I'm in the beginning stages of looking for a new truck. I looking at 04.5-05 3500 DRW 4x4. The undecided option is the transmission. The truck I have in sig pulls great with the 5 speed. I pull a trailer almost daily. A 24' alum. livestock trailer or a 32' GN flatbed. Largest load was load of hay yesterday ran across scale at 37,050lbs, (no driver, 1/2 tank fuel). I have driven an 03 with 6spd manual. it was nice, however, the reason I am considering an auto is because I have heard a lot of good things about them being tough. Also, I let my girlfriend and her friends take my truck to their horse jumping/dressage contests, they all can drive a manual, but for safety/ease of driving, I'd like a auto. I think an auto would be great for pulling the horse trailer and a few horses, but when I put 12 head(1100#each plus trailer) or hook to flatbed, which weighs 7400# alone, that may handicap me. I am interested in fuel economy, a manual has that benefit. I wouldn't mind an auto for city traffic/running around town. If i get an auto I would beef it up with some mods right off the bat and if I goes out later, I'd just spend the $$$ and go to Goerend, I live in Iowa. Sorry for all the blah, blah, but my question is: Will I be disappointed with an auto?

 

I personally feel the manuals are better at pulling. Have pulled my Car hauler with both an auto and a manual, I felt more in control with the manual. Though the six speed is not going to win at the drag strip, its bread in butter is exactly what you do on a daily basis, pulling. I think the worst part is the gearing of the manual for backing the trailer (too fast) which causes you to have to ride the clutch.

I've had a couple of buddies with the 48RE and they have had good luck with it. I can't say that one is stronger than the other, I can say that I personally feel more control, better puller with the manual. Just my .02

 

I had a 1998 CTD with a 5 gear and a 2002 CTD with a 6 gear, but now have an auto, I hate it for pulling. My camper is 11000# dry, the 02 didnt even know it was there where as the 07 I'm running now really seems to have its mouth full with the load, I attribute it to the auto "eating" alot of the engines power. If I pulled all the time there is no way I would buy an auto, six speed hand shaker all the way...........

 

maybe i should just by two trucks, one auto and one manual. that would solve the dilemma, one for each of us. HA HA.

 

I pull daily with the 48re (34,000 GCW most ever). I wish it had a lower first gear for starting out. However once it gets going all is great. 75,000 on the stock tranny with no problems. It is now currently in the shop getting a Goerends T/C V/B and BD Flex Plate. I had it tore completly appart for an overhaul. Everything looked great except a burnt band.

 

i pull a 26 foot seaswirl striper enclosed cabin fishing boat pretty much all summer long i have also pull my buddy tj's truck to pulling event in maryland and also to TS performance in kentucky last year and the stock tranny pulled ok but since i have upgraded to a fully built HTS tranny it pulls pretty well.

 

I had a 99 cummins diesel with an auto and thought I hated it for towing, so in 2005 I bought a 05 6 speed on everyones recommendations that it would be great. Was o.k. for towing but anything else was a pain in the...... Backing was geared too high. Taking off on an incline I had to rev the crap out of it to shift to next gear so I wouldn't loose too much momentum or just take forever to get to the top of the hill in low gear. That was really embarassing at the campground I go to. Over drive is over drive as far as power is concerned no matter if it's manual or auto. Third direct in auto or 5th in the 6 speed was about the same as far as power was concerned and fuel mileage so figured I could just as well have an auto and make life easier. So in 2006 I traded it for a 06 auto. Love the truck, Love the auto.

You eluded that you are going to do some upgrades to the transmission as soon as you buy it. Changing the TC and VB would make it an excellent pulling machine. The only thing that concerns me is your pulling 37,000 lbs at times. The beefed up auto should handle it fine, it's just taking off in a soft field that might challenge it and maybe even over tax the transmission. If it wasn't for the 37,000 lbs I would say get the auto in a heart beat.

Probably left you more confused on what to do but at least it will give something to chew on.

 

only if it's a stock one.

 

The auto is good for daily driving but lacks in the towing department. Mine will be getting an upgrade soon as its starting to slip under a heavy load. I test drove both and hated the way the new 6 speed manual shifted but now after having the auto wish I had the manual, then I would'nt have to spend $4k to get the tranny rebuilt and a decent T.C in there.

 

From all I've read about the 48re/4.10, they do really good towing heavy but the 48re/3.73, not good. Craig

 

ive had 4.10's and 3.54's and 3.73s on autos
Never ever Ever again will i buy a dodge automatic. built or not the split between 2nd and third was a deal killer let me re-phrase that, the jump from 2nd to third was a tranny killer with a load on moutain grades even with some pretty healthy upgrades i never was happy with the pulling power. and i tried all sorts of gear ratios.

In reference to backing up the tranny gearing is too fast in ALL manual trannies for reverse with a trailer so the clutch is always getting abused for that unless you take advantage of using low range on your t-case but then again in a 2wd tranny its a whole nother issue then.

 

I would agree on the 4.10 for pulling 37,000#'s, however I love my 3.73's for towing and for the daily driver. 4.10's just seem to get the RPM's high at higway speeds and kill the fuel mileage.

 

I have an '03 5.9 with 48RE and 3:73. Have had it in some very hard pulls with 14K 5ver. I do a lot of manual shifting with it and have no problem. However, I am considering a Direct/Under drive unit so I can split the gears on mountains. 4:10 rear great for pulling but kills mileage when empty and revs engine more than I like. With underdrive you can slow down that reverse speed.

 

I have a 6-speed in my 06 and really like it for everything. The only thing I would like is a taller 6th gear, or a gear vendors unit. I have 3.73 gears and they pull fine, but the rpm's can get up there at highway speeds.

 

I gave up on autos when I gave up on gas TVs and I have loved the manuals for towing reliability, performance and less maintenance. I'm guessing that even a 48re wouldn't cut it for me but the new 6spds might. I insisted on a 4.10 this time (mostly for granny lo and rev. cuz I also don't buy 4wd or have 2w lo) and wouldn't even give it a second thought for towing the weight some of you guys are but I'm never on the wide, open hiway unless I'm towing. So the 4.10 is fine for my one and only vehicle. Craig