6-speed manual vs. automatic

I'm still waiting for delivery of my new truck that's why I'm making this kind of post. BTW I'm signed up for a 6MT

These are all the differences between the 6-Speed manual vs the 8-Speed automatic that I have found. When comparing the same base model, for example TRD ORP 5-foot bed.

Price:
AT is $1,100 more than MT

Power:
AT is 278hp @ 6000rpm
MT is 270hp @ 5400rpm

Torque:
AT 317 lb-ft @ 1700rpm
MT 310 lb-ft @ 2800rpm

Curb Weight:
MT 4,650
AT 4,630

Towing:
MT 6,400
AT 6,300

Max Payload:
MT 1,525 lbs
AT 1,610 lbs

Ratios
1st gear
MT 4.79
AT 4.41

2nd gear
MT 2.42
AT 2.81

3rd gear
MT 1.44
AT 1.95

4th gear
MT 1.00
AT 1.51

5th gear
MT 0.83
AT 1.27

6th gear
MT 0.64
AT 1.00

7th gear
AT 0.79

8th gear
AT 0.65

Reverse
MT 4.07
AT 3.65

Differential ratio
MT 4.3
AT 3.58

Diff Ring Gear Diameter
AT 8.2"
MT 9.5"

Rear Diff Ground Clearance:
AT 9.5"
MT 9.0"

4x4 modes:
AT Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select
MT Not available, gotta just use the clutch and brakes

TSS 3.0:
AT Parking assist with automatic braking and pedestrian detection
MT Parking assist sonar alert (audio alarm)

AT Full range adaptive cruise control
MT adaptive cruise control (in one gear)

Other:
AT modern technology
MT reminds old guys of their youth

Its kind of surprising, MT weights 20 more pounds and has 85 lbs less payload. presumably due to slightly less powerful engine. But then has 100 lbs more towing rating, probably due to its lower gearing?

6MT not available for a 6-foot bed. I think I read there are 2 drive shaft versions and they aren't long enough for MT in a long bed configuration because the MT is smaller and needs longer drive shaft.


Am I missing anything?

 

One thing I would add is the SR trim receives the same engine as the higher trims when you choose the manual. The detained engine on the SR is automatic only.

 

4-low, 1st gear

You can downshift and upshift while the cruise remains on just like the auto. Only difference is you have to do the shifting, which is why one buys an MT.

 

That was quite a surprise for me driving my new 3rd gen home from the dealer. All my previous vehicles always disengaged cruise control any time the clutch was depressed so when I downshifted for a hill and the truck started accelerating back up to the set speed it was unexpected.

 

Same thing, except I was downshifting for an off ramp and it wasn’t slowing down. I hit the brakes and didn’t really clue in, thought maybe iMT since I had it on. The 2nd time I pushed the clutch to disengage the cruise, I caught on. It’s a nice feature now that I know the clutch doesn’t disengage the cruise. I use the brake or cancel button now.

 

The clutch disengages cruise on my 3rd Gen.

 

I believe it’s only with adaptive cruise control

 

That makes sense.

 

I believe MT has A-TRAC. Third gen MT did.

 

I find the gear ratios for 1st and 2nd to be a little extreme. First seems REALLY low and 2nd seems really high. Has anyone driven both the MT and AT 4th gen Tacos back to back and given a driving report?

 

Who would want this? Aren't the only people willing to wait for an MT are the ones who want to control the shifting and speed themselves?

Who wants the car to do the majority of the driving for them, and want to change gears and work the clutch? These seem like they should be mutually exclusive.

 

Correct, radar cruise mode stays in cruise when you use the clutch. Standard cruise (on 2016-2017 models or on later models if you hold
the cruise “on” button), will cancel when you hit the clutch.

 

4th gen MTs have a lower redline than the ATs. Designers metioned at one point that they had a high RPM vibrations issue with the carryover manual that they didn't have the budget to tune out, so they just lowered the redline to below where that happens.

I don't remember what the exact decrease is, but it was fairly significant.

 

Long highway drives don’t require much shifting, might as well have the cruise control help out a bit.

 

Yep, absolutely. I get restless legs holding the accelerator with my foot still on long drives, it can be excruciating (all psychological) ankle pain if I can't move it around. Hard to describe, but I definitely appreciate the cruise control on long drives.

 

Those numbers are a pipe dream for either. I haven't seen any hard info on a 4th gen yet but 2nd and 3rd gens posted similar (MAXIMUM) payload numbers but the real-world numbers for a DC 4X4 2nd gen were around 1200 lbs. A 3rd gen, 900-1000 lbs. I'll be shocked if the 4th gens are much if any better.

This is a HUGE improvement for 4th gen trucks. But still a huge disadvantage for the manual especially if you tow. The automatic gets its power at much lower rpm. You have to rev the engine up high in order to get a load moving with the manual. It is near impossible to back a trailer uphill with either a 2nd or 3rd gen with a manual. 2nd gens needed 3600 rpm, 3rd gens 4600.

Getting torque under 3000 rpm should be a MUCH better match with the manual in 4th gen trucks. That's getting close to diesel torque/rpm numbers.

 

The hybrid is 465 ft/lb @1700. That's definitely small diesel territory.

 

This is the perfect combo IMO. I don't want to have to think about the fucksticks that pull in front of faster traffic then decided not to use cruise, forcing me to either manually control speed or aggressively pass them to go back to consistent speeds. I also don't want the truck to be unable to come to a decision about which gear is correct driving through the mountains. MT means it's gonna use the gear I choose and not hunt, radar cruise means it's either going to go as fast as it can or at the speed I set without me needing to think about two vehicles' worth of driving decisions, one of which I've already identified as someone inconsiderate or blind enough to pull in front of faster traffic.

 

That's a good point, you get the benefit without the whiplash. Just fundamentally it didn't make sense to me at first.

I usually don't use cruise control because when there is a slight hill, the transmission acts like it's having a stroke (and this is the beloved 5 speed, too). Adaptive cruise usually has a lag that causes the same issues.

 

Both my 2nd Gen and my 4th Gen DC LB's are indeed placarded at about 1200 lbs. So, 4th Gen payloads restored to 2nd Gen levels and well short of 1600 lbs.