auto or manual for 1HD FT
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gilmorneau
SILVER Star
Count me as one vote for the manual transmission with a 1HD-FT.
I haven't driven a manual, but the converter lock up and shift logic on the auto make it feel slower than it is.
mudgudgeon
Resident galah
Manual without a blink!
The only time I prefer an auto is in stop start city traffic, and even then I'd still rather work the clutch with a manual than tolerate an auto.
What is your intended use?
Auto has advantages for steep or rocky offroad work, but even then I'd say that's debatable overall.
The only time I prefer an auto is in stop start city traffic, and even then I'd still rather work the clutch with a manual than tolerate an auto.
What is your intended use?
Auto has advantages for steep or rocky offroad work, but even then I'd say that's debatable overall.
Manual every time for me. Autos, IMHO, have no place off asphalt. Clutch and gears give you far more control. You can decide exactly how much power goes to the wheels at any time, and control the torque ratio. I work that clutch constantly in offroad use. An auto trans by comparison frankly feels unsafe to me on loose surfaces at any kind of speed. That's before you even start talking about durability and serviceability. Dropping into L4 on a manual trans gives you so much precise control over wheel movement, frankly I don't know how anyone stands to use an auto box when things get rough.
I have owned both with a 1HDT and I love the auto.
My 15 years of rock crawling experience would say the exact opposite of this. If you are driving rough dirt roads, manual is fine. If you do any technical trails, you can’t get low enough gearing to keep your foot off of the clutch.
I have done a lot of very difficult trails with rf1a tcase and a doubler. 108:1 in first gear double low was too fast in a lot of scenarios. In an 80 with an h150f (lower first gear than h151) and 3.1 low range gears with 4.1 diffs only gets you down to 58:1. H151f and stock tcase gears w/ 4.1 diffs gets you 41.6:1.
Reliability wise, every Toyota auto I have owned has been flawless and trouble free regardless of mileage. On the manual side I only have experience with r and w series trans, but have rebuilt several and replaced a dozen clutches over the years.
I like driving manuals better, but would rather have an auto in any off-roading scenario. Especially in an 80, where there aren’t many gearing options for low range.
Plus, parking brakes on 80’s aren’t that great. I don’t like having to shut the truck off every time I get out to look at something.
I mean, for me, keeping my foot off the clutch isn't the goal. Just about every bend on a lose surface, I'm in a lower gear with the clutch partially depressed. That's how I ensure I don't slip, because I'm in control of the torque to the wheels. You've got analogue control over it as long as your foot is on the clutch. Fighting against it with the brake isn't the same thing.
If you're driving something so dicey to require such incredibly slow speeds as you've described, that's exactly when I want the precise control the clutch gives me. If you're going uphill super slow, you're working the accelerator and the clutch, and you can go as slow as you want. If you're going downhill super slow, you're working the clutch and the brake. Don't really see how an auto would make anything easier, just gives you less control. And if you're bogged or on super wet or slippery surfaces, the auto gives you only the accelerator to work with, and the power transfer is less even. In a manual I can turn my wheels at one rotation per minute at a consistent rate if I choose to.
That said, it takes more time and experience to learn to control a manual properly. An auto is simple by comparison, that's the exact reason they were invented, to require less knowledge or experience to get the vehicle to move forward. The clutch gives you an alternate way to accelerate or brake, and allows you to truly coast or have ultra low torque at the wheels, but you use it in tandem with the accelerator and brakes. How to work it is by feel, and comes down to experience. I DD my 80, and have DD a Toyota manual diesel of some form continuously for 25 years now. If you only hop into the vehicle every month or so, it'd be hard to develop the skill to control it properly in really rough offroad use IMO.
And I'm not compelled by the park brake argument. That thing can be fixed up proper to work well, like mine does.
Each to their own though I guess.
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Everything said here I agree with.
The torque multiplier of a converter plus the ability to two foot gas and brake.
How is the H151f to drive? I've heard it's kinda like shifting a big rig, with long throws between gears.
Anyway I've never driven a diesel, but IMO in general the only advantage of an auto is you can avoid stalling on steep climbs and slow sections. And it's easier to have a coffee while driving I suppose.
On a turbo diesel an auto is huge. No boost loss between gears.
Oh true I didn't think of that. The A343f on my fzj just feels like it's constantly spooling the torque converter
I've owned a ton of diesels
96 7.3 with a zf-5
99 7.3 with a zf-6
03 6.0 with a 5r110
08 6.4 with a 5r110
08 6.4 with a 5r110
17 6.7 with a 6r140
I wouldn't own a big diesel with a manual ever again. Especially with as good as modern autos are.
But the a442 in my 91 with the hdt is a mad combo. I'd love a manual.
gilmorneau
SILVER Star
Agreed. But the OP was asking about the autos fitted to 1HD-FT 80 series.
Which I've previously said, having an auto 1hd-t I wish I had a manual.
I was replying to the comment "the only advantage to an auto is..."
Honestly if I could change converter lock up and shift points electronically I'd love the auto.
mudgudgeon
Resident galah
A turbo diesel has no blow off valve, so boost loss between gears driving a manual is very minimal.
You lose a few psi, but you're not waiting for a turbo to re-spool.
Its a non issue.
Idk much about transmissions but I’d think a shop like wholesale autos would be able to do that for you, maybe with a performance valve body or something.
The issue there is pulling and removing it to get it where I want it. When a trans is electronically controlled it's much simpler.
My lightning transmission has an accumulator style valve body, so shift firmness is set there. But shift point and converter lock up is electronic. Datalog, review, adjust, repeat.
Yep, it's got long throws for sure. Very similar to a manual Hilux from the era if you're ever driven one of those. Of course, having done over 500,000km in vehicles like this, it just feels "normal" to me and every other manual feels like it's got a short throw.
I've never driven an off-road auto diesel, but I've driven a mix of petrol and diesel manuals. There's definitely a difference with the diesel engine off-road, with how much torque it has low down in the RPM range, it makes it quite a different beast offroad to the petrol engines.
One thing I've never done though is drive a manual LHD vehicle with a stick shift, only autos or column shift. Seems to me like it'd be really weird unless you were a lefty. I'm used to using my dominant hand on the wheel, while using my off-hand to change gears. Anyone from the LHD world have an opinion on that?
When you get into the world of precise electronic control, traction control systems, hill descent, CVT's, there are lots of other arguments to be made. I am very much talking about the question of a 1HD-FT engine with a period auto vs manual transmission though.
