Well sure... but that's a 100% take rate on the less than 5 percent of production that included a manual transmission.

 

Also keep in mind that the 5 speed transmission Ford offered since the 90s until 2010 was very weak. The largest engine they offered it with was a 4.6. It was an economy option, not a heavy duty one. It was manufactured by Mazda and was also used in Rangers and the Mazda Ranger based trucks.

An F150 hasn't had a serious heavy duty manual for decades. Besides, hardly anyone knows how to drive one anymore. Much less drive one well.

When I bought my '13 Wrangler the insurance agent asked if it had an anti theft device. I said that it had the best one, a manual transmission and that I could leave the keys in it and never have to worry about it being stolen.

And I know some of y'all have alterior motives. No one will ask to borrow your truck if it has a stick shift!

 

The M5R2 and M5R1 are two separate transmissions. The Rangers got the smaller R1 and the F150s got the R2.

The part about manuals is, they are more expensive to certify for automakers than autos and CVTs. While I don't fully agree that an auto or CVT gets any better mpg than a manual if it was designed better. Higher over drive and slightly easier for people to use (mostly beginners).

What I don't get is why Ford spent so much money on different manuals. Look at the ZF6, each one for the PowerStrokes and gas engines had their own transmission because of its single cast intergural bellhousing. You had one for the 7.3, 5.4/6.8, 6.0 and 6.4. They could have saved money if they had requested a transmission that could accept different bellhousings. Just my opinion. There's a small market for trucks with manuals just not large enough for it to make sense to spend the money for certification and making it an option. No if only there were companies willing to make conversion kits readily available, that would be nice.

 

true. and I have a 97 F150 with the 4.6 5spd. (its not running now)

 

You can also put your man pants on and say no to people...

 

The most theft proof today would be the 71 F100 I had with the column shifted three speed

 

I have one of those too, kinda. '66 Chevy C10 with a 3 on the tree. Sure to confuse most anyone under 40 these days.

 

Ahem! Under 30...

 

Most of the people I know who are near 50 wouldn't know what one is lol. When I drove mine in high school only a few knew what it was, but under 30, it would be totally foreign technology

 

I'm almost 27 and learned 3 on the tree at an early age. But I had a great tool to learn on.

'56 265 w/power pack and 3 on the tree. No power steering or brakes either.

 

Very sweet ride!

 

Nice Chevy Russ! Do you get a chance to put the top down much up there in Alaska?
I have to admit that at almost 40, I've only ever driven one truck in my life that had the "3 in the tree". A good friend had a 1980 F-100 stepside for a brief period. He bought it cheap from his dad because the truck didn't run. We got it running and drove it around a little bit before his ol' man took it back! This almost 20 years ago and I remember it confused the he** outta me at the time. I think I was driving a 1986 Ranger then with the early Mazda TK-5. Never had the opportunity to drive another column shifted vehicle since then.
As for the Mazda M5-OD, I've never had a problem with them in any Ranger or my 2006 F-150. The R2 model in my '150 was surprisingly stout IMO. And in a Ranger, what more do you need, really?

 

My 63 F100 had a 3 on the tree. I actually liked it because there was no floor shifter in the way to slide in to the drivers seat from the passenger side.
I think all the "extra" gears in transmissions are overrated. You really only need 4; 3 forward gears and one for reverse. One to get going, one for passing, one for crusing and one to back up for what ever falls off the truck.

 

Ahem ZF5/ZF6 cough!

 

AFAIK these transmissions weren't available on any 1/2 to trucks. The Mazda transmission was a light weight transmission and had no business being installed in a full sized truck used for any serious hauling or work. Maybe it was ok for a truck used like a car. The original transmission in my truck was the Mazda and it was making a lot of noise. The previous owner said it was rebuilt/replaced twice already. I found a low mileage ZF5 for mine and it was an easy swap. I feel confident the transmission will outlast the truck now.