Fear of having to drive an automatic, what is it like?

My t680 auto backs up fine. There is no rocking around or anything like that. There is so many complaining from old timers about how terrible autos are but it's only because of the simple fact they do not know how to drive them. You will still be able to anticipate grades and manually shift. The only thing an automatic will bring you is safer more fuel-efficient and relaxing driving. Don't let the haters and people's fear of change scare you.

 

Jay, it isn't about being a hater, it's about the facts.

I'm not an old timer. I have been at this a few years, and now I'm in an auto. A T660, but I'm assuming the same transmission as you.

Yes, it can back up smoothly. It does have issues backing under a trailer, that can be controlled but it can be difficult. Backing up a grade very slowly because you have inches of wiggle room on either side and hitting something could mean tens of thousands of dollars of damage is not so easy. It does not like doing that, easing on the gas pedal results in nothing, nothing, nothing, bam, jump backwards. The same goes from trying to get started on an incline in the ice, it will not ease off the clutch, it tries to just get it going like it would on dry pavement and spins the wheels. It also shifts unexpectedly at times in icy conditions, and sometimes the shifting is very jerky, which can cause issues on the ice.

Also, I hate the fact that if you do lose traction on the ice you don't have a clutch pedal.

I'm ok with an auto shifter in principle. I really would like to have a clutch pedal though, and I'm not the least bit impressed with the Eaton auto shifter in the truck I'm in right now.

 

The first auto I was in a 2012 international had all the problems you have with the 660. The first autos to hit the market weren't very great so I imagine that is where most people get their perceptions about them. These newer ones though have vastly improved. This 680 has a Eaton in it as well but there may be differences in how our computers regulate backing. I drove a 10 speed international for a year before autos and would never go back to manual.

 

I am driving a automatic.they are old.they feel do bad for us at the drop yard that the yard guy let's us drop it in the driveway.they don't reverse quickly.if you let off the fuel they roll foward.getting the dock and trailer to meet is near impossible.they always roll foward.which also makes it hard to disconnect with the kingpin sitting towards the front of the fifth wheel

 

The newer Volvo and Detroit transmissions back up okay. The clutch will stay engaged and allow you to idle backwards if you need to go that slow. Some have a hill start assist that will hold the brakes on until the clutch is engaged. You pretty much have to disable that when backing into a sloped dock, or you will slam it pretty hard.

The older eatons without a clutch pedal were terrible. You had to be on the gas or it didn't move. Well, unless you were on a slope. Then it would move when you didn't want to.

 

Lol wasn't JB the last to give up cab overs amongst the megas?

 

Love my auto, wouldn't go back to shifting. The ishifts shift like a car, skip gears and in traffic is where it pays dividends.

 

It took a little bit to gain a feel of how to maneuver with an automated manual since we are trained to feather the clutch but once you figure out how to feather the clutch using the accelerator pedal, it's a cinch.

Once in a while I heat up the clutch sliding stubborn trailer tandems.

 

Yep. JB invested in the Argosy. IIRC JB disabled that automatic step extender on its Argosy fleet because they weren't reliable and had a habit of popping out when they weren't supposed to, like on the highway at 59mph.

 

I heard we are getting auto's at JB. I have not seen any yet on my account. I heard they are alot better than the autos from a few years ago. I drove one years ago (volvo) and hate it. I like to have control of the situation. That being said, JB has 10,000 tractors. I am sure they are looking at it carefully. You guys that are trying to micro manage in this thread need to understand that you drive the truck. Let others manage.