Re: RC: Auto vs. manual for towing

["Truman Prevatt, PhD" <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>]

Who said I can't drive a standard? Where do you see that in this message?

Truman

Carolyn Burgess wrote:

> Why don't you learn to drive a standard?  It's not that hard.
>
> Carolyn Burgess
>
> >From: "Truman Prevatt, PhD" <truman.prevatt@netsrq.com>
> >Reply-To: truman.prevatt@netsrq.com
> >To: "ridecamp@endurance.net" <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> >Subject: RC:   Auto vs. manual for towing
> >Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 07:43:52 -0400
> >
> >Most dealers will tell you that an automatic is better designed for towing.
> >  Their argument is the automatic will absorb the motion of the trailer
> >with less long term wear than a manual. I know more than one person that
> >has burned out a clutch and a manual transmission towing. Of course I know
> >more than one person that has smoked an automatic towing - yours truly
> >being one.
> >
> >The real problem seems that pickups now come with high torque diesel
> >engines in front of transmission that were originally designed for gas
> >engines.  GM probably has solved that problem by going to someone who makes
> >heavy duty automatic transmission to design one for their new HD pickup.
> >
> >Ford claims that theirs is better than it used to be, but it is still made
> >by Ford and Ford goes out and buys transmissions from real transmission
> >people for their commercial trucks. Do do I believe Ford when the promise
> >that their "new" transmission can really pull as much weight as they say.
> >Hmmmmmm... probably not.
> >
> >So after a lot of talk with a mechanical engineer friend, I have come the
> >the following conclusion. If you have an automatic, put a oversized (after
> >market) pan on it. Get the biggest you can - say one that holds a couple
> >gallons more transmission fluid. Next put in a temp sensor on the
> >transmission fluid. This is easy since there is already a port there and
> >these sensors are
> >available at most good after market places. That way you will know when the
> >transmission is running hot and can back off before you boil all the fluid
> >away and cook the transmission.
> >
> >Standard transmissions can also overheat so it wouldn't hurt to have a
> >sensor on them.
> >
> >By the way, the Allison in the GM has comes with a huge pan and a temp
> >sensor build in.
> >
> >So I don't know if automatic or manual is best. The thing I keep thinking
> >about with a standard is one ride I'm going to come up lame 10 hours away
> >from home and not be able to drive a standard. It's happened and will
> >probably happen again. That's why I lean toward the automatic.
> >
> >Truman
> >
> >
> > >
> >
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