15 speed vs. 8LL

I agree. I have driver both and the low low and high gear are better in the 8LL. Yes the 15 dose have closer ratios in the middle but with todays high torque engines I dont think it matters much. Another thing most drivers dont realize is that a 15 speed dont realy have 15 useable gears. They only have 12 ratios in a row no matter how you shift them. What ever gear your in in deep reduction you need to down shift one gear when you flip the blue button out of deep reduction. 2 in low low then shift as a 10 speed, 3 in low low then shift as a 9 and so on. Thats why you only used 2 deep reduction gears. I dont think any thing is wrong with the 15 speed but the 8LL and 18 speed both seem to cover what the 15 can do better.

 

I personally like the 15 speed trans, probably because that's what my first truck had. I've got a 13 now but I would still rather have a 15, I would rather move the stick than flip buttons all day long........but that's just me.

 

I have a 15 speed in my 379 and also haul in and out fields during planting season and the veggie harvest.

The deep reduction gears are perfect for pulling out of a soft field with # 100K GVW... I have 3.36's in the truck so I do need a little more gear than a truck with a 3.91 or so but I'd be in deep doo-doo with a ten speed or even a 13.

I did two seasons in company Freightshakers with 10 speeds... even with the higher numerical gears they had it was a chore.

 

I'm currently running around the fields with a 7 speed. Ya, it sucks ***. Got the cash for a used 15 right here. Just waiting till closer to the season. The 100 day warrenty will not do me any good if it sits in the shed the entire 100 days.

 

Ya you can still do it but you clutch dont want to be your friend anymore!

 

Nothing wrong with a 15 sp
Alot of the guys around here pulling big weight (140,000lb) are going back to them over the 18sp. Simply because of less problems. The electronic engines of today have such a broad torque curve now compared to the mechanical engines of the 80s and 90s. Therfore the 15 works very well behind a big bore electronic cat or cummins.
Back in the 80s when big power was a hot k-model cummins or a v8 cat most had a 15 sp behind them, and i never herd of anyone having tranny issues. We are talking engines pushing 700-800 hp pulling 140,000lb in the mountains. The 15 sp is one tuff tranny.
I know if i had a fleet of trucks with drivers on them , evryone of those trucks would have a 15 in them. Simply less to go wrong.

 

I do the same type of hauling, alot of off the farm....elevator to elevator and so on. The 15 speed tranny is bullit proof and one of the easiest transmissions to train a new driver on.

When ordering a new truck is a 15 even an option anymore??? You dont see many of them around since the mid 90's.

 

The clutch in my truck has over 1,000,000 miles on it having been installed 12 years ago.

 

Excellent job! I bet you get great service out of your brakes also?