Diesel Trucks

[cowboydoc]

it constantly shifts up and down on the slightest grade at highway speeds with nothing behind it. That has got to create tons of heat, which is the main enemy of automatics. It drives me nuts and makes me wonder how people can stand to tow with 'em

I couldn't agree more and that's why I'm trading mine for a six speed.

 

[Turfman]

<font color=blue>Guys would pay for it.</font color=blue>

Richard, looking at the sticker and knowing what my brother-in-law and a friend paid for new diesels, I think they already paid to have reliable transmissions that work with a load and when towing. Too bad they didn't get what they paid for.

 

[cowboydoc]

Yes very true. One other thing to add is that splitfire said that the F-350's aren't rated for 30k which is true but the 450 and the 550 which are rated for bigger loads have the same rotten transmission as well. Not to mention the fact that you can pull just about anything with the manual transmissions and never have one single problem at all.

Also to add to what splitfire said about the weight and cost, etc. There are guys out there already that make nearly bulletproof transmission for around $3700. BTS, Brian's Truck Shop, makes one that he doesn't care what you pull or how much hp you make he guarantees it will hold up. I know of a couple guys with his transmission that regularly tow in the mid and high twenty range with chips, exhaust, etc. and they have yet to have a problem in over 100k. You can't tell me that if Ford, Dodge or Chevy mass produced that transmission that it would cost them much more than their current transmissions.

 

[RobertN]

For heavy work though, the F450 and 550 have lower gears available too. My buddy has a F450 PS/6sp with 4.88's. He's got a 12' flatbed with dump. So, even with the same tranny, in a slush-box, I could see a higher payload rating.

You mentioned before about problems with the Duramax/Allison. What's been happening with the Allison? I have not kept up at alll on that combination.

It's a shame if they are having problems, since the big truck trannies are pretty good. They are in just about every fire engine I've seen in our area. I've driven them(I miss that part! I had to back out of FF duties for the time being).

Did they downsize the Allison so much that it is not working well?

Waht I find interesting is the big three's trannies held up to Hemi's, 440-6 packs, LS series 454's, Boss 429's. Sure, they're gas engines with a different torque curve, but they made big power. Now though, they can't make a good slush-box for the diesel. Go figure...

 

[cowboydoc]

Just about as many problems with the Allison as the Ford tranny. From what I've been told Chevy took the Allison and dummied it down to make it cheaper and now they are having problems with it.

For next year, 2004 model, they are planning on adding back in some of the heavy duty parts and also are going to make it into a six speed like they should have done from the beginning. What is even dumber, and I'd be madder than heck if I owned a Chevy, is that the technology was there all along to make it a six speed but Chevy knew what Ford was going to do with their five speed and so they made it a five speed with full intentions of going to six speed as soon as ford released their five speed.

 

[Trev]

Reading back through this thread again, I noticed something I'd missed before.. the downshift issue:

<font color=blue>As far as the clutch, I have known people who can break anything. That dual mass flywheel does not like downshifts any more than a solid flywheel, nor do the springs in it like downshifts any more than those in a clutch disk.</font color=blue>

Why are downshifts hard on clutches? Don't you just do what I do with my cars.. when I downshift, I rap the gas pedal a bit to get the engine RPMs up to the right place, and then release the clutch with no slippage (or very minimal.) Is this something that's different with diesels, or is it just a matter of knowing to do it, or what?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Egon]

Robert:
Isn't the doge auto about the same as the 727 that used to be.

Egon

 

[looch]

Sorry to cut in with a totally different question, but I'm hoping this can be answered relatively quickly.

What is the purpose of clearance lights (other than the fact that they look good), and how are they used?

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The three red lights together in the middle of the back of the truck are there to warn those approaching from the rear that the vehicle and load is at least eight feet wide. Amber marking lights along the side and front of the combination inform you of that. Those across the top of the truck in front serve the same purpose as the red ones along the back. They let you know there is a larger vehicle coming at you.

Some folks do make a fashion statement with them. But there are minimums and you had better have them if you're a large combination or just eight feet or wider.

Local law enforcement entities have found light violations a nice source of revenue.

I prefer being taxed that way btw. If we're going to have to raise funds let's do it from those breaking the law, even little laws.

 

[RobertN]

My understanding from my Dad and the the mechanics at the Dodge shop where he works(parts, since '68) is the Dodge tranny is a basic evolution of the 727 with an electronic overdrive and lock-up torque converter added.