What I learned two days ago

No I haven’t ever shifted two boxes. From what I’ve heard the old ones aren’t strong and the new ones aren’t cheap

 

I never had a single a box failure in the years I've used them, other than the jamming up which simply required one to climb underneath the truck and manually move the shift rod back into place. the new 4 speeds are about 20K each, and prone to case failure when drivers abuse them.

a good friend of mine owns the largest independent rig moving company in northern Alberta and goes through about a half dozen 4 speed auxiliary boxes a year. he's never had an Allison auto failure yet, good thing....they are $75K each on the line sheet.

 

4 speed aux with what main? Why can’t he just run a 18 with a lot of rear gear?

 

he's got a mix of autos and 18 speeds in his winch tractors

 

Disc brakes mean shorter stopping distance...if you need shorter stopping distance that means you weren't paying enough attention far enough ahead and had to use too much service brake to stop. I've driven trucks with disc brakes, or at least trailers with them and they are grabby and a PITA when all axle positions aren't disc. Maybe when all trucks and trailers have been equipped with disc, they might be alright but when the technology is mixed, it isn't. Of course, by the time everything is switched over, OTTO will be platooning and humans will be out if the equation anyway

 

Lol too simple Mack.

No, We need to remove the mechanical connection clutch linkage and use solonoids and sensors and a bunch of wires and relays. Yep that’s a great idea.

I’m reminded of the story that NASA spent a kajillion dollars designing a ball point pen that would work in space while the Soviets used a pencil

 

Ah, but nasa just said they spent that money on a new pen. In reality it was diverted to pay for something you and i aren't privy to. Even the government isn't capable of making a hammer cost 300 bucks.

 

Just an fyi. That's simply a myth. NASA did spend way too much on writing instruments to the tune of $128 for a mechanical pencil, but they did not develop a pen. Fisher pen company actually made a pressurised pen as an internal R&D effort.
Plus a pen makes more sense in zero gravity where pencil lead can flake off and get in the equipement.
Even the Russians bought them for their space program... Total cost per pen was $2.39 (plusthe testing costs, which are unknown)

Fact or Fiction?: NASA Spent Millions to Develop a Pen that Would Write in Space, whereas the Soviet Cosmonauts Used a Pencil