you know you can recalibrate your mph don't you? I haven't done that since my new tires.

 

Yes I know,,, but my speedo is very close to my GPS and I am wanting to see actual speed @ 2 K,,,With my current tires 31.5" my speed @ 2K is around 63MPH on Gps and 64 on speedo thats not the issue,,,,,

I am looking @ putting on the Nitto's either Terra's OR Dura's between 33-34+" hoping to get closer to 70MPH @ 2K RPM but if your speedo is off and you dont have a GPS I guess its a moot point,,,, @ this Point!!!!!!!

 

nope, I will run it, (with my GPS) and let you know.

 

Cool!!!!! thanks Rooster!!!

 

no problem RiverCat2!

 

I have the Nitto 295/70/17 tires and like them pretty good. There not 35's like rooter said. There more like 33.5-34" 11.50. Good tires though. At first I thought they were going to wear fast, but after about 15K they look almost new. About 2100 at 70 with my speedo corrected. 21-22mpg

 

I got a chance to drive a 6spdf this weekend. It was a 2wd SRW 2004.5 model with 95k miles on it.

First off, this is not a truck to learn how to drive a stick on! I’ve been driving std trannys all my life and I still fought it a little bit. Mostly on downshifts. I think it would get better w/a little practice.

For around town cruising its def. not fun (as others have said). You start in 2nd and are in 4th by 40mph. 70mph in 6th gear is right at 2200 rpms (3.73 rear end)

Overall I had no issues with it. For being purely a tow vehicle it seems to make sense for my needs. Better gas mileage, lower EGTs and no tranny to rebuild. From what I’ve read, if you don’t bump up the power on the engine and you aren’t lighting up the wheels at the stop lights the pressure plates last quite a long time.

So, I’m pretty well sold on the 6spd. Thanks to all for input!

oh ya, I got in my car after driving the truck and thought the slave cylinder had failed for a moment. It was just that the clutch petal was SO much lighter compared to the truck.

 

Change the lube if you get it. Mine shifts the best with RP Syncromax but some guys like other brands better. New lube/additives helps tremendously. Put in 5.5-6 qts. I think rev is always tight in the 5600s - something about that syncro not being as good as the forward syncros. BE CAREFUL not to hit rev instead of 5th. The first owner of my truck destroyed the rev syncro and gear - DC rebuilt in warranty and all is well. I'd like to find out if anyone builds a rev lockout. Craig

 

Very good to know, thanks. I was thinking that would be top of my list to replace the tranny fluid. I have a feeling whatever truck I buy will most likely still be using the original fluid. I read it helps to over fill by 1/2-1 qrt. You recommend?

I noticed the potential reverse issue your talking about. The one I drove had the shift pattern on the ball screwed on upside down so that didn't help things much when I was driving. I remember being concerned about were reverse is positioned. I think the key to this tranny is to shift smoothly and not try to rush it. Forcing the issue is not the way to go. I've got a couple months until I can buy the truck. I'll probbaly test drive a couple more between now and then just for the comparisions.

 

I'm using 6 quarts of Amsoil MTF synthetic fluid in the tranny.

MikeyB

 

I'm buying '03-'04 almost exclusively for towing (5-10k miles annually).

First, reliability. I'm only towing 8500lbs though so may not be much of an issue.

Second, economy. Does the manual produce better fuel mileage ?

Third, how tough is the manual to drive?

Last, is it worth the hassle of shifting? Maybe its just easier to get the auto and not worry about it...


If buying exclusively for towing, then there is no comparison: The ability to crawl is unmatched, first; second, the ability to exactly match engine rpm to load and road is what the automatic cannot do; third, you won't be overheating an auto trans (and then the engine cooling system) by having to horse that rig into a tight spot. My trailer was 8,000-lbs GVWR, and the whole rig scaled 16,000-lbs or so. 15 mpg at 1,850 (63 mph).

If you also want highest economy, then, again, the 5600 is the way to go. Always keep the engine between 1,700-1,900 rpm for any road, load or condition. One must beware of lugging the engine, so make all shifts at 2,100, pause, and bring it back in at 1,400 or higher. NEVER lower than this. This diesel has a narrow sweet spot that pays money.

The owners manual says to use all gears all the time, no skip shifting or starting in second. Neither New Venture nor Dodge will endorse t any other practice. I'll grant that using first is slow, but (again, different to what you'll hear around here and somehow conclude is common), you'll learn that each gear shift is a bit different depending, again, on road, load and traffic. Mentally, you slow down as the engine tells you what it wants it is no longer you telling it what you want. The throttle is just for moving between gears, and road speed is about gear speed. The throttle is irrelevant.

The 5600 isn't tough to drive. Girls drive them every day. But the truck is slow (and it's heavy) so the man-trans reminds you constantly that this thing is not easy to stop. When the road is open, you can move right along. When it is congested people will cut in front of you (why I bought some German-made horns for Autobahn use: piercing. And the headlights come on right after every startup. A RANCHHAND complete front bumper would help too).

i
The 5600 (ideally, IMO, with an exhaust brake) is an easy way to control this size truck as it is naturally slow, heavy, and hard to stop even when empty.


I average 19 mpg in town and a little over 22 on the Interstate by not varying rpms. The auto is never this close in city vs country -- a 3-mpg spread -- because of the control the driver exerts.

If wavering on the auto (OP final comment) then try to better frame the question. If this truck is to be just a kiddie toy -- hotrodded & abused -- then the auto is the way to go. If one wants to consider "economy" and "reliability" another way then find the gauge to measure with.

Mine is a 2WD (with IFS & rack-and-pinion steering, remember) that I wanted longest life, lowest cost and greatest reliability from that runs the roads for me. Around town is the compromise (most hours but fewer miles; do you understand your hours/miles split?), so one way I have of gauging effective driving is not only fuel economy but tire life (and brake life is next). To start with the last, the truck has had but one pad-set change since new (now at 146,000). First set of replacement tires was 123,000 (PO never got off the big road except for diesel and cigarets). Treadwear is less than 1/32 at approximately 10,000-miles. In other words, take fixed costs and variable costs and set a target. You have to be able to live with what you set.

Frankly, someone who tows 5m annually -- and for whom diesel operating costs are irrelevant -- really only needs a Hemi 1500. 8,000-lbs is what we pulled with cars in the 1960's and '70's.