Big Loads - Post Photos Number 2

Everyone is a comedian......

It is a 60k generator- headed to Hawaii, I think

 

i bought a 55 ton Stretch 3+1 a year ago December. That said, This was a buddies trailer and load. I took from Phoenix to San Diego. Max bought Martin’s trailer - so it livers in Michigan now. I wanted a test load to shake down the new truck, go thing as there were issues that need addressing. Plus, I have to learn to drive all over again with the Allison. So far i don’t love it.

 

What don't you like about the Allison?

 

Be awhile since we’ve heard from you.

 

the 600 rpm splits between gears both uphill and down hill.

Down hill at a light weight like I was - around 120-130k - I would have liked to hold a speed around 45. The gear splits meant I could lock in 4th but that maxed at 35 mph at 1900 rpm (stage 2 of 3 on engine brake) or lock in 5th (stage 3 of 3 on engine brake) but that meant going 50 mph with no service brake application.

 

Then with my DD16 the power sweet spot is in the 1500-1800 rpm range - getting below 1400 causes pretty lugging and power falls rapidly. So what happens is as the rpms get to the high end of the power band the trans shifts (dropping 600 rpm) to the higher gear. The engine doesn’t have enough power to recover the rpm loss and the trans forces an immediate upshift. It bounces back and forth this way. So I lock it into the lower gear but this seems counter productive.

there is also an issue trying to change ranges in the auxiliary trans while climbing a steep grade (one of the exact places you want to change ranges). You can lock it in gear for up shifts but not for down shifts. This can cause the Allison to get confused and lose place if it try’s to shift while I am manually try to change ranges. This will cause you to have come to a complete stop - put the auxiliary in a range and the Allison in neutral then into drive. A not ideal solution.

so I am still working the bugs out of the combination- it is going to the Allison dealer next week to look at some program changes.

there is just a learning curve for me - from how did things to how I need to do things

 

Thats the Allison 6 against an auxiliary 4?

 

it is actually the 7

it is a 4700RDS mated to a spicer 1750-4C

 

So would it be improper to ask how the pay is for your testing gig and how you like it; trucks, trailers... trucks, trailers... ?