skip

I just bought 2003 Ram diesel 2500 auto trans and dealer agreed to install jake brake. After driving new vechicle for 500 miles I was informed by dealer they could not install with auto trans without voiding drive train warrenty. Since I had asked 3 times if available with auto and assured &quot;yes&quot;, we had a discussion. Now they are offering to install jake brake and &quot;underwrite&quot; drivetrain warrenty.<br>Any thoughts on this?

spots

Just speculating here but one difference between the kits would be a clutch interlock switch. That one part would make a difference between a stick and a auto install, hence two different kits. But a very minor difference tho.. I do agree that the mounting for the 6 spd. on/off switch would be difficult in a auto trans truck. Mebbe deep down DC and Cummins are telling you if you want to pull weight get a standard trans. If you just want to play get an auto, and you won't need a brake. Again just speculating. And again not a huge issue because DC is going to certify the brake for 48RE trannys soon. Your dealers that installed 6spd jakes on the autos might need to order the on/off switch for the autos. Or maybe Jake is going not going to give you auto guys an on/off option. Dunno. Where is that Carleton guy when u need him? Also u gotta remember Cummins builds alot of diesels and the few customers who are buying a 48RE Jake are maybe not worth their while to email every little question?

FiverBob

[quote author=Nagi link=board=20;threadid=12980;start=15#125489 date=1049811185]<br>OK spots...Are you sure you haven't been sniffing to many hydrants lately??? See spots run...see spots speculate. :P<br>[/quote]<br><br>No, more like &quot;see Nagi get testy&quot;. ??? ???<br><br>I didn't read Spots response in any way like that. You are reading far too much into his comments. I think DC will quickly come up with answers to this. And, from some comments, it appears the 48RE has something different in the lockup built into this new tranny. <br><br>Hey, let's face it, we manual guys ARE DIFFERENT. We are shifty. <br><br>ShiftyBob

spots

[quote author=Nagi link=board=20;threadid=12980;start=15#125489 date=1049811185]<br>OK spots...So you're saying that the automatic transmissions can't pull as much as the standards??? Perhaps DC has their tow ratings wrong with standards verses automatics??? Or, perhaps just because us &quot;auto guys&quot; purchaced what is to be believed a better, stronger, and tougher auto transmission than the previous 47RE, that makes us less deserving or less practical to have a seperate on/off switch for an exhaust brake on our autos??? Or maybe you're saying that the many customers who purchaced their Dodges with standard transmissions are more privileged in receiving a direct responce from the Jacobs company than us &quot;auto guys&quot;, or are more favored when it comes to answering &quot;every little question&quot; meaning &quot;us auto guys&quot; are viewed as having lesser standards than you manual tranny guys (no pun attended). Are you sure you haven't been sniffing to many hydrants lately??? See spots run...see spots speculate. :P<br>[/quote]<br><br>Okay I just finished sniffing my butt so lemme see if I can answer your questions:<br><br>nope<br>nope<br>nope<br>oh hold on yep to the last one<br>nope us standard tranny guys don't have ebrake issues remember?? (it was, after all, designed for the superior tranny )<br>ahh yep I think<br>nope I sniff my butt as previously stated.<br>yep (said in my first post)<br>intersting of you to tie spots and dalmations together. Could be liver spots, spots before my eyes, spotting a nice lady on the beach, spot on my tie, etc<br>Speculating?? Mr Nagi<br>or is that like the wife does?? <br>Just giving you another point of view. Like I said DC is working on the ebrake for the slushbox. Just a matter of time.<br>PS save yer $$ for a rebuild in 50 to 80k

phildog

The only thing between a Manual or an auto is personal preference! I work on a ranch &amp; have had both. The auto is alot safer to drive than a stick. Yeah you can use your gears to slow you down coming off a hill. I will tell you a little story. Driving on the ranch one day with a trailer &amp; 13,000lbs on the trailer I camee up on a steep hill. I did not really have enough room to get a run at it (remember I am on a dirt road). I started up the hill &amp; lost power halfway up. I went to downshift, but could not get it into a lower gear. Now I am in nuetral on a steep hill with brakes applied &amp; the trailer is pulling me backwards! Let me tell you it was a wild ride all the way down the hill going backwards &amp; trying to steer it straight (24 ' trailer). Well I came to a stop against a huge rock! If I would of had an auto none of this would have happened. I would have just pulled it into a lower gear. No going into nuetral involved. I have pulled plenty of a heavy loads under extreme conditions (dirt roads w/ hills) every day! I am not talking about a 4 lane freeway pulling a camp trailer. Like I said it is just a matter if you like to shift manual or not.

