Mopar Jim

Thanks, Old School! I might have an exagerrated notion of the absence of compression braking on the Cummins. I've had the impression that there was no obvious braking effect at all when lifting throttle. Sounds like you are keeping top-of-grade speeds well in check but you've adjusted - is there any braking effect when you lift?

For you guys who might be towing, but not towing particularly heavy, with an auto but without an e-brake, especially in the mountain states where you must deal with numerous grades: is the amount of compression braking you subjectively feel zero? Or is it ten percent, or twenty percent of what you expect from a gas engine? Just impressions - obviously this is a subjective question based on seat of the pants feel. To me the thought of cresting a grade with my medium-sized trailer (7000 lbs) and feeling ZERO compression braking as I lift is scary as can be. I approach downgrades now with the speed at a level that makes me confident I could make the bottom in one piece even in the event of complete brake failure on my truck. I can use my five speed to keep speeds in check and am not a brake-rider. A perfectly executed double-clutch downshift is a thing of beauty to me, and I mentally award myself points when I am in the zone and the tranny feels like butter because I'm matching revs well.

Perhaps I can live with the stock setup if there is even a slight retarding effect. I understand energy management on grades and have outgrown abusing equipment... but an E-brake sure sounds desirable, and I might find myself accepting loss of the 7/70 to get one if my wife remains unwilling to learn to shift...

(I've already talked up the zero-throttle launch capability of the 6 speed/600 combo to her. Not much effect. I sort of have to accept that she simply isn't a mechanical person, and what seems to her complex machinery intimidates her. I need a co-driver, and if she is doggedly unwilling to learn the stick, I'm going to have to have the auto.)


oops - talk about rambling on...



Jim

HOHN

Good comments, all! OS-- my only point about reliability and durability is that they mean different things to me.

Reliability-- being able to count in something to work.

Durability-- how long something will last before being worn out.

Justin

Old School

Yeah, I too enjoy this banter. Mopar Jim, I certainly agree that a well executed double clutch is a thing of beauty, and I constantly score myself as well enjoy teaching our hands how to treat our equipment. It's just that I get enough of it with the big rigs and like to relax a little in my personal Rig, ah..who am I kidding, I'm just a big ol' baby who enjoys his automatic.
As far as compression braking with the 48RE, sure it's there. When getting ready to descend I usually slow to a speed where I can drop it into 2nd with out exceeding about 25 or 27 hundred R's, then apply brakes to keep R's below that point through out the descent. I abhor brake riding as well, this technique will hold her back pretty good with mild and sometimes though rarely, moderate braking action. This is of course also includes well-tuned trailer brakes and a good controller, I prefer Tekonsha m'self. Also not to keep putting this truck on a high horse, but those new huge brakes are extremely solid and effective, I have never even had them get warm through all of this non-sense.
If I should happen to find myself in the steeps in front of one of the fat twins (our two air compressors), I will usually take her down to first for the descent, and again keep the R's down to a manageable level, which as you all know is pretty danged slow, and the compression braking is quite effective though it is at this point I start dreaming about the e-brake. Oh yeah, in case any of you are getting steamed imagining yourself behind me as I descend a steep grade with on of the fat twins in tow, relax, they never see the highways in the mountains .

Keep it coming dudes.

Keith

Mopar Jim

Thanks, Keith! Much more cheerful picture of life with an auto than I'd imagined. I might not be in much worse shape than I am with the stick and the marginal (for towing) brakes of the Dakota. Glad you have found the 3rd gen brakes work as advertised!

Concur on the Tekonsha; I use a Voyager model in my truck and love it. I really like having a manual slide control handy from the shift handle; one saved me embarrasment on a shady surprise ice patch a few years back on the way to Yosemite when the trailer decided it wanted to pass the truck. Never got far out of shape; a quick gentle nudge trailed it back aft without further drama. As far as I was concerned, that convinced me that I wanted this type of instinctive manual capability.

Still hoping that they certify the 48RE for a brake before I buy, though...



Jim

welder27

I test drove a '03 CTD w/ a 6 speed...WOW! The thing would pick up speed effortlessly. I didn't have to push the rpm's above 1500 and starting in 2nd and skipping every other gear I could accelerate normally. I even found that I could shift into 6th gear on level ground while going 25 mph and still torque it out to pick up speed w/o pushing on the throttle very much.

Try to do that in an automatic and it won't let you. It shifts when it wants to. How can the transmission tell that you're on a level surface and shifting into a much higher gear is all that's needed for the given load?

With that much torque and horsepower driving a 6 speed is like not driving a stick at all! You can put it in just about any gear (within reason) and it'll just GO! LOVE IT!!!

HOHN

6th gear @ 25mph????? Surely, this is with 4.10s!! In my truck (3.54), 35-40 os about as slow as you sare to go. 35mph in 6th is just off idle!!

I am a non-gear skipper. I also always start in 1st. That makes me one busy shifter! (especially in town).

Justin

welder27

I looked down at the tach just to see if I wasn't dreaming...it said 25 mph @ 1000 rpm's. the guy said there were 3.73's in it...he was just a sales person though and I'm not too sure if his facts were straight.

HOHN

Typing lessons are scheduled.

Rilly, eye kan spel wen eye nead two.

Mopar Jim

Hohn, isn't first normally used only with a considerable load? I thought it was such a granny ratio that it wasn't needed for a truck running light...

p.s. - Don't you hate posting in a hurry and then realizing after people have read it that you got fumble-fingered while typing it in? Don't feel like the Lone Ranger!

HOHN

Well, the owner's manual says that it's "OK" to start in second when NOT loaded.

I start in first mostly to help keep my clutch alive. An article by Peter @ South Bend Clutch recommended it.

There might be something to it. My OEM clutch is holding an EZ (on most aggressive) AND DD2s!! No Slippage at all. 350rwhp on the stock clutch isn't too shabby!

I am thinking of upgrading to EDMs with my tax refund. I highly doubt she'll hold MACH 3s!!

Justin

Mopar Jim

Thanks, Justin! More good info to feed into the data banks. Dang, I want to buy my Cummins NOW, but have to hold off another year...

Maybe by then I can talk the wife into the stick....

Jim

spots

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...threadid=36895


Trie thas threed.....
Werks fer maie...

12PACK

Good to hear that, Jim! God hates a coward, as a friend of mine says. Don't give up the ship, or in this case, don't give up the shift!

Mopar Jim

I've got a year to campaign, but it sounds like it might be OK either way. Who knows, maybe they'll fix the thrust bearing and lockup control on the 48RE by then and I can have my brake even if the slushbox wins...

Jim