Off Road Preference? Stick or Automatic?

[sgtsandman]

Each has it's benefits and negatives. Check out this video, it might help you make your decision:

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

manual valve body in an automatic

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

farmer up the road from me took care of soil fertility this way last week. That's a heck of a load of liquid BS.

manual valve body in an automatic

Probably what that that has, aka a "Powershift"

That said my tractors have gear drive manual transmissions, my newest one is kinda funky about getting into third gear but it is 66 years old and has never been opened up so I cut it some slack.

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

whats a power shift?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

whats a power shift?

Basically a manual automatic.

Like if that one is a powershift it has 12 gears, you just bump the lever ahead to the next gear and the trans takes care of how to make that shift happen. Kind of like shifting gears on a bike (pedal bike)

Different generation (1960's vs 1990's) but same theory of operation. Trans shifter is to the right, keep bumping it ahead to go faster. Not built exactly the same as an automotive trans but the theory is the same:

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

yeah kinda like that. haha. i switched from a stock 5 speed manual to a manual valve body C4 and its still my favorite thing ive ever done to my truck. makes it so much more fun to drive and is great for the dunes since im 2wd and keeping rpm is key there

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

yeah kinda like that. haha. i switched from a stock 5 speed manual to a manual valve body C4 and its still my favorite thing ive ever done to my truck. makes it so much more fun to drive and is great for the dunes since im 2wd and keeping rpm is key there

I went the other way because I wanted overdrive lol.

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

yeahhhhhh i miss that sometimes. but the pros for this trans offroad out weighs the 5 speed by a long shot in my opinion.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Another thing too, there are different kinds of off-roading.

Not many dunes around here.

 

[JOLENE_THE_RANGER]

thats very ture

 

[Shran]

Auto would be my preference.

I have a 4 speed manual in my crawler rig and I like it for the most part. It's geared low enough that I don't have to shift and rarely have to three foot the thing. However it's real nice with an auto where you can feather the throttle while holding the brakes... just a lot more finesse.

I'd probably never use a manual in a race environment, mud, Baja style or otherwise. The truck I've been racing has a C6 and my race Explorer has an automatic too.

FWIW I will probably never go back to a tow rig with a manual either.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Auto would be my preference.

I have a 4 speed manual in my crawler rig and I like it for the most part. It's geared low enough that I don't have to shift and rarely have to three foot the thing. However it's real nice with an auto where you can feather the throttle while holding the brakes... just a lot more finesse.

If it wasn't such a bugger to find I would have probably gone AOD for the reasons you state.

Most AOD based 4wd's (AODE/4R70W) need computer to tell them what to do so then you have to mix and match crap to end up with a non computer 4wd AOD. Real stupid AOD's were not in trucks for very long.

I will say the M5ODR2 is a very fun trans to take apart and put back together too. I really enjoyed that winter project. I do wish it had a lower first and/or my 205 had a lower low. Just putzing around the barnyard 1st low is about where I would like 1st hi to be.

 

[Shran]

Yeah... I have never seen a 4x4 AOD in the wild. Lots of 2wd truck ones in the mid 80's. As light duty as those are, I sold a bunch of them to hot rodder guys who wanted an overdrive trans in their old car. Seems like just about everyone who bought a 4x4 full size truck in the 80's wanted either a manual trans or a C6. Can't say I blame them!

 

[Bgunner]

Just putzing around the barnyard 1st low is about where I would like 1st hi to be.

Sounds like your looking for a granny gear, like 250/350's, 2500/3500's have. I had that in my 73 Dodge 1 ton w/318 ci. and loved it for creeping around the yard. My friends F250 diesel has it and it idles "up" his driveway, keep in mind I live in the mountains so up really means up, without throttle which is pretty cool in itself, IMO. Maybe a doubler would work for getting the low creep gear you want and not loose the street ability

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Sounds like your looking for a granny gear, like 250/350's, 2500/3500's have. I had that in my 73 Dodge 1 ton w/318 ci. and loved it for creeping around the yard. My friends F250 diesel has it and it idles "up" his driveway without throttle which is pretty cool in itself, IMO. Maybe a doubler would work for getting the low creep gear you want and not loose the street ability

I have thought about a doubler but that is a pretty expensive road to go down.