6 Speed Transmission...

dsr611 · August 24, 2010

What is the best way to use the 6 speed transmission? Do you start off with the gear selector in M mode and shift with the +- "paddle" like a manual transmission? Get up to speed in auto mode (D) and then drop down into Manual mode? I took my truck in for its 1st oil change this morning and asked the service writer and he said that the manual mode should rarely, if ever, be used.

jro909 · August 24, 2010

put it in d and drive it...manuel mode is for when your hauling a godzilla of a load and need a little extra control over the load

mxdirtrider56 · August 24, 2010

+1 It can be very benificial when hauling a heavy load. Especially in a hilly part of the country where you need to use a lower gear on some of those steep grades. Otherwise just drive like you normally would.

captainmorgan00 · August 24, 2010

Under normal driving I just put it in "D" and then drop into manual mode the first time I want to down shift for some reason. Then usually just keep it in manual until the trip or whatever is over. I also use the manual mode alot when I'm about to pass on a tight road and there's not much room. I drop down until the engine is at a good RPM that way it doesn't have to go from like 6th to 3rd when I get on it hard. I don't really see how using the manual mode would hurt anything. It was put there for a reason and I'm sure if they had any problems with it during testing they would have done something else. That's my opinion

mrauls · August 24, 2010

Yep, the way it was explained to me is that it isn't a "manu-matic". If you're towing up a grade, manual mode can be used to set the tallest gear that you want to use:

M4 - the truck will shift normally up to gear 4 and stay there. It essentially locks out the taller gears.

I don't know where it resets to when the truck is turned off and back on, but I would hate to find out that it goes back to M1 and then shift it into manual on the highway. Any thoughts?

kdixer · August 24, 2010

Yep, the way it was explained to me is that it isn't a "manu-matic". If you're towing up a grade, manual mode can be used to set the tallest gear that you want to use:

M4 - the truck will shift normally up to gear 4 and stay there. It essentially locks out the taller gears.

I don't know where it resets to when the truck is turned off and back on, but I would hate to find out that it goes back to M1 and then shift it into manual on the highway. Any thoughts?

When you shift to M it will be in whatever gear it is in when you shifted to it. In other words if you are going down the raod and the transmission is in 5th, and you shift to M, then it will be in 5th. If you shift to M while sitting still, it will be in 1st. No worries when shifting to M.

onntn87 · August 24, 2010

Yep, the way it was explained to me is that it isn't a "manu-matic". If you're towing up a grade, manual mode can be used to set the tallest gear that you want to use:

M4 - the truck will shift normally up to gear 4 and stay there. It essentially locks out the taller gears.

I don't know where it resets to when the truck is turned off and back on, but I would hate to find out that it goes back to M1 and then shift it into manual on the highway. Any thoughts?

If you shift into manual mode on the highway it will be in whatever gear you are already in. You won't feel any difference, if you're going 65 in 6th gear and you shift the lever to manual, you will still be going 65 in 6th gear.

MaverickZ71 · August 24, 2010

The performance algorithm in the computer that runs the tranny won't let it shift into a gear that will harm the transmission. In other words, if you're running 80 mph in 6th gear in M mode and manually downshift it to 2nd gear, it won't actually shift down that far until the speed is reduced enough not to throw parts onto the highway.

[email protected] · August 24, 2010

Under normal driving I just put it in "D" and then drop down into manual mode the first time I want to down shit for some reason. Then usually just keep it in manual until the trip or whatever is over. I also use the manual mode alot when I'm about to pass on a tight road and there's not much room. I drop down until the engine is at a good RPM that way it doesn't have to go from like 6th to 3rd when I get on it hard. I don't really see how using the manual mode would hurt anything. It was put there for a reason and I'm sure if they had any problems with it during testing they would have done something else. That's my opinion

Omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your comment made me laugh the hardest I've laughed in a while. Thank you for the laugh!