How?

[freedhardwoods]

Thursday, I was driving along in 13th gear (13 speed) and heard a loud noise that lasted a few seconds. No jerking; just noise. I immediately realized I didn't have 12th or 13th anymore so I tried 11th and it was ok. I drove to a truck stop where I found that 4th, 10th , and 11th was all I had. No reverse either. I luckily happened to be an hour and a half from our shop, so the mechanics drove up in another truck and bobtailed my truck home with only those 3 gears. After removing and opening up the tranny, they found the input shaft bearing had come apart and went through the drive gear inside (see pic).
How did I have those 3 gears with no teeth on the the main drive gear?

 

[389 Hood]

I'll be interested to know the final outcome of this one.

 

[freedhardwoods]

What really sucks for my boss is having to put a new transmission in this truck when my new one is supposed to be here in about a month.

Mine is the white truck between what he is buying now to get rid of his old trucks. 280 in wb, 565 Cummins, 18 speed, o/o specs.

 

[GAnthony]

What really sucks for my boss is having to put a new transmission in this truck when my new one is supposed to be here in about a month.

Mine is the white truck between what he is buying now to get rid of his old trucks. 280 in wb, 565 Cummins, 18 speed, o/o specs.

he's gotta keep them wheels turning..that "month" waiting may be another, and another.

he can recoup his costs later.

 

[freedhardwoods]

That "month" waiting may be another, and another.

I hope not. This truck, with 930,000 miles causes a lot more trouble than the KW with over 2 million where I used to work. He ordered my new one 4 months ago and recently got notified that it was going to be built in a couple weeks.

 

[mndriver]

$650 per day…(typical overhead)

What it’s costing to let you and that rig sit everyday..

$5000 or less tranny repair bill is a weeks time. Probably have you back on the road in 3 days.

Really a no brainer.

 

[freedhardwoods]

They had the remanned transmission in on Wednesday. The mechanic told me to go for a test drive to make sure it was shifting right. I barely got away from the shop when he called and said I was puking oil. There was a hole in the cooler line. That is probably what caused the old transmission to come apart. They don't run very long without oil.

They had to order the lines and got it ready to go today. I've been running short hauls this week in a truck that doesn't have a driver at the moment. It's a 2020 Pete 567 with a 13 speed automatic. It has been about 10 years since I drove an automatic. Driving that brought back how much I despise them. That would be a nice truck if it had a decent transmission.

 

[Duck]

That would be a nice truck if it had a decent transmission.

The only decent truck transmission is a manual.

 

[mndriver]

That would be a nice truck if it had a decent transmission.

The amt is still the same exact transmission as the manual. The only difference is the plate on top for controlling the guts

 

[freedhardwoods]

The amt is still the same exact transmission as the manual. The only difference is the plate on top for controlling the guts

I kind of figured that, but the computer does a horrible job of shifting. It shifts when it shouldn't, doesn't when it should, and is in the wrong gear half the time. Running these short runs (2 rounds a day), I was able to experiment on some of the bigger hills. It would top a hill 5 or 10 mph faster if you forced it in the right gear at the bottom.
Another very annoying feature is taking 2 or 3 seconds per shift as compared to about 1/2 second with a manual. If you were doing a lot of start and stop driving, the lost time would add up at the end of the day.

 

[mndriver]

I kind of figured that, but the computer does a horrible job of shifting. It shifts when it shouldn't, doesn't when it should, and is in the wrong gear half the time. Running these short runs (2 rounds a day), I was able to experiment on some of the bigger hills. It would top a hill 5 or 10 mph faster if you forced it in the right gear at the bottom.
Another very annoying feature is taking 2 or 3 seconds per shift as compared to about 1/2 second with a manual. If you were doing a lot of start and stop driving, the lost time would add up at the end of the day.

I’ve learned it was very beneficial to actual read my manual…

And learn the logic in my ecm and how it works.

I’m guessing you’re one who still subscribes to the ancient believe that the engine must be running at 1500+ rpm as you scream down the road.

My truck was spec’d and built with 3.08 gears and would run 1500 rpm at 68 mph.

