Automated or automatic, they both have a clutch and gears to get you moving. No torque converters…
Steevo:
Automated or automatic, they both have a clutch and gears to get you moving. No torque converters…
I see where you are coming from Steevo ,AS-Tronic is not a true automatic as in the Torque convertor or a box of epicyclic gears ,brake bands etc …With AS-Tronic the main gears are like an old crash box,no synchros ,the range and the split do have synchros , it has twin layshafts and is timed ,sound familiar lol…So it is really an old set of internals put in a casing with a electronic brain to do the changes …Unlike the smaller AS-Lite which you can bolt a turret on and you have a manual ,with AS-Tronic you can not do that …So in that way it is an automated /automatic box …No matter how the transmission manufacturers get there ,if it changes gears itself then to all intents it is an auto…As they say there is more than one way to skin a cat
Can`t comment on the 6-speed box but the 12-speed box is awful.
Are these little horrors prone to faults (quote)-- The 12 speed box doesn`t seem to break. The only faults are “designed in”. i.e. they are what they are.
completely ignores the manual override unless it suits the computer (quote)-- Latest versions have factory settings so that if driver selects Manual and keeps foot on throttle all is ok; back off throttle and the box will go straight into auto. Wonderful if gently going on/off throttle when in a tight space. This can be lifted by DAF dealers tho.
On flat roads theyre fine. On owt else they cant hack it. Other week, I had one ton in trailer, pulled out a road up a bit of a hill on half throttle. Auto started in 3rd. went into 6th, but couldn`t make, so jumped back to 1st, come to a stop,lurched, and then went to 4th and then 6th. I think DAF would have failed their driving test on that! Simply put they are unreliable in performance, but are long lived.
DAF salesman says 2 things depending on complaint:
1 “Leave it in auto, and let it do what it wants”
2 “That`s what the manual override is for”.
I believe the issue is not with the transmission itself, the issue is with DAF an the manufacturer (ZF) being unable to create the software to suit the engines they use, under normal driving they are quite good however for manoeuvring at low speed they are truly awful.
I drive a Daf XF 106 euro 6 and i find the auto box is a big improvment over the dreadful box that was fitted to the 105, its far smoother in operation and clutch control when manoevering is far easier, but it cannot yet match Volvo’s superb I shift gearbox.
Can’t see the problem with as tronic. Have driven various Dafs from 07 to 65 plate and haven’t had a problem at all. Driving, reversing etc. Good throttle control is the key…
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109LWB:
Got the same box in my iveco.
Horrible, just horrible.Can’t reverse slowly without kangarooing all over the place, can’t drive slowly without the same. Pulling out of a junction requires at least 2 miles of vehicle free road to ensure you actually get out of it without causing a pile up.
Roundabouts are now known as stop… wait for the box to figure out what gear it’s in, wait until it put it in neutral, wait until it puts in it first, start to pull out, wait for gearbox to change to 2nd, wait for gearbox to panic and go back to first, sit in the middle of the roundabout with no drive as other vehicles coming bearing down on you, wait a bit more, scream… drive away as your head thumps against the headrest and then whiplashes forward.
The clutch is either on or off, there is no middle ground, don’t try and roll down a hill in say 4th gear, the box will suddenly downchange to first and break your neck.
If you use manual override, pull the stalk at least 5 minutes before you want to change gear. This will give ample time for the message to be relayed to the box, don’t worry, the rev limiter will hold you at engine dectruction revs until the message is received. It will then let you know, by violently thrusting you forward.
Talking of which, always stop at least 20 meters behind a vehicle at traffic lights etc, as the box has a habit of deciding to lurch your forward even after you have come to a full stop and think everything is good.
That pretty much sums it up! On open roads it’s a wonderful thing it flits up and down the gears as and when it should. Everywhere else it a right b******! Did me today at around 10mph had to slow a tiny bit for an island to slot into traffic and WHAM! 1st gear how the van behind didn’t pile in the back I’ll never know. I came off a Scania P230 with a 12speed auto it took me a couple of weeks to get used to where it wanted to be on the road to select a given gear and it was sorted, regularly ran 100’s average across the board.
As for rolling down hill in the DAF the ONLY way is to freewheel, same at junctions with red lights. As for the manual override forget it, it’s only useful pulling away in slow traffic so the box can’t change gear too soon causing another massive lurch as you slow to stop again, it won’t crawl along. If you could preselect second or third as it’s start gear it might be better but I can only dream of that, the Scanny would preselect fourth which was perfect for that.
the nodding donkey:
Two days ago I was bestowed the great honour of taking the hire TGM out, with a good old stick to stir the gears. No problems, no dramas, but certainly no quicker of the line at junctions or roundabouts. But then i dont drive it like a teenager with his baseball cap on back to front… I don’t know what the fuss is all about Juddian.
Did it have Comfortshift? The little button on gearstick for the clutch? The only manual I’ve ever really liked