1st pretty much all the time... taller tires, turbo takes a bit to light, easier on the clutch, and sounds cool rowing through all those gears!

 

I pretty much religiously start in 2nd with my dad's truck, and his is a 2001 HO 6 speed. I've only ever used 1st when towing more than 5-6k pounds.

New question: How many of you shift without a clutch? My dads transmission shifts like butter with no clutch and is much smoother towing this way as well. We started driving this way after a fed-ex guy was breaking our ***** about having the same engine in his truck and only using the clutch to start.

 

I have to start in 2nd gear. 1st is just too low even with 3.55 gears, stock engine and stock tires. The first time I drove it, I jumped in like an idiot, shoved it in 1st gear and just about snapped my neck when I dumped the clutch.

 

I use 1st when at a dead stop just because starting in 2nd is kinda jerky. If I need to get someone off my tail when starting off I'll start in 1st rev it out and then shift straight to 3rd and leave a nice cloud as a warning to them

 

well, you have different transmissions... use the clutch, but shift like you're not using it... your tranny will last much longer

 

Always start in 2nd, but I have 4.10 gears so 1st is very low even with 285 tires. My truck came with 245's, it was easy to start in 3rd with them.

I only use 1st when pulling a heavy load like a backhoe.

 

I haven't gotten the feel completely for the times to shift, so I use clutch. From my time in the army driving trucks, I tend to instinctively do double-clutch with gassing on downshifts, and the truck is almost asking for no clutch... just not quite there yet. I barely ever used the clutch on my army truck but then again, its gearbox wasn't as tight as my Ram's.
-P

 

I sometimes shift without the clutch, but it's less forgiving than using the clutch. I don't think it's all that good for the synchros....

 

From the 20-30 thousand or so I've put on my dad's in the past 2 years or so I've come to the conclusion it's really not all that picky. I don't know how many miles you have, but his has about 105k with a solid 50-60 me driving albeit with him with me sometimes. Too many road trips to help the family out

Anyways, I can shift anywheres from 1500-2600 or more most likely without a hiccup. I've done this quite a bit, but maybe the gears have finally rounded off enough to do this smoothly. I do remember at first it was very tricky and very notchy. Over the years it certainly seems as though it has smoothed out quite a bit.

I wouldn't exactly recommend it for racing applications, but smooth and confident (without slamming gears) shifts are all it takes.

Now, if it's good for it I don't know. I just know my father's truck has been very forgiving if it's not. I'm a little more adventurous with the transmission than he is though. It took me 75k miles to get him to start out in 2nd gear. Now he's gotten the hang of starting out in 2nd even with loads and it doesn't bother him at all. He still doesn't feel comfortable shifting without the clutch, though.

 

Second gear for me but ya gotta kinda dump it or she shutters a bit. First for hills or towing or to make more straight pipe noise.

 

First gear always with 3.55 gears why subject the clutch to abuse unless your pointed down hill . I use no fuel just dump the clutch get er rolln a bit and go to second. My 97 has 4.10s second seems ok no shudder .

 

2nd for the most part unless going uphill or with a load behind me. then its first gear. ive got nothing to prove by slippin her out in 2nd to get rolling. less wear and tear....

jiMMy

 

Generally 1st gear, to ease the wear on the clutch and because I am just rarely in very much of a hurry anyways. I might start in 2nd if there is allot of traffic at a light or in a bit of a hurry to get going like if I have to cross a lane of traffic.

Sometimes I start in 2nd when I have this notion the car next to me knows we are racing when in reallity have zero clue a race is on. That way I can fantasize that I won something or the other, but I am not sure what.

Jim

 

Not impossible by far. When I had the 35" tires, with my 3.55's, a friend said something about diesels being hard to kill by dumping the clutch. I told him, yes, I can dump mine in 3rd from a stop and it will just snap you back and take off. Well, needless to say, he did not believe me. He now knows to trust me.

 

Im with mhuppertz... I always start in first unless im rolling already or starting on a down hill.. Just a little easier on it so ive been told