will i ever be happy with an automatic tranny? even a built one?....im driving i find myself wishing i could shift....im watching pulling videos and wishing i could do 2nd gear launches like they do...i watch burn-out videos and im wishing i could do that...not to mention id like to get all the power down in the first 2 gears......the spring will be here and people will be selling their trucks ...im considering selling and getting a 5 speed!...one thing i noticed though there are ver FEW 5 speeds on 4x4 ext cabs...either they are 2 wheel drive or reg cabs...im even willing to sacrifice that

give me honest opinions...ps i love my truck...i just got hit with this performance bug and i wanna get the most out of the right truck before im too far into it

 

Sounds like you need one of those manual autos.

 

Build up that auto , trust me , it's hard to make yourself lay out the $$ , but i love this tranny!

 

The cold truth is once you have a properly built auto you wont go back...however there not all equal JMO

 

my 1st gen was an auto... always wanted a 5sp...

my 97 was a 5sp... LOVED IT, but found myself wanting a taller OD on the highway and wanting to be able to drag race better... and by the time you buy a dual disk and rebuild the 5sp, you're getting closer to buying a built auto, and the 5sp will never be as quick as the auto, and the 5sp tranny has no warranty against breakage

so my current truck is an automatic...

while driving it, I wish it was a 5sp!!!! but once I get that full billet tranny and 215 pump installed, I'm hoping it'll be a little more fun

 

I have a 5 speed, I prefer the manual over the auto. Get better fuel milage. !-3 is a little slow, and i mean time to shift, but as soon as i get the 3k gsk in it will be a lot better. I really injoy shifting the truck, I would prefer a gear vendor, But theeeeere juuuust a little to spendy. With the auto you have to mash on it more to get the tractor goin, But with the manual you dont need throttle, start in 1rst or 2nd without throttle, Just feels like your puttin around at lower rpm's like a big truck, before the motor gets goin yer doin 65. Happy Truckin! PS hows that ground down fuel plate run in that truck for ya???

 

For burnout purposes, an auto is better. It's much easier to build boost against the converter on the brakes than it is to try to build boost in a manual without creeping forward too fast. Not that it can't be done-I did some pretty good burnouts against the brakes in my 5 spd one night at the dragstrip. It's just harder to do. Also, to second the opinion above, an auto will pretty much always be quicker in a dragrace.

 

thanks for the reply guys...i might just stick with this baby....for those of u running aftermarket TCs what stall rpm did u request?...1600 is kinda what id go with...

 

Also, Is it true that a properly built auto (one of the big three) is actually stronger and can hold more power than a 5 or 6 speed.
I have heard that a few times.

 

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I went with a tighter converter (15-1600) but after driving Piers new 1800 triple disc all I can say is WOW!! Much nicer IMO

 

I know what your talking about. I have always had manual trannies in trucks. This is my first Auto. I hated it before the upgrade. Sometimes I would still like to choose my gears and do some rowing. But when its all said and done I dont tow for a living and 95% of the time I am really happy with my auto. I would like to be able to stick a fully built DTT in for a test run though just to see what it would feel like.

 

This is where the slapstick comes in.

Imagine how weird the pattern on that baby would be to get used to.

Rick

 

Yeah?

well ill put it to u this way, u wanna race, or mud bog, stay with ur auto, I have a manual and at times for racing it is kinda sucky... u can miss a shift or a gear and i need about 100 more HP than the person next to me to really put a hurt on him.... With ur auto built up, man, id switch with u if i could...

BUT my truck is for towing, and for that well, cannot be beat for the moment..

Tx

 

Well i can spank my buddies 98.5 3500 auto and h has about 90 more hp then me and same gearing. Personally i preferr a stick no matter what it comes to, mud,hills,or racing. I have complete and total control and i can put myself wherever in the power band i want to be and also in any gear i choose.

 

This is a tough one, but let me put it this way.....There is NO perfect tranny. Most of the time i am really happy with my auto. Sometimes i wish like crazy i had a stick. I sure can live with it much better since i got this Goerend converter though I drive dads every now and then(5spd), and I dont really care for a 5spd in town. And i also dont like the lower overdrive. I would be willing to bet my auto would pull better than a stick with the same mods since i got this new converter. It puts the power DOWN! I was coming home from church tonight, and i made a turn. It shifted from 2nd to 3rd, and i crawled on it. Turbo spooled, tach came up to 2k, and stayed there until i got goin fast enough for it to climb on up. I pulled 5 or 6 loads of hay with it a while back with the valet switch on, and i never had the need to go over 2k rpm's. Even if i left the converter unlocked on hills. This converter puts the power down. I wish you were closer; I would take you a ride in it . My truck is as fast now with the converter UNLOCKED as it ia with it locked in ever gear but 1st. There really isnt any possible way it could put more power down. Not even with a stick. Im sure it will be quite a bit better still when i get a Goerend VB for it too Each tranny has their place. When i got my auto i thought for sure i would regret it bad, but i really dont think that I would switch to a stick if i had the chance now. You will be amazed at the difference a new converter will make. With my old converter if i mashed it; the tach would go to about 2600rpm's, and just sit there; feeling even less efficent int he higher gears(3rd and 4th). Now it drops with the shifts, and pulls hard. Sorry for the little book, but i am very happy with mine right now.

Eric