Towing: Manual VS Automatic?

[Kementari]

I’ve known people who had lots of trouble with Dodge truck trannies - including being told by the dealer that nothing was wrong with them until one day they finally failed entirely. I’ve had Chrysler cars and never had an issue (other than the expected things that come with age), but I’ve never owned one of their trucks, just driven those owned by others. I don’t like their autos OR manuals (it was a Dodge, in fact, where the clutch died on me going uphill on the highway - but that’s not my SOLE experience with them! ;)).

But if my tranny was shifting roughly and/or inappropriately, I’d have it in to a transmission specialist ASAP, and if there was nothing to be done about it, I’d be buying a new truck. In fact, my tranny WAS shifting roughly and at the wrong times, which is why she’s now parked waiting for me to save the $1400 to get a partial rebuild.

[x]

I don’t know about newer trucks, but I drive older ones and prefer a manual for towing. However, I can’t say that I prefer driving the manual for towing…the automatic is easier…I just prefer not worrying as much about the transmission with a manual. Therefore, if I were looking for a truck for myself and had a choice between manual and auto, I’d probably take the manual.

[spaceagevalkyrie]

[QUOTE=Blugal;5350166]
I am surprised after reading everyone’s answers and the above. My Dad’s ~2003 Dodge is auto and I hate hauling with it. The automatic never shifts when it should - it goes way over or under RPMs and then clunks and jerks the entire truck/trailer. I have to force-shift it going up hills or else it stays in 4th/5th way too long and loses all power before clunk-shifting, often into the wrong gear at really high RPM then re-shifting up and down before settling into the right gear :mad: The lower gears going down hill do not do enough to slow it down - the electric brakes on the trailer help, but I have been happier in other peoples’ manuals.[/QUOTE]

There’s some sensor thing (can you tell i’m not a car person yet? :winkgrin:) that went out on my moms car several years back. Thats pretty much what it did, it just didn’t shift at nearly the right time if it’d shift at all. For a family of die hard manual users, it was freaky as hell. Luckily though it was very cheap to get fixed, hopefully your truck just needs a quick part and not a new transmission :o.

[wawildbill]

[QUOTE=cssutton;5347712]
Ford builds more pickups tan any other manufacturer.

If you buy a Ford, in the F250-F350 range, you will have a hard time finding a stick shift.

That should tell you something.

I have owned a lot of straight drive F250 and F350 trucks. The last one had 357,000 on it.

I now own a 2008 F350 automatic with tow/haul and I will never go back to a straight shift.

The 2008 now has 92,000 miles on it with probably 30% of that pulling a 4 horse trailer loaded lightly…1,100 to 3,000 lbs.

Don’t kid yourself that a manual is cheap to maintain. A Ford will use up a clutch about every 100,000 to 120,000 miles. Cost of clutch about $1,000.

Transmission about $3,000.

Those numbers are from memory, so don’t nitpick. They are close enough.

The new autos last longer than clutches and transmissions.

CSSJR[/QUOTE]
I don’t have experience in different vehicles as to the longevity of clutches across brands. It more has to do with how it is driven. My wife and I had a 1990 Toyota 4 Runner. Put 275,000 miles on it with the original clutch. Which included frequently towing a 2 horse trailer, or a utility trailer loaded with hay cubes. On the other hand, my brother had an 86 4 Runner (same engine/drive train - just different body/suspension styles) and only put just over 100,000 miles on it, going through at least 3 clutches. We now have a 1999 Ford F350 V10 5 speed manual with just over 200,000 miles on it. One plus is better gas mileage, my wife averages 16+ driving it to work everyday. Other posts mention manual shifting being harder on the horses. Before I learned to drive, an adult youth leader from our church would take us home occasionally. He drove a Toyota stick shift. It was a constant back to the seat then forward, then back to the seat experience, because of how he shifted. I always thought that you should be able to shift gears without all the jerking, and have since then have been able to, whether driving a small car or the truck towing a 26 ft goose neck four horse trailer. There has to be a reason why manual transmissions are used in semis rather than automatics. But as far as a car and truck is concerned it really is the owner’s preference.

[Foxtrot_s]

2015 now - the transmissions are so good now and the ‘tow mode’ is super for using the engine brake coming down hills - no brakes needed for the most part.

[pluvinel]

I learned to drive in a stick (my father believed is was a basic life skill.) I then had manual transmissions for 30 years in all vehicles including an F150 which i used to tow a 2 horse trailer. I also raced cars.

Since I like to buy used, finding a used truck with manual transmission has been impossible recently, so my current tow vehicle is an automatic F250. It is ok. The “tow package” means it has larger brakes, radiator and comes with trailer connections.

Basically, manual or automatic comes down to driver preference. Both automatic and manual transmissions are nice for different reasons. I got stuck at a clinic once when the battery died and I was able to get a “push start” behind a tractor in the truck with the manual transmission. The automatics are a lot easier on your left leg especially in heavy traffic, but you can’t “push start” them.

Learning how to start smoothly from a dead stop with a manual transmission is an important skill…think San Francisco hills. It can be done, but one needs to know one’s vehicle, engine and transmission so your feet automatically go to to that sweet spot where the engine RPM’s are right and the clutch engages for a smooth depart.

[Beentheredonethat]

I have never had anything but a manual. My truck is a '78 with probably over 300k on it. I think it has it’s original transmission. It’s a 3 speed with a granny low. It’s not the most fun to drive in traffic, but I have no issues being jerky, hills (and I’ve had to deal with some monster ones) etc. The low is great because it’s like a tractor.

That said, if I ever get a “new” one, I would have no issue going with automatic, which is all I could probably find.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;8251723]
2015 now - the transmissions are so good now and the ‘tow mode’ is super for using the engine brake coming down hills - no brakes needed for the most part.[/QUOTE]

Except when you’re only towing a 2H and the engine brake grabs and throws the horses forward. So much for being smooth. It would be great if that kind of thing can be adjusted for the trailer weight.

David