duramax/powerstroke manual trannies?

[the moose]

i am finding some great deals around me for 2500 series duramax and superduty powerstrokes, deals like 60k miles 4x4 for 20 grand, but a lot of them have manual trans.

i love driving stick, for cars anyway, i drove one ford ranger with a manual and liked it, but im wondering how it would be on a big truck like that, will the shifting be quick or sluggish? the reason i ask is id like to be able to take it to the drag strip every now and then and i dont want the shifting to hold me back too much.

i like manual because it eliminates downshifting when you dont want it and upshifting when you dont want it (duhhh...) but i just dont want to have a slow trans.

any input?

[HemiHunter]

Don't know about the D-Max trans, but my cousin has a 04 F-550 Powerstroke with a 6 speed, smooth shifts, a lot shorter throws than trucks of old. Should hold up OK, but if your planing on doin clutch drops and speed shiftin it , don't plan on it holdin up too long, normal usage they should last a reel long time. Both those trucks are heavy, and make a lot of power, probly wont hold up real long to sports car like driviing

[the moose]

Don't know about the D-Max trans, but my cousin has a 04 F-550 Powerstroke with a 6 speed, smooth shifts, a lot shorter throws than trucks of old. Should hold up OK, but if your planing on doin clutch drops and speed shiftin it , don't plan on it holdin up too long, normal usage they should last a reel long time. Both those trucks are heavy, and make a lot of power, probly wont hold up real long to sports car like driviing

yeah tahts what i was thinking, that over time the weight and big hp/tq numbers that the trucks throw down would wear out clutches and break parts. for the most part it will just be to have a badass truck , do some mud running, some hauling my trail truck (which will be my 1500 that i have now...)

in reality i think it would end up hitting the track like 4-5 times a year max. and would be rolling on 36s with lift. and just stomping all over imports and hemis.

[chevytaHOE5674]

cant say anythign for the dmax/psd with manuals but i drove a dodge 1 ton dually stick, and well it isnt the 6 speed trans-am i am used to it was alot of fun. But it has real long throws on the shifts like well a truck shifter, so if thats like the other two brands then dont expect any speed shifting, or chirping tires or anything. But it is alot of fun to shift yourself, and most have a pretty low first gear so they have some serious torque and low gear grunt off the line.

[dozerboy]

The manual on the Dmax ain't that strong stock, but adding a HD clutch and they will take the power. Now the fastest manual Dmax I have heard of is mid 13s with quit a few mods and one with an Allison and a 200hp tune will run 13.

[the moose]

13s is pretty good for a big truck like that. i think for the ammount of time id spend at the track a manual would be alright.

tahoe5674 you do have a point about it being fun to shift your own gears. thats the one thing i miss about having my car...

[chevytaHOE5674]

Yeah i wish chevy offered a manual behind all its trucks, because i would kill for a 5 or 6 speed in my tahoe it would be so much fun.

[the moose]

Yeah i wish chevy offered a manual behind all its trucks, because i would kill for a 5 or 6 speed in my tahoe it would be so much fun.

yeah id like to have one in my truck too...