Even though its expensive compared to a $1500.00 clutch replacement in a manual, $7-8k may be well worth the savings in fuel cost if the AMT transmissions live up to their billing. Can you tell me, do you get over 8 mpg with it overall, driving mixed topographies?
Fuel Mileage - Automatic vs. Manual
Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by FloridaDudester, Jul 19, 2019.
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Rubber duck kw Thanks this.
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AMTs or whatever you want to call'm, are what's new. Just like power steering. Just like AC. Just like air ride suspension and a cab quiet enough to hear the stereo was when they hit the market in mass.
How many of you anti-AMT people want to go back to no power steering, no AC, or run spring suspension? Anyone? Every one of those options and more had their own difficulties at first. Back in those days, when the AC compressor clicked on, you had to drop a gear when pulling a hill. How bout anti-lock brakes? Any one want to drive in today's traffic without it?
Manual trans drivers are a dying breed, and as such leave behind a dying market. They're your kids (bastar-ds that they may be) that are leaving the manuals lay in the bone yards. They're the same kids that you better hope use modern technology to take care of you when you're dying of lung cancer from following that 1693 with garden hose injectors. -
I realize the trucks and the business model is changing. They build the trucks what should be thrown away in 7-9 years and I am too old to switch. I buy new and keep for 15 years. In my model manual make more sense. Beside I hate to drive the ATM. -
Old thread here with not too many real answers
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I get 7.5 on a good day with my 10 spd paccar in my 660.
Easy driving and usually cruise at 1300 or so rpm at about 62.
I rented a dt12 and drove it like a rental truck setting the cruise through Pennsylvania 66-70 and got well over 8
I hate the autos a lot and have a healthy concern about longevity and gremlins, but that's a big difference. -
I have also never had anyone match my MPG average driving the same Personal car or truck as mine unless they drove for hyper mileage and were basically in everyone’s way on the road. -
My last experience with an auto transmission was 5 years ago, so this may have changed since then, but...
I worked fora LTL company running linehaul from Minneapolis to a meet point near Mauston Wi. One winter night, every single one of our automatics had to be towed off the ready line because of ice in the yard (it was a slight uphill angle and they were back up to a fence so you couldnt back up to get a running start). None of the manuals had to be. The autos couldnt move from a dead stop on ice. Get to the meet point that night, and it took me 45 minutes to swap out the trailers because I couldnt get under it. Had to go buy a bag of salt to get under it. Meet man had a manual, no problem at all.
Frankly, I dont care if that is no longer a problem or not. I dont care what kind of mileage they get. I will NEVER have one in a truck again. I dont trust them enough to ever give them another try. -
My mechanic said I need 550 horses and 18 gears to have full control of 50,000lb and 94,000lb down a narrow windy road that is often wet with a gradient of 16%.
Well my 8.3lt with an Alison 6 speed auto does it no problems. This auto drives like a car.
The 12.5lt has a paccar 12 speed automated manual, it does it also without issue. Push of a button and I jump from auto to manual to lock it in gear. Flick of a lever down and it changes down gear providing engine revs, gear box speed, and road speed all align weather I'm in manual or auto mode. Flick it up or do it twice and it changes up a gear or two regardless of auto of manual mode. Almost 300,000 miles on it and no issue at all.
It's 2013 technology and I will admit it can confuse itself on a hill start with a load, but its so easy to override the auto and choose a gear it doesn't even rate as a downside.
The mechanics staff member told me he has replaced 100s of road ranger gear boxes, if not a 1000. But not 1 auto yet. That said something to me.
Think fuel economy has so many variables its hard to say, but I doubt an auto is more. Like someone said earlier they change perfectly every time, never crunch, and always in the economical rev range. It may sometimes be the wrong gear for a climb because it doesn't have eyes, but that is where the driver plays their role.
I would not buy a manual, clutch or not you still have to thrash that stick around the place. Rather hold a cup of coffee.Deezl Smoke Thanks this. -
Manual transmissions in a semi, are culture. Kinda like Harley Davidson motorcycles are to MCs.
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