I've had both,, currently have the auto in my f350 and like it very much, had the 5 speed manual in my 2000 SD. The auto is much nicer to drive while drinking coffee,talking on the phone and many other things. No doubt the 6 speed will handle much more abuse and last way longer than any automatic. I dont work my truck very hard anymore so the auto is ok for me if it holds up, 56,000 so far, wonder how long it will last though,, always that doubt in my mind.

 

If this was going to be my daily driver to work, and I had a lot of stop and go traffic, it would be a tougher decision. And it does sound like the Auto in the SD's is quite strong. However I guess I just miss that connection and sense of control that a manual transmission provides.

Question, though: I figured that the only difference between the six and five speed manual transmissions was that the six had the granny gear that really wasn't even used unless really needed (like towing). Is this correct?

 

I hunted hi & lo untill I found my '02 F350 with a 6 speed, having had two auto matic F250's fail on me in the last 10 years I was determined never again to have an automatic.

I hope the new ones are better but I was completely unwilling to risk my cash on the dubious history of the automatics.

One of the main things I have used the compound low first gear for is pulling other motorists from snow drifts, manuvering in tight situations where low speed is a benifit, pulling into my driveway. It's of no value on the road, but it's very nice to have.

Both of my other 4wd's are equiped with wide ratio 4 speeds with compound low gears I wouldn't have it any other way. My wife's minivan Crusher is equipped with an SM465, my Jeep is set up with a NP435 I salvaged from a wrecked early '80s F350.

 

I recently bought a '99 F350 7.3PSD with the 6spd manual and I kind of wish I had gone with the auto. My previous truck (which I still have) is a '96 Chevy 6.5TD w/a 5spd manual trans and it drives much better with the manual than the PSD does.
My PSD has a hydraulic clutch but you can barely tell it. It's like pushing a brick through the floor. My leg gets sore at long red lights. I have to shift into neutral so I can relax my leg after 30 seconds or so holding the clutch down. The clutch also releases very low off the floor (the clutch may be worn out) which I don't like because that means that when changing gears, I have to push the clutch all the way to the floor which gets tiresome in city traffic. Keep in mind that I'm a big guy (6' 240lbs) and it still aggravates me. My wife can barely drive the truck because of the clutch and she prefers manual trans vehicles.

Maybe it's because my Chevy 6.5 manual was so effortless that I'm just not used to this Ford yet.

The Ford PSD has a closer ratio trans too (obviously because of the extra gear over the 5spd). I'm shifting much more often in the same short distance than I was in the Chevy. This closer ratio definitely helps when pulling a load but is a pain in close traffic.

Be sure you test drive BOTH before deciding which to go with. Next time, I'll go auto and this is coming from someone who normally prefers manual trans.

Just my opinion. Take it for it's worth.

 

have manual tranny in my 2000 2wd supercab shortbed 5.4L. love it except for emergency brake location. PITA when stopped on hill. wish it had the handle in center area.

 

Try the new auto, before you but the standard. Put it in tow / haul and hit the brakes going down hill, The engine brake and automatic downshifting is great. This tranny is far from the old one where it just shut off the OD

 

Scott_XLT:
[QUOTE]Question, though: I figured that the only difference between the six and five speed manual transmissions was that the six had the granny gear that really wasn't even used unless really needed (like towing). Is this correct?

Both the 5 speed in F250 & 350 series trucks and the 6 speed have a "granny low" gear. Big difference with the 6 speed: they put another gear between 4th and 3rd in the 5 speed, moving 3rd down a little. Much better for towing and keeping an engine in the power band.

____________________
Red XL 04SD 250 4x4 SC SWB V10 6 speed 4.30LS, BD short shifter, Edge mini springs & 4" blocks, Bilstein 5150's, 315's on Ultra 16x8, Flexsteel seats & Tuffy console, Warn 12k winch

 

Yo Dragula; If you want to reduce your shifts, try 1st, 3rd & 6th or 2nd, 4th & 6th the 7.3 PSD has plenty of power to pull this off. If I am starting on a hill I start in 1st (not compound low), when starting out on level ground or on a down grade my truck readily pulls away from a stop in 2nd gear.

--Ken

 

OK, I am a newbie to 6 speeds; I was assuming that you never use first gear, except for towing or other specialized situations. Am I wrong in this assumption? Do all of you start in 1st all the time from a stop? Thanks for all the info.

 

I start in low all the time in bad traffic. I find the 6-spd is very easy to drive on the clogged roads we have around here - much more so than the cars I have. And you can skip gears easily with a V-10 - it isn't limited to the diesel.

Automatics are the work of the devil.

 

I technically normally start off in "1st" (which is really 2nd if you count the "Granny") and if I'm on a slight downhill, I will take off in "2nd" (which is really 3rd) without any problem but the gears are such a close ratio to each other that there is a lot of shifting going on through a traffic light. I never use low or "granny" except when I'm pulling a heavy load.