I’ve since regeared it with 2.64 gears and it will run 1250 rpm at 67 mph. As the engine power curve was designed for.

Newer engines go even lower to as low as 950 rpm for cruise speeds. Newest released engines I’ve seen going to 900 rpm’s to cruise. Supposedly with 1.95 rear ends to make it happen. And getting 9 mpg and pushing 10 mpg.

 

[freedhardwoods]

I don't mind low rpm's on fairly level ground, but in rolling hills, I keep the rpm's up to make time. The short hauls I've been running this week is mostly hills.
When I had my own truck before elogs, I was all about low rpm's and fuel mileage. Since elogs were mandated, everybody I've worked for has been more interested in getting work done than fuel mileage so I go for performance.

 

[389 Hood]

I asked my employer who speced their trucks and was told it was suggested by the dealer for the usage area. I asked if they would like me to spec them to not only have better power, but also to get better fuel mileage. I asked what idiot specs a truck to run in Florida, turning 1650 at 70mph? The truck should have a flatland rear of maybe in the range of 2.56:1 with a .65-.70 top gear in the transmission. It would still have plenty of low-end torque rise to get over overpasses and bridges, get 8 mpg when loaded and 10 empty, instead of the 5.25 I now get loaded and 6.50 empty.

As it sits, they get this heavy ISX-15, castrate it to 450hp/1650tq with a 16910 mixer and 3.58:1 cogs. You can watch the $$$ go right out the pipes. Plus, with the engine making excessive rpm, it accelerates wear and also contaminates the oil faster. I should be able to roll up the road at 70, only turning 1100-1200 at full gross.

 

[mndriver]

You can’t fix stupid it seems some days.

People are still living in the days of old Mechanical engines and can’t seem to embrace new technologies.

 

[389 Hood]

If the technology exists, employ it into your fleet if it fits properly. Just because "That's the way we've always done it", is the generic answer, it's not always the best or correct answer. Use what best fits the application for what the finished product will be used for.

 

[Uncle Birchy]

The only decent truck transmission is a manual.

Yeah but most these companies today only buy "Auto-Shifts"..

Welp that Mack at Kutzler had a 10speed but I'd have 2 go back grain elevator and even my last harvest season with them they went to Penske Leasing because they got sick of trying keep those old mid 1990s early 2000s era Shaker Classics going practically all of em over a Million Miles..

Plus they had trouble finding Mechanics and are Shop Guys were also responsible for loading and dumping trucks too

only had 2 "reliable" guys so they went the Leasing Company route my last turn there

 

[Rigjockey]

Most drivers these days can't shift gears. We get lots of drivers that can't shift gears and I think it was in June Ontario brought in the restricted license, meaning that if you to your test in an automatic, you are only allowed to drive an automatic. There will be a restricted code on your actual driver's license.

 

[Duck]

Most drivers these days can't shift gears. We get lots of drivers that can't shift gears and I think it was in June Ontario brought in the restricted license, meaning that if you to your test in an automatic, you are only allowed to drive an automatic. There will be a restricted code on your actual driver's license.

Truck drivers who can't drive a manual should be sentenced to one month in jail for every gear they can't shift.

 

[Uncle Birchy]

Truck drivers who can't drive a manual should be sentenced to one month in jail for every gear they can't shift.

I dunno about all that but I do think all training should be done on a Manual that way that student will know how to drive anything..

There's still a handful of standards out there what's gonna happen he will flunk the road test if he applied for job at a place with standard trucks..

But way things are going by the end of the decade it won't matter anymore these trucks will probably half drive themselves at that point I mean they are already fully experimenting with semi-autinomaus drive trucks on certain approved corridors even actually hauling freight .

 

[389 Hood]

Most drivers these days can't shift gears. We get lots of drivers that can't shift gears and I think it was in June Ontario brought in the restricted license, meaning that if you to your test in an automatic, you are only allowed to drive an automatic. There will be a restricted code on your actual driver's license.

Florida has the same thing. Test in an auto, you get the restriction on your license for auto only. I started in a manual and I'm going out in a manual.