mra35

Just got my truck (hence the noobie status) been lurking here and other sites for a while trying to decide what was the best way to go. It ended up being obvious. The CTD with 6 speed. Man does this truck run! I had my first chance to really pull last weekend up a good hill. I set up my buddy in his PSD and blew by him in the slow lane. Got a call from him the next day asking how fast I was going, just told him "I don't know, to quiet to tell!" Sorry to ramble, but Since going to the 6 speed I notice I actually shift less than in my old 5 speed f-150. 8)

Hoss

Welcome aboard!!! ;D<br><br>I may be the only one but I find myself wishing there was a 7th gear. I've got the 6 shooter with 3.73 gears, but going 70 MPH puts my engine at about 2100-2200 RPMS...which seems to make the gas mileage start dropping. I wish there was a 7th gear so I could cruise at 75 MPH and keep the RPM around the 1800 range....which is where I seem to get the best mileage.

mra35

[quote author=Hoss link=board=17;threadid=15359;start=15#145580 date=1054731291]<br><br>I may be the only one but I find myself wishing there was a 7th gear. I've got the 6 shooter with 3.73 gears, but going 70 MPH puts my engine at about 2100-2200 RPMS...which seems to make the gas mileage start dropping. I wish there was a 7th gear so I could cruise at 75 MPH and keep the RPM around the 1800 range....which is where I seem to get the best mileage. <br>[/quote]<br><br><br>I've caught myself a couple of times trying to grab another gear past 6th, good thing there is a gate blocking reverse! :-[<br>

Hoss

On two different occasions I've successfully ground the gears while going down the highway and shifting into reverse (well, not INTO...but far enough to grind 'em). My salesman told me the truck wouldn't do that...but it most certainly does.

taskE42

Had a 98.5 auto.went 80,000.then started to bomb,the trans was history,went with HO 6 speed this time,and love it.

brillmtb

Spots,

Dont worry man, she really doesnt want to drive it. She has a pretty SUV to drive. I just need her to be able to get me to the hospital if I hurt myself on my 520 KTM or out camping.

I realize the auto will have some drawbacks but the benefits for me just make the auto the best choice. It was a hard decision. I just hope everything I read about the 48 being better are correct. If it will go 150,000 I will consider it a success.

Steve

mra35

[quote author=brillmtb link=board=17;threadid=15359;start=15#145829 date=1054777934]<br>I just need her to be able to get me to the hospital if I hurt myself on my 520 KTM or out camping.<br>[/quote]<br>That's why I made sure she was comfortable driving the 6spd. Every now and then the CRF and I don't agree on how we should land a Jump. :P And then it is nice to have someone else drive.

crabman

Those 315 BFGs are sure nice for dropping the freeway cruise rpm.

dodgedude361

i just got my `03 HO 48re,so far so good, i do alot of stop and go. this is my daily driver, and i live in ny, so the six shooter was out of the question.i will keep you posted on any probs i encounter

spots

[quote author=brillmtb link=board=17;threadid=15359;start=15#145829 date=1054777934]<br>Spots,<br><br>Dont worry man, she really doesnt want to drive it. She has a pretty SUV to drive. I just need her to be able to get me to the hospital if I hurt myself on my 520 KTM or out camping.<br><br>[/quote]<br><br> Yes I do agree that you gotta have someone to get you to the doctor, and if she didn't drive the truck you would be stuck.

brillmtb

That's a good point.....the truck is going to be my daily driver as well so the 6 speed would have hypertrophied my right arm to the point of having a massive right bicep.<br><br>

GrandpasRam

[quote author=Hoss link=board=17;threadid=15359;start=15#145580 date=1054731291]<br>Welcome aboard!!! ;D<br><br>I may be the only one but I find myself wishing there was a 7th gear. I've got the 6 shooter with 3.73 gears, but going 70 MPH puts my engine at about 2100-2200 RPMS...which seems to make the gas mileage start dropping. I wish there was a 7th gear so I could cruise at 75 MPH and keep the RPM around the 1800 range....which is where I seem to get the best mileage. <br>[/quote]<br><br>You're not the only one that would like to have one more gear up; I also occasionally grab for one more. I was doing it all the time in my old '99 5sp, and thought it would go away when I got the 6sp, but it didn't. :'( Still keep grabbing for one more, just not quite as often. When I bought my '99 I met a guy at the dealership that had a 97 he had modified and put in a 7sp Spicer; he really loved it - maybe after the warranty period I'll look into that. 8)

Robert Venable

Another thing to consider is that if you want to get more power out of your engine later on when more modifications start coming out, you will be spending roughly $5000 more for the auto. This includes the $1100 bucks for the auto over the 5 speed, $1800 for a Torque converter, $600 for a transcontroller, $475 for valvebodies,$300 for a deeper transmission pan, and more for various things like Instalation of all these parts (price will varry according to what you are able to do yourself) and additional gauges, coolers, and more.

pappygtb

sorry fella's,i went with the automatic.i drive it every day-and i mean every day.the 6 would have been great if i did not use it every day,but i also pull cars on a trailer-2000# trailer and cars from 2000-5000#.the truck has performed flawless-EVEN WITH THE 47RE.get what you want,we all have opinions,and different uses-oh yea,it is also a so,and i cant complain.our 93 ctd has about 190,000 on her-never touched the tranny yet-and it is used hard as a farm truck.good luck-i love them all no matter what.

rtm038

I too was on the fence between the auto and 6 speed, but after a 2nd test drive with the 6 speed, I was sold. The 6 speed is the only way to go. It's not that bad driving in bumper to bumper highway or city traffic. Plus, it's fun to run through the gears and you really get a good sense of how much power the HO motor produces with the 6 speed. Pulls strong in every gear.<br><br>Ryan