I agree to an extent. But, if you are pulling 14% grades a 13 or 18 really isnt going to matter, trust me pulling that kind of weight you will shift whole gears instead of foolin around with a half gear. But I also have a 13sp with a 500hp motor behind it and I would highly recomend the 13sp.
For this reason, ("I think that you would not be able to find the next gear fast enough. The automated manual would take all the guess work of hitting that next gear "), I say when you are learning the truck, "LEARN THE TRUCK", Not the guages!! Learn to drive the truck you buy, by ear!! Cover the tac with something so you CAN'T see it at all, and drive that truck till you can hit every gear, up and down. When you learn to drive by ear you will not miss that gear. If you have ever drivin a manual pickup truck, (which bein a farmer I'm sure you have) ask yourself when driving 1, how do I know when to shift from 3rd to 4th? SOUND!! Learn that trucks sound and you will be able to shift it whenever you take the notion, not on what the rpm's are! ps. works well when you run it down to low and have to skip a gear as well.
I will have to plead ignorance since I have never hit the big hills. With that thought in mind I certainly see your point Brick. I'm spoil with having only had to pull rolling bumps in the road. LOL I love 13's and 18's for the same reasons of being able to place my RPMS where I want at any speed. I'm not looking forward to running this S-10 up through TN, KY and such let alone having to hit the big hills. I'd love to swap it out for a 13 or 18 but $$$ doesn't warrant it.... PS I should pay more attention to where people are from.... LOL
You couldn't give me a thuper ten speed. They just don't work that well, and yes I've drove them and made them work. But give me a 13 any day and we'll be in business.
You can bet when my financial circumstances are different the next truck will have a 13 or 18... For what I paid for this one I can't complain......I'll just stay Southeast with this Ol'girl........ Watch! I'll get beaten up by the Broad-Squad for saying Ol' girl..... Oh well... she's big, she's fat, she drinks too much, and many would call her ugly, but I love her!! 9200I
I have a two petal ultrashift in a 05 international 9400i and love it. Had one problem with it and it was the x y shifter that shifts. $800 later she's on the road again. My experience with clutches replaced are around $1500. I'll be honest to I'm not the best shifter at all or even close. Having it down shift for me is great.
If you keep driving with bad x y shifter on tranny shift modul may fail. Small mosfets blow. A lot of pain to disassembly and fix.
before i was driving 10 manual ,my last truck have auto with clutch ,now 150 k later never troubles runs nice and good for my leg and easy to drive in rushhours i like the auto with clutch never more pain in the legs