Driving an automatic on icy roads and taking off on hills?

Mine doesn't have any similar restrictions. Mash the manual button and it stays there, short of something that would harm the drive line. I use it all through a shift because the transmission IS stupid, and can't anticipate terrain, etc.

The one thing I detest on the Paccar 12 speed is that any time you let off the throttle with the jakes on it downshifts immediately to maximize braking -- it doesn't read my mind worth a darn when I just want to slow down a little without downshifting.

 

I don't know how it's possible to break the driveline or rear end in an auto.

They just don't have the power combined with lower rear end ratio.

Mine struggles to run over a fly.

 

The reason you don’t use engine brake in snow or ice is because of the differentials. They are designed to let wheels turn at different speeds to go around corners. They work against you in slippery conditions. They will apply all the power from the engine brake to wheel end/set of drive tires with the least amount of traction. You can see this in action when trucks are stuck in parking spot. You will see one set of drive tires spin and the other 3 won’t move.

when driving the skidding or spinning tire want to come to front of your truck. If you turn on engine brakes and one set of drive tires is slowed down is now skidding and it will want to come to the front. You are starting your own jackknife

To make things worse the D12 automatic will automatically downshift and raise engine to 2200 RPMs on stage 3 for maximum engine braking power.

 

This was the biggest frustration I had when I was first in the automatic. Now I put it in manual mode always when going downhill so I can use Jake's to slow down without dropping the gears.

 

just take it easy man... so what if everyone is making fun of you for going 30 mph hazards on while everyone else is doing 55.... and you cant just click the M button for manual?

 

I remember a video by an Irish Youtube trucker (Stavros969, in case you are interested) where he had an early automatic on a truck that had something like a 2 second delay from the time stepped onto the throttle until it would start moving. As you can imagine, this made it nearly impossible to make a turn across traffic (left turn for us; right turn for him in Ireland) at a light, since people would just move again, thinking he didn't want to go. I guess he had to 'anticipate' an opening? Are any automatics today as bad as that one was???

 

Everytime i get on the freeway. With the meter lights on.

I push BEFORE the green. I take off. AFTER the green.

Mine is a delayed pedal also. Even worse when I'm in manual mode.

Beating traffic. Just AIN'T happening. And mine is an 18.

 

I can do that with the RPMS, what I can't do is control what the clutch is doing. I'm in a 386 day cab with an eaton auto transmission. When starting from a stop, there is no "gentle fuel pressure" for a smooth start - the wheels will 'chirp' if the ground isn't completely level. Come up off the fuel while backing and the transmission puts the clutch in. It's been a steep learning curve to adjust from the DT12 where I had a good deal of control.

It's not just me either. In the snow we got last week EVERONE had trouble backing in. We were lining up 50 feet in front of the door so that we could get on the fuel and still have time/space to keep things in line.

 

It shifts very sluggish, it will also run the rpm up around 22 hundred and hang there for a while before shifting.
Down shifting is erratic.
When you have to accelerate from a stop either loaded or empty it takes for ever to get going and you can’t skip gears.
Then the automatic braking is a nightmare. It will lock up the brakes when there is nothing in front of the truck.
I have complained and wrote it up and the truck has been to the dealership and they say it’s all okay.