin that engine to WAY high RPM's. I have the same issure with my NV5600 since I have 4.10's. 60mph and I'm turning right at 2000rpm. just remember these engine only turn 3200rpm max.

you can put a U.S. Gear or Gear Vendors overdrive behind the tranny to lower the RPM's.

I'm looking at a U.S. Gear overdrive unit that will help me out.

now, the auto's on these trucks have been rather refined and are getting very dependable. the 47RE and 48RE dont have the reverse problem other dodge auto's had where the pump doesnt work in park of reverse. the 48RE started appearing in either 02 or 03 I think.

 

We have had one issue with the G56....and we should have caught it before the customer drove it off the lot......
The factory did not fill the trans. with oil, or at least not enough oil. Customer melted the transmission on a snowmobile trip in the middle of Nowhere, ND.

There he was stranded, hundreds of miles from me.
I hooked him up with a dealer up there, warranty took care of towing and the repairs...I coughed up a few bucks to cover a rental vehicle for a week... and he got fixed up.

 

the problem with the oil wasnt that they didnt put enough oil in. they put it to the fill plug where it is supposed to go, but the casting for the oil plug was down too far on the case so even though it was full, it wasnt full enough.

many took the shift tower off and poured another quart into the top of the tranny to bring the levels up enough and have ran fine since.

the only other thing I dislike about the G56 is that dual mass flywheel. . .something about it erks me.


edit: oh, and one more thing, on the 4x4's the ball joints and u-joints are a bit weak. I just got back from a 1300 mile treck to Nags Head NC and back and I can feel that my ball joints have a little play now, and my u-joints are slinging grease[:@]

But after 30,000 miles have have been happy with every single one of them

 

There was a recall to deal with just that problem... but this pickup was not applicable to that problem - later build date.

 

gotcha

good job with helping him out too,[sm=smiley20.gif] rarely see that anymore and I'm afraid when it comes time to have my ball joints and u-joints replaced any dealership I go to in my area is going to balk at my intake and exhaust mods, especialy my EGT and boost gage.