Posted on 03/26/2023 10:41:58 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
Once upon a time, the manual transmission was the default transmission choice for a pickup truck. The automatic was a luxury option that robbed trucks of both power and mpg. But the final full-size pickup truck with the manual transmission (the 2018 Cummins-powered Ram) has come and gone. So who is to blame for the death of the manual transmission pickup truck? The truth is that increased engine torque, government regulations, and the capabilities of the average driver are all partially responsible. But at the end of the day, we killed the manual truck; automakers don’t offer manual transmission full-size trucks because so few drivers want to buy them.
The torque wars left manual transmissions in the dust
As a fan of classic trucks, every pickup I’ve owned has had three pedals. But I know every manual has a weak point: its clutch. And modern engines make a lot more torque, too much for the final generation of manual transmissions.
Take, for example, the first gen Cummins-powered Dodge Ram. The 5.9-liter turbodiesel I6 made just 160 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Classic truck fans know that the manual transmission available behind this engine is a great option and will often last as long as the diesel itself.
Fast-forward to 2018 and the Cummins 6.7-liter turbodiesel I6 available in the heavy-duty Ram made up to 385 horsepower and 930 lb-ft of torque. That’s a lot of power to put through a manual transmission. It’s no wonder that the 2018 engine in the stickshift Ram was detuned, making 35 horsepower less than the same Cummins in an automatic transmission truck (350 horsepower).
According to Cars.com, automakers could conceivably engineer a next-generation manual transmission capable of handling this much torque. But that would be a very expensive process.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Actually some of these newer vehicles really are faster than the old irons stock vs stock.
A supersnake will smoke an old 428CJ like it is sitting still.
The 2023 Charger Hellcat has 797 HP.
It eould absolutely grenade the entire drive train of a 70s Mopar.
I don’t know. I managed to twist the center out of a fairly high dollar clutch with an over fueled 12 valve Cummins. The automatic is able to soak up some of the shock loads that a torque monster throws at it. What probably added to the demise of mine is that on light loads, the cruise control which was designed for a low torque gas engine acts too aggressively and will cause the truck start buckling. That’s on about 400hp and 900+ ft/lbs torque.
I’m sure those sled pulls didn’t help it either.
I started with a 65 ford econoline van. 3 on the column
I learned to drive with my Dad’s ‘59 Ford 6cylinder pickup.
3 speed on the column
My first car was a ‘66 Pontiac GTO - 4 speed stick shift on the floor
Then I got a ‘67 Mustang GT 4 speed stick shift on the floor
I miss my ‘67 mustang something terribly....
Ridiculous federal EPA mileage, emissions and safety regs
And the overall leftist desire to drive people out of the freedom of automobiles.
Me too, I drove through the mountains after the brakes quit to get home with a manual tranny. Could not have done that with an automatic. AND that was with a camper on board towing a Jeep.
These mew 4 door short bed things are NOT a PU. They are and SUV with a birth defect.
I truly dont know how the ratings have changed, but I do know for a fact they have strictly due to the lighter frames and body's of modern cars.
I bought a used
Honda 5 speed prelude
in the late 90’s
( it was a donation - on the way to the animal shelter - for a 500 dollar tax credit - my fiend was going to give it away )
best running sport car I ever drove
had a 5 speed honda ascot motorcycle too
best I ever rode
didn’t like the costly clutch jobs
on my pu - dump trucks I had previously owned
To fellow Freepers in the know.
Is a 3 on the tree manual transmission truck or car available to US drivers anywhere anymore?
1964 MGB for me. On sub-zero days, my dad had me back it up and down the driveway to warm it up. The driveway was steep and long. By the time I was old enough to drive it on the road, I was quite skilled with a clutch.
My favorite was a ‘67 dodge van with a three on the tree. The linkage was loose and would bind up. I had to get out and yank on the linkage through the grill to get it free.
Now I have an ‘05 MR2 Spyder with five on the floor and a rear engine. Getting in and out is a skill.
in addition, I’d bet the torque of the old bore and stroke engines would indeed smash todays high RPM based transmissions...
> I started with a 65 ford econoline van. 3 on the column
Me too. 3 on the column and teenage girlfriend on a mattress in the back. I ditched the truck and married the girl. Best decision I ever made.
It’s called the “millennial anti-theft device”. Better power utilization comes through the use of a torque converter. You never see a loader or bulldozer with a manual transmission. Most large Ag tractors use a torque converter.
The '70 440 six-pack had 480 lb-ft of torque while the Hellcat has 650 lb-ft.
The '70 440 six-pack took 6 seconds to get to 60 mph and the Hellcat takes 3.6.
The '70 440 six-pack was 13.6 through the quarter mile while the Hellcat is 11.9.
In my case the truck outlasted the girl. That motor was damn near indestructible.
I’m one of the few women left, I guess.
My husband and kids can drive them. Also makes them harder to steal. 😁
Thanks for the info...Next car will be an anti theft device.....Brilliant......
After the emissions and unleaded gas requirements manufacturers made engines with lower compression and released numbers that did include exhaust manifold etc - meaning cars appeared to “lose” anywhere from 30-100hp. The fact was they didn’t really “lose” any hp……the numbers were inflated b/c the customer never realized the advertised hp/tq because when they bought the car….they bought a car (that had a transmission, differentials, manifolds, etc) and not just an engine.
The math never changed, 1hp still = 1hp from 50 years ago. How the companies record and report hp changed. A 2022 Scatpack Charger puts out way more hp than 1970 440 6 pack Charger, and yes, way more than a 426 Hemi.
If you want to do a true test - throw the cars on a dyno and test the power to the wheels. General rule of thumb for a gas vehicle is you “lose” about 20% hp from the engine through the drivetrain, to the rear wheels.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.