will ford bring back a diesel with a stick ? I drive a f150 Lariet , but my f- 350 diesel with auto. Sucks - 2 trannies from ford crapped out , just sold it for a loss and bought a dodge because they still have a std. available. I always bought diesel's with a std. ,Just alot more dependable for towing. I know people love them automatics until they get the bill for replacing it. Anyone else agree or opinion's ?

 

couldnt you have stuck a older stickshift in your f350 and ditched the auto? why so quick to sell at a loss?

 

Wouldn't surprise me if Dodge ditched the manual transmission too. These days, even class 6 and 7 medium duty trucks are all automatics too. Even some semis are now automatics. Used to be that manual transmissions were more reliable and made for better fuel economy, but now just the opposite is true. Today's automatic transmissions are light years ahead of where they were even 10 years ago.

I'd love to see the manual return, but I just don't see it happening.

 

the cost sure does reflect that when they brake also!

 

I bet those 2 transmissions were 4R100s. The 5 and 6 speed Torqshift transmissions are very dependable and sturdy.

Did you know the 6 speed automatic in the new trucks has a manual shift mode?

 

Ford (and other OEMs) will bring back the manual transmission but it won't have a shifter or a clutch pedal. It will be described as a fully automated manual transmission. The computer will control the clutch and shift gears by itself with no input from the driver. They exist now (Google Detroit Diesel DT12 or Ford Fiesta for details). The days of the hydraulic circuit automatics are numbered.

Most all major fleets have been ordering automatic transmission trucks for years. Our last manual shift truck was back in 2001 or so. Automatic trucks are far more reliable and more cost effective from a fleet standpoint. They do everything better than a manual trans and have torque multiplication (which no manual transmission has currently). Some folks still prefer the handshakers and most of them actually know how to take care of their equipment and make it last. Our drivers are brutal on our trucks and the manual transmissions just don't last very long. Dodge can get away with offering a manual trans because they aren't making as much HP as the other two...but even that is going to change soon.

Don't look now but the HP wars are almost over. In two more years the new GHG/MPG regulations will begin taking effect even for heavy duty trucks (which is an industry first). OEMs will have to reduce power to meet emissions requirements but that is just the start. Everything will have to be looked at again and inefficiencies will be corrected. The current form of automatic transmissions make a ton of heat, which wastes fuel. Manual transmissions will return but they'll have to be computer controlled because the driver will never be able to shift well enough to keep the emissions in check.

Dana is already making an aluminum axle (M300) for class 1-5 vehicles. ADB is coming (Air Disc Brakes) for medium and heavy duty vehicles to comply with stopping distance regulations. Even the oil manufacturers have petitioned API for two new categories (PC-11) that may supplant the current CJ-4 spec in order to help the OEMs meet the GHG/MPG regs.

If you think the 2011-12 models are complicated with dual cooling systems and 4 EGT sensors etc....wait until you see what the 2015-16 models look like. Right now there are a fair number of fleets that are getting off of diesel power entirely, in fact we are looking into that strategy ourselves. Cummins is coming out with a CNG 6.7 ISB engine that sounds attractive. Dual fuel engines have been out for some time but 100% natural gas engines are gaining market share and could be a player in the future of heavy trucking. Time will tell...

 

this is a dead subject..

Ford is NOT bringing back manual transmissions.

i forget what the number was in terms of overall numbers of trucks that were sold/ordered with manuals, it was so low, that Ford opted to just axe the option and loss the sales vs. developing/offering a stick option.

if u truely wanna row ur own gears you have to buy a Dodge. GL with that..

 

auto suck in medium duty trucks period. our 2005 Freightliner M2 has the Allision 6 speed auto and its been in the shop more for repairs then out making deliveries. The brain went out at year and a half and cost us 2600 dollars to fix, then something with the shift pack went and had to be replaced, then it was flushed at the proper maintenance schedule and two months later it wouldn't shift into 6th gear and needed something else which i forget right now. Our two other trucks a 2005 Top kick with 6speed manual and our 2002 Top kick with 7 speed manual have ZERO problems both still have their OEM clutches and so far are both superior to the "new" junk auto trans

 

and have you ever talked to a truck driver? ever one i talk to who've driven a auto semi cant stand them! They are slow are crap and never in the right year, all they do is scream the motor and never move with a heavy load

 

good... forget the numbers, they don't mean anything.

look at the percentages.

What percentage of pickups with a manual transmission sold? (100%?)

What percentage of pickups without a manual transmission sold? (not 100%?)

The total numbers were simply lower because they made fewer to begin with... not because they didn't sell.

 

I'd have to say our experience is just the opposite. Our fleet consists of 2005 and 2007 Kenworths and 2007 Internationals. All are Allison autos except for one of the KWs. Most of them are between 200 and 300K miles, the one I drive currently has 317K on it. Not so much as a hiccup from any of the Allisons, but the one with the manual has has the tranny out for work at least twice that I know of.

The automatics are certainly less than inspiring to drive, so as a driver I would much rather have the manual. However, from a company owner/fleet manager perspective the automatics are the way to go. A company owner that has a fleet of trucks on the road doesn't really care if the trucks are "slow", they care about getting the job done safely and efficiently.

 

or society is dumbing down enough to not be able to use a standard transmission anymore, heck how could they little stupids text and drive at the same time then?

 

That's using circular logic though. I agree about ignoring the numbers but the fact remains that demand just wasn't there. If there were enough people demanding a manual tranny (evidenced by lost sales to competitors) then Ford would bring back the manual. The problem is that people "settled" for an automatic rather than voting w/ their wallet. It's quite possible that was Ford's goal, to wean people off of them and hoping they would settle for an auto. Unfortunately it worked.

I like manuals, my daily driver is a manual, but my wife needs to be able to drive the SD so I figured it was cheaper to buy an automatic than replace clutches every couple months. And yes, I have tried to teach her to drive a manual. The phrase pushing a rope comes to mind.

It is interesting that they still offer manual transmissions in some of their cars though. Which leads me to belieive there is something to the truck engines making too much power as well as new emissions req's and they didn't want to devote any resources to redesigning the manual.

 

All I know is that I really like my ZF-6, so I have a feeling that I'll have my 2002 F350 for a VERY long time. I have even toyed with the idea of converting my 2000 Excursion with the 4R100 to a ZF-6. All the parts should be the same. I may have to change the Computer that controls the V-10... But that would take out the weak 4R100... And give me better mileage to boot!

Wish the feds would lighten up... If you go to any third-world country, you will have a heard time finding an Auto-Trans. Everything is stick, usually diesel or CNG, but a few petrol models too. Guess we need to have another depression to get back to the basics...

Garry in remote Kodiak...

 

It's not fords fault for not offering more standard transmissions; its the public's fault for not buying them.
If they sold, they would be there.

Auto trannies have come a long way, but they will likely never be as cheap to operate as a manual.

You can still control a truck better with the stick, even up against the newest best auto's there are today, even the manual shifting ones.

Guys I know that have auto trannies in large trucks, don't care for them, and when they break they really don't care for them.

Unfortunately automatic transmissions have been gaining momentum as a "safety device", as they don't distract you from the road.
Stupid, I know, but that will likely be the nail in the coffin for them. Fines are big now, just for talking on a cell phone while driving, so you see where I'm going with this.