Automatic trucks

[TroyDairy]

4 hours ago, Chester5732 said:

Try hauling 50k of milk in a food grade tanker with no baffles with one of them eaton auto shift turds on ice.  Bring extra underwear.  When the milk is sloshing and it decides to downshift without warning you are going for a ride. 

Yeah that's a poor application... tried here and guys said the slugging messed up system.

 

I'd love a tractor t800 for our manure trailer.  Baffles....  after 25 30 loads you start getting stiff

[TroyDairy]

10 hours ago, Matt Kirsch said:

My 22 year old Chevy Silverado 3500's Allison 1000 automatic has automatic grade braking in tow/haul mode. Downshifts and locks the torque converter to maintain speed, automatically. I hardly ever have to touch the brakes on downhill grades with the empty truck if I activate tow/haul mode.

You mean to tell me that the automatics in the Class 5-6-7-8 trucks don't have that? I find that hard to believe. Sounds more like a preconceived notion based on someone's experience with a Powerglide back in the 1950's.

One thing on the medium-duty trucks with the 466's and automatics is, you have to drive them like they have Screamin' Jimmys. Slam your shifting hand in the door so you're pi$$ed AND you're not tempted to use it. Then use the skinny pedal like an on-off switch. Flat to the floor or completely off it. That's how they tell you to drive the school buses when they're training you for your CDL.

No they don't.  Jakebrakes is all.  The dual clutch "auto" are just e-shifted manuals sorta.  True Allison are like a pick up per se.

I  agree....just punching it the Allison truck feels better.  

[db1486]

A neighbour used to have a late 80's S series tandem grain truck. 466 and Allison, 5 spd I think it was. Would carry 6-650 bu I believe. That truck was the perfect farm truck in my opinion. Wasn't a speed demon, maybe did 50 mph, but it cruised along so nice loaded or empty and handled fine on the hills. It would blow past our gas trucks with 427's. We used to use that truck at harvest every now and then and mom just loved hauling grain with it. They're maybe not the greatest for highway hauling to the elevator, but for field to yard they are just fine. I'd like to pick one up but anything decent is still crazy money. I would think a single axle would do ok. I have seen some single axle auto trucks with 2 spd rear.

We got 2 chevy grain trucks with 427 gasser and air brakes. One single axle, one full tandem. They're fine for farm trucks, but you can't beat a diesel. In fact we're going to pull the 427 and put in a 8.2 Detroit in one of them. Not the greatest motor I know, but for just a field to yard truck I think it will be just fine. Kinda debating whether to put the Allison with it in too or stick with the 5 and 4. Maybe the Allison and the 4 spd aux..... lol

[Jacka]

4 hours ago, mader656 said:

 

Where do you plow. Here columbus montana isn't crazy steep. But we a few hills some if your pushing heavy and miss a shift your down in low to the top of the hill.

And I guess what I called auto was infact auto shift. The low reverse was painfully slow when plowing ramps or rest area. 

We operate with the if traffic is moving don't back down. 

Pennsylvania, not the Rocky Mountains  but back roads and state highways if i have to fill in with a driver out have  55mph speed limits have twist and turns switch backs and my steepest grade is 18%.Interstate which is my route has one mountain and I gradually push up and come back down for 16 miles,about 4 miles of it a real push or descent.

[JaredT]

16 hours ago, Takn4aFool said:

hardly had to use the brakes  going down hills like Fancy Gap in Virginia which is 7% downhill grade for 7 miles weighing 78 to 80,000 , truck was auto with 465hp Cummins X-15 and 3 setting Jake brake, would hold speed to 55- 60 mph. same with Monteagle in TN.

I'm impressed, I always thought it would be a problem also. I think all of the reliability of the auto trans and durability of brakes relies on the drivers using them. I know of guys destroying manual transmissions and guys burning brakes of auto trans trucks. Driving them like a FedEx truck, floorboard to brakes with nothing in between, usually doesn't end well for the vehicles, no matter the size.  I can see the Ultrashift and Auto transmission having their place, but I personally prefer a manual for what we do.

[vtfireman85]

17 hours ago, Takn4aFool said:

hardly had to use the brakes  going down hills like Fancy Gap in Virginia which is 7% downhill grade for 7 miles weighing 78 to 80,000 , truck was auto with 465hp Cummins X-15 and 3 setting Jake brake, would hold speed to 55- 60 mph. same with Monteagle in TN.

I hear Monteagle is a pussy cat. 

 

[CIHTECH]

We have a Pierce fire / heavy rescue engine, runs an ISM Cummins in front of an Allison trans. With the transmission retarder and engine brake, honestly I think we could sell the service brakes and never miss them....oh wait maybe we need them for a positive stop. Certainly don't need them on the highway if you drive and understand the operation of the engine / trans combo like it's intended. 

Our 3000 gallon Navistar / Pierce tanker has (don't laugh) a Maxi-Force engine with the same Allison trans. Again with trans retarder and engine brake, hardly need the service brakes. 

