Manual or Automatic Transmission?

I drove the autoshift with UsXpress, it was ok, but I kept wanting to reach down and grab the shifter that wasnt there. last company drove a century 10speed, I gotta say I like the clutch and shifting my own gears. I hear that the auto gets a little better gas milage but that may just depend on the individual. I heard about the priceness of fixing them autoshifts. but like I said, its all what you perfer. happy driving.

 

Test drove 18 autoshift for three days. My truck is basically my office, two phones, laptop, fax machine so usually I need three hands, yeh I know shouldn't be doing more than driving. Have been shifting gears for 37 years and just loved that autoshift so much I ordered an 09 Cascadia with one. Once it picked up my driving habits it was great. I'm pretty old school and have a hard time with changes, but after the first day I just knew I was getting an autoshift. You have to take a little well maybe alot of ragging from the die hard stickers, but who cares. In my line of work it's continuous shifting, noteable difference at end of day with auto how tired you are. Hope this help shed some light on subject.

 

I perfer a manual. At least a 13 speed, but my current truck has a 18. I used to pull flatbed and for that segment I would say manuals would be highly recommended...especially for off road use. My wife and I pull our current truck at county fairs and I don't think automatics would hold up.

 

I prefer the 13 speed overdrive, as stated above I prefer to shift the transmission myself.
Keep in mind that you have manual transmissions, with a clutch peddle, that you shift yourself.
There are Autoshift transmissions that have a clutch peddle, but shifting is done by the ECM.
There are Autoshift transmissions that do not have a peddle to operate the clutch, the clutch is operated by air, controled by the ECM.
There are true Automatic transmissions which are fluid driven just like what's used in busses, garbage trucks, & loaders.
Also keep in mind that if your truck fails to start, pulling it to start it can only be done with a manual transmission with a clutch peddle.
Weight is also a factor, a 9 or 10 speed will be lighter than a 13, a 13 will be lighter than an 18, unless I was doing some heavy hauling, grossing over 200,000 pounds, I wouldn't buy an 18 speed. I pulled turnpike doubles grossing 167,000 pounds with a 400 horse Cummins BigCam, 13 speed, 4:11 rears, on 24.5 low pro, and never felt the desire to split the bottom five.
I would point out however, that low gear is there for a reason, use it. I was amazed at how many drivers wouldn't use low gear when starting out with over 100,000 pounds, I use low gear all the time, my currant ride is a Western Star with a C13 Caterpillar, 13 speed, 3:21 rears on 455/55 useless singles, I've driven this truck for a year and a half, 180,000 miles without a clutch adjustment.

 

How good a job do those autos do holding you back on a downhill? How do you keep it from just grabbing higher gears?


This looks fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI-n2cpYpUc

 

There's a chap who knows how to drive a B model Mack and shift with one hand like it was designed to be shifted. Most likely an 18 speed Quadraplex, the 13 speed Triplex would shift the same way.

 

Nice stuff scott!

 

That's right. He says it's a Quad. I've driven some old equipment, but nothing that nostalgic. Is he grabbing one full gear at the end? I could follow along til the last shift. That's were he lost me.

Thanks for the comment. There are quite a few shifting videos on youtube. That is one of my favorites. I'm your age Hyper and learned to drive 20+ years ago on 13 speed fuller mated to a Detroit 8v92. After a 15 year hiatus I am jonesing to hop back in a big truck and grab some gears. The last time I jumped out of a truck the only automatic transmissions were in garbage trucks, but back then all the drivers I knew were still using payphones to find loads...

 

With the 20 speed overgeared Quadraplex, and the 15 speed overgeared Triplex, you would split 5th. gear on the main box, and 5th. gear would be forward.
On the 13 speed Triplex and 18 speed Quadraplex, you do not split 5th. gear and 5th. gear on the main transmission is toward the rear. So this video shows the driver taking 5th. gear without splitting it, and 5th. gear was to the rear, hence a 5th. gear direct main, 18 speed Quadraplex.
You do not normally use low gear on the auxillary, so the progressive sequence is, 1st. gear main, low split, then direct, then overdrive, 2nd. gear main, low split, direct, overdrive, 3rd. gear main, low split, direct, overdrive, 4th. gear main, low split, direct, overdrive, then shift the main into 5th. gear, you've shifted through 13 speeds.

 

I am driving a 2006 Volvo 610 with the Volvo engine and a fully automated Eaton Ultra shift 10 speed trans. No clutch on this truck. Here is a list of the inherent problems I have found with these autos (I have driven 3 different trucks with the same tranny and had the same results so it is not just 1 particular tranny malfunctioning).

Slow to get up to speed. A manual shift in the hands of a competent driver will shift faster AND smoother.

Switch directions from forward to reverse too quickly and the controller will beep at you and refuse to obey the command. Otherwise it will beep 3 times while it "thinks" about shifting and then will lurch in the direction you chose.

The transmissions have a tendency to malfunction and will refuse to shift gears at all at times leaving you stuck in a low gear. The solution to this little dilemma is to pull over and turn the truck off for a minute or two and let the computers reset.

Some of the older auto transmissions could not downshift quick enough on an upgrade with a heavy load and would actually stop dead in its tracks (saw this twice and talked to the drivers on the CB about it).

When coupling to a trailer it is difficult to get the truck to gently edge under a trailer and latch the kingpin. Too little throttle pressure and the truck stops before latching. Apply too much throttle and the truck will lurch backward violently and slam the pin practically giving the driver whiplash.

There is a manual setting for the driver to shift the truck himself but if you try to use progressive shifting techniques the tranny will ignore your commands and the controller will beep at the driver until it is within the "acceptable shift window."

I believe these transmissions are also heavier as compared to their manual counterparts.

A couple other complaints about these "autos;"
No way to pull start them in the event of a bad starter or weak batteries.
Cannot skip shift to higher gears. Can start out in 2nd but thats it (whoopee).
Less control in icy parking lots as well. With a manual we are able to shift to 4th or 5th gear, float the clutch, and the truck will move even on the slickest parking lots. With an auto you are stuck with the old "rock it back and forth" method we used to use in old rear wheel drive cars.

The good thing about an auto? You don't have to shift gears personally and they are less stressful in stop and go traffic. Multi-tasking is easier too (like eating, drinking, smoking, typing on the computer or gps etc).