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Manual behind duramax...

Yeah, it's the ZF6--basically the same tranny that's in the Ford superduty behind the 7.3, only with a chevy bellhousing and 32 spline output. I've been looking for one to put behind a 454, but no luck yet.

Jimbo
 
As far as I know it is the same ZF 6-spd that has been used since GM upgraded from the 4500 .
It uses an aluminium case and has the common 1-1/2" 29 spline out put shaft ( atleast on the 4WD models ). Seems to be a fairly good tranny so far .


Tom
 
Jimbo* said:
Yeah, it's the ZF6--basically the same tranny that's in the Ford superduty behind the 7.3, only with a chevy bellhousing and 32 spline output. I've been looking for one to put behind a 454, but no luck yet.

Jimbo
Click to expand...



Jimbo , do they all have the common GM 32 spline output ? I could have sworn I saw the larger 29 spline on one that was apart at my local GM dealer shop .

Tom
 
So is ZF a manufacturer thats spittin' these out and Ford and Chevy are just picking them up and adapting them to go behind their engines?
 
Avery4jc said:
So is ZF a manufacturer thats spittin' these out and Ford and Chevy are just picking them up and adapting them to go behind their engines?
Click to expand...

ZF makes tons of transmissions for lots of different companies (they make axles too).

ZF is an acronym for the full German name.
 
My friend has one. He ordered his D-Max new. I believe its an '04. Tranny itself is fine. The flywheel is another storey. He's had 3 replaced under warranty so far, along with the clutch.
Not sure what the real problem is, I think it's a dual-mass flywheel they use, they have been problematic.
 
tarussell said:
Jimbo , do they all have the common GM 32 spline output ? I could have sworn I saw the larger 29 spline on one that was apart at my local GM dealer shop .

Tom
Click to expand...

Dunno Tom. I'm told it is 32 spline, but I've not had my hands on one yet.
If it is 29 spline, it's different then the Ford model, as it is 24 spline, and large--like 1 1/2". I am of course, referring to the 4x4 models.

Jimbo
 
I'm pretty sure all GM's 4x4 transmissions use a 32 spline output these days...

I personally would love a Duramax truck with a 6 speed and I was very disappointed to learn that GM no longer offers any standard transmission behind anything bigger than a 4.8L :( I'll probably wind up buying a brand new Cummins powered Dodge in 09 when I graduate because of that very fact
 
And you'd be distraught to know why that decision was made. :(

I posted about this back in 2005.

It was a stupid stupid decision. The main reason was, drumroll please......... steering columns. That's it. Sure there were other factors, but the main reason, and I know with fair certainty, was to commonize steering columns. Opps...we forgot that all the low GVWR medium duty trucks share the same steering columns, none of those trucks have manuals now either. They are eating it on that front now as well. In fact, medium duty trucks at GM are selling so poorly, they want to disband or sell off that division now.
Opps, all those people that want a manual are now buying Ford and Dodge trucks. Opps...opps...
GM deserves to eat it.
 
73k5blazer said:
And you'd be distraught to know why that decision was made. :(

I posted about this back in 2005.

It was a stupid stupid decision. The main reason was, drumroll please......... steering columns. That's it. Sure there were other factors, but the main reason, and I know with fair certainty, was to commonize steering columns. Opps...we forgot that all the low GVWR medium duty trucks share the same steering columns, none of those trucks have manuals now either. They are eating it on that front now as well. In fact, medium duty trucks at GM are selling so poorly, they want to disband or sell off that division now.
Opps, all those people that want a manual are now buying Ford and Dodge trucks. Opps...opps...
GM deserves to eat it.
Click to expand...
i agree wholeheartedly. worst decision they made in EVER. another way of looking at it is that most won't buy a manual anymore either. it's just that automatic has become so much of a luxury that alot of people don't want to mess with a manual. not to mention the heavy traffic areas like cities. i know it was hard on my clutch when i used to drive my car in those situations. the economy is just growing rapidly and it's not stopping anytime soon.
 
Plus now that the autos hold up to a ton of power its really just not worth it to get a stick...
 
Avery4jc said:
Plus now that the autos hold up to a ton of power its really just not worth it to get a stick...
Click to expand...

That's all debatable. I prefer to drive a stick and generally hate driving autos.

Plus the manual puts more power to the ground and generally gets better mileage.

And I still don't think any of the newer autos (behind diesels) last near as long as the manual.
 
Don't care how new or nice an auto is, it can't anticipate when *I* want to shift. When the automatics are plugged into my brain like my shifting hand is, I'll be interested in buying one. Manually shifting an automatic is still manually shifting an automatic. Even the ratchet type shifters aren't the same as a manual.

BMW, Mercedes, Ford, GM, you name it, none can anticipate what gear I want to be in.
 
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