spots

[quote author=phildog link=board=20;threadid=12980;start=15#125692 date=1049839332]<br>The only thing between a Manual or an auto is personal preference! I work on a ranch &amp; have had both. The auto is alot safer to drive than a stick. Yeah you can use your gears to slow you down coming off a hill. I will tell you a little story. Driving on the ranch one day with a trailer &amp; 13,000lbs on the trailer I camee up on a steep hill. I did not really have enough room to get a run at it (remember I am on a dirt road). I started up the hill &amp; lost power halfway up. I went to downshift, but could not get it into a lower gear. Now I am in nuetral on a steep hill with brakes applied &amp; the trailer is pulling me backwards! Let me tell you it was a wild ride all the way down the hill going backwards &amp; trying to steer it straight (24 ' trailer). Well I came to a stop against a huge rock! If I would of had an auto none of this would have happened. I would have just pulled it into a lower gear. No going into nuetral involved. I have pulled plenty of a heavy loads under extreme conditions (dirt roads w/ hills) every day! I am not talking about a 4 lane freeway pulling a camp trailer. Like I said it is just a matter if you like to shift manual or not.<br>[/quote]<br><br>In your opinion you think an auto is safer. I disagree. You should have climbed that hill fine if you would have driven a properly equipped truck in the proper gear. And if the brakes on the trailer and truck were adjusted properly it should have held on the hill. I do agree the tranny choice, like engine choice is a matter of preference. To say the only difference between a standard and an auto is preference is oversimplifying the subject. There are more factors than that involved. Have fun with your truck.

phildog

Yes I was simplifying things a little, but I think auto tranny's have come a long ways. As for my brakes being adjusted the trailer has surge brakes which do not work when you go backwards. The trucks brakes were on but the vehicles just slid backwards. I was on a dirt road not much traction. I still stand with the preference thing. A guy in an auto can do the same thing a guy with a manual can do. An auto is better for climbing, but a manual is better for decending. And Nagi why do you keep saying tranny failing at 50,000 miles?? I know plenty of guys who have 100,000 and no problems yet. The 48re is suppose to be a beefed up 47re. Love the trucks manny or auto the same. Thanks for replies.

spots

Yes surge brakes would cause you some grief on a hill, one of the reasons I am not a fan of them. I do agree trannys have come a long way, but you gotta remember the old 3 speeds were bulletproof, and then the manufactures pitched an o/d on them and they went to hell. Just now they are getting better. I think it is really cool that Dodge is giving 150k warranty on the tranny. I only got 100k on my engine, 70k on my tranny and driveline, and 3/36 on the rest of the truck. If you do not work the truck your tranny will last longer. Towing all the time will shorten its life. Yes I know lots of guys with 100k on an original trans. I can also introduce you to many with very little mileage on an auto that has puked. Where do I sign up for that warranty?? ???

moss2904

Well Spots, I guess I can stop taking Nagi's posture on the threads personally, there is a pattern to them.
Have you ever been driving along and have somebody cut you off and cause you to have to react defensively because of their driving? You start to take it personally and you watch the driver for a minute and you see them do the same thing again everytime they pass somebody. You finally realize that it was nothing personal it is just the way they choose to drive. I can't help but think of Nagi that way, nothing personal he just types that way.
I wish I had an automatic with a 150k warranty also. :
Randy

FiverBob

Phildog,

I highly recommend looking into a Jordan brake controller. The brakes on the trailer are controlled by how much the brake pedal is depressed on the tow vehicle. You can apply brakes on the trailer even going backwards or stopped and I mean full brakes, not a partial (25%) brake.

I read where they were making grade pull comparisons on Ford, Dodge and Chev with manual trannies. I think it said (memory not failing) about a 15% grade - - steep. One of them missed a shift in one of the trucks, could not find a gear and finally ended up completely stopped. And these guys are supposed to be pros. So, it can happen to any of us.

ps:since when is the 48RE warranteed for 150K? Is that true?

fprotiva

About 700 miles now on my HO/48RE with the Jake. Just finished towing my 4400# boat from Bullhead City (elevation about 500ft) to Flagstaff (elevation about 7000 ft, 180 miles from Bullhead). Since it was mostly uphill, I didn't get a lot of opportunity to use the Jake. What little I did use it, it seemed to work OK, but I had to keep the revs up (obviously). The truck still pulls to the right, and still smells like there is an exhaust leak, but I thought I'd put a few more miles on it before taking it to the dealer, just to make sure nothing else cropped up. On this second tank, it looks like I'm getting about 15 empty and 13 towing the boat. Hope the empty mileage goes up...my '96 12-valve got about 19 empty running about 80 mph down the freeway. Still think the '03 rides WAY rougher than the '96....and I still REALLY love this '03. Can't wait to get the 5ver hooked up &amp; out on a long tow!