My day with an '06 3500 Quad Long Box G56

So I spent the day in a 6-speed today. Today was kind of a treat, I took a 6-speed ‘06 out today to show to a client and since I drive an ‘05 48re equipped CTD as my daily driver, this was the most “seat time” I’ve had to experience a real hand shaker. I’m no novice with a manual transmission by the way, my last six vehicles have been manual trans and the auto CTD I own currently is my first automatic in some 7-8 years. A couple point’s I noted in my 3-4 hour excursion, the G56 shifts with precision and finesse. I’m guessing it just takes time getting used to the drive-train but I could not for the life of me get a smooth clutch engagement without bucking the clutch/ trans slightly, hopefully it’s not the truck. . Thank goodness for the aftermarket and downloaders, for some reason no matter how much pedal I would through the truck, I could at best only barely keep pace with traffic and yes I was starting in 2nd every time. I had minivans, Ford Tauruses and other middle of the road traffic passing me up between the shift points. In my auto, even when stock just mashing the go pedal slightly got me ahead of traffic and passing most cars with confidence. Some positives, driving the same highway I drive in my personal CTD to work everyday, I found the 6-speed to be more at home and pull harder. For instance, I gave it some pedal on a particular grade I drive daily in my (auto) CTD, flooring it from the base of the hill starting at around 60 mph to the top gets me about 82 mph +/-. I left the 6-speed in 6th and accelerated from about 65 mph mid way up the grade and the truck was dog on near 90 mph and still pulling hard, although closer to readline than what I’m usually comfortable with. What I really liked was how easy it was to control or get power from this configuration in any gear higher than 2nd. My verdict is although I really enjoyed the G56 and the long box chassis, I now have a new respect for my ‘05 with the 48re and short box. The reality is I really “need” a Long-Box, but I love how much more nimble and manageable the short box is in and out of traffic and through town. Again I’m sure if I spent a week in this truck I would be used to it, but sadly when I got back to the dealership my left leg was sore from all the clutch-work. I really had been thinking recently a lot about trading for an ‘06-early ‘07 with a G56 & Long box, but think I will be waiting till the new 6-speed auto is out for a year or so. If I hauled for a living the G56 would be the perfect truck for me, but since I don’t I can now officially say I’m not ashamed to own my auto CTD.



-Ryan

 

The shifter gets looser (easer to shift) after a couple K miles. As far as the clutch, I been driving one for 30 years and find the 06 clutch no different then any of the others. The problem I find when trying to "race" from a traffic light, 2nd gear runs out of RPM real fast, you can hop on it and by the time you look down its at 3200 and the rev limiter kicks in.

 

I've noticed (I know, I have a 5600) that my truck is much more pleasant to drive with a big load behind it. The truck shifts a lot better, kind of like it was designed for it

 

I love the control of the manual 6-speed.

Can't drag race for beans.

Left leg stronger than right leg.

Wife doesn't like to drive truck

 

hehe, i feel that the G56 clutch pedal is kinda soft for a truck... my NV is much more firm than any of the G56 trucks i have driven...



will be even more so when the new clutch i some day buy goes in... lol



i break automatics of any type/make/kind/ so i just stay away from them... drive it like you rented it i say... lol

 

Auto shifts faster, so the turbo stays pressurized vs. the manual. So, if you're racing, the auto should be faster. If you're pulling, you want the manual.

 

:-laf :-laf :-laf----my thoughts exactly too

 

do we all think alike? this is my truck because im the only one who can drive it :-laf

racing just plain sucks. starting in third helps but theres not enough fuel or clutch to realy have fun.

this clutch is about 3x softer pedal effort than my sbc FE that was in my 97. i feel like my going soft :-laf

 

The manual doesn't allow for spool up time in between shifts until you hit 5th gear. With a load, however, it really does pull leagues above the auto. With 6 gears, it is awfully hard to really drag with any kind of effectivness, even with power mods galore.



~Chris

 

I just pull away from traffic lights e a s y. If I get looks from anyone like is that all that thing can do, I just tell myself, yea put a small load behind this baby and this ram will dust ya. :-laf