I am looking to buy a 2006 2500 with a 5.9 and was wondering which trans would be the best for towing a 5th wheel, gross is around 12,000 lbs on the trailer.

Also I assume the 5.9 does not have an exhaust brake? Can one be put on.

Thanks for the help

 

While there are a few solid choices for the tranny, most will reply with a vote for a Goerend's tranny. He is out of Iowa and has a sterling reputation for his transmissions. Get the heavy duty build with the lifetime warrantied triple disc torque converter. His prices are also among the best. Due to his popularity, getting one can sometimes be a little slow but it is definitely worth it. I have had mine for almost 5 years now with a lot of HP and heavy towing (in the mountains no less) put through it and not one issue.

Yes, there are several mfgs. for exhaust brakes for the 5.9, shop around and use the search function here for more info.

 

Best trans for towing is a manual transmission with an upgraded clutch.

 

I will have to freely admit I may have misunderstood the question at hand...

I jumped to the conclusion of what would be the best AUTO tranny to have.

The manual vs auto debate is very subjective to which I say to each his own. There are merits both ways.

 

The best transmission for towing is the one you have in your truck, unless it's having problems, then upgrade..

I tow 12k all the time on my stock 48RE..

 

I tow for a living. I have an 06 3500 with a 5.9 and G56 6 speed manual and 4.10 gears. My trailer empty is 8,000 lbs and I regularly pull loads in the 38,000 lbs range. The rancher that had this truck before me had to replace the factory clutch at 32,000 thanks to his son not knowing how to drive it correctly. He had a single mass clutch put in. I bought the truck on June 18 2013 with 58k on it! I just tore the spline sleeve out of the disk (center of the friction plate) at 175,000. My cousin pulls loads with me and he has gone threw 4 automatics in the last 100k. So it is a case of how much are you planning on towing? What kind of driving are you doing? If you are looking to tow light and drive it regularly in town then go for a automatic. If you are heavy hauler on the highway better go with the manual.

 

Also my 5.9 has an exhaust brake! It was on the truck when I bought it. It does say Cummins on the activation switch and on the brake itself!

 

There can be no argument which transmission is better for towing. it will always be the manual. That does not mean you can't tow with an automatic, you obviously can. I refuse to get a flame war with this opinion, just keep in mind that automatics require significant oil cooling and manuals need no cooling......nuf said.

 

117000 miles in 6 mo. = 650 miles every day not much time to rest not counting loading and unloading time!

 

Completely untrue. All class 6-8 manual trannys have air to liquid cooling. The reason it's not on your getrag us because it's considered a light duty transmission. Sooner than later your going to see nothing but automatics. Like if or not.

 

You are right. and I don't like it!

 

Light Duty is relative. That gearbox is far from being light duty with a 1 1/4" diameter pilot shaft, it's pretty stout. If I'm not mistaken, those Class 6 -8 transmissions are hydraulically actuated and are closer to an automatic than a manual. The reason for my efficiency statement is basic physics, where there is generated heat, you have lost efficiency. That's not to mention the cost and frequency of repair between the two. A clutch change is much less expensive than an automatic overhaul. There are many reasons to choose an automatic over a manual, but that was not the OP's question.

 

The trans question is best answered like this do you like to shift gears because around town you are going to shift up to fourth quite a bit. Less expo naive maintanice and longer time between rebuilds.

Auto. More maintanice lower RPM on the highway less work to drive. Easier to find because they are more popular.

Hope this helps.

 

Best Tranny for Towing is the NV5600 2005 and older. With a 4:10 and that tranny. You can go most anywhere you want with Max load on the truck and more.

My 2000 Dodge with the NV5600 at 235hp, would really get it down the the road. It also had an exhaust brake. Worked better than the one I have in the 06. The clutch lasted 185,000 miles. Had nothing but trouble with the South Bend installation.

That Said and I wish my current truck had the NV5600, but I have the 48RE
with a Triple Lock TFI, lifetime warranty, Billet Torque Converter installed. Tranny now has 102,000 on it. I do not tow in Tow/Haul. The shifts and far to hard especially from 3rd (locked up) to overdrive (locked up) I have to drive this tranny like it was a 5600 to avoid damage. I always start off with the OD locked out, exhaust brake off, get to 50-55 mph, push the button for OD, take my food off the go pedal and let it shift nice and soft. I then engage the Exhaust brake which increases pressures in the tranny. Slowing down its a two push on the tranny control back to OD off with the exhaust brake still on for slowing or stopping. Truck pulls a 7% grade at 48 mph in third. EGT's High 1100's low 1200's.

So you can see the Triple lock has some drawbacks. Tranny does run about 10 degrees less than the stock TC. It is always about 100 degrees above ambient air temp.

Torque Converter has been in the truck since July of 2010 with about 44,400 miles on it. So far the 48RE has been a good tranny. I run the edge on tow all the time. When on a long striaght road, I will go to Drive on the edge and the mileage starts to pick up. In the hills on tow, it never downshifts and runs away from Freightliners with Fifth wheel tows and most all others. 62-63mpg is the tow speed. Pulled away from a 2013 Ford F350 with a 37ft Landmark when he got smart, thumbs down me and stepped on the go pedal. Wish I had of known he was going to do that. Would have pushed the next button on the edge.

The big drawback In my opinion between the Auto and the Manual is the loss of turbo boost when your shifting. It comes back but not as fast with the auto.

I wish I could be put the 68RE in my truck. That would be a really good thing.
Now that 4.30's are available for my rear, I may do that. Mileage with the 4.10's is 11.5 to 11.8.

Dave

 

I agree that a clutch swap is far less than a automatic overhaul.

Your referring to an auto shift tranny, I think their junk but that's just my opinion. I was referring to the 8,10,13 and 18 speed manual shift units, they all have a trans cooler mounted either in front of the radiator or between the frame rails behind the tranny. Most run 50w synthetic oil.