Why do trucks fail on an uphill climb?

Because unless those autos have splitters the engine can't be kept in the sweet spot most of the time like I do with my 13 speed.

That's the exact mindset that I was bemoaning in my original comment. Don't bother to hire skilled drivers and provide them with trucks spec'ed to be driven properly, just put any idiot in the truck, make the truck kinda idiot-proof, and hope you can save enough fuels to offset the repair costs.

 

I got a 12 speed auto when I ordered this truck and it seems to do fine. Sits right about 12-1300 all day. No way I’d go back to a manual when I can use technology to my advantage.

 

You really want an honest answer?

OK here is one, many of the modern drivers of these trucks today are too stupid to understand what the gauges are and how to use them to their advantage without destroying the engine, and very few of these stupid drivers and a lot of the smarter ones don't know how to driver a 13 speed or 18 speed properly, hell many of them can't even shift properly.

So economics comes into it, and it isn't about mileage out of a gallon of fuel but how much it costs to repair the truck. Automatics limit the damage, the truck has now safeguards to prevent it from melting down going up a hill.

 

I 100% argree with this statement it's the hard truth about 75 % -80% of the drivers now
Then you have the ones that think their smart but really aren't and can destory nice trucks in record time because they still lack basic knowledge of the mechanics of a truck..
Those are the ones that should not be allowed near a truck either

 

People that have drivers will always set their trucks up for the lowest common denominator if they’re smart. Even driving for my old boss his log trucks had 18’s in them but all of the highway trucks had 15’s. And people would cry about that, about how much better an 18 would be in the mountains. And his reply was always if you get someone who can’t drive they’re not going to tear up the deep reduction, so he’s basically rebuilding a 10 speed.

And none of his trucks had pyrometers and we somehow managed to drag 105k around in the mountains without melting engines down, but none of his trucks had anything but a stock Cat too.

 

You could easly because you understand trucks and have working brain cells along with the willingness to learn new things

 

This video will get you going and give you an idea of what it was like in the 200-220 hp days pulling grades.

Just a side note Mike talks about the Alcoa wheel contest. My Great Grandfathers 1951 Diamond T still has its original 22” Alcoas on it. 6-51. We didn't enter the contest. Lol.

 

I had to show a 23 year old college graduate with a science major , how to use a ratchet strap last week.

For the new drivers , I’d make my truck as idiot proof as possible

my drivers used to wear out clutches every 6-8 months .

If I was buying trucks for the average new driver , I’d get an automatic for sure
No need for gauges since most drivers couldn’t find the engine using both hands and a flashlight . they sure wouldn’t know what a temp gauge was
Or what to do if it was high

 

Heat. These engines can make over 400 hp and 2000 pounds of torque, but the only time they see it for more than a few seconds is on a grade. On a long grade that engine is loaded at full power. And its constant, all the way up. And that kind of power produces a lot of heat. The gears in the trans are strained and get hot. The differential gears get hot. The turbo and parts of the exhaust manifold can start to glow red hot. The oil temp rises. Coolant temp rises. Gearbox and diff oil temp rises. And like a chain, all of it is only as strong as the weakest link.

And some guys just don't care to run their truck to the limits, and will pull over and try to cool it down rather than burn it up. Opening the hood helps get rid of heat.

The guys just trying to make a living and your stupid hill isn't helping him. Give him a break. He doesn't like holding up traffic any more than you do, but its part of his job.