What I learned two days ago

Freightliner and Volvo are leading the pack in going to the Automated transmission as the default. More paccar products are moving to this as well, just a bit slower. Had a nice discussion with our rep several months ago concerning this very topic. If he is speaking with truth, not just sales pitch, the primary reasons for the automated transmissions is MPG first, driver satisfaction second, maintenance cost third. Have run 9,10,13, and 18 speed manuals, also automated 10 and the newer DT12.
All have pros and cons. On the autos, programming is everything. That’s for the engine and transmission parameters. They will always be a compromise for the best overall operations. Just the way it is.

 

LOL......I see. Didn’t mean to insult the Mack manual crowd but assumed you didn’t want to be lumped in with the unwashed masses

 

Why two clutches in 750k?

 

Far cough LMMFAO

 

did you miss this post earlier? just one of countless times I've heard trying autos doing heavy or offroad and having them not work out...
i haven't seen anyone specing an auto for heavy haul, idk about these tunes you're talking about.
i'm far from an expert in the area, but all I've ever heard is the opposite of what you're saying.

 

with all of this being said, 3 of my 5 personal vehicles are manual trans.

 

call up Sarens, Mammoet, Entrec or the like and ask them what they are spec'ing in their new iron. all autos. even the rig movers are going to autos with a 4 speed auxillary behind them in their highway winch tractors. they work, but they aren't the little autos you'll find in any highway freight hauler...these have been well proven in all sorts of industries. rock trucks, cranes, almost every piece of off road equipment are autos. maybe it's different up here in Canada, this is where new technology is either proven or put to bed.

 

Some driver keep thinking shifting gears a special skill people can't learn and seem to think it makes them a better driver. People can learn to shift gears just like we all did, if you put the time in to learn.

People should look at the technology and see how it can get better MPG and it makes the job more easy. Seems like drive look at automatic as a job threat because more people can now do the same job. Really their is more to the job then shifting gears.

Remember when JB Hunt had all them cabover trucks set to 55MPH ? Who wants to drive one of them ? I'll take the modern truck with auto shift and enjoy the technology. Remember when JB Hunt got the flat floor cabover. That was a big deal back then. I bet not many drivers today would even drive one of those. They had that powerfully Cummins M11 I believe.