Opinions on a Cascadia Glider with 12.7 and ALLISON 6 speed fully automatic?

12.7 with a auto would = turd

 

I looked at this when they first came out, heard they were having problems with the wiring because the Cascadia was never built to take the older engine & the wiring had to be custom made.

 

I've ran with Allison's in CNG local trucks and some Bobtail tankers, it's a complete dog imo. I wouldn't ever want to run mountains or even above 60k with a 6 speed, I feel they are designed for inner city only.

 

Full auto for OTR.

 

I've only ever seen one in person. I feel there is a reason why.

 

First off, to anyone complaining about the Allison, if it's a turd, it is because the engine has been neutered. I can tell you first hand, in a bus weighing 36k empty, 4.56 rears, 12.7 non waste-gate Series 60 and an Allison B500, which is similar to the 4000/4500 series, it pulls like a champ.

The CNG trucks people are describing above come with basically a 9 liter CNG Cummins engine, hardly a comparison. Also, the new trucks they gear them to run at a super low RPM. They just recently came out with a 12 liter Cummins CNG.

How does my 430 HP pull? Stunning. In 6th gear at 70 MPH, I can climb any hill that a truck and trailer weighing 34k pounds empty would lose speed on. Fuel mileage? 8-9.8 MPG non stop free way driving, in a flat nose bus.

If you watch the video that someone posted with the automatic Cascadia, they reported 6.4-6.8 MPG, then later reported at 72 MPH, they were averaging 5.9 MPG. Keep in mind, higher speeds means lesser fuel mileage, pending the engine's sweet spot. Also, with these Emissions engines, the more miles, the more soot and crap that builds up on sensors, it tends to degrade fuel economy.

If you have the horse power, you don't need all the gears. Here is a video of a 2007 KW T-800 with a C15 Cat and Allison 4500 RDS 6 speed automatic:



I wouldn't hesitate to get the Allison, just make sure you have the horse power to go with it.

You do not want a 3.73 axle ratio, trust me. The Series 60 likes a higher RPM, it's the newer engines that do better in low RPM's.

 

I should hope 430hp can shove 34k up a hill. Try that with another 46k, though, and it'll be laying down on the shoulder crying.
Allisons have their place, they are great in vocational trucks- Dump trucks, short haul, garbage trucks, etc. Not OTR.

 

Well, it's not just the transmission, it's the engine. That same set up with an ISM Cummins, would fall on it's face. A DD13 with "eco torque" settings on, would fall on it's face.

It goes back to, if you have the HP, you don't need all the gears. With a 10 speed, if you have 550-600 HP, you can pull hills in 10th gear with 80k. Allison is no different. There's just way too many variables.

There is a place OTR. What difference does it make if you drive regional around SLC, UT or OTR on a daily basis? The transmission doesn't know any different. Besides, all the big fleet trucks I've driven lately, they all fall on their face because the engines are turned down to save fuel.

 

There was another fellow on here last year that got a new Cascadia with a DD16 pulling over 105,000 dumps and an Allison automatic. He was quite happy with its performance.
I looked at a glider manufacturer in St Catherine's, they had the proper hookups for the computers and could run any engine you wanted in them. But at $176,000 I just went with a brand new one, although I got the Ultrashift Eaton.
RR Plett in Vancouver has a bunch on Cascadias with Allisons pulling tri-axles through the BC mountains. They loved them.