A good driver and the right gears thats not an issue.
Manuals are much more kind when it comes to abuse, less parastic loss, dont have to really worry about heat...
A 6sp manual with a granny low would be perfect.
this would need context for me. the type of abuse the trans itself will take??....or the type of abuse the drivetrain will be subjected to?
none of the normal manuals are stronger then a c6 or th400 after you overwhelm clutch capacity, this is in a stock application.
you tend to easily destroy the drivetrain of any 1/2 ton with a t18 when at the tractive limits all things being equal to the c6 much more quickly....say crawling with a stock 79 bronco even with smallish 35 inch tires.
autos.....when actively engaging off road conditions requiring a good driver with the right gears, are much nicer to the rest of the drivetrain and less abusive.
these current autos and computer gee gaws offer this in a next level catagory.
a 435, t18 or t 19 could outlast the owner without opening it up driven and maintained correctly over a ridiculous amount of miles.....no auto is gonna do that...
this was a topic of discussion for final personal vehicles.. i would rather have a 435 with possibly gv overdrive style unit then a zf5 or 6 or the nv4500.
of course with serious power the older models then show some weakness. my ideal 4x4 e350 (ttb of course) with a cummins - np435 - od unit - np 205 would be fine with a 300 hp mech 12 v.
step that into a 24 valve 5-600hp 4 digit torque cummins and the allison looks better. the older units would twist off input shafts pretty easily with the high end clutch capacity.
at least thats what was happening with built big blocks when actual power was on tap......everybody went to c6 and turbo 400 gm units once we started building real power and 40 inch tires got involved....with lower power it remains a non issue though.
the older shit seems better...but you have to remember they were subjected to much less power and loads.
chassis wise there are some exceptions depending on perspective.
looking at at it from the rustbelt perspective.
time has proven the gen 1 ranger is/was the best built little truck by light years......
nothing holds a candle to the chassis strength...sure, the ttb d28 axles were ghey, and the a4ld can go choke on a bag of diks...but the rest of it was tough as it gets.
outside of the rustbelt...the later engineering has its merits and stronger then ever till the corrosion fairy shows up. if they kept the steel the same they would be longer lived then cockroaches.. but they didnt....and i think that was on purpose...
so i dont mind composites ect coming into the fray...
regardless, like many here....
manual transmissions and straight axle 4x4s with lockouts will be welcome to me as well for a secondary utility vehicle. but i do i prefer an auto for a daily driver.
and my dailydriver is as cave pig as it gets for creature comforts and safety features....the seatbelts still sort of work but the drivers side is worn out again.....and the wipers workish....horn died and still have not replaced. ireally need to fix that...
gauranteed to lock brakes....you will have that with a cave pig model.....
wander down the road like a drunken cow....
drive prudently.
and one of the taurii in the yard was replaced with a fresh escape this week.
i find the escape acceptable....but the explorer and edge are much more fitting.
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