Re: automatic vs standard transmissions for hauling

[rides2far@juno.com (Angela C. McGhee)]

On Fri, 16 Jan 1998 13:46:25 -0800 Laney Humphrey <laneyh@mbay.net>
writes:
>Paula - I'm not an expert by any means but here's my 2 cts. worth:
>When I bought my first truck/trailer I bought automatic because all 
>the
>articles I read said to even though I've always driven a stick shift 
>car.
>I live in coastal central California where we are amuck in gluey mud 
>at the
>moment.  Today I hauled my horse on a 2 miles dirt driveway to my 
>trainer's
>and blessed my 4 wheel drive and cursed my automatic the whole way.  
>Going
>in (up) wasn't too bad but coming out (down) was nastier because, even 
>in
>2nd gear, the blankety-blank automatic kept accelerating the truck 
>which
>means that I had to keep the brakes on and risk locking and sliding.  


What kind of truck is that?  I've got a Dodge now that does that, I just
shift up into nuetral.  I've hauled with Chevy Silverado automatics (a 79
and a 90)  since 79 and LOVE them.  I would hate to get caught in traffic
shifting a stick shift.  I can shift fine, and don't mind a car, but I
hate hauling with a streight shift truck.  

This Dodge is just to get me through until my dad lets me buy his present
Silverado, which does not pull when in drive,  until you press the gas.

By the way, my Dodge 4x4 went to the shop last week, they said my choke
was staying on and put something in there that cost me some bucks,  it
will still do 15mph with my foot off the accelerator.

Do you only haul horses?  Many a stack of hay has been dumped in the
field when the streight shift decided to jump.  Besides that, in the
hayfield is when we like to let the 11 year olds learn to drive down here
in the South.

My Silverado pulled a two horse for 19 years with never a  breakdown or
transmission related problem.  Granted, that's no big rig, but then it
was a standard 1 ton with a couple of heavy duty things thrown in.  

Angie McGhee