Big Truck Transmissions

[Rigjockey]

If the "autos" behave anything like automotive automatics in snow and other slippery conditions, I would rather keep my stick shift. It is kind of hard to force the autos to start in anything other than the lowest gear. I learned to use 2nd or 3rd to help get rolling in slick conditions. Also, an auto will shift up or down at the most undesirable times, where a manual only shifts when I decide to shift it.

that's what I was told.In slippery conditions we were supposed to drive the auto's in manual shift mode to prevent like you said the transmission from dropping or grabbing a gear when the wheels slipped.Also for better fuel economy, we were to drive the auto's in manual mode.

Just trying to type that was hard"driving auto's in manual mode".lol. My head hurts!

 

[Rigjockey]

Makes allot of sense to go out and buy automatics and then tell the drivers to shift them manualy.lol

 

[Sinister]

Also, an auto will shift up or down at the most undesirable times, where a manual only shifts when I decide to shift it.

That's another hang up I have with them. Here's an example:

Rookie One (automatic): goes through one year, travels 48 states, see's a bit of winter, get's slippery a few times. Saves it, has no idea why. Only that something called "traction control" saved his ass. Get's stuck in a snowy parking lot. Has a wrecker bill for next to no reason. The roads outside the parking lot are fine, but the truck stop hasn't plowed yet. And probably wont.

Rookie Two: (standard): goes through one year, travels 48 states, sees a bit of winter, get's slippery a few times. Saves it..using the clutch and gears, and knows EXACTLY why he didn't wreck. He also gets stuck in a snowy parking lot. Starts off in 2nd gear, rocks it back and forth a bit, and leaves the unplowed truck stop driving right past Rookie One.

If you had five trucks...which driver would you hire??

I don't think I will EVER be convinced that automatic transmissions have improved the quality of new driver on the road. They have allowed large companies to hire almost literally ANYONE to "drive" a truck, and as a result the quality of new driver in the industry overall may have been reduced. Oh, sure, you can talk all about fuel mileage, and maintenance intervals, but if big companies can fill more trucks...that's what they want. Everything else comes second.

Older guys, who already have their safety habits instilled...with 35 years in? Sure give the old fart an auto. But a rookie? Hell no. Start with a 10 speed, then a super 10, then go to a 13 (or 15 if you can still find one- they had the blue button), and maybe even an 18 speed. I love my 18. There is absolutely no reason to EVER over-rev the engine with an 18. You're NEVER "in between gears" as my dad would say. Where you tach one, or lug the next.

Now...I might be a bit off on the specifics, but I watched two "heavy haul" trucks try to pull each other out of the mud. One tow hook hooked to another tow hook, one in reverse, the other in drive...and both just sat there...WHHHIrrrrrrrRrrrrRRRRR....

It was ridiculous. For my line of work, I'll never have one.

And I don't think rookies should either.

 

[2xR]

Here ya go

YouTube - Shifting a 5 and a 4 transmission

YouTube - shift

YouTube - Driving the 1949 peterbilt down the road

Dayum...

 

[Rigjockey]

Here ya go

YouTube - Shifting a 5 and a 4 transmission

YouTube - shift

YouTube - Driving the 1949 peterbilt down the road

Thank for the links,I had to watch them twice!Thats talent and would definetly keep drivers busy and off the cell phone.Respect to those who came before me and thank God for the splitter.

 

[Racer X 69]

Dayum...

Thank for the links,I had to watch them twice!Thats talent and would definetly keep drivers busy and off the cell phone.Respect to those who came before me and thank God for the splitter.

Those things will certainly keep a driver busy. Just imagine what it would be like if that is all we had and all those n00bs coming out of the CDL mills were stirring them up!

 

[Rigjockey]

I'm not sure if I could do it! Seems like allot of co-ordination and memory.

 

[Sinister]

The 1949 Pete one is the best. The camera work is horrible, but you really get to see how much work went into shifting those things!

It would be great as a whole video, starting with a shot of the truck itself...walking up to it...then driving down the road with all that insane shifting!

