Company removing manual gear selection override on automatic trucks?

You can't use the Jake in snow. We went over parleys Canyon and slick conditions and I was really glad we have the manual override because then you know it's going to stay in the gear that you want to be in and it cannot do a shift at the wrong time and potentially lose traction.

 

Once you learn how to use the manual mode it becomes second nature. We were dispatched to rescue a manual truck and I drove it about 1000 miles down to Phoenix and I can tell you I really missed the automatic, especially In stop and go traffic.

 

When your truck is slowing because you have engine brake on you don't push on the throttle because as you see it will shift into 12 gear because the truck thinks you want to go faster. You are still going down hill so all you do switch the engine brake to stage two or one. You want less engine brake but you still want some. When you get to 1800 RPMs that the shift point, So if you don't want to keep slowing down. You just switch to stage two or one and keep rolling. Then if the RPMs climb back up to say 2100 because stage one or two can't hold the truck. You switch to stage three. When truck slowes down to 1800 and you don't want to go slower switch to stage two or one.

If you set the cruise control you see this is how the system works. It will keep RPMs high but switch from stage three and two or one.

When you want to go faster but want less egine brake because your still going downhill, don't push the throttle just switch to less engine brake.

 

I've had a horrible time in Duluth in the snow with an auto with manual mode.

Snow+hills+smooth tanker+auto= backing down hills because you're spun out.

 

OK I never thought to monkey with the jakes, I asked about 7 years ago on the O/O forum about just switching between 3rd,2nd and 1st stage jakes going down hills instead of using brakes, they told me it was a bad idea. I guess Freightliner has overcome that problem. I will try it later today, also in cruise downhill to see how that goes.

 

I can use 3 methods to go downhill without manual mode on my I-Shift. The first method would be changing the settings on the jakes, which I prefer because it is smoother and allows more control of speed. The second would be lowering the cruise control, but I don't like this method because it can toggle the jakes off and on repeatedly. The third is downhill assist, which I never use because I'm able to use manual mode instead. It involves pushing the brake pedal slightly and pressing the button up or down on the end of the jake brake lever to set the speed you want the truck to hold going downhill.

As far as disabling the manual mode, I agree it's a bad idea, but there's got to be a reason for it. There are probably too many drivers bogging down or over revving the engine, so they are only trying to protect their equipment. I like manual mode, it's definitely convenient, but not mandatory. There are plenty of ways, both integrated into the technology as well as driving style, that can help overcome the lack of a manual mode.

If people are having second thoughts about getting an automatic because of this, I would urge them to do more research and at the very least take a test drive in one after reading the owner's manual and learning the features. If you're buying the truck, you won't have manual mode disabled, but I would still suggest learning the differences between the different brands of truck/transmission combinations.

 

My down hill in my 17 cascadia is slow to the speed i want to go turn my jake on the hit the cruise control and she does the rest. She alternates the jake power to keep me within 2mph of my designated speed. Thats fully loaded on a 6% grade. Never needed to use manual mode.

 

Until the snow flies again, right? That seems to be where the whole system gets fouled up. There is probably a nice long, highly technical and impossible to translate document from the manufacturers about how to use these things "correctly" in slick conditions.

 

I never had a problem in the snow. Of course I do my best to stay out of snow or ice soo...

 

I've read every single post here. And I'm trying my best to be objective because if I'm wrong, I hope I'm man enough to admit it change my outlook accordingly.

However, I still think the SIMPLEST and most LOGICAL option for an EXPERIENCED driver in an auto going up and down hills in snowy/icy conditions is to selectively use the manual option. It boils down to experience and instinct - which one can only develop with time.

All the other methods described are unnecessarily complicated and reminds of this joke:

Question: What do you call a horse designed by a committee?










Answer: A camel.