I’d just like to put my twopen’orth in about the I-shift boxes. The firm I was with went for the FM with the I-Shift in in a big way when the 03 reg’s came out.
We were shown what to do with the boxes by a volvo trained driver and told to trust the technology. 99per cent of the time this was fine , with the other one percent you used your head and went in to manual. The one consistent time it failed was when you were really screwing it round and the drag of the trailer bogie beat the gear box. solution-- use manual before it happened1 As for coupling up, I always used the suspension, lift it up a fraction before lowering the legs, pull the pin ,ease forward , lower suspension . When coupling,lower suspension to skid plate level ,no problem easing under on just above tickover, loaded or empty.
We also ran MAN,s with auto boxes . Again we were shown how to get the best from them and MAN advocated a combination of auto and manual use to get the best out of it. In 18 months on them I never had a problem. In fact the MAN IMHO was the more surefooted one in bad weather and I was sorry when I lost it. I think my ideal auto motor would be a MAN with Volvo running gear because I do think the I-Shift has the edge.
Bassman, spot on there driver. You have worked out that you still need to drive the lorry, autoshift means just that, it shifts automatically and that’s all it does
newmercman:
Bassman, spot on there driver. You have worked out that you still need to drive the lorry, autoshift means just that, it shifts automatically and that’s all it does
Well why have it at all then if thats all its capable of, I can change gear when I need to so whats the point? please don’t tell Me they’re cheaper either because they’re not, they’re just another tool to allow a tool to drive a lorry because the industry is 95% full of tools…
I too do Your thing with the air bassman when hooking up or I did do when I had the facility too, I have an air dump only option so I drop the air in the trailer, lower the legs, pull the pin then inch forward & hit the dump switch just before it spits Me out…
fly sheet:
I too do Your thing with the air bassman when hooking up or I did do when I had the facility too, I have an air dump only option so I drop the air in the trailer, lower the legs, pull the pin then inch forward & hit the dump switch just before it spits Me out…
I wish the tossers at my place did that (it’s how I do it too) that way my [zb]ing shoulder would not be kyboshed
Although I think there is a place for auto shifters, I wouldn’t own one unless the lorry was on a full R&M package and over here where you and I ply our trade, I wouldn’t touch one with a barge pole, too much crap on the engines to leave us stranded in a snow drift without adding a load of unecessary complexity to do a job I’ve been doing without a problem for the past 25yrs
It’s all part of the dumbing down process, they’ve even got cruise controls linked to GPS now so the lorry knoew when to apply more power for a hill ffs I’ve got a pair of eyes and a right boot that does exactly that, in 25yrs I’ve never not got up a hill yet (even in a Gardner Carryfast )
If I was an O/D and was speccing a motor for myself I wouldn’t have an auto box. I would have the good old twin splitter, IMHO the best gearbox ever made.
But when you are a company driver you drive what you are provided with. As a professional you try and get the best out of what you have, if that requires some instruction to become possible, so be it. The main thing ,I have found with auto boxes is that they can’t see the road ahead(Although I have just seen a report that Volvo ,I believe have developed software that can detect a hill in front -before you get to it ) and the driver can. So the driver chooses what to do , either leave it in auto or go into manual to deal with whatever is in front ( or behind). In any scenario truck and driver combined should get the job done.
Isnt this another case of arrogance described on a few threads here in the past where manufacturers are forcing in this case auto boxes onto the customer.When we were looking for new leased motors around 3 years ago a certain large rental company only wanted to supply autos saying that the manufacturers were now saying manuals were only available on special order,how true this was im not sure but this same rental company ended up with an all auto tractor unit fleet .Strangely enough they were really pushing the 85 CF Daf we ended up with Scania 400s with the overdrive opticruise with clutch pedal our fleet manager was obsessed with autos but he had to compromise eventually ,the problem was he believed everything the manufacturers told him.The autos just weren`t suitable for our operation.
This is a first and more than likely a last but i actually agree with Carryfast
if you`ve 2 arms and 2 legs why do you need an auto?
newmercman:
It’s all part of the dumbing down process, they’ve even got cruise controls linked to GPS now so the lorry knoew when to apply more power for a hill ffs I’ve got a pair of eyes and a right boot that does exactly that, in 25yrs I’ve never not got up a hill yet (even in a Gardner Carryfast )
The job’s [zb]ed drive
What a great idea that would have been back in the day GPS controlled Gardner cruise control,hill climb and engine monitoring device.
It reports back to base malfunction mayday mayday this vehicle is defective severe power loss and immediately applies the brakes safely bringing it to a halt and then applies the park brake on the hill and automatically informs the nearest recovery operators while the driver desperately tries to override the system.
