Are manuals basically going away for the automatics?

We run I-70 in Colorado all day everyday and the automatics can be shifted to Manuals. Problems solved. I used to be against automatics but they do grow on you especially when your in a traffic jam.

 

I have a new KW with an automatic. Normally grossing 76-80k. Just hit 100k miles and averaging 7.2mpg, running 64-68mph. Its the first automatic I've driven that I'd actually buy myself if in the market.

Have spent the last two weeks in mountains and use the manual option a lot in that setting. The ecm is setup to protect the engine from driver abuse, so in auto it changes gears too early. Overall, think I'd stick with my auto over a 10 or 13 speed.

 

There are a few trucks that will most likely never be auto. Logging and H.H come to mind.

 

They're not unheard of... they just go for the Allison autos, rather than the autoshifts, just as a lot of vocational trucks and other severe duty applications do. Now for long distance HH applications, probably not, because the gaps between gears on the six speed are huge, but they most certainly do see use in those applications you say will never see autos... one glaring example of this being the military's Heavy Equipment Trasporter System, which grosses substantially more than a highway bound five axle setup, and also operates on terrain a highway tractor never will.

 

Read an article in Truck News a couple of years ago. It was about a company in Sweden that hauls logs in the bush. They were using the D16 Volvo 700HP with an I-shift. They claimed that with manual transmissions they were taking out more drivelines and rear endseat.

 

The question I have is do their drivers know what an interaxle differential lock is and how and when to use it? I would bet that was the majority of the problem right there. Other than the off road newbie tendency to think that mashing the throttle to the floor is the answer to all challenges.

I made good money earlier this year rescuing a stranded rig. The rookie didn't engage the lock and figured it was a good idea to floor it on a 20% dirt road. The drive shaft blew out and took out the big winch on the catwalk.

 

Not sure if it was posted but the I shift starts off in the gear it needs and skip shifts etc. Backing does suck though. Just set your cruise in the mountains and enjoy the ride.

 

For mountain engage downhill speedcontrol.(is like a reversed cruise)
It will jake and brake for you.

 

D16/iShift
My former employer got it on the road a couple weeks ago. There aren't many applications that are harder on a driveline. I'm interested to find out how performs, especially off road.

 

150 metric tonnes load
I shift.
No auto's in heavy haul???