Interested in hearing pro's and con's of an automatic vs manual transmission in a 1 ton or higher diesel truck for pulling gooseneck.

Realizing it is more work with the manual, is the value in controlling speed, using the transmission vs brakes, starting loads, etc?

Manual transmissions are getting harder and harder to find on dealers lots.

I just bought an F350 with an automatic transmission that has tow/haul mode - first time I've been exposed to this feature.  Took it out this last weekend with my 3H 8'LQ gooseneck over a mountain pass.  With tow/haul mode on, when you touch the brakes as you start down hill, it shifts down automatically, and it was wonderful.  I think many people forget to shift down with an automatic like you would with a manual.

I was always of the train of thought that a manual transmission was the best way to handle the torque of a bigger engine for hauling.  I was raised on a wheat farm and put myself through college driving 30-40k lb grain trucks in harvest - with two speed manual transmissions.

I think the automakers have learned this the hard way too.  One tons from the big three now seem to have much better automatic transmissions to be paired with diesel engines than they used to. 

Just my two cents worth.

Thats a girls name...! what does that tell ya !

Hi,

Allison is a nice girl's name but also an excellent transmission. Bought used 2001 GMC Crewcab 2500HD dually(yes, a dually) with 8.1 gasser/Allison combo few months back to finally upgrade 1989 2500 Burbie. Couldn't afford diesel trucks, even used are quite a bit more than gassers. My 17 year old daughter is starting to drive herself now(dad can't always get off Saturdays) to her barrel shows. She doesn't drive stick, and I wasn't going to teach her with a truck this big and trailer attached. Anyone can move an automatic truck if need be, but not everyone drives stick. Truck pulls and shifts great(has tow/haul mode). With dually tires, awesome stability and not worried of overloading tires(there's other factors than GCWR and GVWR) like the plenty of SRW 250/350,2500/3500 trucks pulling 10-16,000 loaded trailers we see at the shows.

  I'm going to sneak in here and put a few lines in.  In my Dodge/Cummins/6 speed, I have not just the control when braking, but here on the west coast we have to contend with the mtns and foothills that just don't occur in the "flat" mid west. How many folks pull 13000 lbs over an 8000 ft pass to get from the east side of a state to the west? It seems I am ALWAYS pulling a grade, and when the engine hits it's power band, you just don't loose speed over the hills. I also have had GMC, Ford, and now a Dodge. ALL are fine trucks... BUT... when it comes to heating up an engine, the automatic, even with a cooler, puts a lot of heat load into the radiator.

I live in the high desert, we are at 3300 ft in my yard, and to go to the trails or to the coast, I have to pull the grade to the pass,( 3800 ft,) then go down to the valleys,( 500 to 1000 ft) and to the coast, ( say maybe 100-200 ft above sea level). All this within 60-70 miles. The return from say Santa Barbara show grounds is a climb back up to the valley,(1100 ft in Santa Clarita), then climb  to the top of Soledad Pass,(4000 ft) and over to the flats at 3300 ft out in the desert. The temps in the pass will usually exceed 100 degrees, as will the high desert in summer and fall/late spring. YOU NEED all the cooling you can get. and an auto is pumping heat into the radiator. You do know that heat will fry an auto quicker than you can sneeze?  Folks think of  desert as flat. NO WAY!! it is hills and washes, mtns and is high except for near the Mojave sink, and Death valley, Both of which are ringed by mountains. An automatic by its very design is a heat maker and will fry in the heat.  that is why in my opinion, a manual trans is what a semi uses, and they are turning 200-500 thousand miles a year and more!

Ok, flame suit on...Shoot!

It's just personal preferance. Do you or don't you like to use a handshaker?

Pick any tranny and I can find somebody I know who has had problems with it. Dodge went through a rash of problems with both their manual and auto trannies in the 90's. Ford had problems with the E4 auto in 99 -2002. And why do you think GM is buying a allison trannies, The trannies they made previous had a horrible track record.

The new trucks you buy today have great automatic transmissions. As stated the big 3 learned some hard warranty lessons and improved their trannies to take the load. The new automatics are computer controlled and shift decisions are all tied into the exterior air temp, the engine RPM and temps, emmissions and other sensors.

I live in Utah at 4400 feet, and I'm always pulling a 12,000 lb trailer up 7-8% mountain grades often over 8000 feet summits. I-80 up Parleys Summit is a 70mph,  US 40 up Daniels Summitt is a 55 mph, Trappers loop is a 45-50mph drive. And countless Forest Service gravel  roads where you grind in at a crawl. The power band and transmission gears seem to work fine on any of these.

Follow the service schedule in your owners manual and the newer autos will hold up just fine. 90% of all new 1 ton  trucks come with the auto's. That should suggest something.

Opinions being what they are;

I think the reason you are seeing so many auto tranny's is because so many folks can't drive Stick! We have a LOT of folks who have good capacity trucks and just go get groceries in them. Course, I live in So. Calif. so that explains a lot.  All in all, a manual will handle more torque, give you selective speed control, and of course, will allow you to use your "Jake" if you have it, on downhills. True, I have seen a lot of new tranny's holding up to the demands of heavy hauling, but NOT to the heat here. No matter what, you are adding heat to an overworked radiator.

Well I just got tired of jammin gears! All of the newer autos will do very well!  After owning 3 Dodge autos they finally got it right it works just like the Allison and you can use a exhaust (jake or whatever) brake. Thanks Allison! The mfg. lists the tow rating and they pull with the manuals. If your tranny is getting hot there is a reason....you ain't drivin it right....some people can't drive a stick and believe it or not some can't drive an auto! mash the pedal and go.....I have never had a auto failure yet knock on wood.....lots of autos out there! Now if I was going to haul at my tow rating 75% of the time I would maybe reconsider....

Wouldnt have anything to do with GM owning Allison would it?

Know why they call em "STICKS"

The new Diesel engines are designed to operate at higher rpms, the new automatics are designed to keep it in the best operating range. Most people would not naturally drive at those higher rpm's "unless you like driving an old detroit" The transmissions built now are more dependable across the board however people do need to pay very close attention to service schedules, a good rule of thumb for an automatic is to have the fluid changed every 30k.

Drive both, 90% of people prefer the automatics.