Automatic VS Manual Transmission

[strum456]

I would like to have a technical conversation about modern automatic transmissions and why more and more heavy duty trucks are only available with automatics.

I know, there are lots of people who do not know how to drive a manual, or just dont feel like shifting gears becasue it interferes with their cell phone use, smoking, eating, or whatever else they do while driving. Manufactures offer what people want.

My question is: What technical advantage do automatic transmissions offer for heavy towing?

 

[oldnslo]

I would like to have a technical conversation about modern automatic transmissions and why more and more heavy duty trucks are only available with automatics.

I know, there are lots of people who do not know how to drive a manual, or just dont feel like shifting gears becasue it interferes with their cell phone use, smoking, eating, or whatever else they do while driving. Manufactures offer what people want.

My question is: What technical advantage do automatic transmissions offer for heavy towing?

One train of thought is the the automatic will help keep the engine in its power band and reduce emissions. No more lugging which causes pollution.

Roy

 

[SandburRanch]

I would like to have a technical conversation about modern automatic transmissions and why more and more heavy duty trucks are only available with automatics.

I know, there are lots of people who do not know how to drive a manual, or just dont feel like shifting gears becasue it interferes with their cell phone use, smoking, eating, or whatever else they do while driving. Manufactures offer what people want.

My question is: What technical advantage do automatic transmissions offer for heavy towing?

I don't know what kind of technical information you are looking for but I can safely say some manufacturers don't realize it's very difficult to back a trailer at 12 mph. If you need an example I can give one for a specific 1 ton but I fear to some it would seem like brand bashing.

Backing advantage = automatic.

 

[RoyJackson]

My question is: What technical advantage do automatic transmissions offer for heavy towing?

I doubt you find a "technical" advantage, but as you wrote, there are fewer people that can operate a manual transmission...so, maintenance costs (more frequent clutch replacements) for fleet and commercial operators may be a factor.

You probably know that larger military trucks have had automatics for years.

 

[logdog]

As was previously mentioned emissions are part of it. Thats one reason drive by wire is the norm. The modern automatics of today are significantly better than those of before. I know with fleet sales you cant sell a manual transmission. No company wants them. Once the "take rate" on an option gets low enough it is dropped from the offerings. Thats why you see automatics dominating. In my experience in the auto industry, it seems alot (not all) of the people who want a bare bones truck are not people that buy new. Car companies only care about new sales.

 

[Bob77064]

One good feature on some manual transmissions is the hill hold. When stopped on an incline the bakes hold for a short time when you take your foot off the brake pedal.

 

[k0ua]

One good feature on some manual transmissions is the hill hold. When stopped on an incline the bakes hold for a short time when you take your foot off the brake pedal.

And ironicly you can do that yourself "manually" with an "automatic" transmission by holding the brake with your left foot and increasing the pressure on the go pedal then slowly releasing your left foot braking pressure and move up the hill smooth as silk... Of course us old dinosaurs learned to start on a hill in a "manual" with our right heel on the brake pedal, right toe on the gas and left foot on the clutch..took a couple of tries to learn but I got pretty good at it. Another way is to use the parking brake, let out the clutch slowly then release the parking brake.. but that was the girlie method.

James K0UA

 

[schoolsout]

Still a lot of manuals in the heavy duty stuff, but autos are becoming more prevalent.

Mack (Volvo) has come out with an "automated manual" called the M-drive that is pretty badazz...everyone that has tried them loves them. Fuel efficiency has gone up a good bit as it senses the load and adjusts accordingly.

We've sold a lot of dumps with Allison autos in them. Fleet owners can put anyone in them. They cost more, but are bulletproof at this point.

 

[schoolsout]

You probably know that larger military trucks have had automatics for years.

Our dealership was somewhat instrumental with Force Protection's Buffalo product.

They used the Allison product

 

[schoolsout]

I was just talking to one of the owners here and he was saying BiLo (Grocery store chain) historically ran manuals. Mack told them to come test the M Drive at their test track and the BiLo guy tried to destroy it, but couldn't. Before they left, they had agreed to switch their entire fleet to M Drive Macks...