Why Not Automatic?!

Automatics don't work on the down hill grade, the engine will wind up until the auto is forced to shift. Might as well not have an engine break and just stab the breaks all the way down the hill. Then consider those trucks with engine brakes following you down the mountain. I am sure it is dangerous and the drivers really love it when you stab from say 50 mph down to 40 mph. Also, autos are just no fun, unless you have a hot rod Pontiac with the wavy plates removed. Bangs really hard when the auto shifts.

 

Have you ever driven an auto? I've been at well over 79k and never had a problem on the downgrade, put it in manual shift to the proper gear and turn on the jake. Pretty simple.

Autos suck way more for going up grades than coming down them, but I never bothered to switch to manual going up grades I just kicked back and let the truck do the work. I suspect if the truck wasn't tuned down it would have gone up like a champ instead of creeping up.

The only people who have trouble coming down grades in an auto are people who don't know how to use one properly.

There were days when I would have preferred shifting, but my motto is: It's better to have an auto and suffer through days when you feel like shifting than to have a manual and suffer through days when you don't feel like shifting.

 

All I can tell you is the autos are a pain to get up onto the alignment rack

 

Need to creep forward just a bit, gotta give it fuel, little more, little more, vroom, too much,slam the brakes, back it up just a bit, etc., etc.

 

That is the main problem I have with them but the newer ones especially the I-Shift or M Drive have this sorted I believe.

 

I drove an UltraShit Freightliner for over 3 years. It was ok other than the fun trying to back. I'm back to a regular 10 speed now and loving almost every minute.....hehe....The other fun thing was when it would break was the down time when they had to order every part needed to repair it. Lots of the driveline parts aren't stocked, and most are different than a standard Eaton-Fuller 10 speed....

 

All of this is interesting. I have had my hands on a few autoshifts over the years. Mixed reaction to them. But with Allison's latest full automatic (nope, not an auto shift but a true torque converter automatic), the T10, I am being convinced that any new truck I order will have this unit in it. I puts the autoshifts to shame and has overcome the biggest difference.... lower fuel economy than an autoshift. It is now beating the autoshifts in fuel economy now. Will do full power shifts and get truck up to road speed faster. It talks with the jake brake and works in tandem with it to hold back better than current autoshift units. Take a look at these videos and see what you think.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbmBvTnrZMw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO_Rocwi-ys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip1C6AEo3f8

 

Im not convinced that a fully auto will be as fuel efficient as a direct drive system like ishift especially on otr applications, the ultra shift is a pretty rough piece of technology but an ishift is every bit as smooth and fast as a full auto and now there's a double clutch system out in Europe which im sure will eventually make its way across.

as for the gearbox talking to the jake, that's been in euroland for years in the shape of auto shifts with retarders, you simply set your cruise control and the downhill speed control and the retarder and gearbox work together to hold your speed automatically. Is it possible to spec a Volvo ishift there with a retarder in NA? A retarder would really make a nice job to the I shift box and retarders are better than jakes

 

Our last truck had a nice I shift that worked with Jakes and cruise wonderfully

 

I am a student so I can't say anything about witch is better, auto vs stick, but it seems people who drive stick tend to think they are more macho for some reason. It's the same thing with 4 wheelers and if you drive a auto you're a wimp. Im gonna be training on a 9-10 speed at school but I think the autos are nice. I had an experience driver tell me he loves his auto, I guess it depends on the person. But stick is better in snow I'll give you that.