Auto Vs Manual

I fell in love with the M-Shift Mack makes. It Grew on me, it was almost a deal breaker but I do love these Macks!

 

They still pay me the same with an auto even though it's made me one lazy sob haha. I'm not complaining. I really do like my 13 auto.

Are you basing that on personal experience? As far as I know, all the new autos are manual transmissions with servos that work the clutch, gearbox and throttle for rev matching.

 

The one time I drove an auto I did not like it at all. My normal company truck was at the dealer so I used another guys truck for a local run. It was a heavy haul of Ti02 that had been sitting for a few days. Had to take it up to the shipper (SMI in Jay) and unload it back into their tanks, kind of a reverse rail recovery. That auto could not handle the hills at all, constant newb shifting and it would not hold a gear. The company Auto were allegedly specced with 25 more hp than the manual, but the auto was 10-15mph slower up the hills.

 

The volvo I drive has a 12 speed I-shift. I pull tankers with it and gross almost 100k lbs when loaded and never have a problem with it. The truck always shifts good and has good pulling power. The older trucks in the fleet are 10 speed manuals and I occasionally have to drive one when mine is down for service. I don't notice any difference in pulling any of the hills with a manual vs. an auto, but then again, as long as the rest of the truck is spec'd correctly for the job it will be doing, it should make a difference.

 

I drove a new Volvo/auto shift rental for a few days, pulling tall oil in a smooth bore.

First trip was down I-77, OH to NC. So I was able to get familiar with the shifting in the OH hills before going down flat top and fancy gap lol.

I was surprised, it held my speed all the way down fancy gap without touching the brakes. I may have bumped to full jake here and there, but jake-cruise held it back for the most part.

Shifting/surge, non-issue with the oil and auto shift. The oil is pretty tame tho with the full manual 10 speed, even in a smooth bore, so mebbe not a good review. Plus I hauled it all the time, so I probably subconsciously learned the nuances. I'm not sure how the auto-shift would do with a thinner product. The only time the oil ever really kicked me was when I did something out of the ordinary like harder than normal braking, or slowing down quickly while going uphill with a full head of steam.

Never drove an auto shift in snow pulling a tank, but once I got familiar with the manual shift features, I didn't really think it would be a prob as you can get it to a gear you're comfy with.

I drive mostly auto shifts now pulling vans, but without the manual capability. Going up a grade, in snow,, and praying for the thing to downshift on its own before the drives break lose at 1300 rpm, Now THAT is scary stuff

 

We have been driving auto shifts for awhile now . I have no use for them . Recently got A cascadia with 12 spd. In our mandated Eco program are the worst. Not enough get up and go to pull out in bicycle traffic. Awfull idea.

 

Yes they are. And all that will cost you more $$$ when it breaks or the ECU takes a nosedive. You will not find most O/O's purchasing an auto-#### transmission. You dont get something for nothing.

 

Yeap! I cant believe how slow they shift. I can get up to freeway speeds much faster with a stick, then an auto-crap, even if the auto equipped rig has more engine power. To hell with that awful idea.

 

Well, there is your problem right there. Pulling hills with a 10 speed manual and a heavy load, was
stupidity on whomever specked out a rig like that. You want to pull hills with a heavy load, you need
a 13 speed transmission or better. But of course that means splitting gears, which is becoming
a lost art, I suppose. I can remember when twin shifts were still in use. Glad I am out of the biz soon!

 

I'll agree with you that the trucks should have been 13 or 18 speed. I would give up my volvo for an 18 speed in a heart beat! I drove an 18 only for one day, got the hang of splitting really quick, and loved driving that truck. Sadly they got rid of that truck. In all honesty the 10 speeds I have driven for them had good power, but lacked in fuel economy.