6sp or Auto ?????
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 164
Likes: 1
From: Upper Saddle River, NJ
Originally Posted by BigRyanKP
i have an auto, no problems with towing or anything what so ever but i do wish i had the 6spd. i have a question for the 6spd owners though... how many gears can you get rubber in 
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 164
Likes: 1
From: Upper Saddle River, NJ
Originally Posted by DVR
i had the 6 speed in my last f250 with 7.3 psd. i hated it! shift gates were to close together. it was one of those transmissions that took many miles to get used to. my wife refused to drive it and it was painful to hear a buddy try to drive it too. mine was a 2000 perhaps there have been some changes.
Have you driven the Dodge 6spd? If so, how would you compare it to the Ford?
Bill
Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 107
Likes: 20
From: SC
i have not driven the dodge manual 6 speed.
i agree the (my) ford 6 speed was a good, trouble free transmission. as a married person and avid duck hunter- there were often times my wife could have driven the truck or my friends could have parked it as i launched the boat. neither of these were options with the 6 speed manual. it was just not a transmission anyone could jump in and drive. i could run through the gears like a race car driver. it was an awsome combo for towing.
i agree the (my) ford 6 speed was a good, trouble free transmission. as a married person and avid duck hunter- there were often times my wife could have driven the truck or my friends could have parked it as i launched the boat. neither of these were options with the 6 speed manual. it was just not a transmission anyone could jump in and drive. i could run through the gears like a race car driver. it was an awsome combo for towing.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
From: Mackville,VT
Originally Posted by BigRyanKP
i have an auto, no problems with towing or anything what so ever but i do wish i had the 6spd. i have a question for the 6spd owners though... how many gears can you get rubber in
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 161
Likes: 1
I had a '95 PSD with the five speed. Plenty of trouble with the diesel, none with the trans. I now have a 2001 V10 with the auto. No trouble with the engine (except IAC), but I hate the trans.
It totally cratered at 29K miles - lost 1st, 2nd, 3rd and reverse. Just enough parts left in her to get to the Ford dealership where they were extremely rude since I didn't buy the truck there, but that's another story. I ended up having to call and complain to Ford about it.
Anyway, the auto does things that make no sense like staying in OD while towing uphill, then when you push the OD off button to force it into 3rd, it just wants to stay there even after you start going down the other side of the hill. Usually it'll go back into OD after flooring it and letting off the gas. It's infuriating. It does other crazy stuff too, but that is the worst.
Next time it's V10 6-Spd MANUAL.
It totally cratered at 29K miles - lost 1st, 2nd, 3rd and reverse. Just enough parts left in her to get to the Ford dealership where they were extremely rude since I didn't buy the truck there, but that's another story. I ended up having to call and complain to Ford about it.
Anyway, the auto does things that make no sense like staying in OD while towing uphill, then when you push the OD off button to force it into 3rd, it just wants to stay there even after you start going down the other side of the hill. Usually it'll go back into OD after flooring it and letting off the gas. It's infuriating. It does other crazy stuff too, but that is the worst.
Next time it's V10 6-Spd MANUAL.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
one of my clients is a large transmission rebuilder. They rebuild every kind of tranny there is. While visiting this week I saw that one tech was rebuilding a ford 5 and 6 speed. I went over to check out the goods and to talk to him. First off, the 6 speed is much bigger than the 5 in every way. I asked the tech about the 6 speed and he said that it was a fantastic trans, the gears are huge and has an excellent design. Very simple. He also mentioned that the only way to rebuild it is with genuine german parts. Nothing else works no matter what you do. He also mentioned that typically all that you ever change on these tranny's is the bearings and synchros, hardly ever a gear or shaft. Then I asked how many he's rebuilt, he said about 5. That's it just 5! Granted that is only one guy in a big shop but still..... I was very impressed with what I saw and heard about the trans... 
Last edited by gmsux; Apr 9, 2004 at 09:54 PM.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 119
Likes: 5
I drive a 2002 F-250 V-10 Six speed manual,and use it regularly to tow a car trailer,plowsnow,and is my daliy driver in sometimes heavy traffic.Once you get used to it you don't even notice the clutch!I this is my sixth ford truck and only one was a automatic,and the trans was the only problem the truck ever had! As far as towing heavy loads at slow speeds I use 4x4 low(with hubs unlocked)and the truck will just idle anywhere without pushing in the clutch.I strongly reccomend the six speed with 4.30 limited slip!