Autoshift Questions

i drive a freightliner with and auto-shift. i hate it . i want to clutch every time i get in or when it starts acting up. when i roll thru the I-20 from Dallas to Birmingham . some of the hills make the thing down shift to 9th. and that kicks off my cruise control. i am wondering about big mountains. or just driving it around in manual? i think i may try that this week coming. wonder if i can shift it when i want or will it only let me shift when it would normally shift in auto.???????

 

I always shifted mine.

 

Who are some of the companies running auto shifts now? I am a student just learning to drive a stright 10 and I am curious about the auto shift. I would like to know the companies going auto.

 

I have a 2005 Volvo with the auto shift its still a manual trans you just control the shift with the computer or put it in manual and you can control the shift yourself I like just fine the power is good down hill is easy as can be. auto shifts an the way to go easy on the drive line better fuel mileage. Just remember its still a manual trans.

 

I don't think I could ever get used to that. Not that it is bad but can an old dog learn new tricks? Only if there is a free meal evolved.

BTW, if you see a tanker with a "Cowtown Redimix" 899, that is me in Fort Worth Texas.

 

cool hubcap ill keep an eye out. i am going to pic up a lil cb for the car next week with a mag mount ant. my co driver has a small squak box in the truck but ill have to save a lil bit for the radio i want. i run mostly at night from irving to birmingham then i sleep or try to all the way back. ill cya out there.

 

My only complaint with the autoshifts I have driven is slightly goofy behaviour when backing. The only way to do it smoothly apparently is to keep your left foot on the brake and keep gassing it. I hear that the new generation Eaton Ultrashifts are much better in this regard.

 

The new ones coming out this year sometime will be configured just like a car, let off the brake and the trucks starts moving. My Ultrashift does not do that. It idles at 600 RPM and does not move until 800 RPM. It is tricky to get used to when slow meneuvering.

 

Yes, I should be doing something like that. This 122 mile turn around is getting old. I was going to hire back on with my old company (Tenco Transportation) but I guess they went under a year or two ago.

 

hubcap i would love to chat it up some time but other then replys i cant send pm's yet and we cant post emails and such . i like talking shop and swaping stories.