Hello Everyone,
I am looking at a 2006 2500 Q/C with CTD/6-speed manual in SLT trim.I have been reading about the new G56 tranny with the Dual Mass Flywheel.I just want to get some opinions on the new setup before i buy this truck.Thanks for any replies.

Fred

 

Fred, this is my first dodge, actually its only the second I have ever driven and the other one I drove was an 05 with a 48re. Therefor I have never driven an nv5600, however my dad has on 05 powerstroke 6sp I had an 01 superduty 5spd and one of my buddies has an 03 duramax 6spd and I will tell you that to me the g56 DRIVES the best by far. As far as durability only time will tell but to me it shifts much much smoother than the ford and a little smoother than the chevy but it is also more firm at the same time. As far as the flywheel 13000 miles on mine with the quad, tires, etc and still havent been able to slip mine yet.

 

Fred-
Just yesterday I took delivery of my new '06 CTD. I drove both and opted for the auto. I did drive one that had a 6sp manual and it seemed like after 6th gear and about 60-65 mph, you still needed one more higher gear to shift into. I asked the same question on here while I was looking and it was pretty much recommended that due to the way I drive, an auto would work for me the best.

Anyway you go, you are going to be very impressed with the new truck. I traded an '03 CTD and there is day and night difference between the two.

 

Good point rico, I forgot to mention that it would be nice to have a 7th gear. Now that I am running 34 and will step to 35s possible 37s the gearing is fine for me but with stock tires it was a little low. The reason DC says they did this was to impove towing fuel milage but I realy dont know. If you plan on going with bigger than stock tires, 285s to 315s, I dont think the gearing would be as poblematic. But I will say with stock tires it would pull a house down with those low gears. Stock tires, I ran out of gear at about 103mph if that tells you anything.

 

thanks for the input guys.i'll give both a try and go from there.


Fred

 

I suspect they did it for towing mileage improvement, as my old '03 had the 3.73 and NV5600 6 sp. and my '05 has 3.73 with the G56. The '03 would get 11.4 towing my 5er, while the new '05 with the G56 gets 12.9 towing the 5er. It does get slightly worse mileage running empty, but I have only 7K miles on the '05 so far, so it isn't broke in enough yet to really determine what I will get normally. Running empty, so far, I'm running average around town of 16mpg. - my old '03 (after break-in) was getting 17.7 mpg.

 

They did it because they couldn't get production volume for the NV5600 anymore (NVG is out of business).

The Ford and Chevy 6-spds are ZF transmissions.
The G56 is a Getrag. I believe the dual mass flywheels are the same.

I have driven both and wouldn't trade my NV for a G56, but I believe the G56 to be a good trans. I am not a fan of the dual mass flywheel. It fixes a lot of nvh problems, but sacrifices power holding capacity.

If you keep it stock, the dmf is fine.

If you mod, you'd have to get a new clutch on your 5600 too, so no advantage their.

 

Isnt the G56 a mercades?

 

One more time.THE G56 IS NOT A GETRAG! Its a DAMILER built tranny that has been used in Europe for a number of years in delivery vehicles.Its IN HOUSE built! Probaby the NUMBER one reason$ it was put into use is that its built by a Damiler owned company.Sell to thy self before buying outside.

 

The G56 is a Mercedes-Benz tranny. When I look at star parts it say's and I quote "Mercedes-Benz 6-speed HD manual trans" on the screen. I like the G56 better than the NV5600. The G56 has zero bearing noise at low rpm's where the nv5600 would sound like a bucket of bolts in second gear under 1000rpm's. I also like the higher rpm at 70 mph in 6th gear. It works better for us pulling the 3-car hauler, doesn't require quite as many 6 to 5 shifts. For those who don't pull heavy often they probably would like a nother gear or a higher 6th, but our trucks don't move unless they are hooked and heavy, normally.

 

This has been said already in this thread several time. Why do you keep repeating it?

I am sure he now understands that the transmission is not a Getrag and that its made by DC.

You are just adding insult to injury.

 

In addition, if you put a dual mass flywheel/clutch assembly in front of the nv5600 it doesn't rattle either. Has nothing to do with the transmission.

I'll take the stiff cast iron case of the NV5600 over the flimsy Aluminum cased G56 anyday. If it was a race car, then I'd want the Alunimum case.

I also don't mind downshifting to 5th when I'm towing (although with a box you don't have to downshift) if it helps my fuel economy over 70mph.

I agree with you though that the G56 will get better FE when towing if you never go over 60mph. However, it's legal in Michigan to tow at the posted speed, which is 70mph. I bet the NV would get better FE towing a 3 car trailer if you did 70mph vs. 55-60.

 

Not really, I just towed yesterday with one of our 04's with the NV5600. Ran about 350 miles with two different loads. One I was draging about 21500lbs and the other only about 17000lbs, and the truck got about 10.2 for the day. With the 06' or the 05 with the G56's I also get between 9.5-11 consistantly depending upon load and conditions. The rattle I am refering to is in the tranny, not the clutch. I think the NV5600 is a great tranny, don't get me wrong. I just like the G56 better. I like the lower 6th gear. I don't want to add a box as we somtimes gross over 35k and I have seen bad things happen grossing that much weight and pouring more coals to her. Also, we have been seeing a few more 6th gear and reverse syncro problems than I'd like come through the shop lately on the NV5600's. I may eat my words later, but right now I like the G56 better. We have one with over 30k pulling miles and no problems, these are not commuting miles. I am talking max GCWR or that plus 10 or 15k. I think the G56 shifts nicer, especially under heavy loads. The alluminum case doesn't bother me so much. I have seen some of the ZF's go 300k plus without opening them and they are alluminum, the clutches, that is another matter. Knock on wood I have seen no flywheel or clutch problems with the new Dual mass set-up on the Dodge, and I have sold a bunch of em.

 

Again I am not trying to offend you. I just prefer the G56. We do not keep trucks past 40k miles anyhow, after we put 40k miles on one you probably wouldn't want to own it. After I got home last night I unhooked the 04', it had just roled 40k on the odometer. We hooked up the new 06' that only had 60 miles on it loaded an 03' 3500 quad cab dually 4x4 diesel, and the 04' same specs, that I was pulling with and hauled those to St.Louis so they could get on a truck to go to Texas to a wholesaler that we sold them to. The 03' had belonged to a customer of ours who was in the concrete business and looked like it had been through a war. The 04 we sold to him also because we never sell the trucks we pull with locally because they prove to be too troublesome when they get up in miles and we don't want our customers to have problems.

 

"I have seen some of the ZF's go 300k plus without opening them and they are alluminum, the clutches, that is another matter."

The ZFs are rated for GVW of 26,000 in the Chev medium duty truck. They are pretty stout.

http://dodgeram.org/tech/transmission/nv5600_spec.html