Well, I like to think I'm a real man. I'm not fat. I'm not skinny. I'd say I'm slim. I also consider myself a "Young" 42 years old. I manage an equipment company which requires a lot of physical labor in the warehouse and I do as much as I can myself because the more others do, the more they screw things up.
Ever since getting the 6-speed trans my legs have been hurting. After driving 30 miles to work, busting my hump for 9 hours a day, and then driving 30 miles home in traffic my ankles feel like I just ran a marathon in shoes with no support. I've put cushioned insoles in my shoes and it helps a bit but not enough. I even tried taking Osteo-Biflex but I forget to take it half the time. I guess my skinny legs are just not meant to drive a manual trans everyday. When I wake up in the morning my ankles are very stiff and the joints pop like popcorn as I walk down the steps. I tell you, it's hard to man-up and admit you are getting older but that's the case here and I had none of these issues before I started shifting gears. Heck, I have a 5.0 Mustang Convertible in the garage that I hardly drove this summer because my legs always feel tired and didn't feel like shifting anymore gears..
The truck will go in the classifieds soon and probably on e-bay. I'm going to try to move it as is but if that doesn't work then it will go back to stock which won't take much work.
I won't be leaving here though. I'll just be finding me another CTD with a built auto....
Sorry to be such a wuss but I tried to be a man for over a year now and I'm done. Buying a commuter car is out of the question too because I spent all my $$$ paying for this so I wouldn't have a payment each month.....

Signed
Oldzilla

 

Sorry to hear that, Dzilla...

I almost want to ask if you want to trade... My wife would shoot me...

 

I know exactly what you mean !!! I was running my part time lawn care business when I bought my first 06 CTD which was a six speed and after cutting a few lawns and sitting in traffic it really got to me. Not only that, you have to shift gears like a mack truck every thirty feet just about, that got a little old. I moved up to a 4 wd and an aoutomoatic and wont go back. Good luck !!!

 

I love rowing through the gears but doing it in traffic everyday makes it much less enjoyable.....

 

better learn how to shift without using the clutch. LOL That's what I had to do.

 

I have similar problems so I feel your pain, arthritis in all my joints! This was a factor when I bought my truck as well. I decided to suck it up and go with the six speed. After having the truck now for 10 months I've been contemplating the same. I really like the new 6spd auto with the exhaust brake.

 

Man I wish I had the money coming in to help you guys out of your trucks. I of course would be willing to trade my Jetta (not that you would be willing to trade) but its a stickshift too. It just hurts my back, my legs are fine.

 

Sucks to hear Zilla. Sent you a PM.

 

So you're saying that you can handle 9 hours of hard work on your feet but you can't handle 30 minutes of sitting in a comfortable seat while depressing the clutch on occasion? And you call yourself a "real man"?

Just kidding...sort of.

 

I said I like to "think" I'm a real man. Obviously I am wrong if I can't handle all that on a daily basis. I had better go break the news to my wife....

 

Dodgezilla, know what you mean, man it can HURT, big time. That is why we got the automagic tranny, and put the steps and running boards on our truck. I have a right hip that really bothers me, I think it is from several hundred K miles of putting on the brake.

 

how about getting the hydraulic upgrade from SBC. with a stock clutch, it will make pushing the clutch in even easier and may be just enough to help with your pain.
gramps.



how about physical therapy to strenghten the weak/hurting joints?

gramps.

 

Sorry to hear that, Mike. I know I like my autos.
Have you tried floating the gears? That way you only use the clutch to get started.
Then again, since you have a QC, you could just get a chaufeur and be done with it. I bet there are people out there who would pay YOU to drive your truck.

ProblyOlderThanIThinkIAmChris

 

Why don't you talk to your Doctor about a good anti inflammatory to help cure the problem so you can keep your truck Arthritis can be dealt with pretty successfully

 

My recommendation...

Join a gym that has the Cybex Total Body Arc Trainer and do the "Hill Interval" program for 30 minutes 3-6 times a week.

Great for your joints, great for your heart and if "slim" actually means "I could lose a little" then it's great for that as well.

A gym fee is less than the payment on a new truck and EVERYONE...no matter how healthy they are...can benefit from a good no-impact cardio workout.

Better shoes or boots might help too. If you're in decent shape and you're feet hurt at the end of every day then that's a pretty good sign that your feet aren't getting the support they need. Sometimes those drop-in insoles you mentioned do more harm than good.

Or you could sell your truck.