If you had to start over?

IMO, there isnt much of a difference anymore. its whatever you feel comfortable with. on the pulling track its been proven many times that it doesnt really matter anymore. sure there are some specific instances where one might be a better choice than the other, but overall its a non issue.

in the begining of diesel truck sled pulling the manual was the ONLY way to go. thats just not the case anymore. now the autos have been figured out. the tranny builders and engine builders know the correct combinations to make it work. the biggest problem with an auto is not the lack of horsepower they put to the ground. with the custom convertors and the clutches they use in built autos its virtually the same as a manual. the problem is the driver. 1. the set up and tuning on the truck is incorrect. 2. they consider a converter a "built auto".... its not. 3. imporoper maintence. an auto needs to be kept clean and cool.
 
Alright thanks guys, I think I am leaning towards an auto thats built right and they are alot easier to find cheaper it seems. Yah I know pulling trucks are a waste of money, I have a pulling tractor too... just throwing money away but man is it fun to run! Guess I'll just keep looking and see what I come across, I'm not really worried about the auto holding together, lots of 2.8 truck around here run them and dont have a ton of problems with them, just takes maintanence it seems. If anybody else has an opinion feel free to chime in!
 
teddybear said:
There are several high HP trucks that are very competitive in 2.8. Terry Coppess, Carl Sugg, Ric Scrimanger, Troy Wakeman, Terry Biggs, Dan Musselman, Scott Amos, Evan Smoot, and Taylor Stivers are just a few names that come to mind.
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Terry B's tranny just got opened up in december for preventive reasons only. 50K on it 5 years on it, a couple fluid/filter changes, a few convertor swaps was all that had been done to it. The rear clutch steels had a little discoloring, the rear return spring was bent. Other than that it looked fantastic considering the kind of HP he has been putting through it for the last 1.5 years.

I have always wondered about the manual/auto debate. It isn't a simple decision.
Look at the types of tracks you are on, the kind of turbo you want to run, lots of variables.

You can find sway back and fort all day. I have seen some that just blow the tires at the line and do great, seen some that ride the clutch out 75 feet and do great.

So much of it is how is your truck setup, and turbo charger selection.
 
An auto truck can be more forgiving on loose tracks and will get you the wheel speed you need, but on tight tracks if its not tuned right it can also hurt you.

I do better on tight tracks with my manual, on loose tracks it blows the tires off and it never hooks, but jumping a gear is too big of a jump so im stuck. Torque converters are handy in that situation.
 
So if you broke those pieces then you are roasting the tires at every stop sign on dry pavement...thats harder on an auto than sled pulling.
Blue Blur said:
Autos will always eventually break guarenteed. I have broke a billet input and a stock intermediate shaft so far and only have 500hp and dont sled pull.
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I always pulled with a manual until last year when my g56 broke i put in an auto and i really like it so far. The only drawback besides expense is i've had to learn how to drive different and i'm still learning. Theres alot more to do than just slip the clutch out and let her go like with a manual. I think on most tracks an auto is an advantage because it allows you to get in a higher gear which means more ground speed and you can unlock the converter at the end to keep the turbo lit. I also think an auto is easier on the whole truck. My truck pulls so much smoother I guess because your riding more on fluid than just solid gears. I will never go back to a stick as long as i can figure out how to drive it lol.
 
a good NV5600 isnt cheap to replace and ive seen tons of 5 spds explode also. a big charger truck with an auto pulling can be a pain in the rear but when the setup is right its hard to beat. I know only within a few years when coppess showed up around my area he was hard to beat and still does really well with auto trans. I would go for a manual valve body if I was going to pull an auto all the time also
 
Hmmm....CR 2.6 auto & no mention of Wesley Wade yet? :what:

I wouldn't wanna pull against him LOL
 
how much of a money difference is there from a fully built auto tranny vs a manual tranny, heavy duty clutch, etc? I would think the auto would be more coin, personally, but I could be wrong
 
If I was starting over with a dedicated truck - I would just go straight for open driveline and play at the 3.0/unlimited single level and get to the point where driveline breakage just isn't a large concern.

If its not a dedicated rig then its a coin toss as examples of fantastic running 2.6 trucks can be pointed out with both manual and automatic transmissions.
 
Bad-Duvall said:
Its still a toss up for me. At the start of last year i would have never thought to put an auto in my truck but as the year went on i started to think auto after watching Wade and Swanson keep big chargers lit with there autos $.02
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Hmmm....CR 2.6 auto & no mention of Wesley Wade yet?

I wouldn't wanna pull against him



I Did...
 
Dan Marino said:
So if you broke those pieces then you are roasting the tires at every stop sign on dry pavement...thats harder on an auto than sled pulling.
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You can call it what you want but metal fatigues and im pretty sure im not the first one. I just want shafts that can handle 500hp pounding whoops on the throttle on sand highway at 60mph,is that to much to ask for? So im at a turning point do I invest in new billet shafts or convert to a 5600 or 2007+ G56.Sorry to hijack.
 
Bad-Duvall said:
Hmmm....CR 2.6 auto & no mention of Wesley Wade yet?

I wouldn't wanna pull against him



I Did...
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But for all the mention of the auto guys in 2.6 that are hot. Wade, Bennett, and Swanson. There is an equal amount of manual guys in 2.6. Davis, Lee Bros,and (even) Duvall.:bigsmile:
 
dieseljunkie said:
But for all the mention of the auto guys in 2.6 that are hot. Wade, Bennett, and Swanson. There is an equal amount of manual guys in 2.6. Davis, Lee Bros,and (even) Duvall.:bigsmile:
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Yea, but Duvall couldn't keep an engine together in his truck. :poke:
 
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