just wondering which one is better for hauling???

I would think the 5spd/6spd since big semitrucks use manual trannies.

mine is 5spd and 1st gear is like SOOO SHORT !!! guess that was done so it can initially pull a heavy load and then use 3rd and 4th to really accelerate rapidly...

 

I think it's a matter of preference. Though it's logical that a manual tranny would be ideal for doing a lot of towing, there are a lot of 5th wheel trailers being towed by automatics.

 

My 94 PSD has a 5 speed with 253,000 miles plus. Clutch never touched and tranny never touched. Though this winter Its going to get rebuilt. Starting to get rough around the edges. Manual gives you more control and more power. I'd go stick.

 

the reason tractors/semis use a manual transmission is because there isn't an automatic tranny in production that can hold up to the massive amounts of torque those motors make over time. plain and simple. that's why you see a lot of alison 1000's in medium-duty trucks with a dt466, dt530, or cat 3126 or cummins8.3L, but not with a 3208 or c10 or c12. usually there you'll start getting into your roadranger trannies, etc...
the other reason 1st gear is so short in the ZF is when your heavily loaded it's easier on the tranny to get into gear off the clutch.
anyways, as far as a light truck is concerned, quadzilla is right, it really is just a matter of preference. to be honest with you, though, after driving truck all day, i love getting into my auto....

 

I'm wondering on everyones opinion and experience with the automatic tranny's.
I've seen several of them need replacing at 75K.
My 5speed with the 4:10 rear is great for pulling barges but most of my driving there days is unloaded highway miles.
I'm dreaming that my next psd will be a 2wd with an automatic and highway gears. Thanks all.

 

Over the years we were replacing manual transmissions at about 200,000+ miles and usually because of 5th gear whinning. So far the automatics (since1999) have no caused any major problems. We do cycle fresh fluid through every 15,000 miles.

I love the auto in my diesel, comes in very handy in heavy traffic.

 

Thanks Michael013

Should I read between the lines and think that pre 1999 auto tranny's were not so good?

 

With the heat in South Texas I would use a larger transmission cooler. I think a lot of the problems were also "recreational" owners did not check or change their fluid oftern enough. I also know there were quite a few transfer case belts/chains replaced that could be contibuted to poor maintainance.

Experience with the previous automatics probably varies greatly on location and maintenance preformed.

When the 1999s came out we were very happy to start switching to automatics.

Notice you have a 1995. I had a 1993 with an ATS system 5 speed and I loved it. Problem free to 160,000 miles. Then a 1996 that was a 5 speed and it has 210,000 miles on it. We use it for Equipment transfers in town. So it carries a lot of weight in the bed quite a bit of the time. 1200 to 1500 lbs Quality has been really good on that truck.

 

My previous truck, a Dodge 3500 with Cummins engine had the automatic transmission, purchased so that my wife could drive it. After driving it once, she refused to ever get behind the wheel again. When it was replaced with the Ford F350 crew cab 4x4 dually, I went with the 6 speed.

My "load" typically consists of a 4200 pound slide in camper, often accompanied by a utility trailer with up to 1500 pounds in it. With the camper on, I usually start off in 1st gear (using the Ford designation of Low, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). On any sort of an uphill slope, I will resort to Low to get rolling, but the shift to 1 is quite awkward. Without the camper, it is always 1st gear to start. There seems to be quite a sizeable hole between 2 and 3. Accelerating up a hill with a load, I typically have to wind the engine to nearly 3000 rpm so that after the shift, I will still be well enough into the power band to continue accelerating. The shift gates feel quite "notchy", even after 40,000 miles. Even with these shortcomings, I prefer the control of the stick. Furthermore, it allows me to take optimum advantage of my Banks brake, keeping the rpm over 2000 to maximize braking force.

Of course compared to my VW New Beetle Diesel with a five speed, the Ford transmission comes off looking like a cantankerous dinosaur. The VW is smooth as butter and all gears are perfectly matched to the engine, with very even spacing. Too bad Ford can't do that.