New Truck Questions

Hello, I am seeking input from y'all for a new truck.

I currently have my 03 H.O. manual which sadly is just rusting out from underneath literally!!

This year is the last year it will pass inspection due to frame rot, I have toyed with the idea of swapping the frame but then there is the rest of the rust to contend with and it's not worth it.

If I do anything like that I will swap the running gear into something old.

So I have decided that since it made it 20 years I need a new one.

My biggest dilemma is I want a manual trans and they are like finding a needle in a hay stack, not to mention I am confined to 2018 or older.

I am thinking of going to a 3500 with the Aisin BUT I have heard mixed reviews with that trans especially that it can't be tuned with a MM3.

Best I can come up with is due to it using pressure and not really a controller, I could be wrong there as I am not a automatic guy.

Since my dad passed away I really don't have anyone to go to that knows Automatics like he did.

He had 50 years as a mechanic and ton's of knowledge with the automatics.

Anyway my feeling is that I need to stay with 2018 just incase I decide I want to swap to a manual I still can do that fairly easy and it would cost less than replacing the auto with a beefed up one that can stand behind the Cummins for more than 100,000 trouble free miles.

If any of you can shed some light on these newer trucks I would greatly apricate your input good or bad.

Thank you

I have an '18 with the Aisin, and they are a good trans, but since they cannot be tuned, it depends on how much power you want to run.

Up to around 500-ish hp, they do fine when warmed up well.

They are a bit temperamental when cold but nothing abnormal.

Above 500 hp, you get some shift flare going into converter lock in the 3rd and 4th.

I find it works best if you want to launch hard, use a mild tune, then toss a little more power in once you hit 4th lockup.

They hold up quite well if you run a mild or tow tunes.

I have 63k on mine, run 475-500 hp most of the time, and have no issues.

I do tow in a lower hp setting, and they are great for towing.

One thing with the Aisin is it requires frequent maintenance compared to some other autos.

Every 30k miles requires a fluid change; every 60k miles, you have to drop the pan and do a fluid and filter change.

Fortunately, the fluid it uses is reasonably priced.

Thank you for that information!

I doubt I would put over 500 at any time; the only thing that might hinder me is that I live in the North East, and if they don't like the cold, that might be an issue but not.

I change my manual every 25-30k and use Royal Purple.

Actually, I do the trans, transfer case, and differentials at the same time.

Royal Purple is the only diff fluid I have found that stays stable up to 25k.

I have tried all the others, and after about 20k, the rear would chatter like the old limited-slip without additive.

When I would make a highway trip running 70-75, and I get off at the same exit for fuel, it would chatter when I would make the turn; very weird, but after swapping out five major brands, I tried RP, and that issue went away however I have never taken it past 25-30K before changing it.

I apricate your insight!

Thank you.

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Originally Posted by go8bud

Thank you for that information!

I doubt I would put over 500 at any time; the only thing that might hinder me is that I live in the North East, and if they don't like the cold, that might be an issue but not.

I change my manual every 25-30k and use Royal Purple.

I do the trans, transfer cases, and differentials simultaneously.

Royal Purple is the only diff fluid I have found that stays stable up to 25k.

I have tried all the others, and after about 20k, the rear would chatter like the old limited-slip without additive.

When I would make a highway trip running 70-75, and I get off at the same exit for fuel, it would chatter when I would make the turn; very weird, but after swapping out five major brands, I tried RP, and that issue went away however I have never taken it past 25-30K before changing it.

I apricate your insight!

Thank you.

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I live in Northern Nevada, and it does get cold here but rarely below zero.

I fire it up and let it run for about 5 minutes, and it gets close.

I take it easy on the go pedal until it warms up.

Anything under 80F, the trans will not go into the converter lock.

It will shift OK and go through the gears but won't lock up until it hits around 80F.

I am unsure if it affects this, but I have an aftermarket deep aluminum pan on the trans that holds an extra gallon of fluid.

It does help it run about 10-15 degrees cooler when it is up to operating temp.

Ah, okay, that's not bad to deal with.

My buddy that I occasionally plow snow with had a 05 2500 with the automatic, and I could push way more and pile snow much higher than his.

When I was joking with him about it, he said that his would just stop once it got to be more than the truck could handle.

My guess is it was slipping, he never had an issue with his trans, and he pushed that truck to its limits and beyond.

During one storm, his nephew was plowing with us in his new F250, and he smoked his trans.

I forget what happened, but it looked like a murder scene in the white snow.

He had to have it towed from the site; it wasn't a line that I recall; it was something in the trans and cracked the case. I don't plan to plow with the new one, but I will install all the rigging just in case I need to plow my lane, but that's about it.

Again, thank you for your insight.

The other day, there was an excellent manual white long bed 2016 2500 on Autotrader.

I think it had less than 100k on it.

Depending on how far you want to travel, go on there, max out the radius, select manual, and your years.

There aren't too many, that's for sure.

I was lucky enough to find one an hour away from me.

If you want an automatic, I will go with the Aisin, and the manual is the G56, just my opinion.