Bungle666:
Juddian:
this had no manual over-ride, which was a shame as i wanted too see if it improved things! I think the operator had hem set up for full “eco” operation, as you couldn’t get them to kick down properly either!
How do you get it down into crawler then for a 1 in 7 hill start fully loaded?
Bungle666:
m1cks:
GCR2ERF:
can’t see the point in the clutch myself… recently mentioned this to the Scania rep who handed over our new 3-pedal auto rigid, and he trotted out the 'improved ‘low speed manouverability’ party line. When I said our office had yet to receive a call from one of our Volvo (I-shift) drivers complaining of not being able to get in somewhere due to their lack of a clutch, he changed the topic!Low speed manoeuvres is the only reason I can think of for having a clutch.
In response to your Volvo argument, have you ever tried to reverse a auto MAN? I’d love a clutch in one of those.but (frankly) its [zb]! your using the clutch to assist low speed maneuverability and your CONSTANTLY fighting the clutches in the autobox! makes it VERY VERY jerky and horrid to say the least! i’ve driven LOADS of fully autos, and TBH i find the low speed maneuverability absolutely
B…
I take that you’ve never driven the early auto MAN’s then, there fine when moving or reversing in a big space but try doing something technical with them and there like a on off switch. Where I worked we had 6 7.5’s and 2 15’s and they were all the same, I’m now driving a tga460 on a 55 plate and that’s the same too. Oh and don’t get me started on roundabouts in the bloody things…
Jimmy_2012:
there’s not even a maneuvering mode to slow it down.
Don’t you just turn the rotary selector knob to ‘DM’ (or ‘RM’ when reversing)?
Juddian:
How do you get it down into crawler then for a 1 in 7 hill start fully loaded?
Maybe it doesn’t have the 12+2 with crawlers, might just be a regular 12.
I’ve driven the 3 pedal Opticruise boxes on the Stobart fleet and I found them fine. Crawler gears were essential when up at 40t on hill starts but other than that I found it a decent box. I drive Actros’s with Powershift and they’re really good though not quite as good as the I-Shift which really is a masterclass in automated gearchanging. I did have an Actros that felt a bit woolly recently though. It took a good few seconds before pulling off after you put your foot down. I remember thinking at the time that I wish it had a clutch but as a driver we have to get on with it and even as it was I’d still prefer it to a full manual. May have had a problem as they’re not all like that.
At least Scania had the balls to admit they couldn’t get the automatic clutch control right and gave everyone a clutch for pulling off. Read all the horror stories about AS-Tronic equipped trucks to see what happens when manufacturers can’t get it right but stick with it anyway.
I drive a opticruise Scania 3 pedal, I didn’t like it at 1st but after a while it grew on me, I find if you change gear yourself just before the top of the green band and only go up 1 gear they go quite well but then I agree on why should you have to change gear on an auto as it defeats the object of a auto box but you have to make do with what you have got
Terry T:
Juddian:
How do you get it down into crawler then for a 1 in 7 hill start fully loaded?Maybe it doesn’t have the 12+2 with crawlers, might just be a regular 12.
At least Scania had the balls to admit they couldn’t get the automatic clutch control right and gave everyone a clutch for pulling off. Read all the horror stories about AS-Tronic equipped trucks to see what happens when manufacturers can’t get it right but stick with it anyway.
Even if its a straight 12 unless its been programmed to defeult select 1st i can’t see how its going to get moving on a steep incline loaded.
Agreed though its a hell of a lot better than the 2 pedal sversion that superceeds it.
I’ve got an AS Tronic hell box now, having finally given up completely with letting it do its own thing and beaten it to death its much happier being driven properly in manual override, infinitely less frustrating, still has that bloody delay though between putting your foot down and the engine and clutch finally responding.
Always wondered how they got them past type approval, if i was given the job of testing one it wouldn’t get past the first mile before i abandoned the test and ticked it off as fit only for the skip.
our fleet is 100% Scania opticruise. Horrible boxes!!!
New fleet in Spetember is supposed to be 2 pedal opticruise, hopefully better…
George@ASDA driver:
our fleet is 100% Scania opticruise. Horrible boxes!!!New fleet in Spetember is supposed to be 2 pedal opticruise, hopefully better…
I’ve got news for you, gearbox is just as bad, still hasn’t got a clue what gear it should be in…BUT you’ll glad to know that you’ve lost the ability to manouever as gently as needed… 
Looking forward to your report in due course… 
Bungle666:
Today i had the dubious pleasure of an automatic Scania, that had a clutch?? Just exactly WTF is that all about then??It was AWFUL to drive! i stalled the bugger on more than 1 occasion, it was gutless and generally a hateful thing!
also how do you classify them?? Are they a semi automatic, or a semi manual?? im confused!!
B…
Lol stalling it on more than one occasion, hang your head in shame. I have a three peddle opticruise and thinks it’s great. Much better than the merc semi auto, but as others have said, not a patch on the twin splitter.
The newer programming is a lot better than what they had a year or two ago, both with and without the 3rd pedal.
I like the 3 pedal one best, because we do a lot of reversing into wierd places, but for regular driving around, the 2 pedal is fine.
At least until it start to act like a man, which they like to do some times.
But if I am in a scania, I prefer the auto, of any version, as the manual boxes are not very nice, imo.
Roymondo:
Jimmy_2012:
there’s not even a maneuvering mode to slow it down.Don’t you just turn the rotary selector knob to ‘DM’ (or ‘RM’ when reversing)?
