Automatic vs manual transmissions

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by #wishfulthinking, Jun 28, 2018.

  1. #wishfulthinking

    #wishfulthinking Light Load Member

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    Jun 9, 2018
    Central Iowa
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    Thank you all for all the great feedback. This has been very insightful. I'm not 100% sure about the truck I'm getting. What I do know is that it's a 2019 Freightliner Cascadia With a Detroit & a 12 speed automatic. I don't know if it's an Evo or not. I haven't seen it yet. My dispatcher tells me it's there at the yard, but I'm still on the road so it will probably be Wednesday or Thursday before I get to see it for the first time.
     
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  3. Espressolane

    Espressolane Road Train Member

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    The thing you need to do is read the drivers manual and watch the videos on the roadranger site. It will take a few weeks to get the hang of it, but once you do. You will wonder why you ever had a manual transmission. The DD15/DT12 combo is very good. Works very well. Is a much better system than the old eaton system freightliner used. Hope your company does not futz with the stock programing thats when the problems start.
     
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  4. Zeviander

    Zeviander Road Train Member

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    Winnipeg, MB, CA
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    Don't. They are awful.

    A couple weeks ago I was forced to take a 388 with a Paccar MX-13 and 13-speed autoshift for a week long trip because my truck was in for safety. I don't know if something was wrong with the truck (the lead mechanic tells me all I reported back on was "mostly normal") but it was unable to make a shift smoothly (would jam it in and out of gear like a rookie), unable to get rolling from a dead-stop smoothly, unable to pick an appropriate RPM to shift at in order to maintain torque and decided that up-shifting down 4-7% grades at 94,000 lbs gross was an especially great idea.

    People said: "Well, put it in 'M' and select the gears yourself!"
    I replied: "Then why not just give me a stick and a clutch pedal and let me do all the work myself!?"

    It's an auto-shift. It's supposed to be making the right decision FOR me.

    Fast-forward to this past week, I was driving a 388 with the same motor, but with a 13-speed manual. Pulling B-train hoppers grossing between 132,000 and 137,600 lbs. Every shift was buttery smooth, never over-revved, each start was nice and easy, smooth with no cab hopping/shaking, and it never up-shifted going down hill (unless it made sense to to gain speed to go up the other side).
     
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  5. Meteorgray

    Meteorgray Heavy Load Member

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    Yeah, maybe automatics aren't for everyone. If a guy has a mind-set against them, then it may be too much to expect an automatic to satisfy him. Like refusing to choose M going downhill and just select the best gear. That's a mind-set factor that is hard to overcome.
     
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  6. chacha

    chacha Bobtail Member

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    Jun 5, 2018
    Iowa
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    Yes. It is a mindset, and one that I have. We ended up at a company with 80% manuals for a reason. What I don't understand are those who say you're a dinosaur because you want to stay with a manual... or that you're a loser because you went automatic. It all comes down to driver preference.
     
  7. Snakeschasingcars

    Snakeschasingcars Heavy Load Member

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    They are horrible. Some times it picks up over passes and hits the brakes. It scare the #### out of you. Beeper/alarm going off and dropping 20 mph instantly jerking you. In my book i dint see how its safer...
     
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  8. chacha

    chacha Bobtail Member

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    Jun 5, 2018
    Iowa
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    It is the whole dumbing down of the industry. The pencil pushers and insurance idiots study their little flow charts and come up with their super braniac ideas on how to control things. While they sit in a chair. And do not have a CDL, nor have ever been a part of the industry other than to micromanage people whose job they cannot do.

    A few months? ago I had to take a truck across town.. There was a construction zone on the right side of the road, so I had to move over and cross the center line. Holy F - the vibration when I did that #### near made me jump a foot off the seat. I have to admit - it pissed me off bad. I knew my lane position - I did it on purpose to avoid the construction. I don't need these idiot warnings. I could never work for a company that put all that bs on the truck.
     
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  9. breadtrk

    breadtrk Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 4, 2015
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    The clutch, brakes, and linkages guys love your not so sound business decisions..
     
  10. breadtrk

    breadtrk Heavy Load Member

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    Even most of the idiots against auto's know the difference between transmissions and lane departure systems...... just sayin
     
  11. Very Entertaining Read so far.

    Let's start again in basic terms.

    Who remembers the debacle of the DPF filters? How long did that take to run rough shot over into DEF/SRC.

    I remember the automatic in the 2012 386 Pete I drove. We are lab rats just like the filters and fluids.

    They sell it so we can fix the bugs for them.

    It all comes down to money?

    Can you still make a buck in an automatic.

    We are in the lab rats stage once again. Anyone for an ELD enama?

    Can you make a buck with big brother holding your hand?
     
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