Automatic Transmission Now Standard?

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Try learning to spell, Hungary.

I'd say 80% of our hub's package cars are automatics.

Also, I see around 20-30 brand new package cars in the yard. Funny that they're all 1000's and up....I'm guessing the stop and piece counts are going up on a few routes...

Smaller PC's are currently not being made. I'm told they will stop the production of the P1s and such and tool back up for the smaller ones in the next year or so. So, you will have to be patient waiting for your gravy route with the small car.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

I think we made the switch once the heavy duty Alison 5 speed Automatic became available in the late 90's. Prior to that there simply was not an automatic transmission that would have held up to the stop and go driving we do. The main reason for automatics now is emissions, the transmission is connected to the electronic ignition and computerized fuel injection and can be programmed for optimum economy and minimal emissions.

I'm not too thrilled with the GM 4L80E automatic found in Workhorse P5, P57 and P7s. The jury is still out on the 6L90E on later ones.

 

[Rainman]

Which is why I recommend not using the clutch at all. Just push it really hard through the grinding. lol

I hope you're talking about PCs. Otherwise, someone's going to be awful sore.

 

[bbsam]

I'm not too thrilled with the GM 4L80E automatic found in Workhorse P5, P57 and P7s. The jury is still out on the 6L90E on later ones.

I read somewhere the 4l80e is only spec'd at about 9000 pounds. Why they put that in a truck rated for 12000 is beyond my comprehension.

 

[Indecisi0n]

I hope you're talking about PCs. Otherwise, someone's going to be awful sore.

Pain is pleasure ...

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

I read somewhere the 4l80e is only spec'd at about 9000 pounds. Why they put that in a truck rated for 12000 is beyond my comprehension.

This why you will never see them rigged with a hitch.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

The Allisons fail too, but they are much more durable.

 

[Fragile]

The new package cars are extremely narrow and the step isn't really all that low. Also the distance in between steps is rather high too.

 

[cosmo1]

I'm not much of a mechanic, but what exactly happens when starting in 2nd? like why is that so bad for the clutch and transmission

Nothing unless you have a heavy load or starting on a steep hill. Slipping the clutch excessively will prematurely wear out the clutch.

Less mechanical advantage to break the inertia. Therefore there is more slippage of the clutch because of the increased resistance to get moving. The gears were put there for a reason.

Maybe @1BROWNWRENCH could chime in here. We were told by our mechanic and his super when we first got the (654xxx here) Internationals with the 5-sp Spicer to always
start in the lowest gear. The reason we were told was because they had a ceramic clutch that would fail with the strain of starting in second.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Well, I don't know about them failing, but the full ceramics we get do not feather well and tear up the flywheels and pressure plate. Starting in second causes accelerated wear. They were designed to grip, not slip. I agree on the use of first. The howling should tell you the clutch is not happy. Just use it to get rolling and calmly engage second. It doesn't go with racing precision, you must be patient. Sometimes the business end of the stick has advanced wear which does not help.

 

[bbsam]

This why you will never see them rigged with a hitch.

The aftermarket does have a lot of good parts for it though.

 

[bbsam]

The one good thing about the manuals is that clutch replacement goes very quickly after a few times doing it.

 

[robot]

I'm interested to hear what the feeder guys think of this. In my hometown a big food distributor switched to all automatics and the drivers absolutely hated them. Said they were just garbage. Within a couple years they had discarded them all and went back to manual.

Our center just got in a bunch of automatic kenworths. I personally prefer manual. The automatics take a day and a century to get up to speed. The traffic light is usually turning back to red once you start up and try to go through from a stop!

 

[mmmbrownies]

My Freightliner 1000 (157***) with 28,000 miles decided to burn its starter on Thursday. After the mechanic brought over my replacement truck, he mentioned that these new automatics are having a lot of problems. In particular the transmissions are going at a high rate since there is so much electrical built into it now.

I'm glad they fixed the starter overnight though, I was afraid I was going to see an old 1000 today.

 

[cosmo1]

Well, I don't know about them failing, but the full ceramics we get do not feather well and tear up the flywheels and pressure plate. Starting in second causes accelerated wear. They were designed to grip, not slip. I agree on the use of first. The howling should tell you the clutch is not happy. Just use it to get rolling and calmly engage second. It doesn't go with racing precision, you must be patient. Sometimes the business end of the stick has advanced wear which does not help.

That's just what we were told. Let the clutch out in the lowest gear (1 on some knobs, L on others) before giving throttle and then shift to second.

I still remember that howl when some new guy would be leaving the building.

 

[JL 0513]

My center is still running about 8 of the late '80's dinosaurs. No power steering, etc... Makes for a hell of a day. The job then becomes using all your strength to turn the damn thing all day. The delivery of packages is no longer the "work". Gotta lover the 7 point turns requiring immediate shoulder surgery. Only about half of my center is automatic. About 35% of the fleet are the diesel Spicer 5 speeds.

 

[ihatewinter]

You must be young. A standard requires 2 Aleve before leaving building and at bed time so I can walk the next day

Lololol this.
the clutch is like doing squats with one leg.

 

[soberups]

My center is still running about 8 of the late '80's dinosaurs. No power steering, etc... Makes for a hell of a day. The job then becomes using all your strength to turn the damn thing all day. The delivery of packages is no longer the "work". Gotta lover the 7 point turns requiring immediate shoulder surgery. Only about half of my center is automatic. About 35% of the fleet are the diesel Spicer 5 speeds.

Imagine how awful it would be if some unknown person accidentally spilled a pound or two of sugar into the fuel tank by mistake. Those late 80's dinosaurs are no longer cost effective to do a major engine rebuild on, so they would become extinct. It would truly be a tragedy.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Imagine how awful it would be if some unknown person accidentally spilled a pound or two of sugar into the fuel tank by mistake. Those late 80's dinosaurs are no longer cost effective to do a major engine rebuild on, so they would become extinct. It would truly be a tragedy.

I am campaigning to ADA all these since we have lowstep power steering cars that aren't being used. The GMCs sit so long the battery is usually dead when someone does try to use them.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

The one good thing about the manuals is that clutch replacement goes very quickly after a few times doing it.

3 hours or so for me.