OK so I had to rent another truck again but this time it is an automated 13 speed. So far has been outstanding. Climbs hills in the top most gear it can, will downshift in higher RPM's to keep it inthe highest speed sweet spot it can. Even the steepest hills, I never got below 35 miles per hour.
On the flipside, seems like most of the time when cresting over a hill to go down or a downhill offramp, downhill weigh station or a speed limited curve , it is playing 'catch up' to downshift and help you slow down. In other words going down a short offrramp downhill, it is in top gear 13 and the brakes alone may or may not be enough to stop in time before the tranny catches up to what you want to do. This particular one is the Freighliner Smart Shift which I found out even in Auto mode I can downshift it manually in those situations. Just tap it forward, or down and it will downshift. Get immediate help with torque and jakes and brakes and tap it again for more help, after that it catches up and aggressively downshifts sometimes 2 gears at a time.
There is that curve on I 80 Salt Lake City, 45 miles per hour, braked into it but tranny was still in 13 so had to 'help' it along by downshifting. Then that 50 mile per hour curve as you get north of SLC sorta downhill going into the curve, tranny is blissfully in 13, I'm like "helloooo" (in my best Mrs. Doubtfire voice) and had to help it again.
Then of course the weigh stations, it likes to blast right into full top gear too fast and make the driver look like a fool so you have to know how to downshift. Also want to set it on Manual to creep across the scale as well or it will upshift on you automatically and again make you look like a fool.
Love it in the rolling hills. With my stick I gotta constantly reach over and split shift or full shift going up and down the rolling hills. Not so with the auto, it takes care of that stuff for you.
Still I think new drivers should run stick for at least 2 full years OTR all over the US before running these autos because they're just not going to know to downshift when stuff gets real.
The only other bad thing about running it the last couple days is that my estrogen levels have spiked way up and I have these uncontrollable urges to pluck my eyebrow into two separate eyebrows, pull on some skin tight yoga pants, sign up for ballet classes and get a facial.
Automated Tranny Pros and Cons
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by scottied67, May 6, 2016.
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The I shift allows manual up and downshifts when in auto mode as well. The XE combo runs at low rpm so sometimes you have to initiate a downshift, like if you were approaching a hill.
Volvo is working on a system called I see where it "learns" the terrain and tries to match shift patterns when it senses by GPS that it's approaching a hill, curve, etc. that it's traveled before.
The new dual clutch I shift is supposed to be super smooth.
As for slowing down, Volvo incorporated an extra position on the engine brake stalk for the I shift.
0- off
A-auto
1
2
3
B
Pulling the stalk to B puts it in brake mode and it automatically downshifts to provide maximum braking. Pretty handy for off ramps and such.
Hardly seems like worn anymore.
scottied67 Thanks this. -
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