I dumped my 2003 for my 2004 cuz I hates the auto when towing. The manual is 10X better. A hill that I'd be in third gear (auto) going 65 maxed out at red line and floored, I can pull at 80 in 6th w/o breaking a sweat. It's a huge difference.

 

In my years of rv towing I have burned up 5 automatic transmissions. Never had to replace a clutch. Just keep your foot off the clutch pedal as much as possible. Never never hold your rig on a hill slipping a clutch. This is what brakes are for. I have replaced a few clutch master and slave cylinders and these are alot less expencive than rebuilding an automatic. I went with the 3:73 gears due to alot of nontowing miles. I have found 5th gear will pull a 5-6% grade at 65mph. Passed a chevy duramaxedout like it was sitting still, he was pulling a 5th wheel close in size to our travel trailer. On the same run I dusted a diesel pusher and a suv towing app. a 20 foot travel trailer. We had a golf cart in the bed and firewood so we weren't running empty. I enjoy shifting the gears knowing I can decide which gear is best, and when I put it in that gear it will stay there. It's been a little over a year ago and I am just as happy with my truck as the day we picked it up. Don't even consider the slush box/rubber band transmission. Save the extra 12 hundred or so the automatic will cost and take a vacation in your new truck.

 

Buy the 6 speed I have had both auto and manual and now will always be manual. Have 2 freinds that both had auto and converted to manual and are much happier.

 

I have the 48 RE and plan to buy another. I haul in 4 x 4 low Kuomo shod 16 K goosenecks off "road" up steep rocky mountain grades. At 25 K no problems whatsoever. Pretty good tranny so far.

 

Me too. We pull hard and usually pretty heavy in nasty conditions. The 48RE has been flawless for me so far and I just turned 51,000 miles. I've never had mine mashed and redlined at 65 mph. I did come up the pass out of Bakersfield CA towards Las Vegas with a GCVW of 31500 and had to slow to 55....but I didn't have it mashed. Truck was in 3rd and pretty much idled right up. The stock temp guage was barely over 200. Yeah, that pretty much sold me for good. If you are really worried about it, though, you probably should consider a manual. That way if it pukes, you can say it wasn't your fault...because at least you bought the manual.

 

I know. 8 %+ off road desert mountain grade, 15 K gooseneck behind, summer 100 + degrees outside, listening to Strait and truck didn't break a sweat over 180 to 200. Manual?