why you do not want a automatic.

It's cool, question the decision, it wasn't my decision I just drive it for the owner

 

Here's the deal DD, that Auto Shift you keep referring back to was intro'ed in 1997! and although it did have some upgrades over the years, it pretty much is what it always was.

The ATM's that Striker, Cranky, myself and others are referring to are worlds, and decades apart from what you are drawing your exp. on.

All I can say is, unless you have lived with a newer style ATM, and by that I mean an I-shift, an M-drive, a TC-10 or a DT-12, or the NEWEST Ultrashift plus (do NOT mistake this for the Ultrashift with the centrifugal clutch) there simply is NO comparison that you can draw between them, there IS that much difference and they HAVE come that far.

 

that was a direct result of Eaton's manufacturing. The early model autoshifts could only start in up to 2nd gear, the later ones, about the equivalent of the 5th generation, would start in 3rd gear if programmed for it. My 2nd gen. autoshift would start in 2nd gear because it was programmed that way. Eaton did a reprogram of it in '03 (2000 model tractor) that allowed it to start off in 3rd, 6 months later that came back and did a software update that eliminated it, and only allowed 2nd gear start. My '09 had 3rd gear start from the factory. My boss spoke with Eaton about it, they said it had to do with a combination of technology, software and hardware. The 3rd gear start on the earlier units had a greater propensity to break things, or cause a more rapid failure of the X/Y motors, also the software could not keep up with the faster accel/gear change needed.

My current 2015 push button auto Mack M-drive will start off in 4th bobtail. If it senses any weight, even a bare chassis on the 5 th wheel, it will start off in 1st gear. BUT, I get rapid shifts. 1,4,7,9,10,11,12 because it realizes there is no weight. If, I'm hooked to an empty or bare chassis, I'll often select 2nd or 3rd gear start. Now, something it took me awhile to notice, when I have a 20' container on a 3 axle chassis, loaded, I'll start in 1 st gear. When I get to the ramp, and they pull the load off me, the computer will still tell the truck to start off in 1st gear, for the first couple of shifts, then it will sense the weight change, and the start off gear will change as well. The heavier I am, the more it will change the upshifts. Even at 80,000 lbs, I will still start off in 1st, but will be in 9 th gear in no time, especially if on the flat.

Also, keep in mind, the way the buyer or the idjit salesman, specs the truck, makes a big difference. On our trucks, Perf. mode is not locked out, when I put it in Perf. mode, it changes the shift patterns, and the way everything works together. I talked to a driver recently with a Mack M-drive that his boss had Perf. mode locked out. That makes a big difference about how the truck can accelerate or shift.

Also, a few others have commented about using the brakes more. Not sure about the other automatics, but with the M-drive Macks, I have a button called MAX BRAKE. Under normal conditions, my engine brakes have three settings OFF/MED/HI, as well as hill descent control tied into them.

I will tell you this, of the last three Mack's I have driven, the first a 355 hp, MP 7, autoshift backed, the engine brakes were worthless. In 978K miles it had two overheads done, and the engine brakes checked 4 times, they were worthless. On the '09 I drove, on the highest setting, if bobtail, the engine brake would put you through the windshield, man was it strong. Mack called it a "power leash". I was so used to how crappy the previous truck was, the first time I used it on slick surfaces, I almost jackknifed, lesson learned. On this current truck, normal engine brake settings, med or hi, are not that great, they work, but I wish they were stronger. Press the Max Brake button, the computer applies a touch of braking, then drops the trans 2 gears (sometimes one) for max engine braking. If you aren't prepared for it, you'll get a surprise. Technology, it's a wonderful thing.

BTW, I love going down a long grade using my hill descent control, I know darn well it probably makes drivers behind me think I have no brake lights. I set and forget the speed I want, at 79,790 the last week, I touched the brakes maybe twice on Eisenhower and Vail, actually, I spent more time on the throttle to keep it from bringing me to a stop.

 

One thing I enjoy though is shifting the gears myself.

Like driving a muscle car and having a stick shift. It's part of an experience of driving the vehicle.



I'll agree that the eaton autos are behind on technology. I just don't care for autos in big trucks myself.

 

US Express drivers Jade and Jon who vlog on youtube have an automatic, and it's a newer truck not years old.

Schneider had SOME old technology automatic trucks around 2006. They, along with Swift, the two largest truckload carriers in the United States are switching their fleets over to be all automatic now.

 

Company just gave me a new Truck.
Went from a 13 Cascadia 10spd
16 Cascadia Evo w/DT12

Have had it for less than a week.,
So far..I like it for the most part.

I am missing my Clutch and Stick though.
I have driven a 2007 Volvo w/IShift
2012 Cascadia w/Smartshift.
And now this DT12, def far better then the other 2.

 

Does you I-Shift always start in 1st gear ? I drive a 2016 D11 with I-shift in town all day and am always light. I always drive in performance mode ( don't like E-mode ) I was told by the dealer that they couldn't program the performance mode to start in a higher gear. So every time I stop I have to click it up to 3rd . It sucks when making a slow turn it drops to 1st. I wish it would only go to 3rd and If I needed a lower gear I could select it. The I-shift is not as smart as they say it is. Can anyone help ?

 

It's coming whether people like it or not for the fleets. Just too much can be saved in fuel costs per year. Plus no newbies like me grinding up their gears adding to maintenance costs It's the future of trucking - along with adaptive radar to stop your truck. Just be glad they haven't "yet" got the truck to drive itself......

 

Automatics are standard on faster cars for the simple reason that a human shifting a standard is at a major disadvantage when it comes to hitting the gears every time perfectly.

Look, I've driven both types of transmissions in some pretty darned powerful cars. And with the older type of automatics, I could outrun them with my stick shift every time. But these new autos shift smooth as glass and hit the gears at the exact time to maximize acceleration. My left foot and right hand just can't move fast enough to keep up.

Car transmissions have advanced by leaps and bounds in the twenty years or so. The introduction of computer controlled fuel injection, valve timing, and shifting has taken "supercars" to a whole new level. In most supercars today, you get an automatic with an optional paddle shift "manual mode" that is basically only useful if you have a modded exhaust and want the extra "bark".

Why would we believe that truck transmissions are still locked in the stone age after seeing all the advancements in cars? I've talked to several guys in my own company running the new DT12s or M-Drives (we currently have a few of both) and getting their keys is similar to trying to take a shark's favorite squeecky toy. Chances are you're gonna lose a limb, and the shark is gonna keep the toy.

Automatics are going to be the standard in The industry within a few short years. Heck, by 2017-18 my own carrier will be mostly automatic, and we are not a "mega" by any stretch of the imagination. If there are some cranky old buggers (like myself at times) that want to hang on to the old stuff like grim death, best wishes to them. As for me, my cranky old knees and ankles are seriously looking forward to the day I finally get moved into my new automatic.

And by the way? My new Mustang GT 5.0 (which I will purchase approximately 7.5 hours after I cash in my big time lottery winnings) will be.......an automatic.

 

I have the M-drive, not I-shift. The sensors seem to work pretty good, I routinely start off in 2nd gear at upto 79K. Bobtail starts are normally 3rd gear, I'll manually bump it to 5th though. Occasionally I'll use Perf. mode, I generally have to remember to do it.