Automatic vs Manual

The transmissions in our trucks were not designed or engineered for drag racing, yet an automatic can be built as close as possible to something resembling a race prepped unit...a manual, regardless of driving ability is still going to be engineered for pulling heavy loads not drag racing.

Either way the gear splits are far from ideal, but an auto can be built to overcome some of the downfalls, not so with a manual.

And for the record...the FASTEST and QUICKEST gas or diesel cars are manuals...fully race prepped and engineered manual transmission.
 
SHughes said:
And for the record...the FASTEST and QUICKEST gas or diesel cars are manuals...fully race prepped and engineered manual transmission.
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I presume you're talking about the planetary stuff like lencos here...

They're a far cry from a production manual transmission.
 
displacedtexan said:
Not talking about DD preferences here. I prefer a manual too, but an auto is faster down a dragstrip.
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i understand that. i tend to get off course sometimes. haha:blahblah1:

i would rather run down the drag strip in a 5 speed, but the auto is usually faster. i have outrun an equally powered truck that was an auto, but he probably weighed about 400lbs more than me or so.

mfolsomblueD, the problem getting my manual to launch hard is my truck is 2wd and i haven't gotten around to putting slicks on it. i firmly believe that 2 trucks with equal power at the crank and equal weight, but 1 with an auto and 1 with a stick i think they would come out about the same providing whoever is driving the manual knows how to drive. also you can't use a crazy clutch that is slow to disengage and you gotta have the correct tranny. from my experiences the ZF5, ZF6, and the G56 are the 3 fastest shifting trannies that you can have in a diesel truck. the NV series tranny from my experience is quite slow shifting comparing to the other 3.

main reason i will keep racing with a manual is b/c 1. people keep saying i won't see fast times with it. 2. anyone can drive an auto. 3. i'm an auto hater. LOL

So it's pretty simple. if you want to be fast easily.... use an auto.

sorry for rambling. haha. i did it again.
 
jaybuller said:
why are boobs good? why is the sky blue? ....it just is!!! just like an auto is faster in a diesel, as is an auto in a gasser... some might make you think a stick in a gasser is quicker but its not, trust me, with the right convertor and valve bodie it will blow the doors off a stick car...
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one of my fav's...
 
mondtster said:
I presume you're talking about the planetary stuff like lencos here...

They're a far cry from a production manual transmission.
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I meant Bruno's and Liberty's, even Jerico's...not planetaries, but still a far cry from a production unit. Lenco'sare awesome but a littleld school.
 
i too am an auto hater, i made DAMN sure i founnd a 98 quad cab short bed 12 valve with a 5 speed when i was truck shopping, a lot of people tried to sell me an auto and i almost gave in, but when i found the truck i have now i was instantly in love with it, haha. i like being in control of when my truck shifts and not having a TCM or vacuum pressure doing it for me
 
Manuals are only as good as the driver, sometimes thats enough, sometimes it isnt! When it isnt enough a few excuse's i can never use is "my tranny isnt shifting right"! or "we are slow today becasue its having tranny issues " or maybe " the tranny wont hold the gear thats why the HP numbers are low"!:kick:
 
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05_LLY said:
Manuals are only as good as the driver, sometimes thats enough, sometimes it isnt! When it isnt enough a few excuse's i can never use is "my tranny isnt shifting right"! or "we are slow today becasue its having tranny issues " or maybe " the tranny wont hold the gear thats why the HP numbers are low"!:kick:
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:what:

You just confused the hell outta me. :Cheer:
 
SFP12valve said:
i too am an auto hater, i made DAMN sure i founnd a 98 quad cab short bed 12 valve with a 5 speed when i was truck shopping, a lot of people tried to sell me an auto and i almost gave in, but when i found the truck i have now i was instantly in love with it, haha. i like being in control of when my truck shifts and not having a TCM or vacuum pressure doing it for me
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Only reason I would want a manual is if I did lots of towing. Get a well built auto, and the shifts are when you need them, and the truck is a joy to drive.
 
zstroken said:
Only reason I would want a manual is if I did lots of towing. Get a well built auto, and the shifts are when you need them, and the truck is a joy to drive.
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driven built autos and still wasn't as fun to ME as a handshaker. i like controlling the shifts. Thats just me though, i like to have to do something when racing instead of just mashing the go pedal. I race for the fun of it though, not neccessarily to be competitive yet.
 
strokin'_tatsch said:
driven built autos and still wasn't as fun to ME as a handshaker. i like controlling the shifts. Thats just me though, i like to have to do something when racing instead of just mashing the go pedal. I race for the fun of it though, not neccessarily to be competitive yet.
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Ever try an automatic with a manual valve body?

I love them. :cheer:
 
your truck is still a box of mystery to me begle, i've never seen pics, and i dont think anyone TRUELY knows whats done to it:hehe::hehe:
 
It's a 15 second first gen with a stock engine, a pressure washer and a few hundred hours of wiring.
 
strokin'_tatsch said:
i understand that. i tend to get off course sometimes. haha:blahblah1:

i would rather run down the drag strip in a 5 speed, but the auto is usually faster. i have outrun an equally powered truck that was an auto, but he probably weighed about 400lbs more than me or so.

mfolsomblueD, the problem getting my manual to launch hard is my truck is 2wd and i haven't gotten around to putting slicks on it. i firmly believe that 2 trucks with equal power at the crank and equal weight, but 1 with an auto and 1 with a stick i think they would come out about the same providing whoever is driving the manual knows how to drive. also you can't use a crazy clutch that is slow to disengage and you gotta have the correct tranny. from my experiences the ZF5, ZF6, and the G56 are the 3 fastest shifting trannies that you can have in a diesel truck. the NV series tranny from my experience is quite slow shifting comparing to the other 3.

main reason i will keep racing with a manual is b/c 1. people keep saying i won't see fast times with it. 2. anyone can drive an auto. 3. i'm an auto hater. LOL

So it's pretty simple. if you want to be fast easily.... use an auto.

sorry for rambling. haha. i did it again.
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I went down the G56 road and they shift good but will NOT hold, my nv5600 shifts fine, i got it to shift just as quick if not quicker than the g56
 
If talking 300 hp or less the manual is probably gauranteed to win. As the hp gets higher the auto is sure to win and the gap is very wide if we are talking 650 hp+.
Now from a roll going down the road at say 30 mph plus The racing could be darn close with two high hp trucks...................... if you can shift.

From a dead stop, the first 100 feet kills a manual shifted trucks time for 99% of the people out here.
 
I love driving my stick shift, but it ain't no race truck. I know there is no way I could shift this thing as fast as a slushbox auto let alone a good built auto. It's just facts, I don't even line up to race, it's just embarrassing.
 
Linkster102 said:
If this is true then why are most gas motors faster with a stick?
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Only when they have a sucky stock auto. Built trans and converter rules over a stick. Lots of your sucky ricer cars just don't have an option of a built auto.
 
mfolsomblueD said:
I went down the G56 road and they shift good but will NOT hold, my nv5600 shifts fine, i got it to shift just as quick if not quicker than the g56
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ya i don't no chit about the G56 trannies, but i know my ZF shifts fast as hell especially with this short throw shift kit. I'm pretty sure mine will be able to launch in 3rd on slicks when i throw a procharger on it. be pretty easy to build boost on the line then huh????:evil

i can't believe this thread is still going. haha
 
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