Big Truck:
Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but do any of you guy’s think an auto box (I-shift/AS Tronic/optidrive) would be a good job to spec in a new 8 wheeler tipper for quarry work?
There are pros and cons, some of which:
On the positive side you can gain up to 70kg more payload if you spec an auto-shift box. If you’re working in the hills the auto-shift is also pretty handy as it can often change quicker than you can manually. Clutch life is usually extended too, and R&M costs can be lower thanks to a protected drivetrain.
On the down side you will struggle to rock the truck free if you’re stuck in the mud, unlike a manual with a clutch pedal.
Cheers Craig,
Ref getting “stuck” When this happens with the Agri contractors I work for (tractors and farm delivery trucks) we don’t go get another tractor to tow them out we get the JCB 414s shovel because we feel with the torque converter (something similar to auto box) its gradual untake of drive gives the 414 better grip to pull especially in snow. I also thought I read an article from Volvo somewhere a while ago which said they thought the I-shift would work on an eight wheeler because the smoothness of the drive takeup will give it better grip? But I can see your point about the rocking back and forth 
Drifting slightly away from the original question but the getting stuck bit reminded me.
In the distance of time when they were building the last section of the M62 near West Cave (made up name) before it joins the A63,
I drove a Haulamatic dump truck and that was ideal in soft going.
Most of the time I was getting sent up and down just to tow bogged down Leyland octupuses Octupi) out of the sinking sand.
That last 7 mile section had to be built with concrete because of the moving sand and gravel underneath
I suppose that was my first driving job cos I should have been at school.