Automatics

[MACKS]

I own a 90 rd ten wheel dump with an allison 5 speed auto,I have to say it's very reliable and so easy to drive,it also has awesome power off road but not very good on fuel,I would love to test drive a new truck with big HP and an auto,that being said I still love a mack 12 speed witch I drive every day,in my mind the best tranny ever built by mack or any body else.

[usmcjimbo]

The automatic transmission is a great component, but like everything else the application dictates its use. Almost all of the large ready mix producers I call on are going to the Allison 6 speed automatic. The large refuse companies also use this transmission as well. Allison has many special pricing programs to help first time buyers purchase the automatic in new trucks. The Allison is great for vocational applications, but I would not recommend it for over the road applications. Like wise the Eaton and Meritor "automated" transmissions work well for over the road service, but would not be recommended for vocational applications. Allison also has some pretty good warranty program available as well. My large customers who have a large number of Allison transmission service them regularly and have great success with the porduct.

My company is a large Mack truck dealer, we manufacturer our own line of concrete mixer body, the Housby Mixer System and we have a auction company that caters to ready mix, refuse and heavy construction companies helping them to seel off their used and surplus trucks and "yellow" iron. We also have a large inventory of used and reman parts for Macks. See our web site at www.housby.com and www.govocon.com

Jim Toussaint - Regional Sales Manager 515-669-7675

[other dog]

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!

A-...dammit,you stole my thunder!

I guess i'm just old school, don't know anything about automatics, never drove a truck with one, don't want to. Been doing OK with 5, 9, 10, 13, and 18 speed transmissions for over 30 years in pretty much any situation and all conditions, so why change now? Besides, what if I drove one and liked it? I'd have to...well, ain't figured that part out yet, but it ain't likely anyway.

[other dog]

I have spent many hours in automatic trucks when I was in the waste buisness and find nothing wrong with them especially doing start and stop driving, properly maintained the Allisons are bullet proof, however running the highway doing heavy haul now I prefer having the ability to pick my gear as opposed to having it chosen for me. I would like to try one of the clutch pedalless transmissions though.

I can see that, short haul, or lots of stop and go-might be nice.

[HK Trucking]

I can see that, short haul, or lots of stop and go-might be nice.

When it's not broke down!!!!

Heh Heh......................

[Pete]

My employer has Eaton Auto shifts 10 speeds in all our newer Macks.We have a clutch for start up and PTO's.They work OK but off road they are't so great.We haul dry cement up to 139000# gross.They take a little getting used to.I usualy use the manual buttons up to 5 or 6,sometimes they don't want to shift in 2or3 ,go to top RPM and if you back off they slow right down and bounce around like you don't know what you are doing.It seems the older ones don't do it as much,maybe they wear in or need adjustment.

Pete

Edited February 26, 2009 by Pete

[brutus998]

I thought I would chime in on this situation since I own quite a few macks and I have one with an Allison.

Allison Automatics are awesome, especially if you have an auxillary behind it.

I have an 83 RD Tri-axle dumptruck(the pic is in my avatar). I have a 5 speed Allison HD750DRD. Watching the videos is true, an allison in 1st gear has unbelievable torque. I have hauled dumps all my life and an automatic will run circles around a manual off road, I own a manuals as well you're not going to tell me otherwise because I have experienced them both.

Our Allison is 26 years old and it has been overhauled one time!!!! Allison Automatic in Canton, OH told us it didnt even need overhauled in 1999. The transmission has well over 500,000 miles on it and it keeps going. My Mack doesnt have an auxilary behind it, but Im going to do that upgrade with in the next year or two. I have an uncle who has a 69 Kenworth with a 4 speed Allison and an 8V-92 Silver Detroit with a 4 speed auxilary and he can top out over 100mph!!!

Believe me the extra money is worth it. We'll be going to look at buying some pit trucks with Allisons in the near future.

[David]

How do you shift an auxillary that is behind an auto? Is it the same as shifting any manual without using the clutch?

[David]

How do you shift an auxillary that is behind an auto? Is it the same as shifting any manual without using the clutch?

Has anyone ever driven a truck with this configeration?

[bruiser]

My employer has Eaton Auto shifts 10 speeds in all our newer Macks.We have a clutch for start up and PTO's.They work OK but off road they are't so great.We haul dry cement up to 139000# gross.They take a little getting used to.I usualy use the manual buttons up to 5 or 6,sometimes they don't want to shift in 2or3 ,go to top RPM and if you back off they slow right down and bounce around like you don't know what you are doing.It seems the older ones don't do it as much,maybe they wear in or need adjustment.

Pete

How about some numbers on the fuel mileage difference in comparably equipped trucks. Also how does the auto perform compared to standards on climbing a long grade. I'm sold on the auto just dont want to lose big mpg.

[Pete]

How about some numbers on the fuel mileage difference in comparably equipped trucks. Also how does the auto perform compared to standards on climbing a long grade. I'm sold on the auto just dont want to lose big mpg.

I have no idea about fuel mileage on our trucks .I don't get the same truck every day,we do alot of short haul but we use the engines to blow off the loads (2 hrs) per load ,2 or 3 a day.I had one with 129000km,80000 miles and it had around 3500hrs on the engine so fuel economy in our operation is almost impossible to figure out.

Pete

[Maxville Truck]

Has anyone ever driven a truck with this configeration?

I have installed several "auxiliarys" behind allisons for some of my customers, the auxiliarys I use are the back boxes off of eaton fuller transmissions that have been fabbed to accept an input drive shaft and are very compact. They have had the syncros removed, so you have to stop to shift them into different gears. He will build them with the syncros but behind the auto I question the ability to shift them on the fly. We use them primarily for farm operations where low speed high engine rpm is required, (manure hauling, feeding cows, etc.). several ratio options available, including 3 speed with an over under combo.

[brutus998]

You really dont lose much on the mpg. I compared mine to my uncles on the same hall, we was fueling up at the same times. He has an RD with a 9 speed E6 350, his weighs a little more than mine, most of the time he was putting 2-5 more gallons a day more than I was.

Im not sure what type of auxillary is behind my uncles, but he can shift it on the fly, he just lets off the accelarator shits the aux and glides it into gear, I thought it was similar to shifting a manual with out using the clutch.

You will lose a little on the hills, it just depends what motor you have behind your auto. With my little 350 it is hard to say, because with a manual 350 you would be dropping anyways.

[Pete]

How about some numbers on the fuel mileage difference in comparably equipped trucks. Also how does the auto perform compared to standards on climbing a long grade. I'm sold on the auto just dont want to lose big mpg.

Since my other post our assistant manager told me that they figure 1 MPG less for the automatics they use a formula to figure how much time is spent pumping.

Pete