Yes, quite correct. Can’t see why any driver has problems, throttle control is all you need to master!! 
busteredwards:
Can’t see why any driver has problems, throttle control is all you need to master!!
Patience is the key. When you put your foot down and not much happens you need to fight the urge to floor it. Eventually you get the feel of how to get going. I watched a Royal Mail driver doing a trailer swap using a DAF recently and it looked fairly smooth to me. Saw a Hermes driver doing the same using a similar unit and the kangarooing he was doing you’d have thought Skippy was driving. And the bang to engage the pin, surprised it didn’t fall off.
Terry T:
busteredwards:
Can’t see why any driver has problems, throttle control is all you need to master!!Patience is the key. When you put your foot down and not much happens you need to fight the urge to floor it. Eventually you get the feel of how to get going. I watched a Royal Mail driver doing a trailer swap using a DAF recently and it looked fairly smooth to me.
That’ll be the Royal Mail trailer fully loaded with 6 bags of letters two yard brushes and a bloody parcel then, try connecting up when theres 28.5 tons sitting on the trailer or when you have to reverse 43t gross up a steep incline on a blind side across a road and through an angled gap 6" wider than the trailer which is one of our regular drops.
Juddian:
Terry T:
That’ll be the Royal Mail trailer fully loaded with 6 bags of letters two yard brushes and a bloody parcel then,
Same as the Hermes lorry then, both deliver parcels.
Terry T:
Juddian:
Terry T:
That’ll be the Royal Mail trailer fully loaded with 6 bags of letters two yard brushes and a bloody parcel then,Same as the Hermes lorry then, both deliver parcels.
Yes and that exactly what these automated manaul boxes were designed to do, cruise up and down the motorways with a bloody handful of cardboard boxes on board, soon as you show 'em a bit of hard work they can’t cope and take forever to manage a simple pull out from a busy roundabout.
I’ve driven some Dafs where the auto clutch has been like an on/off switch, absolutely hopeless unless empty or near enough, yet my last 460CF manual was as smooth as a limo for clutch control whilst feeding just the right amount of power in.
As always Volvo excepted…why anyone would buy an AS Chronic is a mystery to me.
Juddian:
Terry T:
Juddian:
Terry T:
That’ll be the Royal Mail trailer fully loaded with 6 bags of letters two yard brushes and a bloody parcel then,Same as the Hermes lorry then, both deliver parcels.
Yes and that exactly what these automated manaul boxes were designed to do, cruise up and down the motorways with a bloody handful of cardboard boxes on board, soon as you show 'em a bit of hard work they can’t cope and take forever to manage a simple pull out from a busy roundabout.
I’ve driven some Dafs where the auto clutch has been like an on/off switch, absolutely hopeless unless empty or near enough, yet my last 460CF manual was as smooth as a limo for clutch control whilst feeding just the right amount of power in.
As always Volvo excepted…why anyone would buy an AS Chronic is a mystery to me.
The reason I suspect, is that big fleet operators are fed up of fitting clutches (3 in 5 years on average) at my place and rarely grossing over 28 tonne.
It seems that they have given up on trying to get it into the thick skull of your average plant pot of a driver on how to use them and that was a simple 8 speed syncro can you imagine the current crop with an Eaton no, me neither so auto is the answer.
mike68:
The reason I suspect, is that big fleet operators are fed up of fitting clutches (3 in 5 years on average) at my place and rarely grossing over 28 tonne.It seems that they have given up on trying to get it into the thick skull of your average plant pot of a driver on how to use them and that was a simple 8 speed syncro can you imagine the current crop with an Eaton no, me neither so auto is the answer.
Think about it from a business point of view. Why have Eaton gearboxes that require actual skilled & talented drivers you have to pay well to handle properly, when technology exists (ie. automatic boxes) that can dumb the job down so near enough anybody can do it? Justifying lower wages… handy when fuel is 140p a litre.
Even if the likes of the Eaton Twin Splitter were still available, I doubt any supermarket chain/general hauliers etc. would be bothering with them when auto’s are so widely available and get the job done.
Think about it from a business point of view. Why have Eaton gearboxes that require actual skilled & talented drivers you have to pay well to handle properly, when technology exists (ie. automatic boxes) that can dumb the job down so near enough anybody can do it? Justifying lower wages… handy when fuel is 140p a litre.
Even if the likes of the Eaton Twin Splitter were still available, I doubt any supermarket chain/general hauliers etc. would be bothering with them when auto’s are so widely available and get the job done.
[/quote]
The fact still remains a poor driver is still a poor driver regardless of what gearbox is fitted manual/ auto it still needs a good driver to get the best from a truck whether you talking mpg or brake relines or clutch life,making a rev and rip truck doesn’t mean you need less skilled operator’s it creates less moving parts for the truck makers to install eg gear linkages and the like although they are replaced with more complex servo’s and the like they are cheaper ,easier and quicker to make and replace.
It seems that they have given up on trying to get it into the thick skull of your average plant pot of a driver on how to use them and that was a simple 8 speed syncro can you imagine the current crop with an Eaton no, me neither so auto is the answer.
[/quote]
And thats why we now get paid peanuts, no skills behind the wheel, any Real driver would love an Eaton twinsplit and know how to use it to their best advantage .
I now await a heap of Flak !!!
drove a few of them ,not very keen didnt seem like fish nor fowl to me , either make the gear shift full manual or not , silly idea just having half & half , though i will say the auto shift does save on clutch wear , ( their not fully auto boxes there’s no fluid fly wheel) we have some 57 reg cf’s done over a million k’s without a clutch change 