Blog Mirror: WHAT KILLED OFF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION?

A question I've pondered myself.

WHAT KILLED OFF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION?

This article does as good of job explaining it as any I've seen.

Frankly, whatever it was, I hate the fact that it's happened.

Underlying it all, however, is the fact that a lot of modern trucks are; 1) used in cities, and 2) just haul toys.  That's the real problem.

For those who use their trucks in the out back, and yes I've heard the arguments that have been around for ever (including the absurd one "you can rock with the transmission when stuck with an automatic) there's no doubt that manuals are superior transmissions.  Allowing the driver, rather than a bunch of liquid, to choose the gears in tight spots, while climbing, or going through a mud hole is infinitely better.

But then, for that matter, so are mechanical, rather than vacuum and electronic controls.

Again, no matter. The Big Three caters to the market and the truck market is driven by urbanites who are more likely to haul a boat to a lake than an elk from the high country. And even 1-ton and 3/4 ton work trucks are likely to be driven now by a workman who has no real exposure to manual transmissions and can't really use one.  Besides, in dense town traffic, automatics are better.

I've been pondering this because, as readers here know, my 07 diesel is at the point where I have to.  It needs new tires, all four, it has a cracked windshield and its starting to rust above one of the wheel wells.

Added to the problems I face, however, finding the time to simply address all of that is problematic.

And the truck has had certain issues that are long lasting, the most particular one being that even though it's a 1-ton 4x4 truck, the clearance isn't what it should be.

So what to do.

Based upon a little research, including this article, I'm now aware that the calendar year 2019 is the last year Chrysler has made an standard transmission for its trucks. Even its off road "Power Wagon" (not a real Power Wagon but only a truck appropriating the honored name) is fitted with a slushbox more appropriate for a Barbie Jeep than a real truck.  Indeed, I wouldn't regard it as a real off road vehicle for that reason.

The 2019 manuals fitted by Dodge are available in their 1 ton trucks but in the 2018 model. That's right, Dodge oddly made 2018s and 2019s in 2019, and so far as I know, it has't made 2020s yet.

I knew that earlier in the year, somewhat, when I looked on the lot.  I found a nice used one, but it sold quickly, belying the "manual's don't sell" story that the manufacturers are putting out.  There were several standards on the lot, but they were all plain Jane tradesmen models with street tires that would have required thousands of dollars in investment just to make them prairie ready.

Making one last effort to find an option to ponder, I entered the material details on the "build your own" option in the Chrysler site last night, and that site claims this can still be done.  We'll see.  I suspect that the answer will disappoint.

And even if it doesn't, the cost will likely detract from the option.

Which orphans my options.  I may have reached the point where what I've been pondering is the only option.

The 2007 is a decade old and has over 175,000 miles on it.  It has some downsides.  Those include its lack of clearance, but it doesn't have locking differentials and manual hubs.  Those can be retrofitted.

And the retrofits I might want would cost a lot less than sinking money into a new truck that still had the defects the existing one does.

And I'm not buying an automatic.  I know that everyone else, including the newer ranch trucks, are automatics, and that you have to go down to the light off road sport trucks, or up to to commercial haulers, to get a manual, but I'm not going there.  They're a bad option.

So making the 3500 a project it may be.  Which would make 100% of my own vehicles projects.

Sigh.