I get this question all the time and I need a good answer:
Friend - "Why didn't you get a stick?"
Me - "Lightnings only come in Automatics..."
Friend - "Why?"
Me - "Um... (I insert some b.s. answer to make me sound smart.)"

Someone want to give me a real answer to tell them?

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2000 Silver Lightning
#2798 of 4966
Born on date: May 9, 2000
Email: ColinMBurns@hotmail.com



Mods: SnugLid, 20% tint, Airaid, Slush Mats, Pioneer Speakers, Zaino

My Zing Album:
http://www.zing.com/album/?id=4292665015

 

$$$$, or Ford doen't have a performance manual that will handle the torque and weight of the truck.

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2000 Silver Lightning 13.16 (so far)
PSP 4-way
PSP Filter Kit
PSP Lower Pulley
Level 10 Shift kit
F-250 Trans pan
MagnaFlow 12468
Snug-Lid

I feel a 12.xx coming on.

Team PSP West

 

There are a couple of technical reasons:

1) Ford doesnt have a transmission that would easily bolt into the Lightning that would handle the torque of the engine

2) Have you driven a Ford truck manual lately? Long shift throw, mushy gate feel, overall not a performance design.

And there are business reasons as well:

Ford marketing shows that the vast majority of trucks are sold with autos and ford uses manuals as the low end in its offerings (ex: Lincoln LS). Use of a manual in the Lightning would be inconsistent with the ford marketing strategy.

Maybe factory_tech can shed more light on 1 and 2.

 

1) No one can shift as fast as an automatic.

2) The shifter would be too long.

3) The Lightning is a straight line drag machine.

4) All of the above.

5) I like to use emiticons too much.



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99 Lightning, JL Ram Air, Daiblo Chip(JL Programmed)and 90mm MAF,JL Power Cooler, Level 10 shift kit,PSP Lower pulley, Single Blade T/B, Bassani exhaust, . 12.42 at 109.6..Full trim and stock convertor, MT Street ET's.
New times w/ JL converter coming soon!

 

Couldn't they gank the manual that they put in the Cobra R and make it work for our trucks? I mean, the R has 385 lbs-feet, that's in the ball park of our 440+.



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2000 Silver Lightning
#2798 of 4966
Born on date: May 9, 2000
Email: ColinMBurns@hotmail.com



Mods: SnugLid, 20% tint, Airaid, Slush Mats, Pioneer Speakers, Zaino

My Zing Album:
http://www.zing.com/album/?id=4292665015

 

Because the average driver wouldn't be able to keep tires on the truck.

 

These is what I go through:

No one can shift as fast as an automatic.

But manuals are more fun, and you can control everything better

The shifter would be too long.

Back in the 60's and 70's cars where running w/ NA engines and manuals which had long shifts, they still ran very comparable 1/4 times.

Ford doesnt have a transmission that would easily bolt into the Lightning that would handle the torque of the engine

Then how come import sports cars *refering to true sport cars (integras, s2000, supras) don't have problems with high power in manuals trannies.

CBQB3
Couldn't they gank the manual that they put in the Cobra R and make it work for our trucks? I mean, the R has 385 lbs-feet, that's in the ball park of our 440+.

That would mean that Ford would have to do work and alot R&D which would cost more money. I love my lightning, but the more I look at it and read, all it seems to be a factory modified regular F150. Swaybars and blistein shocks are not what I consider 'tuned suspension'. According to the new Truckin review of the lightning they called the 4R100 tranny *bulletproof*. Mine tranny does not feel bulletproof. After reading post about tranny problems and mods, it doesn't seem bulletproof either.

 

Man would that be nice. Shifting through the gears in the R makes driving the Lightning kinda dull. The R has a Tremec T56 similar to the Viper, so I agree it could handle the power. But, with the Rs though you can expect to get a new clutch every 3K miles or so.

Mike

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01 Silver Lightning
00 Cobra R

 

IMHO, there is very little chance of a T56 living a long life in the Lightning. You can't compare a 3400lb vehicle to a 4500lb vehicle. The heavier machine would put a lot more stress on the trans given the same amount of power.

The clutch issue is a good one. Who wants to replace that every few K miles. The alternative would be to go with a clutch that is more unforgiving...fine for an enthusiast, but not good at all for something you'd commute in. Ask me how I know...I have a car that puts out 615rwhp and it takes a race-prepped clutch to hold that kind of power. Not for the faint of heart.

Also, if you're going to tow or haul stuff in the truck, having an auto with a torque converter allows you to get more torque multiplication than a comparable manual trans. Actually, this also helps in acceleration as well...especially given the sheer heft of our trucks.

The Japanese sports cars mentioned above make high-rpm power, and don't make nearly the torque of the L. Not to mention again, that they weigh 1000-1400lbs less, too.

Our trucks make "big-block" type torque. If you want to put an old Toploader in there, then that might hold up.



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Wes Tarbox
http://members.aol.com/wa2fst/home.htm
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--615rwhp/594rwtq--Featured in Super Ford 1/00
98 Saleen S351 #15 (12.63 @ 113.8)
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.8)--364rwhp/447rwtq
00 Expedition XLT 5.4