On both trucks the trans temperature is what engages the engine cooling fan, not the engine temperature. When the trans goes into retard mode you can watch trans temp gauge climb. 

[TN Hillbilly]

19 hours ago, Takn4aFool said:

hardly had to use the brakes  going down hills like Fancy Gap in Virginia which is 7% downhill grade for 7 miles weighing 78 to 80,000 , truck was auto with 465hp Cummins X-15 and 3 setting Jake brake, would hold speed to 55- 60 mph. same with Monteagle in TN.

That's a bad grade coming down from Monteagle!

No joke - I was coming up Monteagle one time, following a single axle dump truck. I fell out to pass him, he downshifted, and the front of his truck came 3 or 4 FEET off the ground! Now he must of been loaded back-heavy, but still! Its steep, alright.

(Sorry for the derail, just brought back memories.)

[from H to 80]

We have the same kinds of fields you do,most fields you can't get a semi in,and the Allison automatics in the straight trucks have worked well for us.

#1 anyone can drive them,i have an older fellow how helps me out quite a bit.

#2 in soft ground they seem to ease there way out ,without slipping a tire.

#3 no clutch or clutch brake to tear out.

#4 in 16 years new batteries and tires were the only maintenance.KNOCK ON WOOD

[Matt Kirsch]

I'm curious how folks think that even the worst driver is going to "tear up" an automatic. A manual, sure. 

Frankly you guys with those 9-10-13-15-18 speed transmissions that shift in numerical order are wussies. Real truckers drive twin-stick! You haven't lived until your shift pattern is 1st direct, 1st low, 3rd low, 2nd direct, 1st overdrive, 4th direct, 3rd direct, 5th low, 4th low, 3rd overdrive, 5th direct, 4th overdrive, then 1st overdrive again for some reason, and finally, 5th overdrive... Shifting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8... that's too easy! 🤣

[Lazy WP]

11 hours ago, Missouri Mule said:

Not exactly. Easier said than done. Spend 3 weeks a year doing harvest its hard to find anyone here. Maybe in real crop ground. What your not getting is i never asked which youd rather operate, that answer is clearly a winner. I asked about automatics. Maybe should have worded that differently wasnt trying to offend you. Thanks

I don’t think YOU are understanding what I am saying. You are going to take Joe Blow from off the street. Biggest thing he has ever driven is his F- onefiddy, put him in an older automatic truck, which there’s a good chance will be over loaded and send him down the road!

Again, if you can’t take the time to teach someone how to handle a piece of equipment properly, they have no business doing it. 
Personally, there’s times I would love an automatic. I am pretty sure that coming out of a soft field they would be better, at least the automatic in my pickup, and the torque converter in my Case tractors doesn’t slip the tires like a manual transmission does. 
 

My issue is with the lack of training involved, and that goes for large fleets as well. 

[Chester5732]

1 hour ago, Matt Kirsch said:

I'm curious how folks think that even the worst driver is going to "tear up" an automatic. A manual, sure. 

Frankly you guys with those 9-10-13-15-18 speed transmissions that shift in numerical order are wussies. Real truckers drive twin-stick! You haven't lived until your shift pattern is 1st direct, 1st low, 3rd low, 2nd direct, 1st overdrive, 4th direct, 3rd direct, 5th low, 4th low, 3rd overdrive, 5th direct, 4th overdrive, then 1st overdrive again for some reason, and finally, 5th overdrive... Shifting 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8... that's too easy! 🤣

Back in the day I learned on a Mack 5 speed with 2 speed auxiliary.  Them was the days. 

[acem]

Be careful with home built grain trucks.

A neighbor had a 60s Ford that had a drag axle put on. He bought a used single axle truck and installed a drag axle little higher than the drive axle. That used to be pretty common so the drag axle didn't touch the ground unless loaded. Except he installed it a little too high  Then they put on a grain bed that was a little too long so it had a poor weight distribution.

If you went careful to load it front heavy it would, in certain situations, pull a wheelie! Sitting in the seat the front would go up and the ground would disappear!!!

The typical situation was coming out of a field with truck loaded heavy on the rear. Cross a ditch and give it the gas to get through. Then the rear axle goes into the ditch and up you'd go!

It was a good truck otherwise.

Just be sure to check anything you buy out carefully!

[vtfireman85]

9 hours ago, db1486 said:

We were cooking starters on our 427's too. I made heat shields that wrapped around the starters and that helped alot. Also put one on with a separate solenoid that is mounted to the frame. That made a huge difference. Haven't had troubles for more than a few years with that setup 

I found a wrap for them, it was a little tough to avoid terminals on the solenoid, but I made it work, then the issue of the factory routes the starter cable through the frame, as the engine moves around it loosened the cable on the post. Had to have cables made with a 90 degree terminal and rerouted inside the frame and fastened the cable to the starter. That seemed to make the biggest difference. 

