I was on the fence as well. I test drove a manual truck, then i test drove the 68RFE truck right next to it... walked out with the auto trans truck. more hp and more tq and no real money difference. Besides I been driving stick shift vehicles since I got my license... Its down right nice to just drop it in 'D' and take off.

I never test drove an Aisin truck I didnt think it was worth the extra 3000 or whatever dollars it is.

 

Yeah I noticed in the specifications the manual trucks are limited to 660 ft lbs? Is this to preserve the clutch maybe?

and do the automatic trucks put more power to the wheels?

Just wondering. It is also interesting that Ford or GM do not offer a manual transmission for their diesel engines.

 

I think its personal preference. Ditto on what BWT said. I wanted a G56 at first then researched a bit more. Less power, clutch has proven weak for some and a $500 difference and I went with the 68RFE. I also thought the G56 gearing generated too many engine revs and less mileage on the highway. (I can shift down from 6th but not up.)

Still, I think its great that the manual is still offered. If one or two of these items changed a G56 might be in my next truck.

 

If the 6-speed auto would have been available in '06 when I ordered mine I would have got the auto. I'd get an Aisin in a new one.

 

I drove the 68RFE and G56 and Aisin all back to back. I prefer the G56. I couldn't tell much of a power difference. I also feel like you gotta give the auto a lot of pedal to get going. Manual seems better. IMO the gearing is too tall in the autos with 3.42 gears (all you can get in SRW). 2000 RPM @ 90 MPH is too tall. Here in Montana with mountains and constant up and down grades I find the auto shifting all the time annoying.
Feels like you just lug the heck out of on the interstate around here with the auto.

I highly recommend driving all of them to see what you like. I like the G56, but if I had to drive a lot of bumper or traffic or around town I would go Aisin. Luckily I don't have to deal with that crap.

My plan is order a G56 truck here in the next month or two.

 

2000 RPM at any speed is too much. Fuel mileage is best between 1500 and 1700 RPM. The 3:42 runs 1625 @ 70 MPH, perfect for fuel mileage.

 

It's purely personal preference.

Before my 07, you couldn't get me to test drive an auto, let alone buy one. Manual or nothing for me.

Before I joined any forums though, I realized the power band of a diesel and the constant shifting of a manual would make the auto a better go-fast option, so I got the 07 auto with full intentions of having 1k hp and racing and planned on a manual rig to tow with.

Long story short, that didn't happen, and now after driving so long with the auto, you'd be real hard pressed to convince me the manual is better.

The auto is superior in daily driving, it's superior in towing, it's superior in acceleration (empty or towing, yes it matters), it's just an overall better option. My opinion.

Now, I still enjoy rowing gears, and a dedicated tow rig pre-6.7 (4 speed auto) the manual is better. But the 6 speed autos have turned the tables.

Were I to buy a new rig today, hands down it would be the Aisin.

 

Thanks for putting my mind at ease, I ordered a SRW with the AISIN. I weighed the options and felt the AISIN would be worth the extra money. But I can't help to second guess myself sometimes. It's good to hear someone of your expertise and experience endorse my slightly informed choice.
Thanks from Rawlins.

 

I'm happy with the G56.

I got tire spin doing 40mph accelerating on an on ramp the other day.
Not sure what I would do with an extra 100+ torque.

 

The Aisins are only available in 3500's and above correct?

 

You are correct.

 

Personal preference imo...I want to order a manual, the Cummins just lends itself to the manual so well sound and feel wise. The 68 is still a step behind what i want or would do in most situations, i think the 3.42 gears that keep the rpms so low 90% of the time really hamper the exhaust brake and downshifting patterns. Now the darn Dmax/Allison does exactly what I want a trans to do both up and down the gears, but I just cant warm up to the GM trucks enough to spend that kind of cash.

I'm going to be ordering a manual sometime this year.

Jason

 

there's a button on the shifter if higher rpms is what you seek

 

There is still that delay from hitting the button to the trans actually doing anything which drives me crazy, and then you have to re-manually select the gears to re-upshift through the gears which again has a delay on upshifts which is annoying, again its just behind what i want it to do again.

I've got a whole year to make up my mind. Want to go through one summer with the auto and just take that time to think about sitting in traffic with a manual before taking the plunge on which box to put the X in.

Jason

 

You mean that delay that's shorter than it takes you to push in, grab the next gear, and let out?

