Why Not Automatic?!

Nothing wrong with steering wheel holders. I keep the left door closed and after about 2 mins I'm a steering wheel holder myself, because The cruise is on and no need to put the truck in gear again until I stop. But ooh the feeling when you hit some mountains or some hills and you are shifting away now that's driving baby. But then back on flat land it's cruise control and steering wheel holding again.

 

You wanna do some shifting come do some city p&d work. Youll be shifting all day long.

 

10-4! Just so I know - do splits on Super 10, 13-, or 18-speed count as changing gears? Do have to move thumb and ankle...or am I still just lazy?

 

This is why I'm otr. I been there done that and shifting is the least of your worry's doing local. Shifting is like walking baby. You just Do it

 

I remember doing oversize load in an old F series Mack.
It was ahead of its time as it had only one stick with a 5 speed main box.
There was reverse , neutral , high and low in each gear.
So you had a 10 speed and a brutal 285hp.
After a day in the mountains you could get a blister on your finger from splitting nonstop.
Also could not float the gears much because that would take to long and the cab over linkages would be twisting so much you did not have that good a feel of what was going on anyway.
You would shift so much it almost felt like you were on some type of rowing machine.
On the upside there was zero chance of falling asleep and you got a good workout while being paid.

 

I know what you mean. When I started I had an M11 Cummins in my cab over and it didn't like pulling hills. Especially when the top speed was only 60. I hated the NW, Missouri, PA, Iowa, WY and I'm sure I forgot to name a few. Now I Have this ISX she get's the job done. No more pulling hills at 20 and 25. We doing it at 45, and 50 unless its really steep.

 

Sure we can count them as shifting. I do miss having a 13 speed, loved that transmission especially in traffic. 5l-5h-5l-5h. Lol

 

the logic of a bean-counter

 

wow, all these drivers complaining about auto's in the mountains, and in the last 72 hrs I've driven US 160 La Veta Pass and Wolf Creek Pass, US 550 Coal Bank, Molass, Red Mtn. Passes, US 50 Cerro Summit Blue Mesa Summit.

When I left Denver I grossed 68,350 lbs, that's what I cleared La Veta at, autoshift never batted an eye, started the climb in 10th gear 74 mph, at the top I was 7th and 55 mph, trans stayed in D the whole time, passed a couple of trucks on the way up too. Left it in D jakes on Hi, and ran throttle between 60 and 65 til Ft. Garland. Dropped 9,000lbs in Alamosa on Monday, cruised down to Taos and dropped another 500 lbs then back up to Alamosa to pick up a 200 lb spring to take to my next stop. Cleared Wolf Creek at 59,500 again, trans in D, throttle til the summit. Dropped off the backside, trans in 7th and manual mode, jakes on hi, never exceeded 40 mph.

Dropped 500 lbs in Farmington and another 2,500 lbs in Durango, then over 550. OMG, and to really scare you people, my customer in Durango, I have to back up a 1% grade to get to the dock in a dirt lot. Again, trans in reverse, very slight throttle, barely kissed the dock. Ran 550 at 56,000, climbed with the trans in D, never missed a shift, dropped down each pass in M mode and high jakes, controlled my shifts with a button THAT I NEVER LOOKED AT, SHIFTED BY FEEL, only used the foot brakes on the corner otherwise jakes and a push button controlled my speed.

Dropped 2,500 in Montrose, then over 50 to Gunnison/Crested @ 53,500 trans in D the entire time, just controlled by jakes, and random applications of the service brakes. Never a problem, all shifts by a button. Dropped 3,000 in Crested then back over 50 to 550 and up to Junction. Dropped the remainder in Junction and back to Denver, mty. It's fun putting the trans in D, setting the cruise at 75 and never touching the shifter again til I drop into Denver. Even more fun when your climbing Vail and Eisenhower and watching the unsmooth shifting of all those expert drivers trying to make that 10 milisecond downshift on Vail so they don't loose too much power, as they struggle along. I usually wave as I go by.

Oh, later today, I'll be climbing Eisenhower @ a few hairs over 80,000, the trans will be in D from Silverthorne to Genesse, then I suppose I'll put it in 6th and H for the drop.

 

LOL I had such a laugh reading this thread I nearly pissed myself 100 times. Wonder where all the student drivers would be with the old 5 &4 's with a 350. Max load through the mountains. You should be able to downshift through every gear to bull low rolling stop. It is part of being a PROFESSIONAL driver otherwise we could just let any village clown drive trucks on the roadways. Striker I would like to offer you the chance of a lifetime to prove your point. I just happen to know where I can borrow an old Kenworth with a 892 and a 5&4. You and me Coquihalla Van to Golden up for the game.