It’s no secret that for the past 20 years, finding trucks with manual transmissions has been a more and more difficult job. This is because, as the new millennium started, automatic transmissions had moved from being simple torque converter based units to computer controlled, high tech components. Instead of judging it by feel, these transmissions find the optimal gear, drive ratio, and even preselect other gears in some cases depending on sensing driver input.
These automatic transmissions have been continuing to grow in complexity. More gears, different ratios for different versions of the same transmission, and even units that “talk” with four-wheel-drive transfer cases to provide the best torque at the best moment. Yet, from these hundreds of transmissions, there have been some truly amazing transmissions with superb durability, the ability to be remanufactured to fit into all kinds of trucks (the “jack of all trades” transmissions), and one or two that have achieved classic status for just being that damned good.
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