Standard vs Auto

[noahrob]

I went from a TH400 to a SM465 and I wouldn't go back. I have driven over rocks, in sand and in mud and love the clutch...when I am in rocks (like 4lo), I don't use the pedal, the truck won't stall at anything above 500rpm...I will say that I HATE carb's...can never tune them correctly for everythgin, adn then we go from sea level to 600 feet and, well...let's just say FI is in our future...

 

[Chevy305]

Standard in the mud Instant wheelspeed plus they will take the abuse better

X2
Ya as long as your engine is running your wheels are turning.

Plus you don't get the fun factor with an auto. You know, rev it up drop the clutch and watch the mud fly!

 

[big dan]

I grew up driving an auto and never drove anything but an auto, except for tractors. I always liked it, throw it in drive and go, no clutch to worry about. then after I killed my second automatic and replaced it with an sm465. Ill never go back. gotten used to the clutch being there and I dont even have to think about using it, it just comes natural.

 

[yellowK20]

when ever i drive an auto I always go for the "ghost pedal"

 

[blazinzuk]

My vote is for a standard also. Autos are really nice and I actually wheel with an auto now, part of the reason for this is my wife likes wheeling with an auto better. I would say standard for the mud too, very few guys in deep mud have I seen go for third, and if you are in mud where you are going really fast you can probably afford the downtime to shift

 

[chevyguybc]

how does the sm465 np205(possibly double or geared etc..) work with TBI?

 

[supersize75k5]

auto for control,

if you have a t-350 and 203 then a manual sounds like a great idea for the granny gear.


if you have a 700r4 and 241/208 then you feel like a winner


and then if you really want to spend some cash there are other options

all in all, an auto in the rocks is the set up, seems most people liked them back in the day because there were not alot of autos that offered comparable gearing.

 

[Chevy305]

My vote is for a standard also. Autos are really nice and I actually wheel with an auto now, part of the reason for this is my wife likes wheeling with an auto better. I would say standard for the mud too, very few guys in deep mud have I seen go for third, and if you are in mud where you are going really fast you can probably afford the downtime to shift

X2,

If you are going fast enough in 2nd to shift to third, then you aren't in deep enough mud

 

[76zimmer]

He means diesel

Or Hilborn, or Rochester.

 

[MTMike]

Got a TH400 95% set on going with a manual. If I ran strictly rocks, I would keep the auto for sure, but I run mountain trails. Half of the time the trails are covered in snow, and being able to crawl gracefully in the snow without dealing with torque converter stall is the way to do it.

 

[85-m1028]

Bottom line, If this will be a daily driver get an auto. I had a crew cab with a 4sp, 454 I could stomp it and go but I could never shift it fast enough.

wheeled a toyota pickup and a jeep tj with 5sp manuals and loved em but driving everyday through traffic when your trying to eat a cheese burger and talk on your cell phone!!!! NOW I GOTTA SHIFT!!!!!!!

I enjoy my truck much more with an auto, and when I beefed it with a shift kit, heavy duty clutches, bands, low stall converter and tranny cooler. Now it reigns supreme!!

On road and off road!!!!

 

[tRustyK5]

Or Hilborn, or Rochester.

Actually, I did mean diesel.

Rene

 

[Chevy305]

Bottom line, If this will be a daily driver get an auto. I had a crew cab with a 4sp, 454 I could stomp it and go but I could never shift it fast enough.

wheeled a toyota pickup and a jeep tj with 5sp manuals and loved em but driving everyday through traffic when your trying to eat a cheese burger and talk on your cell phone!!!! NOW I GOTTA SHIFT!!!!!!!

I enjoy my truck much more with an auto, and when I beefed it with a shift kit, heavy duty clutches, bands, low stall converter and tranny cooler. Now it reigns supreme!!

On road and off road!!!!

And people wonder why there are so many accidents...


With a stick you can't do all that stuff and you will be forced to just pay attention to the road. Maybe driving a stick will save someone's life...

 

[85-m1028]

And people wonder why there are so many accidents...


With a stick you can't do all that stuff and you will be forced to just pay attention to the road. Maybe driving a stick will save someone's life...

Do you really think that driving a stick is gonna keep someone from taking a sip of soda, lighting a cigarette, eating a snack, or adjusting the radio? I say an auto would be conducive to just the contrary, for those of us who drive in the "real world".

Good theory though!!

