|
|
| Looking at adding a semi with an automatic. Have been looking for an Allison, but have stumbled upon a few automatics with a clutch to get going. Seems like best of both worlds. Does anyone have any experience with these? Has anyone had both? How are they moving small distances like an auger(heard some horror stories) I've heard good things about the macks,/volvos but curious about other options. Short hauls, most are 40 to 80 miles round trip. Yes I know manual is preferred, yes I know the line teach them to shift. Just asking opinions on these 2 types of transmissions.
TIA |
|
| |
|
Kossuth County, Iowa | Have 2 with a clutch. Love them, will buy another. They are really just an automated manual. Short distances no problem |
|
| |
|
| Driving a semi with equipped with an Allison is a great way to suddenly need more of them with an Allison! lol
They pull out of a soft field so gently and then get up to speed fast. |
|
| |
|
Black Hawk County, IA | Have one auto-shift, and one regular 10 speed. The regular has a new engine, so it’s got better power. But I like the auto. It’s like driving a big pickup, had it since 2008, only had to pullover once and let it start over. It’s like it got confused, but has never bothered since then. |
|
| |
|
Wisconsin | We rented a Mack with the Mdrive last year and it was very easy to drive. Never had any issues with inching the truck or getting it moving in a field while loaded. All the research that I've done said the Mdrive/Idrive is one of the better automated transmissions.
|
|
| |
|
Columbia Basin, Ephrata, WA |
Neighbors hauled in some corn with an auto shift truck, I thought it was a PITA to reposition at the swing auger.
|
|
| |
|
Liberty, MO | I’ll second the Volvo I shift, only got to put 200,000 miles on it before retiring, but it was a sweet transmission , I’ve driven most kinds of automated manual transmission, 2001 Eaton-Fuller auto shift, 2006 Eaton Fuller auto shift and the 2020 I Shift and I liked the I Shift the best by quite a ways.
EDIT::: 2001 truck with the Eaton-Fuller tranny was very sensitive and seemed to create more funny problems, but the 2006 truck only acted up a couple times in 750,000 miles.
Edited by olwhda 11/8/2023 20:50
|
|
| |
|
Amherst WI | I'm renting a 2018 Volvo now with an Ishift. It took some getting used to but I like it now. |
|
| |
|
Glenwood, Mn | I had an international 2013 box reefer with a well hated maxxforce 466 and an auto. I had all kids of problems with the auto in the truck until I put a new set of batteries and cleaned up the terminals. Then shifted and ran properly . Honestly prefer the 9 speed in our 87 eagle with the 855. But…. My wife can’t drive that so there is that l! |
|
| |
|
Cambridge, southwestern Nebraska | Get a Freightliner with a DT12 automatic. They are awesome.
Edited by swne 11/9/2023 07:30
|
|
| |
|
CND | Renting a 23 T680 with automatic. It's like driving a pickup. |
|
| |
|
| My first fall with an Allison auto. For over ten years I had a fuller/eaton auto shift that included s clutch. I strongly prefer the Allison. Over time lots of gremlins showed up in the autoshift over time. |
|
| |
|
Western New York | People that hate the autos must never have driven them and must be the same ones that love steering a tractor all day. Like others have said like driving a big pickup. We use them for reefers, grain and silage. No brainer for those wanting a truck just about anyone can drive and drive pretty well. |
|
| |
|
Ludington/Manistee MI area | Luke72587 - 11/8/2023 22:01
People that hate the autos must never have driven them and must be the same ones that love steering a tractor all day. Like others have said like driving a big pickup. We use them for reefers, grain and silage. No brainer for those wanting a truck just about anyone can drive and drive pretty well.
Nothing wrong with steering a tractor. |
|
| |
|
Shelbina, MO | I am a big fan of Allison autos. I bought a 4900 IH 3 years ago with a 466 and auto and love it. I'm pulling a 22' Jet trailor and thats perfect. I wanted an Allison after I spent many years and hours running 2 different floater trucks spreading fertilizer. If an Allison will last 5,000+ hours in a fertilizer truck, they will have an easy life in a grain truck. (We did change the fluid and filter in the tranny of those spreader trucks every winter.) My little single axle 4900 and 22' trailor get around lots better than our 18' tandem straight truck. But, the little semi is strictly for hauling to town. The straight trucks are used to dump in the auger going to the bin. |
|
| |
|
SE North Dakota | We have both an eaton ultra shift 10 speed auto and an Mdrive 12 spd in a Mack. I will take the Eaton 10 speed Manuals in the other trucks any day. Just don’t ever feel I am in control of the truck with the autos. |
|
| |
|
SW OH | If it's not an Allison, it's not an automatic. Allison's are great and tough. Sounds like you are looking at an autoshift manual. I wouldn't have one. They may be ok for long haul steering wheel holders.
Mitchco |
|
| |
|
Cambridge, southwestern Nebraska | But why do it if you don’t have to?
I can put about anyone in an automatic truck and know the truck will protect itself going up and down hills. Much safer for a driver who has never driven a stick shift. Getting to be the only way to get a driver in the truck is to have an automatic in it. |
|
| |
|
| And I had one with the same DD12 transmission package and I really didn't care for it.
It got old always having to screw around to get it into manual mode so it could be forced into 1st gear to move it around augers....otherwise it always was trying to start out in 3rd or it would up shift at bad times.
Maybe it could have been reprogrammed to be better, but for us it just wasn't a good fit.
Backing it under a trailer was an adventure too...pretty dangerous if there was snow or ice on the ground.
|
|
| |
|
| If you are trying to inch around with the Mack auto shift turn off the switch for the grade grabber it will be a world of difference
On the Volvo I-shift there is a switch that looks like a truck on a hill shut it off when inching around |
|
| |
|
Ludington/Manistee MI area | I’m 100% a fan of automatics. Have/had 2 and would consider more in the future. So far I’ve found auto steer more of a frustration than a bonus. |
|
| |
|
Wallis, TX | RFarmsND - 11/8/2023 19:41
Looking at adding a semi with an automatic. Have been looking for an Allison, but have stumbled upon a few automatics with a clutch to get going. Seems like best of both worlds. Does anyone have any experience with these? Has anyone had both? How are they moving small distances like an auger(heard some horror stories) I've heard good things about the macks,/volvos but curious about other options. Short hauls, most are 40 to 80 miles round trip. Yes I know manual is preferred, yes I know the line teach them to shift. Just asking opinions on these 2 types of transmissions.
TIA
Allison is an automatic, the other is correctly called an auto shift. |
|
| |
|
| Have an 06 freightliner with the allison.
New to me this year. Want to change 3rd 4th and 5th shift points but love it. Loaded I just push the buttons for third and fourth to wind them out a little longer. |
|
| |
|
SE Nebraska, Near Misery and Cans Ass! | Newport MI - 11/9/2023 09:23
Have an 06 freightliner with the allison.
New to me this year. Want to change 3rd 4th and 5th shift points but love it. Loaded I just push the buttons for third and fourth to wind them out a little longer. There
Is a mode switch somewhere ,push that little button and it'll wind up until you hit the RPM limit ,back off the accelerator to make it shift up, |
|
| |
Automatic Semi