That’s assuming it didn’t just shut the thing down before it reached top gear when it left the yard for the same reason.
The new Merc bassman & newmercman doesnt see a hill but its got some sort of radar on it reads speed & distance of vehicle in front, set the speed you want put your feet on the floor & it will slow down & speed up with the traffic & if something comes to a sudden stop so does the wagon Scary or what dont think Flysheet or ramone would take to it
ramone they stopped using the Eaton twin splitter it didn`t conform to euro whats,its
greek:
The new Merc bassman & newmercman doesnt see a hill but its got some sort of radar on it reads speed & distance of vehicle in front, set the speed you want put your feet on the floor & it will slow down & speed up with the traffic & if something comes to a sudden stop so does the wagon Scary or what dont think Flysheet or ramone would take to it
ramone they stopped using the Eaton twin splitter it didn`t conform to euro whats,its
Pic of new Merc for you lads our the pond
hi,
a mate of mine had an fh16 five years ago that had that system on it.there was a large sensor at the front that detected distance,speed etc.
regards andrew.
greek:
The new Merc bassman & newmercman doesnt see a hill but its got some sort of radar on it reads speed & distance of vehicle in front, set the speed you want put your feet on the floor & it will slow down & speed up with the traffic & if something comes to a sudden stop so does the wagon Scary or what dont think Flysheet or ramone would take to it
ramone they stopped using the Eaton twin splitter it didn`t conform to euro whats,its
Pic of new Merc for you lads our the pond
Well i dont think ive ever mentioned the twin splitter ,ive only driven 1 which was only temporary ,it was in a brand new Iveco 360 turbostar,i only had 3 days and got used to it after a day but i prefered the 13 speed fuller we had in the other Ivecos.
I dont feel in control with auto boxes i find them unpredictable and i just dont see the advantages over manuals,but i prefer auto cars ,anyone want to buy my geartronic volvo s60 d5 ■■?
Juddian:
I think some of the auto luvvies only go ro RDC’s and reverse gently in unlimited space on billiard smooth surfaces.
Well I don’t. From reversing off high streets to butchers shops, to muddy building sites on residential streets, up hills down hills to places in Ireland that make anywhere in the UK look easy and not to mention on and off ferries all over the place I have not had a problem with an autos at all. With a bit of practise anyone can precision reverse an auto, I can hitch up with my auto Scania a lot more smoothly than most chaps can in a manual.
Juddian:
I think some of the auto luvvies only go ro RDC’s and reverse gently in unlimited space on billiard smooth surfaces.
Well I don’t. From reversing off high streets to butchers shops, to muddy building sites on residential streets, up hills down hills to places in Ireland that make anywhere in the UK look easy and not to mention on and off ferries all over the place I have not had a problem with an autos at all. With a bit of practise anyone can precision reverse an auto, I can hitch up with my auto Scania a lot more smoothly than most chaps can in a manual.
+1 ( only with a stralis unfortunately ) I’ve even mastered holding it on a hill on the accelerator, although in my old daf this was so much easier, all comes once you get used to them I suppose.
fly sheet:
Cheers greek that new Merc looks well, is it a demo ? or is it awaiting that famous livery ?
No its a demo flysheet but must have been one of the first on the road 120000ks on the clock now twice a day 7 days a week think its some sort of deal, but we have a few coming next month which wiil be ours in paint shop now
Sorry ramone it was bassman mentioned the twinsplitter
Juddian:
I think some of the auto luvvies only go ro RDC’s and reverse gently in unlimited space on billiard smooth surfaces.
Well I don’t. From reversing off high streets to butchers shops, to muddy building sites on residential streets, up hills down hills to places in Ireland that make anywhere in the UK look easy and not to mention on and off ferries all over the place I have not had a problem with an autos at all. With a bit of practise anyone can precision reverse an auto, I can hitch up with my auto Scania a lot more smoothly than most chaps can in a manual.
I ran for a long while with a fleet of auto Scanias switchlogic, we did piling work all them lads where old hands the opinion of most of them was the auto Scanias where utter rubbish, I’ve only driven a 6x4 auto Scania unit Myself it too was a joke, I’m pleased your happy with yours but I would’nt go for a packet of ■■■■ in one…
fly sheet:
Cheers greek that new Merc looks well, is it a demo ? or is it awaiting that famous livery ?
No its a demo flysheet but must have been one of the first on the road 120000ks on the clock now twice a day 7 days a week think its some sort of deal, but we have a few coming next month which wiil be ours in paint shop now
Sorry ramone it was bassman mentioned the twinsplitter
I reckon banging that kind of miles on it greek they’re doing Mercs testing for em
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