Why do alot of people dislike auto trucks please explain

Depends on the setup, my aotushift Mack was setup to allow 3rd gear start when bobtail, 2nd gear max for everything else. Typically, any load I started in first, skip shifted to 3rd. When empty, would start off in 2nd, then skip to 4th. As of tomorrow I'll be in an M-Drive tractor that bobtail starts off in 4th gear, computer sense loads and selects gears or allows me to.

 

Yes they are COMMON FAILURES. THAT IS THE POINT. Why buy junk just to be someone's guinea pig?

 

Hey wannabe, that old guy may not be the best at making posts, but he knows his stuff. You would be well advised to keep your smart mouth in check when dealing with him and some others on here. If you can't understand a post, there is no harm in saying so. Just be civil about it.

As a case in point, I could have started my post to you with, ARE YOU STUPID? I AM PRETTY SURE YOU ARE STUPID. But I did not start it off that way. Do you see the difference?

 

You can start in a higher gear. When loaded the Volvo automatically will start in 1 or 2 (usually 1 unless it senses a downhill grade or light load)

It will show on the display the preselected starting gear.



The little arrows indicate you can manually select a higher starting gear if you want.

Now I manually put it in 1st to take the pic to show an example but since I'm empty and the suspension pressure is telling the ecu I'm empty (or really light), the transmission automatically is putting itself in 5th.



On the flip side it's offering you the opportunity to start in a lower gear.

When cruising, if the cruise rpm is below 1300, it will show you can drop a gear to bring the revs up to around 1500 for a power boost. It's programmed to keep the engine revs in the "green" zone (sweet spot)



My truck is an XE package so at 65 mph, it's loafing along at 1150 rpm.

When going down hill, it will show you can drop more gears despite the fact that will cause the rpms to exceed the sweet spot in order to get better engine braking capability.

The Volvo Engine Brake handle with the I shift has 5 positions. Off, Auto, 1, 2,3 and B.

In auto, the cruise will automatically apply the engine brake when you exceed the brake cruise speed, which by default is set to 3 mph above the cruise speed. (The lowest speed difference you can select is 2 mph and the highest is 10 mph) The engine will automatically downshift to increase braking power as needed, up to 2100 rpm.

When descending a hill, pressing the speed up or down button on the engine brake lever will set the brake cruise speed at your selected speed and the engine and transmission will automatically modulate engine brake speed and gear speed to maintain that speed.

For example if your loaded to 79000 and going down Cabbage, if you bring your truck to the descent speed recommendation of 18 mph and set the brake cruise, the brake and transmission will work together to keep your truck at that speed all the way down without you having to do anything.

When you select 1 or 2, it applies the engine brake at low or medium in whatever gear you are in. Selecting 3 will put the engine brake in high mode and automatically drop one gear to increase rpm and braking power. Holding the lever in B for one second causes the transmission to select the highest gear possible for maximum engine braking, pretty nifty when hitting an exit ramp.

 

...sounds like an overly-complicated means for replacing experience with technology, thereby allowing anybody with a pulse to hold the steering wheel and try to keep it between the ditches. Just remember, when a job can be had with "no skills or experience necessary", the pay will reflect the deeper pool of applicants now "qualified" for the position.

 

Give me a break. The big fleets have been doing that long before they came up with automated manual transmissions. Trucking will always require a higher level of skill and intelligence than the average idiot is willing to put in and mega carriers will always try to put the lowest common denominator behind the wheel regardless of transmission.

They said the same thing when Clessie Cummins was working on the compression brake.

 

Hi PB, I agree, but I don't think the trucking industry has a choice. As more old timers hang it up, those seats have to be filled and I'm sure when a new driver, with no experience what so ever, hears a truck has 10, 13, 15, or 18 speeds, they panic and don't pursue it any farther. Now if a company says, "don't worry, we have automatic's now", well, that changes everything. As most of the miles are put in on interstates today, I think that's all that's required now, hang on to the steering wheel and wait for your destination. You may have a point on the pay. Why pay more when new drivers that previously would never think of driving a truck with 13 speed transmissions traveling down 2 lane highways with 238 hp motors, which I thought took real skill, can now put it in drive and wait for their exit to appear. I don't mean any disrespect to drivers today that like their automatic's, to me, it's just an entirely different job that I did for 35 years.

 

exactly.

But there might be another reason for autos. My neighbor bought a new Volvo a while ago.. he said he went into a corner a little too hot for the trucks liking and the truck hit the jakes and slowed down all by itself. I've never given much thought to rollover protection but I'm pretty sure rollover protection will only work with an auto (or else the truck might stall).

If the gov't ever mandates rollover protection, that might well spell the end of manuals.

 

My Volvo before this one had that and a manual.

 

I drove a utrashift for 3 years it had its good points and its bad points. I travel alot of dirt roads in my job and it would get stuck if a grasshopper pissed in front of it. There is no coast while backing up to a dock takes a little getting use to but not to bad. In town driving it beats a manual hands down. I would catch alot of crap for driving a auto I would just drive off with my left foot hanging out the window and let them know there number one with the special finger