Greetings. It is I, Anti-Honda again. I really need some information. The F150 is not available in a six speed manual transmission? Personally, I feel that a 4.6/5.4L V8 needs an extra gear. And I still cannot believe that I have to special order for a plain manual transmission truck. Automatics are taking over this world, sadly.

Anti-Honda

 

my only comment is...who gives a crap!!! if you want a manual, order one! obviously most of the buying public likes their autoboxes...and again, who gives a crap!! there are certainly better things to stress over...

 

Anti-Honda

You must really be upset about this automatic thing.....Anyway, I disagree that there is a need for a six speed manual. Although there are a lot of speedsters here, I think they would agree (although the would like a 6th gear), that the F-150 is truly a towing/hauling vehicle. That is the reason for the low-end torque. Work vehicles always have tons of low-end torque, as you can imagine the wear and tear if the needed torque was attained at 8000 rpms....

With my 5-speed, I often find it difficult on a busy interstate (not gridlock, but fast flowing traffic), to engage 5-gear. I'm usually in 4th. Only at unfettered cruising speeds do I get to 5th. I would guestimate that you would need to maybe be traveling in excess of 80-90 mph to get to the RPMs that would make a 6th gear even feasible (i.e. drop you back down into a comfortable RPM bandline of around 2100 RPM).

I'm just curious, have you driven a 5-speed F-150 youself and determined that it is in need of a 6th gear, or are you just used to them and don't understand why the F-150 doesn't have one?

 

The V8 in any vehicle needs a sixth gear. In most Ford vehicles I have driven with V8s (including diesel) reach high RPMs after passing the fifth gear. I would like to keep those RPMs low. It sounds like the vehicle is about to blow up or something. But that is just my own opinion.

Do not consider me to be a 'speedster.' I am not into that kind of thing. But the more powerful your engine is, the more gears it needs. We are not talking about some four cylinder car with a fart cannon exhaust system. But then again, that is just my opinion.

I know what you are saying about the highway, and trying to shift. But I think that if you consider the increased gas mileage you get from the manual transmission, you could go a few miles further .

I just think it sucks that I have to go to the factory to get a basic truck. I love Ford, but the current drivers are not helping me out at all. Let us say, that when I purchase it, I would like my engine to perform, and last.

Anti-Honda

 

Anti-Honda

I don't know about my F-150 then, it must be one in a million. I was at slightly over 70mph today at approx 2,200 RPM which is perfect. I can't recall exactly, but the times I've gone 85-90, I seem to recall the RPMs at about 3,500. I just can't see any justification for a 6th gear. I drive the Interstate everyday 30 miles to work (unfettered mostly at 70-75 mph), and would almost never have an opportunity to place it in 6th. Considering I am unusual in the driving respect, most people city drive to work or if they commute long distances are stuck in traffic.

 

Well, different trucks perform different. The engine just sounds so loud sometimes when I get really fast, I feel "I have to shift again." But that may all just be in my mind or something. There is nothing wrong about driving slow either. You save your gas !

Anti-Honda

 

Happily in my case. Ive owned 9 manual trans. mustangs, and i swear i will never buy another vehicle i have to shift myself.

(wish i could talk work into buying me a new tow truck, its a 95 manual powerstroke, couldnt get a auto back then)

 

I suggest you keep the manual powerstroke. Diesel stick shifts are intense rides!

Anti-Honda

 

I bought a 99 supercab powerstoke 6spd a couple of years ago, but traded it quickly for a 00 crewcab dually powerstroke 6spd, but got rid of it because i HATED having to change gears. Like i said, i had 9 mustangs with manuals, and ive driven 10speed tractor trailers for a while, and DREAD having to get into the 5spd wrecker. Just tired of shiftin.

 

I have driven in an F250 which a friend owns. It is a Diesel 4x4, and it was kind of hard trying to shift because some of the shifts were long, and the others were short. But he said it had a turbo diesel in it, which I should have been prepared for. But it felt so raw. Thank God for diesel!

That is one truck that should be six speed no matter what.

Anti-Honda

 

Why not 7 speeds?

What makes you think 5 is not enough?

What makes you think that 6 (or 9, for that matter) would give you better performance?

Have you noticed that your engine makes pretty much flat torque across the RPM range?

That's not an accident. It's wide so that you have the same torque at nearly any engine speed -- and the engine range is wide enough that you don't need any more gears.

If more were needed -- you'd have them.

I happen to know one premium transmission supplier (check profile) that sells them in varieties which include:

5
6
7
8
9
10
13
15
18 speeds

And the only reason you would need 15 or 18 speeds is if your engine RPM tops out at, say, 1750 RPM -- and you wanted to shift all day at between 1300 and 1600 RPM and/or at max HP/Torque.

When there's enough market interest in a 6 speed, you'll see one in your truck.

Until then, the imported model does quite nicely (well, er, check out the horror stories in the transmission forum -- for which I've written quite a bit on some gear-crunching problems).

 

Well, the F750s come seven speed manuals .

Anti-Honda

 

Can you explain why?

 

Diesel.

Anti-Honda

 

You're a quick study.