 

[Rigjockey]

Talk about bare bones trucks! It s loud and no comforts.I engaged a driver on the radio after his rant about how better trucking was in the old day's and I was like ya right.Sleeping in a day cab etc.Now we have apu's,T.V's.Microwaves and everything but running water.Would I want to go back there HELL NO.I'm off topic but we are way better off than say 30 40 years ago.

 

[Sinister]

I hear that a lot also.

I think it's guys with about a grand total of TWO YEARS behind the wheel that say that. They've seen one or two industry wide changes, and that qualifies them as "veterans".

Yeah right.

Another one is "I grew up on a farm..." which automatically qualifies them as having some sort of wisdom....

LMAO.

You should have used the grants and subsidies afforded to farm kids for college!

I grew up in a shitty trailer park. I get nada. LOL....

 

[Racer X 69]

You really have to stay focused. When it is time to slow down, or grab lower gears for a hill, you can't be forgetting where you are, or you're gonna be stopping and starting all over again.

 

[saddlesore]

I'm not sure if I could do it! Seems like allot of co-ordination and memory.

Actually after a short while it just comes to ya, and you don't even think about what gear your in or which gear you need.
and did you notice that the 1s vid was in a cabover? suspenders and all....!

 

[Gased]

I drive a standard 10 but have driven automatics and I am torn. Automatics are a welcome break under a heavy load or in the mountains but I get uncomfortable in bad weather. They like to shift when it isn't, lets' say, the right time to shift. I guess I do prefer to grab the gears myself, plus it gives me a place to set my arm when I set 70 on the cruise and hammer down the OH Pike.

We have quite a few Int'l Prostars that are automatic. I'm pretty sure they are set up with Cummins Power. The one thing I despise is when you slow down to turn at an intersection the truck goes into Nuetral.... shady shit if you ask me. From what i understand, Int'l won't let us put Cummins in our new orders anymore so we are looking at switching to KW... I'm cool with that but they are going to be automatics, that I'm not cool with.

 

[Phantom_of_the_Opry]

Drove a 2001 Freightshaker with a N-14 Cummins and a 10-speed Eaton-Fuller Autoshift with a Clutch Pedal pulling a Fruehauf Air Ride 53' Dry Van for about 3 years, late '05-late '08.
NEVER had a issue in ANY weather.
Left leg received plenty of exercise!!
I can drive either Autoshift or Manual so it matters NOT.

I'm currently doing local driving 26' Box Trucks (Cornbinders) with Autoshift.
BIG DEAL.

 

[freedhardwoods]

Traction Control - prevents wheel spin.

Just seeing the phrase "traction control" makes my blood pressure go up. I can't begin to count how many times that has caused me troubled in job sites. There is a switch on the dash, but I can't shut it off. If I knew what wire to cut, I would disconnect it permanently.

 

[Racer X 69]

Just seeing the phrase "traction control" makes my blood pressure go up. I can't begin to count how many times that has caused me troubled in job sites. There is a switch on the dash, but I can't shut it off. If I knew what wire to cut, I would disconnect it permanently.

Cut the red one. At the battery.

 

[freedhardwoods]

Cut the red one. At the battery.

My side cuts aren't that big. Where'd I put them bolt cutters.......

 

[bigyellowpete]

Traction control would work in concert with the ABS, so if you pull the relay for your ABS, you will defeat the traction control. If you want to defeat it full time, the ABS will be done full time as well, and you will need to remove the warning bulb for your ABS light so a diligent DOT guy doesn't spot it glowing happily away.


You didn't hear this from me.

 

[Rigjockey]

Traction control would work in concert with the ABS, so if you pull the relay for your ABS, you will defeat the traction control. If you want to defeat it full time, the ABS will be done full time as well, and you will need to remove the warning bulb for your ABS light so a diligent DOT guy doesn't spot it glowing happily away.


You didn't hear this from me.

I got a written warning for a burnt out ABS light In VA.He knew the ABS was working because we could hear the clicking but no light.

 

[bigyellowpete]

That would have been the trailer ABS light I imagine. Your dash light only comes on if the system has a problem in the truck. The two systems are completely separate, and trailer ABS won't be affected by pulling the relay in your tractor.