Re: Auto vs Stick

[Lynne Glazer <lglazer@cyberg8t.com>]

Susan, and anybody else interested in improving their automatic
transmission's performance.

Gear splitters--well, like we've been talking about, auto transmissions
with 3 gears and a factory overdrive work well for ordinary duty, but
not for heavy duty towing especially on hills.  A gear splitter is like
an auxillary transmission that give you extra gears for both climbing
hills and better fuel economy when cruising.

For those with 3 speed transmissions, the available packages give the
advantage of o/d and a gear splitter both.  The o/d lowers engine revs
to reduce fuel consumption and engine wear, and the additional gear
splits make it easier to climb hills and pass the slow guys.  That's my
big whine, my 3rd gear is very inefficient.

>From the literature out there, the gaps between the gears of the newer 4
speed o/d transmissions have stayed the same or become even wider, so a
splitter is still needed to prevent over-revving in too low a gear, or
lugging in too tall a gear.

According to Gear Vendors, the tall gear of factory o/d can cause an
engine to lug when fighting a head wind, climbing a grade, or towing.  

The appealing thing is that this aux tranny can be shifted at ANY
throttle position with the touch of a button!

But it's pricey.  The next truck I buy will have one though.

Lynne
and Rem-member Me