I have the six speed. I drive in Los Angeles traffic every day. When in traffic and not towing I usually shift 2-4-6. Much nicer than the 5-speeds in my other other vehicles.

 

Buy the best deal you find. You'll fall in love with your truck anyway you go.
BOMB her, then go make some smoke.

-CM

 

if you end up with a 6 sp.and do not like it ill trade ya anytime!!!! So now you have options!

 

I have to agree with aaronisbad, the 6 speed is the way to go. I have one and my buddy has the 5 speed and i prefer driving mine way more. My truck is bone stock and his has 5" straight pipe with and edge-ez. I can keep up with him until about 60 then he takes off. The 5 speed is slow shifting and the gears are too far apart for me, with the 6 you can bang through them.

 

5-sp is slower then the 6-sp.

Ya right.

 

Everyone acts like the 6speed it a slug for speed get a good clutch take off in third i would race an auto any day i love the 6 speed and as far as driving in town goes if you don't like to shift use 2 4 and 6 thats what i do alot. I personaly would avoid the 5 speed not a favorible design in my book just my 2 cents.

 

I've got one of each, both '02s. It might just be me, but in drag-race kinda thing, I can shift the 5 speed alot quicker than the 6. If you're racing, the 6's gears are too close, you have to shift alot. When you're running a turbo, anytime you have to let off the gas, you loose boost. Everytime you shift, you loose boost. With the 6 speed, you loose boost one more time than the 5. My 5 speed has a EZ and 5 inch exhaust. I've ran a few 6 speeds that were stock, and I left them at the line and it got alot worse for them after that.

 

The 2-4-6 shift sound like a plan. But you better know your baby well b/c the 6-sp is closer together, as mentioned above, then the 5 sp.

The design is fine it's the fully splined shaft that is the missing component to make the 5-sp bullet proof. The 5th gear nut tends to fall off when 5th is used in low RPM operation. Both tranny's are good. I like my handshaker.

-CM

 

I am personally looking at buying the same truck(99-02). Test driven a few 6 speeds and a bunch of 5 speeds.

I personally am looking harder for a 5 speed. I feel it shifts a little nicer, and I don't see why you need the extra gear the 6 speed has.

Just what I noticed.

 

the extra gear of the six speed is nice when you are towing heavy....if you do not do a lot of towing the 5 speed is a lot more fun to drive. And with the proper clutch it can withstand a LOT of H.P.

Ive got the 6 speed and am just about ready to get rid of my truck because I dont like the tranny at all.

 

I've tried the 2-4-6 thing w/ my 6sp, and with 285 tires & 3.55 gears, the spacing is too far apart to be practical. The gearing is too tall for that IMO. But thats just me. I still love the tranny, but I like shifting (most of the time).

If you are towing the 6 gears are spread perfect, but a built auto, or 5 sp are fine as well.

If you are racing, youre at a disadvantage w/ 6 gears, as like was said before, the gears are too close together, and once youre building power, youre out of gear. This motor needs alot of gear to utilize its massive torque. Also, it doesnt shift like a sports car, its down right slow. If you do try to speed shift it, youre taking a big chance on breaking teeth off, or hurting syncros.

Taking off in 3rd, will also leave you broken sooner or later. Its too much shock on the input shaft (unless you go w/ upgraded shafts, but youre still shifting when the other guy is pulling away).

If you want to race, get the auto. Period. They utilize the torque w/ the long gears.

The 5 sp will do anything as long as you fix the 5th gear nut.

 

We tow a heavy 5th wheel that puts us on the road at 10,380 lbs GVW (10,500 lbs GVWR) and 21,180 lbs GCW (21,500 lbs GCWR). For our towing application, the 6-speed is fine (with the 4.10's, though, I wish it were a 7-speed ). For racing, forget it. I get pulled off the line by old Ford Escorts unless I'm willing to make banzai 3rd gear starts. Now when I get in 4th and above, I can start using the torque, but there's just too much shifting to get up to 30-40 MPH to make the 6-speed a good drag racing transmission.

Just 2 cents' worth from someone who has a 6-speed....

Rusty

 

When I am loaded, I wish I had the 6 shooter. When I am empty, I am glad I have the 5-spd. Unfortunately, I am driving around loaded more and more. 5spd does fine though; but you can feel the 3-4 rpm drop. IMO, standard over auto though!

 

Not so fast. The 6-speed is simply the strongest OEM tranny that Dodge offers. It's probably the strongest OEM tranny in a pickup, period.

The 5-speed has its weaknesses, and can be fixed. But it's not nearly as beefy.

Yes, the 5-speed is faster for racing. Less shifting, AND it's about 150# lighter.

The extra shifts of the 6-speed aren't that bad. Put some MTL in it and go drive it-- it's great.

That, and you can almost never have too many ratios with a diesel engine.

I almost never tow, but I searched high and low JUST TO GET THE SIX SPEED. I bought my truck with BOMBing in mind.

Justin