Auto to Manual Swap??

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

nickpohlaandp

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2016
Posts
741
Reaction score
241
Location
Lake Charles, LA
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 Hemi
This is in addition to my other thread I started, but I figured it deserved it's own thread. How difficult would it be to do an auto to manual swap, and swap in a T56? Do you need to get rid of the center console in the front seat for room for the stick? What about PCM programming to maintain cruise control. Surely somebody has done this. Any thoughts?
 

R/T_Fire

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Posts
3,432
Reaction score
1,205
Location
Pleasant Grove
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
No one I have found has actually done this, I have been told its rumored that someone did but I have yet to locate the info.

As for the ECM tuning, that would take a discussion with Sean at HemiFever to see what he say, I have not sent a email to him yet as I am no where close to this actually happening and don't want to waste his time with trying to figure it out.

As for parts I am looking at using parts produced for a 2006 SRT-10. Trans and all. all the brake pedal assembly, clutch, bellhousing parts, but I'm assuming the flywheel will have to be modified. I am still gathering info between the two generations to find where the differences are and what will work and what wont.

The reason I am looking to the SRT-10 is that it is basically my truck in layout just different motor and trans so things like mounts and such will be custom but the pedals and stuff I mentioned should be the same or very similar. the key thing is the shifter location and it looks very similar to a R/T full center console in the 4th gens... this is about as far as I have gotten. I have found a SRT-10 part supplier that a member here pointed me to but I never heard back from then when I requested info on a parts list and prices to get a budget developed. so Im kinda in limbo at the moment
 

R/T_Fire

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Posts
3,432
Reaction score
1,205
Location
Pleasant Grove
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I think the best question to ask yourself is how much money do I have.

If your answer is not enough, look at a different performance modification.

Just have to balance the budget of cost vs gain and cost vs upgrade of stock parts. You can spend 6k and still have a fragile auto trans or you could spend 6k and upgrade to a desired 6 speed manual which for me better serves my purpose.

Plus I'm willing to spend the money to have what I want within reason. I can puck up a built T-56 made for a SRT-10 for about 4k and all the other parts used from a wrecked SRT-10, Price at this point is unknown since I don't have an answer.... I also have the extremely weak 545rfe which there really is no stout upgrade... People are running them with minimal issue drag racing but I will be off and on road racing with a pro-touring set up...

Granted this is not the set up for all but in my case a Manual better fits the application than an auto that will hunt and try to find gears instead of be where I need it with the rpm I need to match my entering and exiting... There is far more to the build then just throwing performance parts at what I'm looking at doing. and honestly the performance world offers little to anything for just bolt on off the shelf stuff.
 

RLJ10X

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2014
Posts
1,940
Reaction score
1,683
Location
Southern Indiana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7 Hemi
The best solution is to get Dodge to put manuals in them at the factory.
 

R/T_Fire

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Posts
3,432
Reaction score
1,205
Location
Pleasant Grove
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Good luck with getting ram to do anything but the opposite of what the consumer desires

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
nickpohlaandp

nickpohlaandp

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2016
Posts
741
Reaction score
241
Location
Lake Charles, LA
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 Hemi
The best solution is to get Dodge to put manuals in them at the factory.

99.99999% of new truck buyers don't want a manual anymore. Trucks have become luxury vehicles. That's why they have sticker prices of $40k+. Like he said, good luck getting Ram to sell a truck with a manual.
 

Hootbro

U.S. Army Veteran
Military
Joined
Jul 31, 2015
Posts
2,731
Reaction score
1,942
Location
Delaware
Ram Year
2017 1500 Express 4x4
Engine
Pentastar 3.6L
99.99999% of new truck buyers don't want a manual anymore. Trucks have become luxury vehicles. That's why they have sticker prices of $40k+. Like he said, good luck getting Ram to sell a truck with a manual.

What he said. If they sold in quantities to be profitable, they would be making them. The occasional one off ardent manual guy is not going to make bank for them.

I would be surprised if the one manual option in the current diesel 3500's survive when the 5th Gens drop.
 

R/T_Fire

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Posts
3,432
Reaction score
1,205
Location
Pleasant Grove
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
What he said. If they sold in quantities to be profitable, they would be making them. The occasional one off ardent manual guy is not going to make bank for them.

I would be surprised if the one manual option in the current diesel 3500's survive when the 5th Gens drop.
I think it will in the cab and chassi not the regular. HD truck are more the norm these days i think and most of the market doesnt use them for towing and such.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

Hootbro

U.S. Army Veteran
Military
Joined
Jul 31, 2015
Posts
2,731
Reaction score
1,942
Location
Delaware
Ram Year
2017 1500 Express 4x4
Engine
Pentastar 3.6L
I think it will in the cab and chassi not the regular. HD truck are more the norm these days i think and most of the market doesnt use them for towing and such.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Then you are talking the fleet sales market with chassis and regular cab model for the most part. Even then, it there was a profit to be made they would be making them.
 

R/T_Fire

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2015
Posts
3,432
Reaction score
1,205
Location
Pleasant Grove
Ram Year
2011
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Thats where you find that market generally was more my point. Tow trucks and such many like stick, but also wity all the youngins these days that dont know how to drive one its hard for business to get people so tgey have to adjust even though the manual is generally better for service and cost in many cases. Either way we are stuck with what the majority wants or doesnt care to voice.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

RLJ10X

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2014
Posts
1,940
Reaction score
1,683
Location
Southern Indiana
Ram Year
2011
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Re the 545RFE, Could someone please explain why it was purposefully made with a weak 4th gear? A few more clutch plates couldn't be very expensive.
 

charonblk07

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Posts
4,056
Reaction score
2,072
Location
Calgary, Ab
Ram Year
2009
Engine
F1-A forged 349ci
Re the 545RFE, Could someone please explain why it was purposefully made with a weak 4th gear? A few more clutch plates couldn't be very expensive.

The 545 is just the 45rfe from the 2nd gens with a retune the same as the 65rfe is another retune. They reused the trans because it was rated for the input torque of the new hemi but with not much wiggle room which is why the torque management system was used to prevent drivers from exceeding the trans limits. The number of clutch plates has never been the issue, the original 'built' transmissions ran more frictions and spacers and they toasted just as fast.


In a stock truck the 545/65rfe does well enough, it's when guys like us come along and want to make more power that we get screwed over unless we want to go through the trans swap headache.
 
Top