pros and cons of a manual vs automatic for a 1 ton hauler

Did it go for a million miles & keep on going?

 

Well I will throw my two cents in.

Go to Cumminsforum and ask about the G56 manual trans to get an idea what the problems are.

If you put in a good clutch, expect to spend some money on it.

As for an automatic, it really is a personal preference, they can do 300 or 400k if taken care of (read not overheated).

 

In my experience, the manual is the better choice. My dad had an auto dodge ram when I was growing up. He used it for all types of things, from plowing the road to hauling firewood. It looked nice, but it was constantly in the shop for transmission work. He finally got rid of it and picked up one with a manual transmission and got a souped up clutch. Hasn't had an issue yet. No rebuilds, nothing. He lets me steal it now and then when I need to haul things, and it feels very solid. For a wannabe, driving a diesel stick shift while hauling heavy stuff on winding highways feels awesome. Like trucking-lite.