manual vs. automatic

thats a weird axle configuration, I presume that lift axle steers? What kinda weight u haulin?

 

Ya know, I fought the whole concept of an automatic in a truck for years. Just never felt they had any place in a big truck... until I actually drove one. I love the thing. I've driven most of what's out there; 9, 10, 12, 13, 13 double over, 15, 15 over, 18, duplex, etc and I was always the guy that said, "No way, I'll never drive one of those things." Famous last words. When I bought my most recent truck, a T-600 with the Ultra-shift, it took me awhile to pull the trigger because of that trans, until I was talking to a friend of mine and he told me he felt the same way until he tried it. Now, this feller cut his teeth on a triplex and was running Chicago to LA when a lot of it was still Route 66. I figured, if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. I do miss some of the control I had with the manual, but I've adjusted, although, I wouldn't mind an auto in 13 speed. Sometimes need those half gears.

That being said, as others have stated, you NEED to learn on a manual and learn it well. There's no guarantee that every truck you drive will have the auto in it and one needs to adapt to the transmission handed to him. Too many out there can't function with a manual and, in my opinion, they have no business out here until they can.

I learned to drive my first 13 speed in the 80s and I learned it with a cast on my right hand.

 

That's a fairly normal configuration for the Northwest. I imagine, being from WA, he's licensed to 105,500. That's what we were licensed for when I pulled the same type of setup, years ago. On ours, the tag-axle had a small amount of steering to it, but it wasn't a steer axle by definition. The small amount that it would articulate was just to help keep it from not allowing the steer axle to do it's job.

 

My company has the new 2014 automatic volvos man those things are smart. I didn't know they would make a tranny that can out shift a man lol. I drove a 08 automatic and then then the 14. What a difference in technology

 

i had the opportunity to drive an International Maxxforce/autoshift put about 8k on it, HATED every mile of it. this was a 2011 model. i will take my 10 spd

 

Anyone would hate that combination lol

 

not me I drive manual, but have quite a few said auto do great on mountain.

 

Depends if you drive the mountains East or west or drive midwest ?

i quit a job out west because they switched to automatics. If im going to die behind the wheel ? its going to be in a new corvette