cashmans Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Need some feed back from those that have and drive the Auto Transmissions. My company hauls gravel in rural Alberta. We pull everything from tandem pups to Quad trailers. Any input on how the Auto trans performs on highways with hills, soft gravel roads and off road operations. I may have to make a purchase soon with a large contract coming up so any help on this topic would be grat.Thanks in advance..Rick Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearheadGrrrl Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I've driven quite a few Macks with Allison Automatics and been very happy with them. They provide a very smooth "take up" of power when starting that seems to reduce wheelspin and the chance of getting stuck. With the new electronic controls they don't seem to end up in the wrong gear at times like the old ones did, and even if they do you can just press a button and override the transmission's choice of gears. As for the Volvo automated manual that Mack is offering, it has potential but it's reliability is still an unknown and Mack isn't offering it in a vocational model. Stay away from Eaton's automated manuals- in low speed operation the clutch slips and wears out prematurely. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76034 Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortstack Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I've driven a few in straight trucks grossing around 60,000lbs. In soft ground and mud they are great--don't have to worry about missing a gear, they just go on. I really liked them in that work. Don't know how they would hold up with a lot more weight but taken care of they would probably do fine. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76037 Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavyhauler Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 We had this discussion about one year ago in these forums-suggest a search and review.Best regards,John Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76038 Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjh Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 I've driven quite a few Macks with Allison Automatics and been very happy with them. They provide a very smooth "take up" of power when starting that seems to reduce wheelspin and the chance of getting stuck. With the new electronic controls they don't seem to end up in the wrong gear at times like the old ones did, and even if they do you can just press a button and override the transmission's choice of gears. As for the Volvo automated manual that Mack is offering, it has potential but it's reliability is still an unknown and Mack isn't offering it in a vocational model. Stay away from Eaton's automated manuals- in low speed operation the clutch slips and wears out prematurely.Apparently the M/V Drive trans has been a staple in Europe for years ,having said that I to am a doubting Tom, Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76067 Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 My company has 9 Mcak CH/CXU units all equipped with Eaton/Fuller 10spd Autoshifts. I'm currently on my 2nd one, my first unit, a '00 CH had 978K on it when we traded it in. My current unit has 245K. We haul containers in the Rocky Mtn. area, always grossing 70,000 lbs+. Ran that '00 over I-70, I-80, I-90/94 for many years without issue. The clutch was replaced at 648K, and even then they had to replace the clutch brake and decided to replace the clutch as a PM, though it had probably 100K miles left on it. The problems with the X/Y motors seems to be gone, my CXU has been in the shop for the last week so I've been stuck in a 10yr old CH daycab, the difference in trans and clutch is like night/day. Mine is smooth, easy to operate, no issues, the older one is definetly not as smooth and takes more getting used to. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76318 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackpro Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 My company has 9 Mcak CH/CXU units all equipped with Eaton/Fuller 10spd Autoshifts. I'm currently on my 2nd one, my first unit, a '00 CH had 978K on it when we traded it in. My current unit has 245K. We haul containers in the Rocky Mtn. area, always grossing 70,000 lbs+. Ran that '00 over I-70, I-80, I-90/94 for many years without issue. The clutch was replaced at 648K, and even then they had to replace the clutch brake and decided to replace the clutch as a PM, though it had probably 100K miles left on it. The problems with the X/Y motors seems to be gone, my CXU has been in the shop for the last week so I've been stuck in a 10yr old CH daycab, the difference in trans and clutch is like night/day. Mine is smooth, easy to operate, no issues, the older one is definetly not as smooth and takes more getting used to.Last year we sold 40+ used CX/CXN/CH/CHN trucks all with Fuller Ultra-shifts and Auto-shifts, if we could find more at a good price we would buy them for resale as most all of our customers love them. On the Auto-shift (with clutch pedal) pros: uses regular clutch and no driver induced syncro problems. Cons: must keep clutch and clutch brake adjusted, XY shifter motors sometimes go out. On the Ultra-shift (no clutch pedal) Pros: a better bug free version of the Auto-shift. Cons: uses a special clutch$$$$$$. As many as we have running around here running we might get 1 every 45 days to work on, then usually just a power wire connection problem, sensor or clutch adjustment is all it takes. Most all these trucks are farm trucks that do go off-road. However for true off-road Allison is the only way to go if you want a auto trans. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76324 Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashmans Posted April 21, 2011 Author Share Posted April 21, 2011 Thanks for the input. Found this one in Calgary. Make: MACK Model: CXU613 Year: 2011 Stock Number: 34079 Exterior Colour: WHITE Engine: MP8-505C Horsepower: 505 Jacob: MACK ENG BRK Transmission: TMD12AO Front Axle: 14600 Rear Axle: RT46-160 Differential: 3.58 Wheel: ALUM DISC Tire: MICH 11R24.5/BRIDG 11R24.5 Suspension: AIR Wheelbase: 203 Axle Spread: 52 Frame: STEEL Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76457 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Rider Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Remember that just about every fire truck in the US has an Allison in it. These are worked hard and have very little issues. They sit in the station, then get driven hard to a call, put into drive gear to pump maybe for hours, then driven back. The usually have different drivers and most don't care about the transmission. There was no faster fire truck than one with a Detroit 8V92 hooked to an Allison. Pull out, look, and mash the throttle till you were at speed. Quote #1 on A-model registryIf I drink because of work, why can't I drink at work? Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76464 Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhasler Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Thanks for the input. Found this one in Calgary. Make: MACK Model: CXU613 Year: 2011 Stock Number: 34079 Exterior Colour: WHITE Engine: MP8-505C Horsepower: 505 Jacob: MACK ENG BRK Transmission: TMD12AO Front Axle: 14600 Rear Axle: RT46-160 Differential: 3.58 Wheel: ALUM DISC Tire: MICH 11R24.5/BRIDG 11R24.5 Suspension: AIR Wheelbase: 203 Axle Spread: 52 Frame: STEELThat truck has the mDrive (iShift) automated manual transmission in it. Quote "Mebbe I'm too ugly and stupid to give up!" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76471 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HK Trucking Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Automatic transmissions in class 8 trucks should be illegal. Quote "If You Can't Shift It Smoothly, You Shouldn't Be Driving It" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76564 Share on other sites More sharing options...
linrick1 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Automatic transmissions in class 8 trucks should be illegal.My sentiments exactly. Rick Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/18713-transmissions-manual-or-automatic/#findComment-76568 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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