Schneider is going Automatic.

That (eaton fuller tranny) could very well be the issue. I'm still skeptical, but I've heard almost across the board glowing reviews of the dt12.

 

It's a 10 speed if that helps . 90% of my problem is just the complete lack of power

 

Not a fan of automatics, but unless you're pulling heavy RGN loads, an 18 is a bit of overkill. 13 speed is where it's at.

 

I like 13, but to be fair 18 does provide more versatility. Light loads you can drive an 18 just like a 13. You can never drive a 13 like an 18 though.

 

First of all...Double clutching...WTF? Does anyone that is even borderline old school double clutch? I've been out here almost 3 million miles and have NEVER double clutched. The guy who taught me to drive said using a clutch to shift only causes more parts to wear out...once I learned to float a U model Mack with a Max-a-dyne 5 speed...I can shift any single stick trans on the planet. (No matter how many splitter/divider switches it has....and I've never driven a duplex or triplex...and never want to).

2nd...how do you drive them over icy bridges? The way I was taught...you get up enough speed to carry you over the bridge, then ease in the clutch and coast across...no accel/decel tension on the drive train to cause a wheel spin or lock.

I've seen these 2 pedal trucks backing up......or should I say baaaaa......ckkkkkkkk.......innnnnnnng...uuuuu.......pppppp. as much as it hops and slips the clutch, it's a wonder they get 400k miles before the clutch/release bearing needs replaced. Watching it hop reminds me of the old Freightliner cab-over with the set back steer axle I use to drive.

The only thing close to an auto-shift transmission I have ever driven was the old Super-10 top-2... the one that shifted between 9th and 10th as needed by itself....I hated it.

The company I am with now has had several drivers hired with 'auto-only' experience...one was hired for a 10-wheel Vac truck that was suppose to be auto...but the new ones we got in aren't, the other had to drive around the 800 acre facility learning how to shift a manual for a half a day before he could go out on a road test prior to being hired, and it only took him 6 months to be fired for too many screw-ups...and we don't train, we only hire experienced drivers...so riding with someone to correct his bad habits wasn't an option.

If the world goes full auto...God help the motoring public because then, anyone that can steam up half of a mirror will be out here....then the forum will have to add another server just for the 'accidents' section.

 

Reading the latest replys, your mind is still dated. Get with the times. The Detroit dt12 is a 12speed amt (automated manual transmission) unit. https://youtu.be/tbXFMwtuxyY

 

What transmission are they looking at in their "premium" lease trucks..? Most of the kws have 13s don't they..?

 

Yes 13 ......

 

I don't have a ton of experience with autos but I'm a local driver for a beer dist, most of the guys are in auto's, I'm on bulk delivery and we all have 10sp's. My truck went out for both truck and trailer work and I had one of the spares (auto) for almost 2 weeks. To me it didn't pick up speed very well, I found myself on the brake a LOT more to slow it down and although you do have the ability to downshift them I realized that if it didn't agree with your downshift it could ignore you until it was in a range that IT wanted to down shift in. It also slammed me into some docks which made me look like an idiot, their not good a very slow moving at low RPMs, at least not this one. Truck only had like 180k on it so you'd think it was acting right.

 

Volvo has come up with a new dual clutch system in Europe for their cabover trucks. The thing shifts as fast as a car's automatic...we're talking in the blink of an eye...if they could incorporate that in a hood truck, and with U.S. horsepower and torque...perhaps it might catch on...like DEF, it was 1st introduced over there and once accepted as normal, they brought the technology here along with our government's regulatory commandments...DEF has become the norm. Only a matter of time