[supermpuller]

I had a 2015 Freightlliner cummins  IST 500 AT SmartShift  Wilson 41 ft. hopper bottom trailer. Usually loaded to 85 thousand Ibs. Pulling out of field just put in low and walk right out, same when parked  along highway shift into D and on your way. . once you pull a few  loads the tranny will skip gears to  for better MPG especially when running empty.It had a 10 speed

[Missouri Mule]

2 hours ago, Lazy WP said:

I don’t think YOU are understanding what I am saying. You are going to take Joe Blow from off the street. Biggest thing he has ever driven is his F- onefiddy, put him in an older automatic truck, which there’s a good chance will be over loaded and send him down the road!

Again, if you can’t take the time to teach someone how to handle a piece of equipment properly, they have no business doing it. 
Personally, there’s times I would love an automatic. I am pretty sure that coming out of a soft field they would be better, at least the automatic in my pickup, and the torque converter in my Case tractors doesn’t slip the tires like a manual transmission does. 
 

My issue is with the lack of training involved, and that goes for large fleets as well. 

Ok. Got it. Ill worry about what i do on my farm with my equipment. You are making alot of assumptions. 

[Lazy WP]

3 minutes ago, Missouri Mule said:

Ok. Got it. Ill worry about what i do on my farm with my equipment. You are making alot of assumptions. 

I am telling you what I see daily. 
Go watch any of the big grain elevators during harvest! 

[Missouri Mule]

10 minutes ago, Lazy WP said:

I am telling you what I see daily. 
Go watch any of the big grain elevators during harvest! 

You dont know me. I asked a question. Either offer advice on WHAT WAS ASKED or move on. 

[Missouri Mule]

2 hours ago, acem said:

Be careful with home built grain trucks.

A neighbor had a 60s Ford that had a drag axle put on. He bought a used single axle truck and installed a drag axle little higher than the drive axle. That used to be pretty common so the drag axle didn't touch the ground unless loaded. Except he installed it a little too high  Then they put on a grain bed that was a little too long so it had a poor weight distribution.

If you went careful to load it front heavy it would, in certain situations, pull a wheelie! Sitting in the seat the front would go up and the ground would disappear!!!

The typical situation was coming out of a field with truck loaded heavy on the rear. Cross a ditch and give it the gas to get through. Then the rear axle goes into the ditch and up you'd go!

It was a good truck otherwise.

Just be sure to check anything you buy out carefully!

We have 1 setup way. Its not too handy. Illinois guys set them up this way alot. We cross a ditch and get stuck. Then pile on 600bu and explode the rear end 2x. Axle breaker. We can only use it certain places. So really you have a truck with a huge bed that your afraid to put more than 400bu on that only works at 25% of the places we go. Always said if we put a 16' bed and throw that tag axle away we would have a grain truck

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

4 hours ago, Lazy WP said:

I don’t think YOU are understanding what I am saying. You are going to take Joe Blow from off the street. Biggest thing he has ever driven is his F- onefiddy, put him in an older automatic truck, which there’s a good chance will be over loaded and send him down the road!

Again, if you can’t take the time to teach someone how to handle a piece of equipment properly, they have no business doing it. 
Personally, there’s times I would love an automatic. I am pretty sure that coming out of a soft field they would be better, at least the automatic in my pickup, and the torque converter in my Case tractors doesn’t slip the tires like a manual transmission does. 
 

My issue is with the lack of training involved, and that goes for large fleets as well. 

In all fairness there are a lot of guys who aren’t that old with tons of experience who’s body is just getting worn. With an auto or auto shift and an electric tarp they can and will still work. Without those they will do something else. It’s not just young guys who don’t know what they are doing who want those things. My dad would have had to quit if he had to farm with horses, but with newer equipment he can still work. 

[Chester5732]

2 hours ago, Lazy WP said:

I am telling you what I see daily. 
Go watch any of the big grain elevators during harvest! 

Here it’s the guys hauling sugar beets.  We call them “once a year jockeys”.  

[Big Bud guy]

1 hour ago, Dirt_Floor_Poor said:

In all fairness there are a lot of guys who aren’t that old with tons of experience whose body is just getting worn. With an auto or auto shift and an electric tarp they can and will still work. Without those they will do something else. It’s not just young guys who don’t know what they are doing who want those things. My dad would have had to quit if he had to farm with horses, but with newer equipment he can still work. 

Truth.  I used to po ho electric tarps.  Just one more thing to go wrong.   But our two main hauling trailers have them and now it sucks to manually unroll one especially in the wind.  Manual vs auto some of you can brag all you want on how many miles you driven with each one but I know when I get to town and have to go through traffic with 12 lights and 3 intersections I wish my semi had an auto.  Easier on the knees 

[acem]

My hopper bottom currently doesn't have a roll tarp. If it's gonna rain We pull two tarps over it and tie them down 

[Dirt_Floor_Poor]

1 hour ago, acem said:

My hopper bottom currently doesn't have a roll tarp. If it's gonna rain We pull two tarps over it and tie them down 

DOT will get you here, even just hauling to the bin without a tarp. 

[Lazy WP]

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/QWLV3e9rv4Tsz9yE/?mibextid=UalRPS