Thank you to the Eaton boys! Kenneth Rocker, Jack Rutty, Richard Ballard and especially Cory Snowdin & Eric O'Malley (in the video). What a great product!
I run an automated manual in our 2022 Freightliner Cascadia daycab. 12-speed. Detroit power. Run 80,000-82,000 all day long. 2 12hr shifts. Trucks never shut off Monday through Friday. (Saturday morning actually. ) Hauling hog feed to different hog growers. Makes your shift easier. Going in and out of farms. County roads, State roads, Interstate also. They get hammered day and night. Truck and transmission take it. Got it new last October now have 75,000 miles on it in 6 months. I'm just fine not shifting manually any more.
I had the opportunity to go to Eaton with JW last year and drive this transmission on the test track. I must say I was very impressed. We own several trucks and I have been strongly considering a couple with this transmission
I worked with an old trucker who came to canada from Ukraine back in 2023. He was dumbfounded that all our trucks are manual and all of our passanger cars are automatic. Where in Europe its the complete opposite and mainly cab overs. He thought we were in the dark ages with how clunky and exhausting it was to use, and found it weird how truckers in north america were gatekeeping auto trucks as "not being a real trucker". Was an interesting opinion that change my point of view of auto trucks
Ya. I’m with you. I’m not a driver but I always wondered why so late in the auto tranny on semi? I seen and know drivers sitting in traffic for hours just shifting and cab shaking for ever. If I’m complaining about being in traffic’s on my motorcycle and a little manual car. It was only natural to think why in a semi? My. F250 and all those light duty trucks are all auto. Pulling goosenecks with load headed up him and down hill in all conditions. Why are semi so far behind? Also. Why are they so long!! They look cool but GD, what make my career harder than it has to be?? But ya not they are all going auto and auto mated. Finally some sense. Now. I want to be a driver. It seems relaxing. And make some money. I might do it
I'm waiting for a study test on one after at least 400.000 miles minimum. Seems most large carriers attempt to rotate out to new equipment at least by then and many O-OPS will purchase an old larger fleet truck. Another test study would be of one with 1 million miles for O-OPs. So far, myself 40+ years OTR, this has been impressive for an all new rig ill admit. A more intensive, indepth overall longevity, endurance study is well needed, THEN id decide. THANKS🇺🇲🤙!
Dang. After driving 45years. 3 and a half million miles. That would have been the perfect transmission. The trouble was. When Eaton first started out building automated transmissions. I would regularly see guys breaking down or getting stuck in gear. Or various other problems. I think that is one of the problems that alot of us Old School guys are going to be hard to overcome. I've watched a few of RU-vid people do videos at the Eaton Test site. Those ride alongs were really impressive. The biggest problem now is. You have to purchase a brand new truck to get that transmission. That's great for the young guys. But for older guys should have them. Unless they hit the lottery. It is not worth it.
So I'm not a fan of the automated transmission. 1979 I started on a twin stick Mack. My whole career I've always shifted, but I'd be willing to try one of these just to see what it's all about. Thanks for the video, you peaked my interest.
It takes away a lot of mental attention and let's you focus on other items. At the end of the day you are not as tired as if you shifted all day. I can shift too, but, today if I had to buy a truck it would have this transmission in it.
The dual engine calibration option only available with automated? Is this now available because of digital dash? So could have an X15 with two different HP settings and diff Torque as well?
Is there a weight difference between this transmission and a 18 speed manual, if so how much difference? Is there a price difference between a 18 speed manual and this transmission? Nice video.
Im in Alaska. up to 12% grades in winter. With doubles avg weight of about 110k to 130k total. With this transmission allow me to drive up and down the ice covered mountains and hills without going into a skid?
Stick with a manual. No way I’d want to be in a remote place in Alaska with a transmission that if a 25 cent O ring pushes out you’re dead in the water
Drove super b in in british columbia with dd 13 and ultrashift once you got the transmission set up properly it performed execelent used most in manual mode but the company worked for had probably 50 units with combination never had any problems in extreme mountanous terrain hauling 63500 kg or 138000 lbs had my doudts at first you have to program tranny computer like you want it it worked great no real different from twin stick transition to single stick
Used ultrashift for super b in the mountains, never again. Utter garbage biggest headache I've ever had the misfortune of operating. Could never get it to pickup 5th direct from 4th over without it dropping out in hesitation a screwing your entire shift. Never could get it to shift in a wheel spin either, spent more times chaining up thanks to those pieces of garbage than I should've been. Any automated transmission I refuse to drive. I'll bang gears all day in a stick, but automatic never again
So the main question is how much for repairs. And the wait list. I’m know for a fact that any Pete dealer doesn’t not have the mechanics to work on it. Just like any dealership. Ford doesn’t have any or just one mechanic that knows how to work on those Powerstroke diesels. They just do common issues like maintenance or DPF DEF egr and fuel system things. It will take few months for injectors. Buddies F450 2019. Had a fuel system “failure” according to Ford. And his truck been in dealership for 5 months. And cost $16k. Warranty didn’t cover. So all that being said. What’s the durability on these after 500k. Which is only two years. Will my truck sit at a dealership for 6 months and coast my $35k for a tranny swap and electronics? That’s the scary part for me. Ppl can loose there businesses. I think they need more testing and everyday testing and get an average mileage use and to see what realities out on them.