 

i always inadvertanly hit mine...seems pretty quick to me... atleast as quick as slammin the clutch and grabbin another gear

 

Yes, that delay, but its a less natural process than changing gear manually. If it worked instantly they a DCT trans works, the manual wouldnt be given the slightest thought. Its a mental road block for me, or im still just unhappy with the clunkiness of the shifting vs my old 5R110 at lower speeds. Just feels very sloppy before the converter locks up. And still doesnt do what i want it to at low speeds. If you're going 40mph(which i spend a lot of time at 35-40mph the trans drops out of gear entirely around 25-30mph leaving service brakes to do all the work unless you manually pan down the gears which causes on my truck the exhaust brake to disengage and then delay to re-engage and by the time it re-engages the torque converter has unlocked and im using the service brakes again, makes for very clunky low speed maneuvering around town for me.

Just feel like its never doing what i want it to or like i said before, with the 3.42's the gears are too tall for the exhaust brake to be functional from low speeds since the rpms are almost always under 20k rpms.

Now from 65-70mph to a stop it'll damn near throw you into the steering wheel and does exactly what i would expect it to do, stops with some serious authority and downshifts as i would. But half my driving is 35-40mph and the trans never does what i want it to...

Jason

 

I have done many tests over the years on RPM verses mileage on all configurations of CTD's and they have all been the same, go over 1700 RPM and the mileage starts to drop, the more RPM, the less the fuel milage.

 

I owned a 2003 RAM 2500 Quad Cab 4x4 Sport w/305*555 & NV5600 & 3.73's.....I attained a hand calculated 21.7 mpg to Myrtle Beach, SC one year. It turned a hair over 2000 rpm at 70 mph. My experiences have been that much over 2200 rpm and mileage falls off fairly quickly....

 

I like shifting gears, I almost when with the 68 and glad I got a truck with the G56 I wouldn't trade it for the world. As long as they still sell a manual I will keep buying them.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App

 

it's all matter of opinion, i just traded my 2010 G56 for a 2014 auto. So far i really like the auto, but still think sometimes it doesn't do what i think it should do and when it should do it. My wife just say's it's because i am a control freak. :confused013:

 

As Stroke points out, the auto is a no-brainer now that they have 6 speeds. Pre 2007.5, the manual was the better option. Besides, when I'm eating a donut, enjoying a cup of coffee, and texting, I just can't find the time to row the gears. JK.

 

Just go ahead and get one of each

 

Drove both. Picked the g56. Figured it be cheaper in the long run to maintain. No electronics to go wrong with either. Do a clutch upgrade and she'll be good to go

 

I have the g56. I like the fact that when towing I have total control. Never been a fan of the autos personally. It's all personal preference . I personally think the manual will hold up better in the long run.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App

 

I have a 140,000 miles on my manual 08 mega and I just ordered a 2014 mega with the Aisin. Towing with the manual was wonderful, but constantly shifting was really a pain. Also when you wanted to go fast, its really hard to keep the tires from spinning like crazy because you are going from no boost (when shifting) to full boost, crazy tires spin...then shift...and all over again.

The stock clutch will not handle ANY power upgrades either, which means the moment you do anything to the truck you are buying a DD clutch.

When it all comes down to it, its personal preference. I am glad I had a stick for the last 140k and I am super excited about the auto...after the learning curve that is :rof

 

When I bought my '04, I knew I didn't want to spend the 4k+ for a built 4sp auto so I bought the manual and put a good clutch in it. I wanted to hot rod then. I'm older and a little less insane and the auto is a 6sp now so it's auto for me.

 

Its pure preference as most have said. Myself I will always go the manual route. My wife feels the same way. Thats why her Dart is a 6 speed.

 

I like the reliability the manuals have. My 07 has 240k on the G56, only the clutch has been replaced. I bought a 12 for the same reason however im turning 2000rpm at 70mph (3.73's) Will need bigger tires to bring it down. arty018:

 

I like the reliability the manuals have.

4th gear in my manual dropped out...cost me a LOT of money to get fixed

 

I always said I would always have a stick. But after test driving the Aisin, my stick days are over. The Aisin keeps the rpm right where it should be. Furthermore you can manually control it with the button on shifter. No it doesn't shift instantaneously but still faster than stabbing a clutch and and rowing a shifter. With all that torque there as much need for shifting as there used to be. I can pull my 5th wheel up a grade in 5th that used to require my old truck to be in 3 over. I was also rated at the highest HP for that year.

Auto's are so much better now, just hope they more long lived than they used to be but the Aisin is so much overkill it should be.
kk

 

I guess I wonder on how the pcm works. Yes, the autos are rated for more torque. But if the PCM has some kind of torque management that wont allow full application except in certain gears or something, then its kind of not really there..
I dont know of this, its a mere speculation. I know in our trailblazer that has torque management, its a dog. They say it has 275 hp. It may be advertised as such but the computer doesnt allow that power till your already moving fast which is not very useful in towing.