Ken, I haven't tried "skipping" gears yet though (I've had the truck less than a month). I'll give that a shot tomorrow.

I have to say that this 6spd PSD is the only pickup that I've ever driven that feels this close to an 18 wheeler and I've driven plenty of 18 wheelers as a former certified Kenworth truck mechanic.

My Chevy 6.5TD had a lower "granny" gear but was only a 5spd and the ratio between 3rd and 4th was way too far apart causing me to "tach out" 3rd when pulling a load in order to keep from "bogging down" 4th.
This was enough of a problem with the 6.5's that several aftermarket companies starting offering a new "gear pack" that had closer ratio gears to install in your existing trans.

 

Well, the pattern on the 6-speed shifter is labeled thusly:

R 1 3 OD
L 2 4

The pattern on my 1999 F2's 5-speed was:

1 3 OD
2 4 R

"1" being LOW or like the "L" on the 6-speed. (But you already knew that.)

So you (I) use 1st to start out even though it'll start in 2nd as well. I have the dual 2.7L 4-cylinder so 2nd isn't nearly as quick as a 1st gear start. In "L" at 2500 RPM, I'm only going 11 mph (with 33" tires and 3.73 gears). "L" is indeed LOW so you woudn't use it unless you a) want to squeal the tires or b) you're yanking a Chevy out of a ditch or c) you're pulling a 8,000 & > lbs trailer or d) you are starting on a 13% grade and are a cheap b@stard with a 5.4L. You do have a nice spread for heavy pulling with the S6-650 six speed:

L= 5.79:1, 1st= 3.30:1, 2nd= 2.10:1, 3rd 1.30:1, 4th= 1.00:1, OD is 0.72:1 and R= 5.23:1.

The older S542 and S547 5 speeds you still had a fair spread but not quite as good toward heavy loads especially during the 2nd to 3rd shift and when you have a lower-powered engine:

1st= 5.72:1, 2nd= 2.94:1, 3rd= 1.61:1, 4th=1.00:1, OD= 0.76:1 and R= 5.24:1.


Loaded with an 8000 lbs boat, my 2003 6-speed drives much better than my 1999 with the 5-speed. When unloaded though, the 1999's 5-speed was quicker and more fun to drive. With my 90% of the time unloaded, the 5.4L was happier with the S547 I believe. My six-speed has the shift feel of an F700 garbage truck. It's a very slow shifter although much better after I put M1 in it at 5000 miles. For the first 15,000 miles, it would refuse to shift into 2nd gear when it was cold. After 15,000 miles, it almost "sucks" itself in gear now, I barely have to push it. Another 15,000 miles and I probably won't even have to touch the gear shift, I'll just have to press the clutch The clutch pedal isn't any heavier than other Ford F2's, F3's, F4's and F7's I've driven though. When i'm in a hurry to scoot into traffic, I also use the 1,3,OD shifting. My wife does one better; she starts in 2nd, drives it in 2nd until she hits 5000 RPMs and then goes to OD. (This is designed to tell me to stop buying stick shifts.)

 

I was once a die hard manual guy, but the auto's sure are nice. I don't know if you intend to keep this truck forever, but your resale will be higher with the auto. I have a F-550 7.3 and a 6 speed which I drive about 1200 miles a week. I like the 6 speed because I'm towing most of the time and I feel like I have more control ie: starting out in soft conditions with a full load. My other truck is a 04 F-350 6.0 and a auto. I really enjoy driving this one because I think the 5 speed auto does a great job in keeping the engine in it's powerband. Ford makes a great automatic so it comes down to personal prefference, it will just depend on how you will be using your truck.

 

I start out in the gear marked 2nd (3rd if you count granny) all the time. Bad habit, stall out gas cars all the time tryingt to start in 2nd. Low is used but mainly to park the truck or idling in heavy traffic at 1-2 MPH. Bottom line is there is nothing wrong with the 6sp, just depends on how you plan to use it. If you drive in heavy traffic and just to commute, auto is fine if not better. But if you are going to use/abuse the truck 6sp may be better. Still though the 5sp autos are really nice, I'd test drive first if I were you. Plus, 6sp with the 6.0 isn;t a good match, emission controls have made the low end torque rather low compared to the 7.3. It is harder to start in 2nd with the 6.0 you actually have to give it some gas to get it going. Whereas in the 7.3, you can virtually idle it and let clutch out in 2nd. This is useful when your peddle goes out and you drive by cruise control, start in second, idle up then shift until 3rd gear until you reach 25 then use cruise control to get up to speed. Don't ask how I know.

 

I ordered my truck with the 6 speed manual and manual transfer case shift without ever driving one. I have never regretted the choice. If you are used to manuals then you won't have any problems with this tranny. I think the clutch works easily and the gear shifting is effortless. It's not an auto however. You'll probably never talk any of the torqueshift guys into going to the ole sixer....but that's there choice too!