 

[cabledawg]

The 465/205 does OK with the TBI 350 I have. Sometimes it idles a little rough (usually after punching the gas to scare the hell outta the kid in the honda next to me) but it recovers fairly quick. I'm still running small tires though, so there is plenty of HP to get 'er going pretty fast.

I like the comment on the "ghost pedal". I have two Burbs, one manual and one auto. My wife thinks its funny when I go to shift the auto and wind up looking stupid as I let off the gas and pound the floorboard. I also have a tendancy to reach for the imaginary shifter somewhere between the seats.

 

[supersize75k5]

Do you really think that driving a stick is gonna keep someone from taking a sip of soda, lighting a cigarette, eating a snack, or adjusting the radio? I say an auto would be conducive to just the contrary, for those of us who drive in the "real world".

Good theory though!!

dont stop me..



I drive 100 to 200 miles a day.. paperwork, food, phone, drink.. I agree its a distraction.

 

[jekbrown]

auto with full manual vavle body w/ compression braking.

j

 

[Chevy305]

Do you really think that driving a stick is gonna keep someone from taking a sip of soda, lighting a cigarette, eating a snack, or adjusting the radio? I say an auto would be conducive to just the contrary, for those of us who drive in the "real world".

Good theory though!!

It's extremely hard for me to talk on my cell phone, steer, shift, and hit the turn signal all at once.

I mean if I did that every day I know I would turn into one of those pricks who drive 90mph in the slow lane while cutting people off because I would have a cell phone and a big car, so the ****box next to me won't be able to do **** about me because I would be a MASSHOLE!!!!



Sorry - rant over - I hate Massachusetts drivers...

 

[supersize75k5]

It's extremely hard for me to talk on my cell phone, steer, shift, and hit the turn signal all at once.

I mean if I did that every day I know I would turn into one of those pricks who drive 90mph in the slow lane while cutting people off because I would have a cell phone and a big car, so the ****box next to me won't be able to do **** about me because I would be a MASSHOLE!!!!



Sorry - rant over - I hate Massachusetts drivers...

you use turn signals

 

[diesel4me]

Only one besides me!..

Chevy 305 must be the only other driver in MA besides me who still uses the directionals!..he's right,the drivers here DO suck,probably the worst on the east coast.. --my middle finger gets quite a workout daily around here..people suck,have no common courtesy and dont care if they run you right off the road..it is especially bad now,since its "the holidays",and all the soccer moms are flocking to the Wal-Mart nearby,at breakneck speeds..average about 5 wrecks a day at the entrance to the Wal-Mart parking lot..

I dont think having a manual tranny will stop anyone here from using a cell phone,eating and drinking while driving,etc...once they are in top gear on the highway,their hands are as free as anyone elses,just as if they were driving an automatic...I see 18 wheeler drivers using phones,cb's,eating and drinking while going 75 mph every day--having 13 speeds and a road ranger doesn't seem to discourage them from mukti-tasking behind the wheel..


I prefer an automatic in my 4x4's--I've had a few SM465's--nice rugged tranny,but the gearing sucks --first gear is for crawling only,too low in second gear,and third gear is way too high ,the motor bogs when you upshift--4th felt like an overdrive in my K5..maybe if I hadn't had 3.08 axles I'd have liked it better..but I got tired of doing clutches once a year (or more,couldnt buy a good clutch it seemed,all failed rapidly,and I didn't ride them or abuse them)..

A good automatic makes the truck much easier to drive,and safer in my opinion..less distractions and your always in the "right" gear..and if your plowing the automatics make it easier to plow without wheelspin or having to wind out the engine in reverse,--an SM465 goes about 8 mph in reverse when the motor is taching 4 grand!..that takes a toll on the engine if you back up a lot when plowing parking lots,etc..

I think GM still needs a decent automatic though..the TH400 is probably the most rugged,but lacks an overdrive--TH350 is the second best,but a wee bit tiny for a full sized rig with a high HP motor..700R4's suck in my opinion--yes,some do hold up,but not many--you have to uprgrade everything in them just to make them last about half as long as the two others I listed..I think they are weak personally..

I dont think the newer automatics hold up very good either--not just GM,every manufacturer seems to be unable to make an overdrive automatic that lasts over 100,000 miles--ever since they went to "computer controlled" shifting and pack trannies full of failure prone wires and solenoids,they have all been troublesome and fail easily in my experience..we need a REAL heavy duty tranny,like an Alison or something,that has overdrive and NO computer controls..