I am looking at a newer 6.7 trucks and i really wanted to get a stick (gonna be towing a 36ft fifth rv/11k pds). But i know that the auto also has the gear select on the column. So to those of you that have gone from stick to the auto or have the auto how do you like it for towing? Is it just as good as a stick?

I am looking all over the place for a used laramie mega cab dually 4x4 with a stick and its like impossible to find locally or at all

 

I have a 2007 dually with a 6 speed manual. I have a 3000+lbs cabover camper and tow a ATV tralier. My clutch went out after 37,000 miles. $2000.00 worth of repair at the Dodge deeler here in Alaska. A good mech. friend of mine told me I should of got a southbend clutch instead. I don't haul or tow anything as heavy as your 5th wheel. Seams to me this clutch should've lasted alot longer then 37k. And no I don't "Ride the Clutch"!...

 

plan on a new clutch. the dual mass flywheel is the the weak point on the g56. set aside $1500-$2000, and the trans will go forever. i replaced my stock clutch @ about 9000 miles. i have always had manuals in my trucks. the g56 (made by mercedes) is a great tranny, just has a crappy flywheel.

 

I have the auto in my 07.5 dually, I pull a 16000 lb toyhauler with no problems. Love the transmission and the ex brake

 

+1 on that. Love mine too. I miss my 2004 for several reasons but I love this 6.7L. I would love to have one of each all the way from 1st gen up. BUT, I cannot afford that so, I'll stick with what I have for now.

 

I went from an 01 with the 6 speed manual to an 07 with the 6 speed auto and I prefer the auto - integrated exhaust brake & tow haul mode works great.

If you are going with an auto and are going to tow you may want to get the 4.10s as the auto has a double overdrive. Check out this spreadsheet on mph vs trans vs rear end gears. http://www.klenger.net/dodge/general...calculator.xls

 

I went from a 5.9 W/5-speed stick to the 6.7 W/6-speed auto and wouldn't go back. This automatic is slick.

 

I prefer driving stick and am generally happy with my G-56. The weak spot, however is the clutch which has started slipping a little when I accelerate under load. You may wish to take that into consideration. It'll cost $1-2K to replace with a stronger aftermarket unit somewhere down the line. Still, I guess it comes out cheaper than having to rebuild an auto tranny.

To be fair, I did test drive the auto before I bought my truck 2 years ago. I was impressed and almost went for it but settled for the G56 instead. I only wish Dodge had installed a truly heavy-duty clutch as original equipment.

 

I have a auto and love it. The 6.7L with the 6-speed auto with the tow hual mode and E/B is a great combination. I tow a 11K 5er and the the trans never hunts for the correct gear the truck will just pull all day long. I run a set of gages with a Mag-Tech trans pan and hauled up in the northern MI, this last week the trans temp never went above 180F. The truck just new what gear to be in, with the small hills in northern MI.

Another point to note is Dodge will not offer 4.10 gears with the manual trans. All you can get are the 3.73's as the highest gear set. With the 6-speed auto and 4.10's gear you will have the highest towing capacity. The manual trans trucks with the 3.73's are not rated for the max towing capacity.

Just my $0.02.

 

If I were to buy a new truck,I'd get the auto. My G56 doesn't shift worth a crap when its colder than about 50 degrees outside. In the NW thats about 6 months out of the year.

Two different dealers say its fine and won't do anything about it. Amsoil ATF didn't help the shifting. The ATF+4 is marginally better.

I like towing with manual trucks and this truck with an 11,000lb fifth wheel is no exception. Tows like a champ once the tranny is hot.

I figured the manual would also give me less headaches than an auto. Guess not.

 

Change the fluid in your G56. I have two of them and they both shift fine well below 50 degrees. They are the best shifting trannies I have ever driven. One does get a little notchey for the first 1/2 mile at freezing but the other was smooth as silk at 17 degrees. Anything should be a little off cold anyways or you wouldnt have cold start programs and high idle. I absolutley love the G56 for hauling with my gross hanging in between 23500 and 26k! Definatly better than the old NV4500 or NV5600. Most people who go auto regret the switch after towing a few times. I am firmly convinced that people who love to haul with an auto never put the truck near max work potential. It also seems that the autos arent holding up as good as people thought, especially with power adders. You can break anything if ya try hard enough but other than the weak clutch most G65 failures are from sled pulling.

 

Sticks are for popsicles....


Get the automatic.....besides, it has a higher job rating than the G-56.

 

lol..... ratings mean very little in the real world. i know guys pulling HUGE loads with the sticks. i'll take the longevity, price and lack of a computer shifting when it "thinks" it needs to. but to each his own. that's why they sell both.

 

the new 6spd auto can be manually shifted with the touch of a button.....Touche'!!

 

New auto is still a slush box. Only way that I would buy an auto is if they were like the Eaton 18 spd manual with the solinoid actuator replacing the shifter lever. Strength and gears of a manual with auto shifting. Of course I would still have the handshaker model.