c15 went bang

I have driven the ZF Freedomline in several trucks. The only problem I saw was an ocassional freeze (2004 models) where the truck had to be restarted to straighten out. I figured this was from me running it in manual mode until just about, or completely stopped. This only happened a few times.

The transmission themselves were the smoothest I have ever driven, The twelve speed keeps engine rpms at optimum, and can, and will skip gears when needed to save fuel. I perferred to manual shift so I could short shift and save more fuel than the pre-programed higher rpm shift.

The drawbacks as I could see were that you could not ease under a trailer or up to a dock. The clutch was either engaged, or not. You could get a bad case of whiplash without trying too hard. The other thing I didn't like was the clutch engaged with every shift instead of floating gears. This seemed like unnecessary wear to me. The first C-13 Cat engines using this transmission had crank and thrust bearing failure many attributed to the forces of the clutch being depressed with every shift of the Freedomline.

Hi-jack completed. Now back to our regularly scheduled program, where we wait to see if Eaton will honor their own warranty, or go the way of many car companies when faced with known defects, and proclaim driver error, or deny having such problems with their product at all. This will go on until customers leave, causing profit erosion, thus plant closings, then threats of bankruptcy. Next comes blackmail until the government bails them out with our money.

 

Stranger.

The C-13 CAT's that failed because the clutch was depressed on every shift with the Freedomline. Wouldn't this happen in someone drove and double clutched like they are supposed to? Doesn't seem like a Freedomline issue to me, more like a crappy CAT parts issue.

Just wondering.

 

This company runs C-13's at least til Cat pulled out then went to the new Paccar Motor. Never had a Problem with the Clutch Motors or Anything and they are pulling Acid and Plastic Tankers.

 

Usually in an instance where there is a defect with something like this, the manufacturer will not say anything about it to the public. There are things called silent recalls that only the direct mechanics and dealers know about.

EX. Look at the 1995 Ford windstars with the 3.8 liter V6. They had a silent recall on them for pre mature head gasket failure. When this would happen Ford would have to replace there motor no questions asked no matter the mileage. I know this because my dad is a mechanic for Ford. How many other people ever knew this? Well my guess is only people that worked for Ford. Dig into it because I am guessing that there is something like this with the input shafts on these trucks. Like I said before TMC has had many of them go out also.

 

Meritor lost market share simply because their manual transmissions were crap compared to an Eaton. Hard to shift and not as durable. No one I know who owned a Meritor transmission wanted a second one...

 

dieseldan2005...
While you are in the Cat shop. Double check the warranty. They can print it off so you know what is covered.